USA Update

A DALLAS COWBOYS cheerleader has turned heads with her “intensive” outfit routine.

Ava Lahey, a cheerleader for the NFL franchise, revealed the arduous process she undergoes to keep the squad’s iconic blue and white uniform looking as good as new.

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Ava Lahey has revealed her ‘crazy ‘intensive’ outfit routine[/caption]

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Lahey is a cheerleader for the Dallas Cowboys[/caption]

TikTok @avalahey

On TikTok she revealed how she keeps the uniform looking fresh[/caption]

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She explained the multi-step process to fans[/caption]

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The video racked up more than three millions views on TikTok within five days[/caption]

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Lahey has worked with the Cowboys since the start of last season[/caption]

Taking to her TikTok social media page, Lahey took viewers through the “long process” of washing her kit.

In a voiceover at the beginning of the clip, she is heard saying: “Clean my DCC uniform with me.

“If you’ve ever wondered how we keep these clean or how we wash them, this is the video for you.

“I start by removing all of my velcro stars. Yes, they’re on with velcro. That typically shocks people.

“And we can also remove the big belt buckle.

“Another little fun fact is that we pin the lapels down, but you have to remove the safety pins before you wash it so you don’t leave any rust on the uniform.”

Despite the odd video subject it seemed to go down well with fans, as the 92-second clip racked up more than three million views and almost 264,000 likes within five days of posting.

She then grabbed her stain spray which she said she uses to remove any dirt from the field or self-tanner that might have rubbed off onto the uniform.

Lahey, a graduate from the University of Kentucky, continued: “This is a stain spray that I use to get out any dirt and tanner.

“There are certain ingredients that we are not allowed to use on the uniform — and surprisingly, this material is very forgiving and easy to clean.

“The blouse is a much simpler process. You just turn the sleeves wrong-side out, use a free and clear detergent and put it on gentle wash.”

Lahey then finally gets on to the stars of the uniform, explaining: “I put them in a Tupperware with warm water and Dawn dish soap.

“After the white pieces of my uniform have soaked for a little bit, I tied them in pillowcases and put them in a gentle wash with free and clear detergent as well.”

After removing them from the washing machine, she concluded: “It’s time to put the stars back on — and there’s a little hack.

“Each star has a little pink dot of marker at the tip of the star. This ensures that the same tip of the star is getting dirty, so it’s easier to clean.

“Now everything’s good as new!”

Lahey, who first joined the DCC for the 2024-25 NFL season, has more than 65,000 followers on the platform.

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Lahey has just shy of 66,000 followers on TikTok[/caption]

instagram @avamarielahey

Lahey has more than 1.7 millions likes on the platform[/caption]

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She is a graduate from the University of Kentucky[/caption]

FREQUENT fliers may have a turbulent time ahead of them as new legislation threatens airline loyalty programs.

Major US airlines, as well as labor unions and manufacturers, wrote to senators on Monday, warning that the bill could damage the aviation industry.

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New legislation may effect frequent fliers[/caption]

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Republican Senator Roger Marshall is one of the legislators responsible for the new bill[/caption]

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Democratic Senator Dick Durbin supported the bill with Marshall[/caption]

United, American, and Southwest Airlines are among the significant players fighting back against legislation proposed by Republican Kansas Senator Roger Marshall and Democratic Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, Business Insider reported.

The proposed bill would amend the GENIUS Act, which focuses on regulating cryptocurrency.

The amendment aims to expand competition among credit card providers and reduce card fees.

Airlines previously overturned the government’s attempts to control credit card fees in the past, but this may be a more challenging feat.

Marshall and Durbin’s bill has been supported by key players such as the National Retail Federation, but has faced major backlash from airlines and financial institutions.

“A lot of people call airlines credit card companies with wings,” points guru and Prince of Travel editor, TJ Dunn, previously told BI.

The letter cited a study by Airlines for America, which revealed that airline travel rewards cards generated $25 billion in economic activity in 2023.

Over 31 million Americans owned airline rewards cards.

In 2023, travel rewards cards accounted for 57% of the frequent flyer miles or points earned that year.

Loyalty programs for Delta, United and American were each valued at over $20 billion in 2023, USA Today reported.

“Americans value and enjoy credit card rewards programs because they reward consumers for dollars that they would be spending no matter what,” the letter said. 

“Many may be unpleasantly surprised if Congress disrupts those programs.”

Airlines argue that this bill could prevent travel from being accessible.

The letter states that the amendment could cause travel rewards programs to stop completely. 

Unions representing pilots, flight attendants, and Boeing workers have all signed the letter.

The unions argue that a reduction in loyalty programs could also cause “a contraction in airline activity and jobs.”

Unions wrote that lost revenue would “certainly complicate existing or future collective bargaining negotiations.”

As a result of the loss of revenue, the letter argues that airlines wouldn’t have as much money to invest in new planes.

Dublin and Marshall believe that the new amendment could help small businesses.

In total, sellers and consumers may save $15 billion in annual transaction fees.

THE Social Security Administration is eyeing a big change to the program’s retirement age, potentially impacting 257 million Americans by 2033.

As the SSA considers raising the full retirement age, retirees risk losing out on hundreds of thousands in benefits.

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The Social Security Administration may raise the full retirement age, or FRA[/caption]

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Americans who rely on Social Security may see a cut to their benefits due to the change[/caption]

The Republican Study Committee is looking to increase the full retirement age, or FRA, to 69 by 2033.

The potential change would impact Americans currently between 30 and 55 years old the most.

These Social Security recipients could lose around $420,000 in their lifetime benefits, per the Congressional Budget Office’s comprehensive estimate, taking into account long-term impacts and economic factors like inflation.

Americans affected by the raised FRA would receive roughly $3,500 less each year throughout their retirement, which lasts 30 years or so on average.

This is a 13% annual cut, although some individuals may lose significantly more than $3,500 per year, while others could lose less.

The change, if implemented, would impact 257 million retirees, according to reports.

The plan would begin in 2026, slowly raising the FRA up to 69 by 2033 – across just eight years.

Comparatively, the retirement age was increased from 65 to 67 starting in 1983, but the change was rolled out very slowly across 33 years.

HIT HARD

If the change to the FRA was to roll out, it would have a major impact on millions of Americans who rely on the social program for day-to-day financial support or retirement savings.

Individuals in more physically and mentally taxing fields such as construction, healthcare, and service work will be impacted on a greater scale if the FRA were to increase to 69.

These Americans have shorter life spans, heavily depend on Social Security payments, and are often unable to work into their late 60s because of physical demands.

Many of these older Americans will be unable to keep working so will try to claim disability benefits instead, according to Social Security experts.

A spike in the number of people filing for Social Security Disability Insurance could in turn overburden the Social Security disability system, resulting in a new issue.

Even raising the FRA and subsequently reducing the amount of money handed out to Americans would only slightly delay the SSA’s money problems, according to the Congressional Budget Office.

While Social Security’s trust funds are expected to be depleted by 2034, such benefit cuts would only delay it until 2035.

In light of the money woes over at the SSA, financial planners are suggesting that Americans take proactive steps to ensure that they are well equipped for their retirement years.

Aging Americans, for example, should recalculate their retirement savings under the assumption that their Social Security payments will be lower.

They should also consider bumping up their 401k savings by roughly 2% to 3% to make up for potential cuts caused by raising the FRA.

Retirement experts have also encouraged workers to save money through Roth IRAs, Health Savings Accounts, and other investments to supplement their Social Security checks.

As the SSA eyes raising the full retirement age, check out these other changes in the works.

Social Security employees have warned of massive delays as bosses make four changes – and millions of checks may be stopped.

Meanwhile, another “massive” change could affect 400,000 daily – and it’ll be “completed this year.”

MICAH Parsons has yet to report to Dallas Cowboys training camp.

However, the team’s star defender has made a statement regarding his absence.

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Micah Parsons has sent a message to the Dallas Cowboys[/caption]

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Parsons was not present at voluntary training camp for the Cowboys[/caption]

On Tuesday, head coach Brian Schottenheimer addressed Parson skipping voluntary training camp.

“I would assume. Micah and I talked a couple of days ago,” Schottenheimer said.

“He’s doing a little bit of traveling but again, everything that he and I talked about, I expect that he will be here.

“I say Micah and I have had great communication and everything that I’ve asked him to do and vice versa, he’s followed through on so, I expect to see him.”

Parsons confirmed this in a message on X after Schottenheimer’s statements.

“I will be there!” he said.

“I haven’t missed a mini camp in 4 years! Even though the contract is not done, I have teammates and a playbook!

“I’m preparing as if I will be on the field the first week of camp!

“But it’s in the owner’s hands. I’m ready to win a Super Bowl!”

Parsons and the Cowboys have yet to agree on a new contract, and it is possible that contributed to his absence.

However, Schottenheimer believes Parsons is a great leader and wants to stay in Dallas.

“Being present doesn’t necessarily mean being here all the time,” he said.

“Doesn’t even necessarily mean having to practice. It means being present, being around the guys.

“We all don’t see the things that some of these guys do away from here.

“There’s a lot of work being done away from here, whether it’s with other players in the NFL, our guys, things like that. The thing that I know about Micah is Micah wants to be here.

“He’s excited about what we’re building. He’s been a big proponent of that. You can lead a lot of different ways.

“This is a business. And they’re working through the business part of this deal. Everything I’ve asked him to do, no different than everybody that’s here, he’s been great.

“That gets me excited. I’m a big fan of Micah.”

A DRIVER has found an extremely rare old car that was left in a bar for several decades.

Jay Leno has explained why this vintage ride is worth nearly $10 million in a viral YouTube video.

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The owner of a rare Mercedes Gullwing abandoned the car for 60 years[/caption]

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Out of the 29 ever made, this is only one that hasn’t been restored[/caption]

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The owner paid $30,000 for the car decades ago[/caption]

The owner, Rudy Klein, had the car sitting covered in a barn in Los Angeles, California.

The video, which has garnered nearly 1.7 million views, was posted to Jay Leno’s YouTube channel with over 3.8 million subscribers.

The video, titled “$10 Million Barnfind: Jay Leno Reveals the Rarest Mercedes Gullwing Ever Discovered,” details viewers about a “once-in-a-lifetime” discovery in automotive history.

“This is what buried treasure looks like in 2025. Jay Leno uncovers one of the most extraordinary automotive discoveries in recent history — a 1956 Mercedes-Benz Alloy Gullwing, one of just 29 ever made, and the only unrestored survivor,” the video caption reads.

“Hidden away in a Los Angeles storage garage for nearly 60 years, this ultra-rare, all-aluminum Gullwing was once forgotten — until now.

“Jay walks us through the incredible backstory, the preservation details, and why this hand-built piece of Mercedes racing history sold for nearly $10 million. This isn’t just a car — it’s a time capsule,” it continues.

Leno calls it a competition car, meaning it had a lightweight aluminum body with an especially powerful engine.

“It’s exactly as it’s been for 60 years,” he told viewers.

Leno said the owner spotted the vintage ride during the 1970s and paid $30,000 for it on the spot.

He said that although there are more cars of this model, this is the only one that has been left unrestored.

Leno also pointed out that this car has Rudge wheels, which are a highly desirable and iconic feature, particularly for collectors.

They are center-mounted knock-off wheels, meaning the hubcap is attached to the wheel itself and secured by a knock-off mechanism.

Rudge wheels were a factory-fitted option on the 300SL Gullwing, and their presence significantly increases the value of a car.

“The dash and upholstery are in remarkable condition,” he said.

Several users in the comments section were amazed to see the vintage ride.

“This car is nearly 70 years old, yet it’s still one of the most beautiful stylings ever drawn by man,” one viewer wrote. “Thanks for the tour Jay.”

“Car full of dirt and still absolutely stunning and beautiful…” echoed another.

“It is really a piece of art. Thank you Jay, immediately one of my favorite episodes.”

A retired automobile restoration technician was thrilled to see the model — the same one he worked on decades ago.

“During my 52 years of restoration I was blessed enough to restore two of these rare all aluminium 300 SL Mercedes Benz’s at two different shops,” he commented.

“Exciting if you are starting a restoration! But you are right, it’s a great specimen to keep it the way it is.”

LOTTERY officials have issued a stark warning to 12 winners who have yet to come forward for a prize worth $300 million overall.

Players are being strongly advised to check their tickets for a game that launched recently.

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Players are being strongly advised to check their tickets for a game that launched recently[/caption]

The lottery always puts a lot of money on the line, but 12 players in the Massachusetts Lottery could be walking away from something huge.

In a game launched on May 13, 12 players won a massive $25 million each in the Mega Money lottery.

These lucky winners managed to beat the odds, but it a right now, it will all be for nothing.

So far, nobody has come forward to claim yet.

If they don’t by a certain date, they will lose the chance and the money will never be theirs.

The $25 million prizes would be given out as $50k instalments over the next 20 years if the player chooses to take it in annuity.

Other Mega Money games have been a bit more successful with people coming forward, per the official website.

Another $25 million game had four players in it, and one has actually claimed the cash.

This game was also launched on May 13, and there are three lottery players still to claim.

The third and final Mega Money game has had the same success rate as the first one, a bad one.

Out of the three people who have won the $25 million in that game, none of them have made themselves known.

MONEY TO SPARE

There are plenty other games still open with players who have not taken the cash they have won.

Another unsuccessful game taking place right now is in the $4 million Bonus Money game that had 10 players in it to start.

Out of this winner total, only three of them have taken the money, and seven are still out there.

In the Diamond Deluxe game worth $15 million each, five out of the eight players who have a winning ticket are still a mystery, too.

But this doesn’t mean every game is largely unsuccessful in finding the winners.

In the Merry & Bright Blowout worth $500, there are far fewer players who have not come forward than have.

Out of the 11,088 who have won, there are only 41 who have not come forward.

This means an overwhelming 11,047 have taken their money.

It is often the games worth less that see more winners come forward, because more winning tickets are given out.

To check out every active game in the Massachusetts Lottery, you can head to the website.

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STEPHEN A. Smith has revealed a major bit of career news.

After signing his $100 million contract with ESPN, Stephen A. is now launching two new shows.

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Stephen A. Smith is launching two new shows on SiriusXM[/caption]

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Stephen A. will air a daily sports show and a weekly politics show[/caption]

Stephen A. is returning to SiriusXM with a new daily show on Mad Dog Sports Radio.

The show will debut in September.

Stephen A. revealed the news on Wednesday morning during an appearance on The Howard Stern Show.

The multi-year partnership with SiriusXM includes his show on Mad Dog’s channel and a weekly social commentary show on a non-sports channel.

The sports show will air on weekdays from 1 to 3 pm ET as a lead-in to Mad Dog’s show.

His political commentary show has yet to be scheduled, but Stephen A. said it will likely be on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel.

“To say that I’m excited would be an understatement,” Stephen A. said.

“I’ve been on Mad Dog before, had the time of my life. So I’m loving the fact that I get to reunite with my guy, Mad Dog, on his turf.

“That, in itself, is a beautiful thing. But to then add a weekly show where I have a potent platform to discuss riveting subjects in the world of Pop Culture, Politics and Social Commentary… let’s just say it doesn’t get any better than that.

“September can’t come soon enough. It’s been a long time since I’ve been in radio… especially going back and forth with the callers.

“Can’t wait to get re-started. Buckle Up! I’m coming!”

This will be the first time Smith has a radio show since stepping away five years ago.

He previously had a daily show on Mad Dog Sports Radio in 2014 that moved to ESPN Radio in 2017.

The show ended in 2020.

Stephen A. will be pumping out tons of content starting in September.

He will air First Take from 10 am to noon ET every weekday.

Then he will follow that with his SiriusXM show from 1 to 3 pm ET.

He will also continue to release his podcast three times a week.

On top of that, his political show will release once a week.

Fans will have four shows to choose from when looking for Stephen A’s content.

TEEN Mom star Kailyn Lowry has broken her silence on her new boyfriend Isaac Knighton.

This comes after her ex-husband Javi Marroquin, 32, hit out at a furious rant online.

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Teen Mom star Kailyn Lowry has broken her silence after her new relationship was revealed[/caption]

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She is now dating fishing enthusiast Isaac Knighton[/caption]

The US sun previously revealed that Kailyn, 33, is now in a relationship with Isaac Knighton who refers to himself as ‘The Flyest Fisherman.’

She moved on from her fiance Elijah Scott, 26, whom she share three young children with.

The pair split in April after he was accused of cheating on the Teen Mom 2 alum.

Kailyn also shares son Lincoln, 11, with her former husband Javi and he previously took to Instagram Live to slam the new relationship.

While she will care for their son during the school year, he will have him in the summer and for holidays.

This week, the former reality star recorded a new podcast with her son Elliot.

In a video on her Instagram story, although she noted the unfolding scandal, she was more keen to keep the focus on her young son.

She admitted: “I’m seeing the comments, I see everything that’s being posted right now.

“I’m going to address it at a later time, but this week was dedicated to Elliot.

“It’s super important to him and to our family to keep things as planned and I’m not going to take this moment away from him.”

Kailyn added: “So I would just love for everyone to support my son, and what he has to say and let him share his story this week.

“I will address everything else at a later time.”

However, her ex-husband is not pleased about the information that he has recently found out.

On the social media platform he fumed: “My heart is pounding, I am so mad right now.

I’m seeing the comments, I see everything that’s being posted right now. I’m going to address it at a later time.

Kailyn Lowry Instagram

“Tell me how this person took me to court to claim Lincoln was better off with this person and she wasn’t going to miss time… This is when they were with Elijah so things were different.

“Not that they’re not with Elijah, I’ve had my concerns… Shows up this past weekend with a new boyfriend.

“When Elijah moved out, Lincoln cried to me… Now knowing that as a mother, how can you bring another man into his life [after] two months?

“I know him. We have mutual friends. Word on the street, allegedly, is this man is moving in. He might not be moving in yet, but soon enough he’s moving in.

“My son can’t come with me because he’s better off with you? How does that make sense? I’m sick of it!”

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She was keen to pivot to the podcast recording with her son[/caption]

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After three years and three kids together Kailyn split from her fiance Elijah Scott[/caption]

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Her ex-husband Javi Marroquin went on a furious rant on Instagram live slamming the new relationship[/caption]

INCREDIBLE scenes show NASA testing a vehicle designed to extract vital resources that could help humans live in the lunar environment or even on Mars.

Engineers at Kennedy Space Center in Florida are experimenting with RASSOR (Regolith Advanced Surface Systems Operations Robot) on a simulated lunar surface.

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Moon mining could become a multibillion-dollar industry[/caption]

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RASSOR uses spinning drums to scoop up loose moon-like soil from the surface[/caption]

RASSOR’s counter-rotating drums dig up simulated moon dust to extract regolith, the loose, fragmental material found on the Moon’s surface.

The opposing motion of the drums helps RASSOR grip the surface in low-gravity environments like the Moon or Mars.

“With this unique capability, RASSOR can traverse the rough surface to dig, load, haul, and dump regolith that could later be broken down into hydrogen, oxygen, or water-resources critical for sustaining human presence,” NASA said Tuesday.

The space agency is using the foundation of RASSOR’s development to inform IPEx (In-Situ Resource Utilisation Pilot Excavator), a newer vehicle being prepared for a potential
technology demonstration mission on the Moon.

IPEx is still in the advanced development and testing phase.

Improvements on RASSOR with refinements in scale, modularity, and mission capability are being made to support future lunar resource extraction missions.

Mining the Moon is shaping up to be a high-stakes space race, with billions of dollars and future survival on the line.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory has pegged the value of untapped lunar resources in the hundreds of billions.

Those include frozen water, which could support life or be converted into rocket fuel for deep space missions.

The surface is also believed to hold rare earth metals used in electronics and defense tech.

But the Moon’s most promising payload might be helium-3- a clean, non-radioactive isotope that could fuel future nuclear reactors.

The substance was fetching around $2,500 per liter last year, according to the Edelgas Group.

“That’s a huge market, in principle, and something is coming along very fast,” Martin Elvis, a senior astrophysicist at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, told Business Insider.

Elvis warned that with no strict global rules, the Moon is becoming a lawless frontier.

He compared the current push for space mining to a “Wild West,” where speed and land grabs beat cooperation and sustainability.

CHINA’S RACE TO MOON

NASA, China, and several private firms are racing to claim pieces of the lunar surface in the coming decade.

But some scientists worry that quick-and-dirty extraction could wipe out decades of astronomical opportunity.

Lunar zones rich in resources also happen to be gold mines for science.

The far side of the Moon offers an ultra-quiet location perfect for peering into the early universe.

Its permanently shadowed craters, ideal for water collection, are also key studying the birth of galaxies.

Elvis said even minor human activity, like mining vibrations, could disrupt delicate instruments and lunar research.

“Mining for water is probably the worst,” he said.

Some protections do exist, such as the Artemis Accords, a non-binding agreement from 2020 signed by over 50 nations.

The pact permits space mining if it follows the 1967 Outer Space Treaty and is done “safely and sustainably.”

But Robert Massey, deputy director of the Royal Astronomical Society, said that’s not enough.

He argued that future space rules must prioritize science alongside profits.

“There should be more stakeholders than just the wealthy and companies that want to do this,” Massey said.

He called for planetary “parks” and preservation zones to shield key lunar sites from commercial drilling.

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The Moon contains valuable materials such as water ice, helium-3, and rare earth metals[/caption]

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Scientists say large-scale lunar mining could be bad news for scientific research[/caption]

The Grammy nominee took to Instagram to share the news because she "wanted to be open and share it” partly because “because selfishly I do not talk about it enough.”