In Queens, New York, an explosion injured at least eight police officers on Thursday. They had been called to a residence where a man allegedly threatened others with a knife.

Officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) were dispatched to address a domestic altercation involving a knife-wielding individual in the Ozone Park area, according to NYPD Assistant Chief Christopher McIntosh, who spoke about the incident earlier in the day.

Later, NYPD Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch unveiled startling body camera footage from the police. The video captures officers approaching the home’s entrance moments before a sudden and fiery blast knocks them back.

Just before the explosion, an officer can be heard inquiring, “what’s his name?” The blast then erupts, forcing officers to quickly assess their surroundings and ensure their safety amid the chaos.

An officer is overheard stating, “The guy just lit the house on fire,” confirming the explosion’s source.

Officers are seen attempting to remove several crying children from the chaotic scene and check on other occupants.

“Here is video of the heroic actions that members of the NYPD took this morning to rescue children and adults from a burning home in Queens,” Tisch wrote on X Thursday afternoon. “They were hurt. They had just been thrown to the ground by an explosion. And in that moment, with no clear sense of what else they might be walking into, they made the decision to keep moving forward. Their focus stayed exactly where it needed to be: on the people inside, on getting those children out, and on making sure that situation didn’t claim innocent lives.”

At an earlier news conference, McIntosh told reporters that at 2:42 a.m., officers responded to a 911 call for a domestic dispute with a knife.

“The call was placed by a family member of the victim, who stated that her male relative arrived at their residence intoxicated and armed with a knife, and there was a smell of gas in the residence,” McIntosh said.

Anroop Parasaram, 50, was armed with a knife, forced his way into the basement apartment of a three-family home and “began menacing and threatening the remaining victim with a knife,” McIntosh said.

Firefighters battle a five-alarm blaze in Queens, New York. The initial blast knocked multiple NYPD officers off of their feet on Thursday, April 30, 2026. (FOX5 New York)

“Our officers were at the front door of the residence attempting to enter when suddenly a massive fiery explosion erupted at 2:57 a.m. The officers were violently… multiple officers were thrown off their feet with some being launched into gates at the front of the residence,” McIntosh said.

Officers then went into the engulfed building to rescue remaining residents.

Eight officers were treated for minor burns and one of them received stitches for head lacerations.

“I want to be clear, we got very lucky today, this could have turned out really differently,” McIntosh stated.

Officers have still not located Parasaram, who is still “unaccounted for,” McIntosh revealed at the time.

Parasaram, who had three expired protection orders against him by family members, came to the home carrying two garbage bags containing gas cans and an unknown substance, McIntosh said.

Sixteen people living in the three-family home or in nearby homes have been displaced by the blaze, Fire Department of New York’s (FDNY) John Esposito told the news conference.

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani also weighed in on the situation.

Firefighters battle a large blaze in the Ozone Park neighborhood of Queens, New York. The fire came after a domestic dispute in which 50-year-old Anroop Parasaram allegedly carried garbage bags with gas cans into the home on Thursday April 30, 2026. (FOX5 New York)

“I’ve been briefed on this horrific situation involving a dispute that led to an explosion and fire in Queens. It left multiple people injured and displaced, including seven members of the NYPD and one firefighter — all of whom sustained minor injuries and are in stable condition,” Mamdani wrote in a Thursday morning post on X.

“I’m grateful to our NYPD officers, FDNY firefighters, and EMS members who rushed to the scene, rescuing residents and worked under extremely difficult conditions to keep New Yorkers safe. I’m wishing all those injured a swift recovery, and I thank our officers and firefighters for their extraordinary bravery in the face of a complex and dangerous situation. We’re continuing to support displaced residents and, as FDNY and NYPD personnel conduct debris removal and searches at this active scene, and working to account for anyone who may remain missing while the investigation continues,” Mamdani concluded.

Fox News Digital contacted the NYPD for more information but no further update was immediately available.

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It appears that the end of “The Morning After” podcast was prompted by the pressures of being in the spotlight.

On Thursday, Kelly Stafford, wife of NFL quarterback Matthew Stafford, disclosed on Instagram her decision to halt the production of her well-received podcast. She candidly shared that the constant anxiety over potential misinterpretations of her words became overwhelming as each episode’s release approached.

“What I don’t miss is the anxiety I used to get the night before every episode was released wondering what headline was going to be created from the episode,” Kelly explained. “It just felt like my name was in the headlines every week and that is not what I wanted this podcast for. So that is a big reason why I took a break. I needed a mental break.”

Initially launched in 2021, Kelly’s podcast quickly gained popularity. She later invited her friend, Hank Winchester, a distinguished Emmy-winning television reporter from Detroit, to co-host alongside her.

The two delved into an array of topics that included Kelly’s gameday experiences as well as her life at home with a star NFL quarterback.

The series featured plenty of guests — including Stafford himself — but in October 2025, she announced she needed a breather from filming.

It was supposed to be a short break, but the show never returned.

And on Thursday, Kelly made it clear it might never come back.

“It was really nice just being there and supporting and being with my kids and Matthew all last season and not having to worry about it,” she said.

However, she did leave the door slightly ajar for a return to the microphones.

“I really do miss it,” she said. “I think you can do a lot of good with a podcast if you do it right. So I’m trying to figure out what that looks like and still be super enjoyable for you all. So stay tuned on that. I’m working on it.

“And once there is a decision that I’ve made, I promise you, you’ll know.”

WASHINGTON — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth found himself at odds with Democratic lawmakers in Congress for a second consecutive day on Thursday. He dismissed their claims that the United States initiated the Iran conflict without substantiating an immediate threat or crafting a clear plan.

During a Senate Armed Services Committee session, Hegseth criticized the Democrats, labeling them as “reckless naysayers” and “defeatists from the cheap seats,” accusing them of failing to acknowledge the U.S. military’s numerous achievements against Iran.

He argued that President Donald Trump has shown unprecedented resolve in preventing Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, asserting that Trump’s leadership features the world’s finest negotiator securing favorable outcomes.

Senator Jack Reed, the committee’s leading Democrat, countered Hegseth’s assertions by stating that the conflict with Iran has actually undermined America’s strategic stance. He highlighted the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a spike in fuel costs, and the loss of 13 American service members, alongside numerous injuries and equipment damage.

“I worry that you’re telling the president what he wants to hear rather than what he should hear,” Reed remarked. “Overly optimistic claims of success do a disservice to both the commander in chief and the service members who have risked their lives based on these assurances.”

Hegseth defends Pentagon firings

Reed also lambasted Hegseth for his firing of top military leaders and suggested the defense secretary had an intense interest in Christianity and nationalism, while failing to recognize the accomplishments of women and people of color in the military. Reed noted that 60% of some two dozen officers fired by Hegseth have been female or Black.

Hegseth said any firing is based on performance and that previous Pentagon leaders “were focused on social engineering, race and gender in ways that we think were unhealthy for the department.”

“Our department allows for a multitude of faiths,” Hegseth said. “I don’t know what you’re suggesting. I’ve heard the likes of things that people like you suggest, to try to smear my character, and I won’t give in to it.”

The Senate committee was convened to discuss the Trump administration’s 2027 military budget proposal, which would boost defense spending to historic $1.5 trillion. Hegseth and the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Dan Caine, are stressing the need for more drones, missile defense systems and warships.

Republican chairman offers warmer welcome

Hegseth received a warmer welcome Thursday from Sen. Roger Wicker, the Republican chairman of the committee, and other GOP lawmakers. Wicker kicked off the hearing by noting that the U.S. is in the most dangerous security environment since World War II. He also praised Trump’s use of the military.

Through the war against Iran, Trump “has worked to remove the regime’s conventional military capabilities and force it back to the table for a permanent solution,” Wicker said.

He also praised Trump’s budget proposal for 2027.

“This $1.5 trillion request is chock full of important programs and initiatives that are absolutely necessary to secure American interest in the 21st century,” he said.

Sen. Deb Fischer, a Republican from Nebraska, praised Hegseth’s statement on the need for nuclear deterrence as well as the development of Trump’s Golden Dome missile defense program.

“For years, this committee has known that we must improve our ability to defend our homeland against a wider variety of threats, and we finally have a partner with the full backing of the department to lead the charge,” Fischer said.

Sen. Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, gave Hegseth a chance to talk about the military’s efforts to minimize American casualties during the Iran war. Cotton also asked Hegseth whether he ever lied to Trump, pushing back against Reed’s claim that Hegesth tells the president what he wants to hear.

“I only tell the truth to the president,” Hegseth said.

Secretary battled Democrats in separate House hearing

A day earlier, Hegseth battled with Democrats during a nearly six-hour House Armed Services Committee hearing, where he faced sharp questioning over the war’s costs in dollars, lives and diminishing stockpiles of critical weapons.

Democrats call it a costly war of choice that lacks congressional approval or oversight. But they have failed to pass multiple war powers resolutions that would have required Trump to halt the conflict until Congress authorizes further action.

Under the War Powers Act of 1973, Congress must declare war or authorize use of force within 60 days – a deadline that arrives Friday. The law provides for a potential 30-day extension, but the Republican administration has not indicated publicly whether Trump will seek it.

The administration is in “active conversations” with lawmakers on addressing the 60-day timeline, according to a White House official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private deliberations.

Also at Wednesday’s hearing, Pentagon officials said the war has cost $25 billion, mostly in munitions. But Hegseth refused to answer questions about how much longer the war would last or how much more it could cost.

Hegseth also said a deadly strike on an Iranian elementary school that killed more than 165 people, including children, remains under investigation. The Associated Press has reported that growing evidence pointed to U.S. culpability for the strike, which hit a school adjacent to a Revolutionary Guard base.

On Thursday, former President Donald Trump revealed his decision to nominate Dr. Nicole B. Saphier for the position of Surgeon General.

Dr. Saphier, known for her work as a radiologist and her role as a medical contributor on Fox News, has been chosen to replace Casey Means. Means, a wellness influencer closely associated with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., had faced significant scrutiny during her Senate confirmation hearing in February. Senators questioned her controversial views on vaccines, birth control, and pesticides.

Trump took to Truth Social to express his confidence in Saphier, stating, “Nicole is a STAR physician who has devoted her career to assisting women dealing with breast cancer and advocating for early cancer detection. She has also worked extensively with both men and women on various cancer diagnoses and treatments.”

He continued, “She is an INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR, simplifying complex health issues for the American public. Dr. Nicole Saphier is poised to make significant contributions to our nation and help, ‘MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN.’”

‘She is also an INCREDIBLE COMMUNICATOR, who makes complicated health issues more easily understood by all Americans. Dr. Nicole Saphier will do great things for our Country, and help, “MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN.” 

‘Congratulations Nicole, our Country has long been waiting for you!’

A biography of her on Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center’s website also lists the physician as the director of breast imaging at the institute’s imaging center in Monmouth, New Jersey. 

The surgeon general of the United States serves as the country’s leading figure on public health. The Department of Health and Human Services calls the surgeon general the ‘nation’s doctor.’

President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he was nominating Dr Nicole B Saphier (pictured) as his pick for surgeon general

The position oversees the US Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps, a group of officers who are public health professionals.  

Saphier went to medical school at the Ross University School of Medicine and completed her residency training at Maricopa Integrated Health Systems, with a fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. 

She is board-certified in diagnostic radiology and lists her specialties as breast imaging, CT scans and ultrasounds. 

Saphier was among public figures who falsely claimed in 2022 that the CDC was seeking to mandate that students receive Covid-19 vaccines despite the agency’s inability to do so.

That decision is left up to states and individual jurisdictions. 

Saphier first tweeted the claim, which was then picked up and amplified by news networks and social media users. 

The physician has written several books, including the 2020 one titled Make America Healthy Again, which went on to become RFK Jr’s health movement motto.

The book discussed preventing chronic disease by addressing diet and exercise.

Her 2021 book Panic Attack criticized Covid-era restrictions and school closures. 

Her latest book, 2024’s Love, Mom: Inspiring Stories Celebrating Motherhood, is a collection of first-person stories from mothers about motherhood. 

Saphier is Trump’s third pick for the top health spot. 

The president first nominated Janette Nesheiwat last year. The White House withdrew her nomination and put forward Means in her place. 

However, Means, a popular online wellness personality, faced scrutiny in her hearing when lawmakers questioned her views on vaccines and her medical credentials. 

Trump had written earlier on Thursday on Truth Social: ‘Casey will continue to fight for MAHA on the many important Health issues facing our Country, such as the rising childhood disease epidemic, increased autism rates, poor nutrition, over-medicalization, and researching the root causes of infertility, and many other difficult medical problems.’

Means had echoed many of RFK Jr’s more controversial stances, including that autism may be caused by childhood vaccines, a view she shared on a Joe Rogan podcast episode last year.

And doctors had previously told Daily Mail that Means was ‘grossly underqualified’ — as she would have been one of only a handful of surgeons general to not have an active medical license and would have been the only one to have not finished her full medical training. 

It’s not a mistake.

In a bid to grab drivers’ attention, a county in Wisconsin has implemented an unconventional speed limit of 17.3 mph within a specific high-traffic zone.

Authorities in Outagamie County have introduced this peculiar speed limit at their Recycling and Solid Waste facility. This site is bustling with trucks, contractors, and local residents, creating a busy and potentially dangerous setting.

County officials explain that this precise figure wasn’t chosen randomly — it’s a strategic move meant to engage drivers’ minds.

Motorists in Outagamie County, Wisconsin, are doing double-takes since the Recycling & Solid Waste facility decided to post a distinctive 17.3 mph speed limit sign in the vicinity.

“Why 17.3? Because it makes you pause. It makes you look twice,” officials said in a social media post announcing the change. The goal, they say, is to snap drivers out of “autopilot” and force them to pay closer attention to speed and safety while behind the wheel.

The site sees steady traffic from large hauling vehicles and smaller passenger cars, often moving in tight quarters.

A roadway leads into Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha, Wis. (iStock)

The county believes the unconventional speed limit is a small change that will get drivers to slow down, stay alert and watch out for others.

Whether it catches on elsewhere remains to be seen, but for now, 17.3 mph is turning heads in Wisconsin.

“Worked last weekend when I was there. Made us laugh,” one user replied to the post.

A rural road in Wisconsin is lined with scrub oaks and powerlines, with corn and farm fields visible to the left in early fall. (iStock)

Other users, however, were skeptical of the move.

“Sounds like something outagamie would do,” another user wrote. “Plus you’ll get speeding for 17.4 and impeding traffic at 17.2, everyone gonna be paying up.”

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A young woman has initiated legal action against Roblox, Discord, and Uber after enduring a horrifying ordeal in which a repeat predator allegedly exploited these platforms to groom her at the age of 15. The predator reportedly paid a driver to transport her from Indiana to his residence in New Jersey, where she was confined in a small, damp room and subjected to repeated assaults, according to the lawsuit.

Now 19, the plaintiff, whose identity remains undisclosed, contends that Roblox, a video game platform, and Discord, an online messaging service, neglected warnings about the predator’s past misconduct. She argues that the platforms failed in their duty to effectively ban him, allowing him continued access to target minors.

The lawsuit, filed in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, also implicates Uber, alleging the company has not adequately trained its drivers on the dangers associated with arranging off-platform rides for minors.

Requests for comments from Roblox, Discord, and Uber by The Post have yet to receive responses.

In the months leading up to the teenager’s abduction and assault, users of Roblox and Discord reportedly raised concerns about an individual operating under the username “DoctorRofatnik.” The lawsuit details how users shared numerous screenshots depicting him attempting to engage in inappropriate conversations with minors.

In one message, “DoctorRofatnik” – the creator of a popular Roblox game – told a 12-year-old girl, “You’re the reason why I’m gonna end up behind bars,” and “You’re 12…soon I’ll corrupt you beyond your wildest dreams,” the suit said.

In January 2022, The Guardian published a detailed expose on “DoctorRofatnik” and his predatory behavior, including sending sexual messages to multiple underage girls.

Yet Roblox and Discord failed to conduct adequate investigations into the user, allowing him to skirt around platform bans by remaking his accounts and transferring ownership of his video game to other users so he was still paid by Roblox, according to the suit.

In January 2022, the teen plaintiff reached out to “DoctorRofatnik” – a then-23-year-old New Jersey man named Arnold Castillo – as a fan of his video game on Roblox, according to the lawsuit.

Castillo invited her to join his Discord messaging channel, where they soon exchanged phone numbers and started texting and speaking on the phone for hours at a time, per the suit.

Much of that time was spent with Castillo attempting to convince the young girl that the grooming allegations against him were false – and the plaintiff found his denial convincing, especially since he pointed out he was still able to use both Roblox and Discord, the suit said.

Castillo commissioned the teen to make artwork for his video game, and soon started sending her gifts, including McDonald’s deliveries to her Indiana home via DoorDash, artist tools and a tablet computer, altogether worth thousands of dollars, according to the lawsuit.

Over the following months, Castillo sent the young girl sexual messages that discussed showering with her; saying he wanted to “make love” to her and “have kids;” discussed “fingering” her and oral sex; and talked about her “hymen,” the suit said.

In April 2022, Castillo said, “Now I just need to make you a woman in the bedroom,” according to the suit. When the girl expressed concerns that she might be too young for sex, Castillo said, “[Y]ou’re not,” adding that he would “deflower” her, the suit said.

Between April and May 2022, Castillo used the Uber app to contact a driver about arranging an off-platform ride – agreeing to pay him $1,000 via CashApp to drive the young girl from her home in Indiana to his New Jersey residence, a roughly 10-hour drive, according to the suit.

Upon her arrival, Castillo confined the girl to a “tiny, dank room” in a building next to his residence, with only a dirty twin mattress lying on the floor, where he controlled her movements and her access to food and water, the suit said.

He raped the teen girl multiple times and used Uber to have others attempt to purchase the “Plan B” pill to prevent her from becoming pregnant, along with hair dye in an effort to disguise the missing girl, whose family was frantically searching for her, per the suit.

Law enforcement eventually found the girl after they linked a new log-in to her Instagram account to Castillo’s address, where they found Castillo with three condoms on him and immediately arrested him, according to the lawsuit.

He is currently serving a 15-year sentence in federal prison, after he pleaded guilty in 2023 to Transportation of a Minor with Intent to Engage in Criminal Sexual Activity and Coercion and Enticement of a Minor.

“A dangerous predator was able to groom, traffic, and repeatedly rape our young client because these Big Tech companies refused to take the simple steps necessary to operate safely,” Alexandra Walsh, an attorney at Anapol Weiss helping lead nine federal lawsuits against Roblox, told The Post in a statement.

“This lawsuit aims to hold these companies accountable for what happened to this young girl, and hopefully to prevent other children from suffering such horrible abuses,” she added.

The lawsuit alleged the plaintiff has suffered “unimaginable harm,” including emotional distress, psychological trauma and mental anguish – adding that “[h]er innocence has been snatched from her forever.”

It’s just the latest lawsuit accusing Roblox of allowing child sexual exploitation to run rampant on its platform. 

Last September, the mother of a 15-year-old boy who killed himself filed the first wrongful death suit against Roblox and Discord, alleging the apps’ lack of guardrails allowed her son to be sexually coerced by an adult predator into sending explicit photos.

Roblox’s video game site is extremely popular among young users, with millions of kids using the platform to play games and message their friends.

In 2024, it reported an average of 82.9 million daily active users – with roughly 56% of them between the ages of 5 and 16.

The video game site has rolled out age-based kid and teen accounts with parental controls and other protections in an attempt to clamp down on illicit activity, including sexual messages between adults and kids. 

Critics have raised concerns that children and adults can easily lie about their age when making an account.

The lawsuit alleged many predators on Roblox do not even bother hiding that they are using the platform to hunt children, with usernames like “@Igruum_minors” and “@RavpeTinyK1dsJE.”