Nearly all of the artists announced for President Donald Trump’s “Freedom 250” concert series have pulled out of the upcoming festivities, turning a National Mall celebration built around America’s 250th birthday into a fight over patriotism, politics and the use of veterans in promoting the event. Bret Michaels, Martina McBride, Young MC, The Commodores, Morris Day and The Time, and C+C Music Factory are among the performers who have withdrawn from or distanced themselves from Freedom 250 Presents: The Great American State Fair, a 16-day event scheduled for June 25 through July 10 in Washington, D.C. The event was announced…

For whatever reason, most of this week’s best new gear comes in twos. We’ve got two top-notch bikes built for speed, two jackets aimed at improving breathability without sacrificing performance, and two German brands with new gear aimed at trail running. But we have a few more interesting pieces that have no clear analog, including backpacking meals just for your dog (yes, really), some cool new shades from the reliable armless brand Ombraz, and a Costco cooler that won’t empty your wallet. Get the details on these cool new offerings in this week’s Emerging Gear. Specialized Gravel Bike (Photo/Specialized) There’s…

The state of Connecticut had to know this was coming. The moment they even considered banning Glocks and similar firearms because someone can take an already illegal device and illegally convert it into an illegal firearm, they had to know they were going to get sued. They had to. Yes, the bill is stupid, and not just because criminals will keep getting guns to convert, no matter what laws they pass. It’s stupid because it has nothing to do with the Glock or similar striker-fired guns. It’s all about devices that are banned at the…

OS ANGELES (AP) — A former Southern California mayor pleaded guilty Friday to acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government. Eileen Wang, who stepped down as the mayor of Arcadia earlier this month, was charged in April with one count of acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government. She pleaded guilty to doing the bidding of Chinese officials by sharing articles favorable to Beijing, without prior notification to the U.S. government as required by law. The 56-year-old was elected in November 2022 to a five-person city council, from which the mayor is…

As I burst across the finish line of my first race, I was feeling very grateful for my shoes. I’d trained in the On Cloudsoma and worn them almost every day since I took them out of the box. I’d grown attached to these shoes as if they were an extension of me. I consider myself an athlete, but an average runner. So I’m the perfect person to test Cloudsoma. I am the type of runner who, despite running all the time, has never made the leap to marathons or even halfs. This shoe aims to bridge the gap between…

In general, Toyota models tend to hold their value better than many other mainstream makes. However, the 4Runner, in particular, manages to stave off depreciation better than even other Toyotas. Does that mean it should actually double in value after thirty years of sitting in a garage? Well, in the case of one 1996 4Runner SR5, a buyer decided it should, since the old SUV sold for $52,800. Mecum Auctions recently hosted the sale of this 1996 SR5 with just 6,954 miles on the odometer. It was in remarkably good condition, not far from what you’d find on a showroom…