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Supreme Court climate showdown jolted by Alito's last-minute decision

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:34:47 -0400

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito recused himself from a closely watched case over climate change liability less than a week before oral arguments were scheduled to begin.

Scott Harris, the clerk of the Supreme Court, informed the parties' lawyers in a letter Monday that Alito had recused himself from Suncor Energy Inc. v. County Commissioners of Boulder County without providing an explanation.

"Justice Alito does not take his duty to sit lightly. We do not know why he recused himself, as the reason has not been made public, but I do not expect his recusal to ultimately change the outcome of Suncor v. Boulder," Carrie Severino, president of JCN, told Fox News Digital.

LAWSUITS COST EVERY AMERICAN HOUSEHOLD THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. SUPREME COURT CAN HELP

The justices were scheduled to kick off the 2026-27 term by hearing oral arguments in Suncor v. Boulder on Monday. The case centers on whether Boulder, Colorado, can use its state-law tort claims to sue oil and gas companies over their alleged role in contributing to climate change.

The case has drawn scrutiny from Republicans, who argue Colorado officials are weaponizing the court system to get their environmental agenda enacted.

"What they're doing is they're going around to these cities and these states, and using tort litigation, mass tort litigation, public nuisance lawsuits in state courts, and in a coordinated way to effectuate the same kind of a result, but just without having to go through their democratically elected officials," Steve Cox, former Alaska attorney general and current counsel to Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy , said in a Tuesday conference call.

"It's not a fight about climate change," O.H. Skinner, former Arizona solicitor general and executive director of the Alliance for Consumers, said during a Tuesday conference call. "It's not a fight about climate science."

"It's a fight about whether we're going to allow this maneuver to be what reshapes American society, and that's why I think everybody should care, irrespective of their views on climate change or their views on how to fix this problem or that problem. Do you want courts as our primary policymakers?"

Skinner acknowledged that Alito did not come to his decision lightly, but said its "never good for the court" when a justice is missing from a ruling.

CONSERVATIVE GROUPS SAY JUSTICE KAGAN CANNOT BE IMPARTIAL IN UPCOMING SUPREME COURT CLIMATE LITIGATION

"This is part of why the left constantly screaming at the justices about recusal and other things is counterproductive for the country," Skinner said. "It doesn't help the court when they don't have their full complement."

"At the same time, he made that decision knowing all of that and based on his own personal considerations, and we will never know all of the details of that. At the end of the day, it does not help the court to not have their full complement, but it is also not something that we think will be dispositive of the case, and it's not something that we think is noteworthy, other than that he made that decision based on his own considerations and didn't do it lightly, and he is making the right choice in his mind," Skinner continued.

Alito's last-minute decision to recuse himself from the high-stakes climate case follows his January recusal in Chevron USA Inc. v. Plaquemines Parish, a Louisiana coastal erosion dispute, because he owned stock in ConocoPhillips, the parent company of one of the parties in the related litigation, Burlington Resources Oil and Gas Company.

SUPREME COURT FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES REVEAL CONCERT TICKETS FROM BAD BUNNY'S LABEL, MILLIONS IN BOOK PAYMENTS

Meanwhile, Justice Elena Kagan has faced calls to recuse herself from Suncor v. Boulder because she wrote the foreword to the Reference Manual on Scientific Evidence, which included a climate science chapter that was later criticized by Congress and Republican attorneys general as biased and was eventually removed.

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In July, more than a dozen legal groups, in a letter spearheaded by Severino, urged the Senate Judiciary Committee to open an investigation.

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"Justice Kagan’s endorsement of the partisan and now-removed climate science chapter of the judges’ reference manual continues to raise questions about her ability to impartially decide the case. I hope she is taking her own ethical obligation seriously."

Early October Prime Day home deals: A $100 Keurig, Roombas over 50% off and more

Tue, 07 Oct 2025 03:01:17 -0400

Amazon's October Prime Day runs Oct. 6 and 7, but some of the best home deals are already live. We’re tracking discounts on coffee machines, kitchen appliances, bedding and other home upgrades ahead of the sale.

What are the best October Prime Day home deals?

Some Prime Day discounts are better than others. These are the home categories we're watching for the strongest deals days before the event kicks off. From a Keurig K-Supreme coffee maker that's $90 off to Amazon's No. 1 bestselling heated blanket that's down to just $42, the early deals are coming in hot.

Best October Prime Day kitchen deals

This time of year often brings some of the biggest discounts on popular kitchen appliances and top-rated kitchen brands.

NutriChef 3-piece baking pan ($18, was $34)
KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer ($380, was $500)
Keurig K-Elite single-serve K-Cup coffee maker ($150, was $210)
Ninja air fryer ($100, was $130)
Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 electric pressure cooker ($79, was $110)

Keurig K-Supreme K-Cup Pod coffee maker: $99.99 (47% off)

Original price: $189.99

Make a cup of coffee in minutes and save time, effort and money with this nearly 50% discount. More than 30,000 positive reviews rave about the Keurig K-Supreme.

"This one is perfect for me. Nice, compact, stylish and came with everything, including the water filter assembly and a filter. I know they make bigger and fancier ones, but this K-Supreme is an ideal size for one or two people who just want the coffee ... and the sale price seemed well worth it."

KitchenAid 5-quart stand mixer: $379.95 (24% off)

Original price: $499.99

This popular stand mixer features a five-quart stainless steel bowl that can handle up to nine dozen cookies in a single batch. The convenient tilt-head design makes it easy to add ingredients, swap attachments or scrape the bowl, while the 10 precise speed settings give you full control for any recipe you’re cooking. With 59 touchpoints around the bowl, it ensures thorough mixing every time.

Nespresso Vertuo: $99 (24% off)

Original price: $129.95

The Nespresso Vertuo Pop+ creates cups of coffee and rich espresso with ease. Its compact, space-saving design fits seamlessly into any kitchen. With a one-touch brewing system, you get consistently great coffee at home. Simply insert a Nespresso capsule and press a button.

Best October Prime Day vacuum deals

iRobot Roomba 415X ($399, was $800)
Shark Navigator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum ($130, was $180)
iRobot Roomba 115X ($200, was $470)
Black + Decker dustbuster cordless handheld vacuum ($25, was $33)
Shark Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum ($150, was $300)

Dyson V8 Plus Cordless Vacuum: $399.99 (26% off)

Original price: $539.99

The Dyson V8 Plus delivers strong suction across different surfaces, and thanks to its digital motor, it maintains that suction even as the battery drains. In the standard mode, you can get 40 minutes of cordless cleaning, and as a whole, it’s light and easy to carry upstairs.

Roomba robot vacuum: $199.99 (57% off)

Original price: $249.99

The iRobot Roomba 105X is a smart vacuum and mop that delivers powerful suction and efficient cleaning across hardwood floors and carpets. With mapping capabilities, it navigates your home in neat rows while avoiding carpets during mopping, and its self-emptying dock holds debris for up to 75 days. App controls let you schedule cleanings, set no-go zones and customize modes for a hands-off cleaning experience.

Bissell Crosswave Turbo wet and dry vacuum: $129.99 (35% off)

Original price: $229.99

This wet-dry vacuum from Bissell saves you effort on everyday messes. Its dual-tank water system keeps clean and dirty water separate, while the multi-surface brush roll handles sealed hard floors and rugs.

Best October Prime Day cleaning deals

Cleaning will feel less like a chore with these Amazon Prime Day discounts.

Coway air purifier ($155, was $230)
Steam cleaner ($60, was $100)
BISSELL Little Green carpet cleaner ($95, was $130)
BlueAir air purifier ($75, was $100)

Levoit air purifier: $69.99 (22% off)

Original price: $89.99

Replenish and clean your air with the Levoit air purifier. The 360-degree air intake system runs nearly five times per hour in small spaces. You can also use the app to monitor the filter life, so you know when it's time to get new ones.

Leather conditioner: $19.99 (29% off)

Original price: $27.99

Use this popular leather conditioner to revive worn-in furniture, shoes, bags and car interiors. The formula helps soften and condition leather, and one treatment can last up to six months. Right now, you can get it for $20 instead of almost $30.

Best October Prime Day bedding deals

Sleep better and save big with these cozy bedding deals.

Cervical pillow ($39.99, was $66.65)
Bedsure cooling comforter ($76, was $168)
Utopia Bedding pillow inserts ($13, was $21)
Mulberry silk pillowcases ($8, was $12)
Utopia Bedding queen-size fleece blanket ($18, was $25)

Bedsure heated blanket: $41.99 (39% off)

Original price: $68.99

Stay cozy as temperatures drop with Bedsure's heated blanket, a Fox News reader favorite. It offers six heat settings so you can adjust the warmth to your liking, and is an easy upgrade for chilly nights on the couch or in bed.

Queen-size air mattress with built-in pump: $94.95 (36% off)

Original price: $148.59

This Prime Day deal gets you more than $50 off this air mattress, which comes with a built-in pump. It supports up to 650 pounds and inflates and deflates quickly, according to reviewers. It'll especially come in handy for the holidays, when you have friends, family and guests over.

Best October Prime Day home appliance deals

Save on practical home appliances that make everyday life a little easier.

Amazon smart plug ($13, was $25)
Portable countertop ice machine ($67, was $110)
DeWalt StealthSonic 5-gallon wet-dry shop vac ($128, was $160)
Flat rechargeable flashlight ($72, was $120)
Rain shower head ($48, was $60)

Patio heater: $199.99 (33% off)

Original price: $299.99

Create a warm zone on your deck even during cool weather with a patio heater. It runs on a standard 20-pound tank, so it lights up almost instantly.

Chefman Countertop Microwave Oven: $66.46 (34% off)

Original price: $99.99

Six cooking functions, 10 power levels, two defrost levels and a dishwasher-safe glass turntable make this microwave a functional, unfussy appliance that still looks sleek on your countertop. It also has a mute button and child safety lock. Right now, you can get it for less than $100.

Best October Prime Day furniture deals

Find office chairs, couches and other furniture at affordable prices.

Gaming chair with footrest ($70, was $140)
Electric standing desk ($110, was $160)
Sofa table with outlets ($68, was $90)
Boneless modular sectional ($245, was $320)

Big and tall office chair: $135.95 (41% off)

Original price: $229.99

This extra-large office chair comes in faux leather for a professional look without the high price tag. Side and back padding keep you comfortable during long workdays. The chair holds up to 400 pounds and accommodates taller folks.

For more deals, visit www.foxnews.com/deals

6-tier tree bookshelf: $39.98 (20% off)

Original price: $49.99

Stay organized and get a creative shelving unit all-in-one with this tree bookshelf. Six tiers create space for your books, and the built-in cabinet below holds more books, baskets or other knick-knacks. The tall design gives you storage without cluttering up your space.

If you’re an Amazon Prime member, you can get these items to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.

Two-time NBA champion JR Smith arrested in Texas on assault charge

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:22:14 -0400

Two-time NBA champion and former sixth-man of the year winner J.R. Smith was arrested on a charge of family violence on Tuesday in Texas, according to Hunt County jail records.

The former Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks guard was reportedly pulled over thanks to an automatic license plate reader stop, where he was arrested due to an outstanding warrant and charged with assault causing bodily injury and family violence.

He remains in the Hunt County Detention Center, where, according to TMZ, jail records show that no bond has been posted at this time.

JAMES HARDEN ARRESTED IN HOUSTON ON MISDEMEANOR WEAPONS CHARGE AFTER NBA PLAYOFF EXIT: REPORT

Smith last played in the 2020 COVID-19 shortened season for the Los Angeles Lakers, where he won his second and final NBA Championship.

He is perhaps most well-known for his stints in New York and Cleveland, though, where he won a Sixth Man of the Year award and an NBA title, respectively.

Smith has not formally retired from the NBA, but his inactivity over the past six years coupled with his off-the-court endeavors might suggest that phase of his life is over.

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The former NBA star recently returned to college at North Carolina A&T State University, where he graduated in May 2026 and even famously joined the school's golf team.

This is not Smith’s first run-in with the law. He pleaded guilty to reckless driving in connection with a 2007 crash that killed one of his passengers and later served 24 days in jail.

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Smith's reps did not immediately respond to OutKick's request for comment.

'American Idol' alum Caleb Flynn convicted of murdering his wife

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:50:52 -0400

Former "American Idol" contestant Caleb Flynn was convicted Tuesday of murdering his wife, Ashley Flynn, following an Ohio trial that exposed his secret affair and a series of messages about wanting his wife dead.

Flynn was found guilty on all counts.

DAD OF 'AMERICAN IDOL' CONTESTANT'S SLAIN WIFE MADE EERIE GOOGLE SEARCH AFTER HEARING OF HER MURDER

Flynn faced nine charges: one count of aggravated murder, three counts of murder, two counts of felonious assault and three counts of tampering with evidence involving the missing firearm, the side garage door and emails. Jurors also considered firearm specifications attached to several charges.

Flynn broke down as the guilty verdicts came one after another, visibly shaking and wiping tears from his face. He repeatedly dropped his head toward the defense table, his eyes red and tear-filled when he looked back up.

Sentencing is scheduled for 3 p.m. on Oct. 5.

Prosecutors alleged Flynn shot Ashley in the back of the head inside their Tipp City home before staging the scene to look like an intruder had broken in.

Flynn pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges.

Prosecutors built a largely circumstantial case against Flynn. Investigators never recovered the gun they alleged was used to kill Ashley, there was no eyewitness to the shooting and testimony showed no gunshot residue was found on Flynn.

FLORIDA PLASTIC SURGEON FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING ATTORNEY WHO VANISHED FROM BLOODY OFFICE

Jurors also heard two days of testimony from Flynn's former mistress, Alleigha Botner, who detailed their roughly year-and-a-half affair and walked them through many of the more than 107,000 messages the pair exchanged, including explicit discussions about Ashley's death.

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In one May 2025 message, Flynn allegedly wrote, "If I could literally kill her and not go to hell, I would do it in a heartbeat."

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Months later, Botner testified Flynn told her he had stayed up until 4 a.m. "literally thinking of ways to kill her and not go to jail."

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The pair's communications in the hours before Ashley was killed also became a focus of the trial.

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Shortly after midnight Feb. 16, Flynn allegedly told Botner, "It's happening."

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He later wrote, "February 16th – day I'll never forget."

"You're about to be free," Botner responded.

"I choose you," Flynn replied.

Botner testified she understood Flynn's plans at the time to mean he intended to finally leave Ashley and seek a divorce – not kill her.

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Flynn's attorneys argued prosecutors failed to prove he killed Ashley, pointing to the missing murder weapon, lack of eyewitnesses and absence of gunshot residue while accusing investigators of rushing to judgment.

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"This simply is proven versus not proven," defense attorney Patrick Mulligan told jurors during closing arguments Tuesday.

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Jurors received the case Tuesday after closing arguments and lengthy instructions from Judge Jeannine N. Pratt.

Madison Beer gushes over 'incredible' Justin Herbert, WAG culture is headed to college & the NASCAR swear jar

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:08:16 -0400

'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday-Friday on OutKick.com.

Happy Tuesday, friends. I am thrilled to be back in the beautiful state of Tennessee.

Where have I been, you ask? Let me tell ya.

This weekend, I traveled to majestic Branson, Missouri. Or as I like to call it, Pigeon Forge Jr. (IYKYK).

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I got the invite to check out the SMX (that's supermotocross for the uncultured) World Championship Final and the YETI Open on Table Rock Lake.

Now, if you've never been to Branson, let me paint you a picture: kitschy stores, celebrity chain restaurants and dinner theaters. Oh, and pretty much the whole town is owned by Bass Pro Shops.

But the scenery in this particular slice of the country is also stunning. Rolling hills, a big, beautiful lake, an outdoorsman's paradise. Hence, the Bass Pro Shops thing.

Anyway, on Sunday I had the honor of going fishing with none other than Bassmaster Elite Pro Cooper Gallant.

I'll admit I'm a pretty hopeless bass angler. But who better to teach me than someone who does it for a living?

So if you're into that sort of thing (that "thing" being bagging largies) stay tuned to OutKick OutDoors. Make sure you're subscribed on YouTube and following on Instagram and TikTok.

Otherwise, you might miss the absolute leviathan (not pictured) that I caught while we were out there. And that would be a real shame for you.

With that out of the way, let's get on to some Nightcaps, shall we?

College football WAGs are apparently a thing now

WAG culture has gotten completely out of control.

Look, I know — we love WAGs here at OutKick. It's become a whole genre, especially in 'Caps. But once the NFL started using the WAGs to "market to women," the whole thing just became a little too... forced?

And now, apparently, the college girls are getting in on it.

Meet Allison Kaye, a makeup artist whose entire business is traveling around the country getting athletes' wives and girlfriends glammed up for game day. She started with NFL WAGs, but this season, she's taking "Game Day Glam" to college campuses.

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She started at Ohio State earlier this month, doing makeup for four players' girlfriends. Then she went to Penn State and did six more.

And I have to say, this woman has found herself one hell of a business model.

She doesn't just show up with a Caboodle (remember those?), either. She turns her hotel room into a whole "glam suite" with food, drinks, team decorations and free stuff from beauty brands. The girlfriends pay for the service themselves. Or with their boyfriends' NIL money.

Apparently, her weekends are now almost completely booked for the rest of football season.

There are 134 FBS football teams, approximately one bazillion players and, presumably, a whole lot of girlfriends who would rather not do their own makeup at 7 a.m. before a noon kickoff.

I don't know what Allison Kaye is charging for this, but I do know she might have stumbled upon a gold mine.

Maybe I should learn how to use a curling iron. Get a little side hustle going.

Speaking of WAGS...

Madison Beer is positively gushing over Justin Herbert

You know who could use a win right now? Justin Herbert.

The Chargers are 0-3. Their offense STINKS. And every day he has to go to work and listen to Mike McDaniel say things like "we're not standing on business" in his rolled up joggers.

But you know what Justin Herbert does have?

Madison Beer.

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And Madison Beer is apparently VERY into Justin Herbert.

The singer recently hopped on Twitch and talked about their July engagement, which she described as "magical." She also said the proposal happened exactly one year after Herbert asked her to be his girlfriend and gushed about how lucky she feels to have found him.

So sure, things at work aren't going great for Herbs.

But at the end of the day, he gets to go home to Madison Beer, who is hot, wildly successful and seemingly thinks he hung the moon.

No matter what those insufferable dorks over on the "Speakeasy" podcast have to say about her.

No mailbag today (womp) because my email inbox is bone dry (minus about 100 irrelevant PR pitches). Let's remedy this for next week.

📩 Email: amber.harding@outkick.com (Send your thoughts, stories, tips, rants and photos of your dog.)

🐦 Twitter/X: @TheAmberHarding

📸 Instagram: @amberharding

One more thing: NASCAR's swear jar

If you've ever screamed obscenities after getting cut off on the interstate or just while sitting in traffic in general, you can probably imagine the colorful language that gets thrown around during NASCAR races.

And not just during the post-race fistfights, either.

Anyway, the potty mouths are so bad that NASCAR has implemented a swear jar, and they are keeping a running tally of which expletives get used the most.

You'll never guess which four-letter word tops the leaderboard. (Yes you will.)

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I wonder if this count includes that hot dog stand assault we saw over the weekend?

Dengue fever outbreak triggers states of emergency in 3 southern counties

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:04:38 -0400

Three Florida counties have declared states of emergency amid the spread of dengue fever in the state.

As of Sept. 23, Pasco County, Hillsborough County and Pinellas County have made the declarations due to a spread of the mosquito-borne disease, according to each county’s news release.

The local emergency declarations allow county officials to expedite mosquito-control operations, make emergency purchases, coordinate response efforts and, where applicable, seek state or federal assistance or reimbursement, the releases state.

TROPICAL DISEASE SPREAD BY MOSQUITOES CLAIMS FIRST RECORDED DEATH IN SOUTHERN US STATE

Under Florida law, local emergency declarations expire after seven days unless they are renewed.

A total of 190 locally acquired dengue cases have been confirmed across six Florida counties, according to the latest Florida Department of Health surveillance report, which covered cases with onset through Sept. 19.

Of the 190 locally acquired cases, 170 were reported in Hillsborough County, seven each in Miami-Dade and Pinellas counties, three in Orange County, two in Pasco County and one in Palm Beach County.

The 190 locally acquired infections are separate from travel-associated dengue cases reported in Florida this year.

TICK-BORNE 'RABBIT FEVER' SPREADS WITH CASES REPORTED NEAR MAJOR METRO AREA

Dengue is a mosquito-borne viral illness that can cause fever, severe aches, nausea, rash and, in rare cases, life-threatening complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Dengue is endemic in many tropical and subtropical regions, including Southeast Asia, the Western Pacific islands, Latin America and Africa. Though less common in the continental U.S., locally acquired cases have been recorded in Florida, California and Texas.

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"The Aedes mosquitoes that can transmit dengue are active during the day and thrive in warm, humid environments like those found in Florida," an entomologist spokesperson at the SC Johnson Center for Insect Science and Family Health, makers of OFF!, said in a statement sent to Fox News Digital.

"As dengue cases continue to be reported in the Tampa area, taking steps to help prevent mosquito bites is especially important," the expert went on. "Staying aware of local mosquito activity and consistently protecting against bites are important steps people can take to help reduce their risk."

Stopping the spread

The Florida Mosquito Control Association (FMCA) previously said crews are increasing aerial and ground treatments in areas showing dengue virus activity, while also inspecting private properties for potential mosquito breeding sites, according to reports.

FMCA has urged residents to empty or cover standing water around their homes. The mosquito that spreads dengue is a container breeder, meaning it lays eggs in buckets, planters, plant saucers, tires, discarded toys and other objects that collect small amounts of water, experts say.

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The SC Johnson Center for Insect Science and Family Health entomologist shared the following recommendations to prevent the spread of mosquito-borne disease.

Use an EPA-registered insect repellent: Review, follow and apply repellent label directions to help prevent mosquito bites.
Eliminate sources of standing water nearby: Where there’s standing water, there can be mosquitoes. Mosquitoes need only one tablespoon of water to breed, so areas like rain gutters, birdbaths or buckets with stagnant water are all possible breeding sites.
Layer repellent and sunscreen correctly: When using both sunscreen and mosquito repellent, apply sunscreen first, followed by insect repellent. Be sure to follow the label directions for both products and reapply as directed.
Protect throughout the day: Don’t limit mosquito precautions to dawn and dusk. The Aedes mosquitoes that can spread dengue are active throughout the day, so use protection whenever mosquito exposure is possible.

The FMCA also advises people to dress in long sleeves, light colors and closed-toed shoes outdoors.

Symptoms and treatment

Many people infected with dengue have no symptoms, and most people who do become sick recover within a week or two, according to Mayo Clinic.

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In some cases, however, the illness can progress to severe dengue, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Symptoms typically begin four to 10 days after the bite of an infected mosquito.

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Warning signs can develop quickly, often within a day or two after the fever subsides. Those may include severe stomach pain, repeated vomiting, unusual bleeding or bruising, difficulty breathing, extreme tiredness and irritability, or restlessness.

People experiencing warning signs of severe dengue should seek immediate medical care.

Is your personal data changing what you pay online?

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 16:00:47 -0400

Retailers and the companies working behind the scenes can collect information about where you are, what you search for, what you buy and how you behave online. The FTC says pricing systems can use personal data to estimate how much an individual consumer may be willing to spend. That concern is now getting serious attention in Washington. On Aug. 19, 2026, the Federal Trade Commission published a proposed enforcement policy statement aimed at personalized pricing.

The FTC says it cannot ban the practice in every situation, but companies that fail to clearly tell consumers how personal data affects the prices they see could violate federal consumer protection law. So, could the information companies collect about you actually change the price, discount or product you see? Here's what the research shows and what you can do before your next online purchase.

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Our free CyberGuy LIVE class, Get Better Healthcare With AI, has ended, but you can still watch the full replay. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson walks you through five practical ways AI can help you organize your health history, remember important appointment details, understand complicated medical information, research prescriptions and prepare smarter questions for your doctor. No technical experience is needed.

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Dynamic pricing and personalized pricing work differently

You've probably encountered dynamic pricing already. Dynamic pricing adjusts prices based on broader conditions such as supply, demand, available inventory, time or location. Rideshare fares may rise when lots of people need cars at once. Airline tickets and hotel rooms can also change as availability and demand shift. That does not mean every shopper will always see the exact same dynamic price.

Timing, location and other market conditions can change quickly. Personalized pricing is different because information about a particular consumer helps determine the price or offer that person receives. That means two people looking for the same product could potentially receive different offers because of information connected to them.

There's also price steering. A retailer may leave the actual prices alone while changing the order of the products shown to you. FTC research found that pricing tools can use consumer data to give certain products more prominent placement, including potentially showing higher-priced products first. The FTC says consumers generally expect prices to change because of supply and demand. What can come as a surprise is a price influenced by someone's browsing habits, buying history or other personal information.

What companies can potentially learn about you

FTC research into surveillance pricing found that third-party pricing companies can use surprisingly detailed information when helping retailers tailor prices, promotions or product rankings.

That information can include:

Your approximate or precise location
Browsing patterns and history
Shopping and purchase history
Products left in an online cart
Demographic information
The time, location or channel used to make a purchase
Your behavior and preferences on a website
Even your mouse movements on a webpage

The FTC found that the pricing intermediaries it examined worked with at least 250 clients selling goods and services ranging from groceries to clothing. The FTC's research also found that companies can combine first-party information with data from outside sources. Those sources can include loyalty programs, reservation systems, e-commerce platforms and data brokers. That does not show that every one of those clients charges individualized prices. It does show that technology exists to combine detailed consumer information and use it to influence prices, discounts and which products shoppers see.

A 2026 rideshare test found big price differences

A newer investigation brings the Uber example much closer to today. In June 2026, Consumer Reports published results from a months-long study of Uber and Lyft pricing. The investigation used 174 volunteers who checked more than 40 routes across the U.S. For the 30 virtual routes in its analysis, Consumer Reports found a median gap of 42.4% between the lowest and highest price groups.

On some routes, people checking the same trip within minutes of one another received several different prices. Consumer Reports designed the study to reduce the effects of time-based pricing by having volunteers check routes at roughly the same time. However, the investigation could not control for every factor inside Uber's and Lyft's pricing systems, including driver supply, estimated arrival times, traffic, routing differences and network delays.

Uber and Lyft disputed Consumer Reports' conclusions. Both companies said they do not use personal data to personalize base fares and do not engage in behavioral or surveillance pricing. So, the study shows that riders can receive significantly different prices for similar trips checked around the same time. It does not prove those price differences were caused by personal data.

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Shoppers have also seen different grocery prices online

Online groceries have produced another eye-opening example. In December 2025, Consumer Reports, Groundwork Collaborative and More Perfect Union reported that nearly three-quarters of the grocery items they tested on Instacart were offered at different prices to different shoppers. The investigation involved 437 shoppers across four U.S. cities.

Some items showed differences of as much as 23% between the lowest and highest prices. Researchers also found that totals for identical baskets varied by an average of about 7%. Using an Instacart figure for how much a household of four spends on groceries, the researchers estimated that a similar difference over a year could amount to roughly $1,200.

Instacart strongly disputed that annual extrapolation and said the limited tests should not be treated as though a household would continually pay higher prices throughout an entire year. The company also said the pricing tests were randomized and did not use personal information, demographics, shopping history or individual behavior to decide who received each price.

Instacart ended the item price tests in December 2025. The company now says customers shopping for the same item at the same store location at the same time will see the same item price. So, the investigation showed that Instacart shoppers could receive different prices during those tests. It did not prove that Instacart used personal profiles to select those prices.

Online price personalization goes back years

Researchers were finding customized shopping experiences long before today's AI-powered pricing systems. In 2014, Northeastern University researchers studied 16 major retail and travel websites and found evidence of price discrimination or personalized search results on nine of them. CheapTickets and Orbitz offered reduced hotel prices to members. Expedia and Hotels.com steered some users toward more expensive hotels. Home Depot and Travelocity personalized search results for mobile users.

Priceline personalized the order of hotel search results based on a user's history of clicks and purchases. However, the researchers said those different result orders did not correlate with price, so they did not classify that Priceline example as price steering. The researchers also emphasized that most of their experiments on the 16 sites did not uncover price steering or price discrimination.

Then, in 2015, ProPublica found that The Princeton Review charged different prices for an online SAT tutoring package depending on a customer's ZIP Code. Prices for its Premier package ranged from $6,600 to $8,400. ProPublica found that people living in ZIP Codes with larger Asian populations were 1.8 times as likely to be offered a higher price, regardless of income.

The Princeton Review said its pricing was based on the costs of running its business and competitive conditions in each market. It said its prices were set by geographic region rather than a customer's race. That example was geographic pricing rather than a retailer setting a unique price for each individual shopper. It still shows how data connected to where someone lives can lead different groups of consumers to receive different prices.

13 ways to reduce personalized tracking when you shop

There is no guaranteed trick for getting the lowest online price. However, you can reduce some of the information retailers, data brokers and tracking companies can connect to you while giving yourself more ways to compare offers.

1) Check the price before signing in

Look at a product while signed out before logging into a retailer or loyalty account. Then compare the price or promotion after signing in. A difference does not automatically mean personalized pricing. Membership discounts and other promotions can also explain a change. Still, comparing both views gives you more information before you buy.

2) Use guest checkout when you can

If you do not need a retailer account, consider checking out as a guest. That keeps the purchase from automatically becoming another entry in a logged-in shopping history. Guest checkout does not make you anonymous. A retailer may still receive information such as your email address, payment details, shipping address, browser data or device information.

3) Reject optional tracking cookies

When a website gives you the choice, reject optional advertising and tracking cookies. The site may still need essential cookies for things such as your shopping cart, security and payment. Rejecting optional cookies mainly reduces some tracking and advertising activity.

4) Reduce the data brokers have about you

Retailers are only one source of personal information. Data brokers and people ssearch companies collect information from numerous sources and combine it into profiles. FTC research found that pricing systems can incorporate third-party data, including information from data brokers. Reducing what's available through those companies may shrink one part of your broader data footprint. It does not guarantee a lower price or prevent a retailer from using information it collects directly from you. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.

HOW SCAMMERS BUILD A PROFILE ON YOU USING DATA BROKERS

5) Compare prices in a private browsing window

A private browsing window generally creates a separate browsing session that does not use the normal session history and most existing cookies from your regular browsing window. It does not make you anonymous. Websites may still see information such as your IP address and information you provide directly. The FTC specifically points to private browsing as one step consumers might use when trying to avoid higher personalized prices.

6) Use privacy opt-outs when they are offered

Look for choices such as Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Your Privacy Choices or controls for targeted advertising. The options available depend on the retailer and the privacy laws that apply where you live.

7) Limit precise location access

Review which shopping apps can access your precise location. If an app does not need your exact location, consider switching to approximate location or turning location access off. Keep in mind that websites and apps may still estimate your general location from other information, including your IP address.

8) Review app tracking permissions

Your phone may let you limit how apps track activity across other apps and websites. Turning off unnecessary tracking can reduce some third-party data collection. It will not stop a retailer from using information you provide directly through its own app, website or account. For step-by-step instructions on iPhone and Android, see our guide to improving your digital privacy.

9) Clear cookies and stored site data periodically

Cookies can help websites recognize the same browser when you return. Clearing them can remove some of those stored identifiers. However, other tracking methods may still recognize your device, and signing back into an account reconnects your activity to that account.

10) Compare the app and website

Before making an expensive purchase, check the retailer's website and app. Then compare the same product with other sellers. Any difference you find may have a simple explanation, but comparison shopping gives you a better picture of the available prices.

11) Use price-history tools

For products supported by price-history services, check whether today's deal really is lower than recent prices. A retailer's sale banner only tells you what it wants to advertise. Historical pricing can give you additional context before you buy.

12) Read the fine print on discounts

A lower price may require a loyalty membership, subscription, automatic renewal or another commitment. Make sure the offer actually saves you money after those conditions are included.

13) Consider using a VPN

A VPN can hide the public IP address assigned by your internet provider and replace it with the address of the VPN server. That can make your IP-based location appear different. The FTC specifically lists VPN use as something consumers might try when they are concerned about personalized prices. A VPN cannot erase your retailer account, purchase history, cookies or location information that an app already has permission to access. Websites may also use other signals to recognize you. For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.

Kurt's key takeaways

What gets my attention here is how much information can now go into deciding what we see when we shop online. We do not have evidence that every retailer is quietly setting a different price for each person, and seeing two different prices does not automatically prove personal data caused the change. What we do know is that companies have technology capable of using location, browsing behavior, shopping history and other information to shape prices, discounts and product rankings.

My advice is to compare prices before you buy, limit tracking you do not need and avoid assuming the first offer on your screen is the best one available. The less unnecessary information you hand over, the less there is to feed into a detailed profile about how you shop.

Would you change where you shop if you learned a retailer was using your personal data to decide what price or offer you see? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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This week's best sales: 92% off wireless earbuds, a $38 Columbia rain jacket and more

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:22:30 -0400

Along with early Amazon October Prime Day deals on popular tech, home essentials and fall-ready apparel, brands like T-Mobile and DoorDash have other worthwhile savings. Grab a pair of wireless earbuds for 92% off (by far the best deal on our list), a walking pad for just $90 and a heated blanket for more than $20 off.

Best-selling deals worth shopping this week

Save on the items FOX readers buy most.

Keurig K-Supreme coffee maker ($100, was $190)

Save more than 45% on the Keurig K-Supreme, currently among its lowest prices in months. The single-serve coffee maker brews 6- to 12-ounce cups and accommodates taller travel mugs when you remove the drip tray.

52-foot solar string lights ($20, was $40)

Make fall nights more magical with a set of string lights. A small solar panel charges them by day, and they turn on automatically each night.

Levoit cordless vacuum ($123, was $200)

Pet tools and a detachable design make Levoit's vacuum cleaner a strong option for anyone with cats and dogs. It runs for up to 30 minutes, and three LED lights brighten the floors, so you can pick up every hair or piece of dirt.

Hanes men's zip-up hoodie ($13, was $28)

Layer up for less with this lightweight Hanes zip-up hoodie, made from soft fleece. It's currently 54% off, and the women's version is also on sale in multiple colors.

Walking pad ($90, was $113)

As the weather grows colder, start an indoor exercise routine with a walking pad. Easily move it from room to room and tuck it away neatly when you're done.

Heated blanket ($42, was $63)

Spend cozy fall days and nights wrapped in this soft heated blanket. It has six temperature options, giving you control over how warm you are.

DeWalt orbital sander ($97, was $179)

DeWalt's orbital sander lets you sand surfaces without a cord. Its low-profile design helps you get closer to your work area.

Apple AirTag (2nd Generation), 4-pack ($89, was $99)

Keep tabs on keys, luggage, bags and other easy-to-lose essentials with a four-pack of Apple AirTags. Each tracker works with compatible iPhones to help locate misplaced items.

Deals we love

Shop standout deals on everything from the latest iPhone to clothing steamers.

Columbia women’s Switchback IV jacket: $37.77 (Orig. $70)

Columbia's fall jacket is nearly 50% off this week if you choose the black option. It's easy to stuff in your hiking or camping gear, and the hood stows away on nicer days. The Omni-Shield sheds rain and dries quickly, so you stay comfortable longer.

DoorDash DashPass: $0 delivery fees on eligible orders

Save on restaurant and grocery orders with a DashPass subscription through DoorDash. Members also get 5% back on pickup orders and 5% to 10% back on Lyft rides. It may be worth considering if you order delivery or eat out frequently.

DIRECTV streaming package: $59.99 per month + fees for first 3 months

DIRECTV offers live TV streaming without a satellite dish. Choose from several plans to stream sports, news and entertainment on your device. The traditional live TV streaming plan is currently $59.99 per month for the first three months, then increases to $89.99 per month. A five-day trial may be available, depending on the package.

T-Mobile: iPhone 18 Pro deal

Switch over to T-Mobile and get the new iPhone 18 Pro on them when you use your existing number and enroll in the Experience Beyond plan. Existing customers may qualify, too, with an eligible trade-in and enrollment in the same plan.

Prefer a larger screen? T-Mobile is offering up to $1,200 off the iPhone 18 Pro Max when you trade in an eligible device in any condition and enroll in Experience Beyond. Terms apply.

PureTalk: Get any plan for $15 for three months

FOX News readers can save on their first three months of a PureTalk phone plan for a limited time. Every plan is just $15 per month right now. All plans include unlimited talk and text, while most include unlimited data. PureTalk also doesn't charge activation or cancellation fees.

Handheld clothing steamer: $24.99 (Orig. $36.99)

Freshen up wrinkled shirts, dresses and pants with this compact handheld clothing steamer. More than 20,000 were purchased on Amazon in the last month, according to the product listing.

Breescape cooling sheets: $119.98 (Orig. $199.99)

Hot sleepers may appreciate this sheet set's breathable fabric, which is designed to help wick away moisture. The set includes a fitted sheet with deep pockets for mattresses up to 18 inches, a flat sheet and two pillowcases.

Deals ending soon

Grab these deals before they're gone.

Wireless earbuds: $23.98 (Orig. $299.99)

It's hard to beat this 92%-off deal on these wireless earbuds. Built with immersive speakers and flexible ear hooks, you get must-have features for less than $25. Each bud lasts for 15 hours, and the case offers eight full charges before needing a recharge.

The Hume Pod 2.0: $249 (Orig. $384)

The Hume Pod 2.0 isn't just any scale — it shows dozens of health metrics in one place. Track muscle gain, fat loss, your metabolic age and 42 other metrics. It works with both Apple and Google fitness apps, so you can monitor all your information on your phone.

American flag doormat: $17.99 (Orig. $19.99)

Add festive flair to your front door with this American flag doormat. The red, white and blue "Home" design gives your home a patriotic look while the mat absorbs water from wet shoes and boots.

Laifen SE 2 high-speed hair dryer: $127.49 (Orig. $149.99)

Save 15% on the Laifen SE 2 hair dryer with code DealSE2. It dries fast, and the Temperature Cycling Mode prevents heat damage. Two magnetic nozzles let you style your hair curly or straight.

Compression socks, 3-pack: $14.99 (Orig. $26.99)

These 20-30 mmHg compression socks may help support circulation and reduce swelling during long periods of sitting or standing.

For more deals, visit www.foxnews.com/deals

Best sales from FOX News Deals' favorite brands

Amazon: Ahead of Amazon's October Prime Day, get tech, home essentials and more up to 70% off

Eddie Bauer: Up to 70% off all clearance clothing and gear

Anthropologie: Get up to $80 off new fall styles

Kate Spade Outlet: Save up to 75% and take an additional 20% off when you buy two items during the Fall Sale

HeyDude: Take $30 off select styles when you use code SUMMER

Ashley Furniture: Select furniture sets start at $699

Good American: Currently offering 30% off jeans, jackets and more with code FRIEND

FAQs

What brands are having the best sales this week?

FOX News Deals' favorite retailers and brands, including Amazon, Good American and HeyDude, are rolling out top deals this week on everything from new phones and streaming services to fall apparel and tools. This week's standout offers include Keurig coffee makers, Levoit vacuums and Columbia rain jackets.

If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get these items sent to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.

Stephen A Smith and ESPN should consider a full-time reunion with Skip Bayless

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:30:37 -0400

Last week, Skip Bayless returned to ESPN to reunite with his former debate partner, Stephen A. Smith, on "First Take." Under a new agreement, Bayless will appear on the program on the final Friday of every month.

The history between Bayless and the show is significant.

ESPN built "First Take," its daily debate program, around Bayless in 2007. Like Smith today, Bayless initially debated a rotating cast of analysts. He pushed the network to give Smith a recurring role, but executives initially resisted after Smith's previous, unsuccessful stint at ESPN.

SKIP BAYLESS BOOSTS STEPHEN A'S SLUGGISH "FIRST TAKE" RATINGS BY 24% ON THEIR REUNION SHOW

Smith eventually joined the show on a weekly basis and became Bayless' full-time debate partner in 2012.

Together, Bayless and Smith drew an average audience that well exceeded ESPN2's typical viewership, often outperforming the main ESPN channel during the same time slot.

Bayless left ESPN for FS1 in 2016 to launch "Undisputed," a similarly formatted debate program designed to compete directly with "First Take." Bayless partnered with Shannon Sharpe at FS1, while Max Kellerman replaced him at ESPN.

Comparing the success of the two programs warrants context. ESPN reached three to five times as many morning viewers as FS1 at the time. Even so, "First Take" lost more than 20% of its audience after Bayless departed. ESPN responded by moving the program from ESPN2 to ESPN. After the move, "First Take" attracted roughly twice the audience of "Undisputed."

The gap widened after Kellerman left "First Take" and Sharpe exited "Undisputed." By 2023, "First Take" regularly drew three to four times as many viewers as its FS1 rival. Bayless ultimately left the network in 2024.

Smith and Bayless are in different positions than they were in 2012.

At the time, Bayless was one of ESPN's most viral personalities. Smith had been relegated to local radio. Today, Smith is among the most influential figures in sports media, having recently signed a five-year, $100 million contract with ESPN. Until recently, Bayless was the one without a television platform.

Bayless' transition to digital media has been rocky. His weekly show with his wife averages about 1,000 views per episode on YouTube. He has not uploaded a new episode of his eponymous podcast in nearly a year. He has, however, recently gained traction through a venture with former NFL cornerback Aqib Talib called "Gridiron."

Although Bayless accepted an invitation to become a monthly contributor to "First Take," the arrangement is undoubtedly awkward. Returning to the program you built, alongside the co-host whose career you helped build, in a limited role cannot be easy.

It is also reasonable to wonder whether Bayless believes Smith owes him the same full-time opportunity that he extended in 2012. OutKick asked Bayless about that possibility following Friday's show. He did not respond.

Honestly, Smith should consider it.

The current version of "First Take" has grown stale. The format of pairing Smith with two rotating panelists produces inconsistent results. Michael Irvin, Dan Orlovsky, Chris "Mad Dog" Russo and Marcus Spears are strong contributors. Much of the remaining rotation, however, consists of interchangeable ESPN personalities, including Chris Canty, Kimberley Martin and Domonique Foxworth.

Perhaps a more effective approach would be to reduce the size of the rotation and feature only the program's strongest personalities alongside Smith and perhaps Bayless. On Friday, Spears joined Smith and Bayless for most of the show.

THE CRAIG CARTON SHOW–UNFILTERED, UNAPOLOGETIC AND UNMISSABLE. DOWNLOAD HIS DAILY PODCAST NOW!

"First Take" is still one of ESPN's highest-rated programs, but its growth lags behind the network's other studio shows. ESPN's monthly press releases routinely emphasize year-over-year gains for "Get Up," "The Pat McAfee Show," "NFL Live" and other programs, but not "First Take's."

Smith himself has acknowledged the importance of evolving the program. Explaining why he wanted Kellerman removed from the program, Smith said it was necessary "to keep things fresh and make changes every three years." It has now been five years since Kellerman's departure.

Bayless also brings out a different side of Smith, one that is generally more appealing to viewers.

The formula is simple but effective: Bayless makes a provocative claim, Smith responds with theatrical indignation, Bayless defends his position and the segment often ends in good fun.

While not the most intellectually rigorous form of television, it's better than the pandering, faux sophistication that has come to define too much of sports television.

Despite his branding, Smith rarely offers a profound opinion on sports. He believes the Cowboys underachieve, Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter in NBA history and LeBron James is the second-greatest player in basketball history. Those are conventional positions.

In fact, Smith tends to expose a lack of depth when he tries to offer a unique opinion. His recent commentary on LSU, Shedeur Sanders and Deshaun Watson suggested a limited familiarity with those subjects.

Smith performs best opposite a contrarian, like Bayless. The same dynamic explains why his appearances with Will Cain and Sean Hannity on Fox News often generate more interest than his solo political monologues.

Smith, who has frequently responded to criticism from OutKick, may view that comparison as a slight. It is not. Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser remain the gold standard of sports television because their partnership is stronger than either host individually. The same principle applies to Smith and Bayless.

With Pat McAfee surpassing Smith as ESPN's most relevant personality, a full-time reunion with Bayless would represent an opportunity to regain momentum. Debating Chris Canty one day and Gerald McCoy the next does not.

ESPN may be reluctant to approve a broader reunion for Bayless. Our understanding is that there was pushback about bringing him back even in a limited role.

Executive Mike Foss, who oversees the network's daily studio programming, has emphasized a shift away from "embrace debate," the slogan that once defined "First Take," in favor of authenticity and conversation. Ratings trends suggest that approach has benefited much of ESPN's daytime lineup. But not "First Take."

"First Take" is a debate show. The program has never fully recaptured the cultural relevance and virality it reached with Bayless and Smith together.

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If the plan is to keep Stephen A. in a prominent role as he approaches 60, ESPN should lean into what made him successful in sports-talk television.

It is also 2026. As Hollywood continues to demonstrate, nostalgia remains a more reliable commercial strategy than reinvention.

Dumping stocks after Trump’s 2016 win was ‘stupid,’ NYU professor admits

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 15:30:07 -0400

NYU professor Scott Galloway said Monday on "The Prof G Pod" that he sold all of his stocks in an emotional reaction to President Donald Trump’s 2016 election victory, taking a major tax hit before buying back into a more expensive market months later, a decision he estimated cost him 40% of his liquid net worth in stocks.

Galloway, a professor of marketing at NYU Stern, called the move his "biggest investment mistake" during the "Office Hours" edition of the podcast as he warned listeners about allowing emotions to drive investment decisions.

"So when he was elected in 2016, I sold all my stocks," he said. "That was stupid. The market ripped for the next year. There was so much insecurity about him actually winning that the fear had been priced in. Stocks ripped up."

THE RICH HAVE ONE FINANCIAL HABIT MOST AMERICANS IGNORE AT THEIR PERIL

Galloway said the selloff also triggered taxes on significant capital gains while he was living in New York. He said he returned to the market about six months later after stocks had risen between 10% and 20%, compounding what he described as the cost of the decision.

"So you could argue, at least notionally, that decision cost me 40% of my liquid net worth in stocks," Galloway said.

White House spokesman Davis Ingle told Fox News Digital Tuesday that Galloway’s continued criticism of Trump reflected what he characterized as an obsession with the president.

"Scott Galloway should immediately seek psychiatric help to treat his severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has completely rotted his peanut-sized brain," Ingle said.

GOVERNMENTS CAN TAKE YOUR STOCKS WITHOUT YOUR PERMISSION. IT HAPPENS ALL THE TIME

Galloway criticized Trump, saying he believed the president's economic and foreign policies could ultimately damage the U.S. economy.

"I think the president is a f---ing idiot and a stain on the American experience and that the grand sum of all of these head up your a-- economic and foreign policy decisions will eventually crash this economy or result in long-term structural damage that will take decades if not generations to repair," Galloway said.

The stock market rose substantially following Trump's 2016 presidential victory. According to the federal government's 2017 Economic Report of the President, the S&P 500 climbed 3.4% in November 2016 and reached a then-record high later that month. The 2018 report said the index went on to gain 19.4% in 2017, posting increases in 11 of the year's 12 months.

DAVID MARCUS: TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME ISN'T MENTAL ILLNESS, IT'S MASS HYSTERIA

Galloway said his experience reinforced his view that investors should remain in the market rather than attempt to anticipate political or economic turning points. While discussing current elevated valuations, he recommended diversification instead of trying to predict exactly when stocks will decline.

"Trying to guess when the top happens is dangerous," Galloway said. "Probably my biggest investment mistake was the emotional reaction I had to the 2016 election of Donald Trump."

"And what the government does matter, but the majority of the economy just grinds on regardless of who is tweeting what or not tweeting what," he continued.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Galloway predicted Trump would ultimately abandon his 2024 presidential campaign as part of a plea agreement that would keep him out of jail. Trump remained in the race and returned to the White House after winning the 2024 presidential election.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Galloway for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Hero K-9 sniffs out hidden $6M cocaine shipment along US-Canada border

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 05:00:43 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Officers with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized a shipment of 450 pounds of cocaine worth an estimated $6 million at a port along the U.S. northern border with Canada last Tuesday, the agency revealed to Fox News Digital.

After CBP conducted a routine inspection on a northbound commercial tractor-trailer driven by a 21-year-old Canadian man, a physical inspection revealed modifications to the floor, leading to a K-9 inspection. Agents soon uncovered 174 vacuum-sealed packages carrying cocaine.

"This significant seizure highlights the exceptional vigilance, advanced training and relentless dedication of our CBP officers and canine teams at the Lewiston Bridge border crossing," Sharon Swiatek, acting port director for the Area Port of Buffalo, said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

BORDER AGENTS UNCOVER $20M COCAINE STASH HIDDEN BENEATH TRUCK FLOORBOARDS IN MASSIVE BUST

The seizure follows other recent cases involving drugs concealed in commercial trucks caught by CBP in recent months, demonstrating the continued challenge federal agencies face in stopping the flow of narcotics across both the U.S. southern and northern borders despite greatly reduced illegal crossings.

Since President Donald Trump returned to office at the outset of 2025, border crossings have plummeted at the southern border — an issue that captured much public attention in the 2024 presidential election. Since October 2024, illegal border crossings have dropped from over 240,000 to just 12,200 this past August, a reduction of over 94%.

The drop also extends to the northern border. There, encounters have plummeted from over 17,000 to under 6,100, a 64% decrease.

TRUMP DHS HITS 16 STRAIGHT MONTHS WITH 0 RELEASES AT THE BORDER

Even so, CBP has continued to battle the smuggling of drugs, weapons and human trafficking rings into — and out of — the U.S.

While the majority of CBP’s work focuses on securing the American border, a number of its busts have centered on preventing dangerous shipments from entering neighboring countries as well. According to Swiatek, the CBP acting port director, it’s a mission that carries the same gravity as its southern counterpart.

"While a large focus of our border security mission is on inbound threats, our officers remain equally sharp during outbound operations to dismantle transborder criminal networks, disrupt the flow of dangerous narcotics and protect communities on both sides of the border," Swiatek said.

NEVADA MAN FUNNELED 140 GUNS TO VIOLENT MEXICAN DRUG CARTELS, INCLUDING POWERFUL 'MILITARY-STYLE' RIFLES: DOJ

In April, for example, CBP announced it had prevented a car carrying a rocket-propelled grenade launcher, 16 AK rifles, 24 rifle magazines, 16 rifle stocks, 20 pistol grips and other weapon parts from crossing the border into Mexico.

"CBP prevented these dangerous weapons from wreaking havoc on the good people of Mexico," Acting Deputy Commissioner Ron Vitiello said at the time.

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With respect to the Tuesday cocaine seizure, the shipment has been referred to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Buffalo for investigational review, according to CBP.

Foiled terror plot at bomber base signals wider threat to US military installations: expert

Sun, 27 Sep 2026 20:34:26 -0400

Five men arrested near a key U.S. bomber base in the U.K. on Sunday may have planned a "complex," coordinated attack with potentially far-reaching security implications for American military installations globally, a former U.S. intelligence officer warned.

As counterterrorism police investigated after officers detained the suspects near RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, a former Pentagon official also said President Donald Trump would ultimately be the one to decide the consequences if indeed the "trail leads to Tehran."

The men were initially held on suspicion of offenses under Britain’s Explosives Act before being arrested on terrorism charges in connection with the airfield, a key U.S. Air Force hub and the primary European base for American strategic bombers.

On Sunday, Trump said U.S. authorities had been monitoring the suspects prior to their capture.

FORMER UK PRIME MINISTER TONY BLAIR WARNS EUROPE ‘WE DON’T WIN’ IN WAR WITHOUT US SUPPORT

"We had them under investigation," Trump told reporters in Chicago. "They were looking to do big damage to our fort."

"It may have been Scotland Yard. I don't know. We worked with a lot of them. We had them under view for a long time, and we got them," Trump added.

According to Sky News, counterterrorism police were investigating whether Iran is linked to the suspected bomb plot.

Former Trump White House official Morgan Murphy also told Fox News Digital that British authorities are leading the investigation alongside U.S. law enforcement and intelligence.

"Every phone, bank record and rental receipt will be run through British and American intelligence, and if the trail leads to Tehran, it will be found," Murphy clarified.

"But as American airmen and bombers seem to have been the target, Air Force investigators on the base, the FBI in London, and American intelligence will likely all work the case."

"If conclusive evidence proves Iran is behind an attempted attack on U.S. forces, the American president will ultimately decide how Tehran pays," Murphy added.

BRITAIN INTRODUCES SWEEPING NEW POWERS TO TARGET FOREIGN STATE-LINKED GROUPS INCLUDING IRAN'S IRGC

Former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officer Andrew Badger told Fox News Digital the number of suspects and vehicles involved raised the possibility of a sophisticated operation.

"We are going to see elevated security protocols across Europe, across the U.K., and across the entire world for any U.S. installation," the former case officer said.

"This is a very significant threat, and again, seeing that we had five individuals involved and three different reported vans at the scene, this could have been a very complex, highly orchestrated operation," Badger, who teaches on grey-zone warfare at the University of Oxford, added.

"This isn't just some type of amateur lone wolf operation," he said, noting Fairford’s strategic importance to the U.S. military. "Fairford is also where the U.S. houses its strategic bombers for Europe as well as the rest of the world."

He said a potential attack posed broader risks beyond the airfield itself, which he said "could have had significant security implications. It could have damaged the nearby area."

HOW IRAN ATTACKS ARE FORCING THE PENTAGON TO RETHINK ITS DECADES-OLD MIDDLE EAST BASE STRATEGY

"They could have tried to use a VBIED or a vehicle-borne explosive device where the first van could have gone off at the front gate, and then the other vans would have gone in and tried to go for the strategic bombers," Badger said.

British authorities have not publicly identified who they believe was behind the suspected plot or announced a motive, but RAF Fairford had taken on greater strategic importance during the war with Iran.

The U.K. government previously authorized U.S. forces to use the Royal Air Force bases Fairford and Diego Garcia for limited defensive operations, including destroying Iranian missiles and launchers at source.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) later warned that any base used to attack Iranian territory would be considered a legitimate target.

"Any base used to launch attacks on Iranian territory is a legitimate target for our forces," the IRGC said, according to reports.

"Tehran warned London in July to keep American bombers off Fairford, and if this plot traces back to Iran, the answer must be more bombers, not fewer," Murphy said.

IRAN EXPERT BRANDS ISLAMIC CENTER OF ENGLAND IRAN'S 'UK OFFICE,' URGES IMMEDIATE CLOSURE

A local councilor told Reuters there had been a recent security alert at Fairford and surveillance had been stepped up.

"So there was a specific threat about six weeks ago from the Iranians on this base. At the time, there was increased surveillance around the area," he told the outlet.

Badger, however, cautioned against assuming Iran was responsible while pointing to other potential threats.

"This could be Iran trying to gain strategic leverage in negotiations, but there are other actors as well," the co-author of The Great Heist, added.

"There's Russia, who has been launching a campaign of gray zone or hybrid warfare attacks across Europe, as well as Islamic extremists, which are still a significant threat here in the U.K."

"Was this some type of retaliation by Iran to perhaps try to gain leverage or to try to inflict a cost on the U.S. for withdrawing from these negotiations? Again, we don't know for sure, but it is a possibility," Badger said.

Badger also pointed to RAF Welford, a major U.S. ammunition storage facility that primarily supports operations at RAF Fairford.

US EMBASSIES IN MIDDLE EAST WARN AMERICANS OF 'UNFORESEEN ESCALATION' AS LATEST STRIKES HIT IRAN

"Welford is the second-largest weapons and ammunition depot in all of Europe," Badger said, noting that the facility where the U.S. stores ammunition "could have been a target as well."

"Other bases across Europe, including European and U.S. partners, have already been on a heightened state of alert," Badger continued.

"But of course, after this attack, they're going to be in an even more heightened state. You're going to have more frequent security patrols."

"There are reports that RAF Fairford was put onto what's called the Delta alert, which is the highest state of security alert within the military base system," Badger said.

"So this is basically that 'an imminent terrorist attack is inbound,'" he concluded.

Iran's Embassy in London denied any connection with the incident in a public statement on Monday.

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"The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran in London categorically rejects and strongly condemns the recent unfounded and malicious speculations published by some British individuals and media outlets attempting to link Iran to arrest of five suspects in the vicinity of RAF Fairford base," the Embassy wrote on X.

Sunny Hostin addresses resurfaced reports questioning her claim she was a holdout juror in 1991 murder trial

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:55:22 -0400

"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin addressed reporting about her identifying herself as a holdout juror in a gruesome murder case in the 1990s during the show's podcast Monday after resurfaced reports from multiple outlets said it was a man who was the holdout juror.

"Someone on the internet dug up a Daily News article from 1991 that profiled another, different person that was a holdout juror. You were quoted in this article too, but they were talking about a man that other people pointed to as saying this is the reason we couldn't come to a verdict," Brian Teta, the producer of "The View," noted during the "Behind the Table" podcast.

Hostin said she remembered him and explained that there were different counts in the case.

ATTORNEY FOR LONE HOLDOUT JUROR IN LINDSAY CLANCY MISTRIAL PUSHES BACK ON CLAIMS OF REFUSING THE LAW

"So, as I recall, and look it up for yourselves, there were three counts, I believe. One was second-degree murder, but it was intentional. Then there was the defense to that was, we could consider the insanity defense, meaning that he committed the crime, but he was not criminally responsible because of a mental disease or defect. And there was a third count, or a third issue that we dealt with, and that issue was the desecration of Monika Beerle's remains," Hostin said.

The co-host of "The View" said she felt strongly that he tried to hide the fact that he killed Beerle by dismembering her remains and that he should be found guilty of that count.

LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT PRAISED AS 'AMERICAN HERO' BY LAWYER WHO SAYS HE REPRESENTS HIM

"He was insane when he killed her," Hostin said. "And he said that, he confessed that he didn't realize that she was even dead. But then he decides to dismember her. I just thought that was so clear and gruesome and despicable to do that to someone's remains. I thought that he should be found guilty of that. And everyone else did too, except for this one guy. And we were, like, kind of looking at him, like, 'That was the easy one.' It was always the easy one. But we could not reach a unanimous verdict on that count."

Teta noted that Hostin didn't mention this male juror on the show when she identified herself as the holdout juror in this trial. She clarified during the podcast that she was the holdout on a different count, the count related to the insanity defense.

During the liberal talk show earlier this month, Hostin said she was a holdout juror on a case in which a man murdered his roommate and dismembered her. Hostin felt strongly that the man, Daniel Rakowitz, also known as "Butcher of Tompkins Square Park," was insane.

The co-host shared an excerpt from a report in The New York Times about the trial, which was held in 1991. Rakowitz was acquitted by reason of insanity. Hostin, whose maiden name is Cummings and whose first name is Asunción, was quoted in a Feb. 23, 1991, New York Times report about the trial, which said, "Several jurors questioned afterward said one holdout juror was principally responsible for preventing them from returning a guilty verdict."

LINDSAY CLANCY MISTRIAL DECLARED AFTER JURY DEADLOCKS IN KILLINGS OF HER THREE CHILDREN

"The View" co-host presented the article on the show while explaining the case.

"That was me. It was because I saw clearly that he was psychotic," Hostin said during the show Sept. 22.

After revealing she was the holdout juror on the case, the New York Post reported that other contemporaneous accounts identified an unemployed man as the principal holdout. The Post wrote that "Jurors told The Post, Newsday, the Daily News and the Associated Press that the actual holdout was an unemployed man who wanted to keep the trial going so he could continue getting paid by the court for his civic duty."

"He was unemployed and liked the $15 a day and the three free meals," juror Valerie Holmes told Newsday after the verdict, according to contemporaneous coverage.

CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR TAPS FORMER TRUMP LAWYER TO FIGHT BACK AS HE’S ‘DRAGGED THROUGH THE MUD’: ATTORNEY

The Post also cited a law enforcement source familiar with the case who said, "We were told that the juror who held out was a man. There was no other description."

Another factor, the New York Post said, was that "Hostin was quoted as a juror on the case in multiple news clips at the time, but she did not identify herself as the holdout, nor did any of the fellow jurors who talked to the press after the trial. Her statement to Newsday from the time even seemed to contradict her story."

"Unfortunately for Sunny, one cannot simply put the toothpaste back in the tube. Hopefully, she's realized what kind of internet fervor she's created with this take that goes beyond her daily hare-brained political takes," Newsbusters Managing Editor Curtis Houck told Fox News Digital in a statement regarding Hostin's latest update on the story.

"Rather, touting her juror status on such a gruesome case hopefully cuts across politics and into basic common sense. Her invocation of "shared experiences" is an utter crock. Bringing up a term from Woke 1 won't make her supposedly proud admission any less disturbing."

Teta also asked Hostin to address what he described as the "lazy take," that she "got him out of jail, and she's proud of it," referring to criticism on the internet about her revelation.

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"Why would I be proud of that?" Hostin asked. "It's an experience that I had that I shared so that people would understand better. I think our lived experiences are a very good way on this show, in particular, to explain to people, current events, right?"

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The discussion started when the co-hosts weighed in on the holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy case.

Clancy's defense attorney has criticized the holdout juror in the case.

NHL defenseman Brock Faber out indefinitely after suffering skull fracture from shot to head

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:52:00 -0400

The NHL regular season gets underway on Tuesday evening, but the Minnesota Wild have already suffered a massive loss.

News broke on Tuesday that defenseman Brock Faber is out indefinitely after getting hit in the head with a puck in the team's preseason finale.

The Wild hosted the Dallas Stars on Friday night in their final tune-up before starting their regular season on Thursday against the Nashville Predators.

STANLEY CUP CHAMPION COACH IS DOWN WITH NUKING THE PRESEASON: 'GUYS JUST WANT TO PLAY'

The Stars won 2-1, but the big story was a scary moment in which a shot from Dallas' Miro Heiskanen hit Faber in the head.

It didn't look good. Wild GM Bill Guerin revealed that Faber suffered a fracture to his skull and underwent surgery over the weekend.

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Thankfully, Guerin reported that the 24-year-old Minnesota native and Team USA Olympic gold medalist is doing well after the successful surgery.

However, there's no timetable for his return to action, which is a huge loss for the Wild.

Faber is part of Minnesota's all-American top defense pair along with Quinn Hughes. The two are key pieces for the team, logging lots of ice time, driving play, and generating points. That extends to the special teams as well, where each of them quarterbacks one of the team's two power-play units.

Jared Spurgeon is expected to take on both of those responsibilities, and while he's a very solid veteran player, he's not going to put up numbers or generate offense the way Faber did last season.

Minnesota made the playoffs last season and will expect to do the same, if not become more of a Stanley Cup contender, and that will be harder to do with Faber sidelined.

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Last season, the Wild finished third in a strong Central Division behind the Stars and Colorado Avalanche, the latter of which eliminated them in the second round.

California college lecturer removed after erupting at student over question on Native Americans

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:47:46 -0400

A California college lecturer is "no longer in the classroom" after a viral video showed her ordering a student out of class during a heated exchange over his question about alcoholism rates among Native Americans, according to a comment posted by the university on TikTok on Sept. 18.

The confrontation unfolded at California State University San Marcos and spread rapidly online after clips posted to TikTok showed the lecturer repeatedly telling the student to leave the classroom.

The incident allegedly began after a student asked about statistics involving alcoholism among Native Americans, according to The College Fix, which first reported the episode.

UNIVERSITY DROPS 'DOXXING' PROBE OF REPUBLICAN STUDENTS AMID WIDESPREAD BACKLASH OVER VIRAL CAKE INCIDENT

The video shows the lecturer, identified by The College Fix as Persephone Lewis, saying, "Get the f--- out of my class," in footage posted on TikTok on Sept. 17. She later became emotional after students asked why she removed the student.

"So get up and get the f--- out of my class right now," the lecturer said in one clip. In another, she said, "You did this s--- on purpose, you are out of my class. I am dropping you."

The lecturer told The College Fix that the viral clip was "heavily edited" and did not provide the full context of the exchange.

CARNEGIE MELLON PROMISES 'SWIFT ACTION' AGAINST PROFESSOR UJU ANYA OVER SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS

Cal State San Marcos later confirmed to The College Fix that the lecturer is "no longer in the classroom."

Cal State San Marcos responded on Sept. 18 to a TikTok video of the incident posted on TikTok of the alleged incident, writing, "Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We are looking into this. CSUSM is focused on maintaining respectful learning environments that support inquiry and meaningful discussion, including difficult and sensitive subjects. CSUSM is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space where all members of our community can learn, grow and thrive."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Cal State University San Marcos said, "Cal State San Marcos is aware of the situation involving a lecturer and a student in a classroom. We continue to review the circumstances and context surrounding the incident."

"The lecturer is no longer in the classroom," the statement continued. "CSUSM works to maintain respectful learning environments that support inquiry and meaningful discussion. CSUSM is committed to providing a safe and welcoming space where all members of our community can learn, grow, and thrive."

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PROFESSOR RESIGNS AFTER MAJOR PLAGIARISM ACCUSATIONS PROMPT INVESTIGATION

Lewis is listed on UC San Diego's website as "currently in her fifth year of a PhD program in the Education Studies Department at UC San Diego," while her LinkedIn profile says she completed her doctorate in June 2024.

She is described on UC San Diego's website as "a citizen of the Yomba Shoshone Tribe, located in the mountains of present-day Nevada," who is "deeply committed to Indigenous activism, tribal sovereignty, and Nation-building, she is a community-based consultant, educator, relative, and Newe language learner. Over the past 20 years, she has held a number of leadership positions in higher education, Native American education programs, social and behavioral health services and community development efforts."

On her LinkedIn profile, Lewis says she is a "citizen of the Yomba Shoshone Tribe and have been working with Tribal nations and non-profit corporations in a variety of capacities since 2001. Throughout my career, I have been passionate about a number of issues central to Indian Country and the larger Indigenous transnational context."

"As a Shoshone woman living in diaspora, I also recognize the importance of a strong Indigenous nonprofit sector," she continued. "Since receiving a degree in nonprofit leadership and management, I have worked with 501 c(3) corporations as well as tribal governments in a number of areas via my consulting business-Native Solutions Consulting."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Lewis and UC San Diego for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Bombshell report exposes healthcare fraud schemes as taxpayers lose up to $521 billion annually

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:30:00 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: House GOP lawmakers are rolling out a slew of new bills after a bombshell report found that hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars are potentially being targeted by fraudsters every year.

As people across the U.S. are battling high costs that make it hard to make ends meet, a report released Tuesday by the House Energy & Commerce Committee warns that federally subsidized healthcare programs are rife with fraud and abuse — "impacting every single American, in one way or another."

While no estimate for Medicare and Medicaid fraud exists specifically, the report noted, a 2024 estimate by the Government Accountability Office said $233 billion to $521 billion taxpayer dollars going to federal programs are lost to fraud every year. Federal healthcare programs accounted for 24% of federal spending in 2024, according to the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities.

Medicaid specifically is rife with vulnerabilities making it susceptible to fraud, the report said, which is why House Republicans are rolling out 14 bills aimed at closing loopholes in the system, shrinking bureaucracy, and making it easier for states to recoup lost dollars while also incentivizing them to go after potential fraudsters.

"Taxpayers that fund benefit programs with federal and state taxpayer dollars are cheated by fraud, inflating healthcare costs that are passed along to everyone," the committee's report states. "Every dollar stolen from federal health care programs is a dollar that is not spent on high quality healthcare for those that need it most."

WHITE HOUSE PUSHES 'WATERSHED' FRAUD-FIGHTING REFORM IN CONGRESS AS VANCE CONVENES TASK FORCE

"The amount of fraud that the Biden-Harris Administration allowed to go unchecked in government health programs is unacceptable. Every dollar stolen by fraudsters or wasted on improper payments is a dollar that cannot be used to support families in need who rely on these programs," House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., told Fox News Digital.

REPUBLICANS DECLARE WAR ON 'ORGANIZED THEFT' WITH GOVERNMENT FRAUD CRACKDOWN

Republicans' new bills can be lumped into three categories: legislation aimed at improving identification of fraud in state and federal health programs, legislation aimed at enforcing anti-fraud rules, and legislation to hold states that allow fraud to run rampant accountable.

One bill led by Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, for example, would force states to designate a single role for internal financial controls of state Medicaid programs.

READ: DR. OZ PUTS ALL 50 GOVERNORS ON NOTICE OVER BILLIONS LOST TO MEDICAID FRAUD

A bill by Rep. Mike Rulli, R-Ohio, would force each state to annually report to the federal government on any potential Medicaid fraud vulnerabilities and their plan to fix it.

And legislation by Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., would require states to check whether someone enrolling for Medicaid was removed from another taxpayer-funded healthcare program.

The report released on Tuesday said that Medicaid spending accounts for an average 30.7% of states' budgets, and that those outlays have increased exponentially in recent years.

States like New York and California are also projected to see costs spike, the report said.

TOP FEDERAL PROSECUTOR CALLS CALIFORNIA A 'FRAUDSTER'S PARADISE,' WARNS STATE OFFICIALS COULD FACE CHARGES

The Golden State is expected to see annual Medi-Cal spending, its state healthcare program, rise from $83 billion per year in 2014 to $219.7 billion by 2027, the report said, adding, "New York is projected to spend 11% more on Medicaid from all funding sources in 2027 — a total of $124 billion."

The report noted that federal healthcare is ripe for fraud given its size and complexity, as well as the traditional enforcement model of "pay and chase," which relies on law enforcement to investigate fraud suspicions after a false claim has already been settled.

Provider fraud is also a common area of losing tax dollars, with healthcare providers being known to submit multiple claims for a single service or bill services and equipment for patients that they have never seen at all, the report said.

Transnational criminal groups have also profited from U.S. healthcare fraud, the report said, alleging that hardworking Americans are seeing their tax dollars not only lost to fraud at home but overseas as well.

TRUMP ADMIN’S FRAUD CRACKDOWN TARGETS FOREIGNERS ACCUSED OF INFILTRATING US FEDERAL PROGRAMS

The Department of Justice's (DOJ) "Operation Gold Rush" uncovered that Russian organized crime actors billed over $10 million in false claims made via 30 medical supply companies they purchased in a years-long scheme, the report said.

It highlighted further foreign healthcare schemes that saw malign actors in Hong Kong, Georgia, Estonia, Pakistan and elsewhere attempt to steal billions more in U.S. taxpayer dollars.

The fraud reports come at a time when millions of Americans across the country are struggling with high living costs that have made it a challenge to make ends meet.

Guthrie said the House GOP legislative package amounted to "commonsense steps" to ensure states can recoup lost fraud dollars and incentivize them to close loopholes in the future.

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It comes as the Trump administration is also prioritizing healthcare fraud crackdowns. Vice President JD Vance announced last week that 760,000 enrollees under the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, would be removed over fraud claims.

Mike Tomlin's coach criticism makes him better TV analyst but raises question whether he's eyeing Cowboys job

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:25:46 -0400

Mike Tomlin knows how to win in the NFL because he never suffered a losing season in any of his 19 years as the Pittsburgh Steelers head coach. He's also winning as a TV analyst on NBC's Sunday Night Football pregame show.

And it could be he's winning so much that he's using the latter to return to the former.

Tomlin on Sunday night did something most former-coaches-turned-broadcasters not named Rex Ryan rarely do: He criticized a current coach.

SUPER BOWL-WINNING COACH MIKE TOMLIN LANDS NBC ROLE ON 'FOOTBALL NIGHT IN AMERICA' BROADCAST

Tomlin analyzed the end of the Baltimore Ravens 34-31 victory over the Dallas Cowboys and laid the loss at the feet of the coaching staff, which obviously is led by head coach Brian Schottenheimer.

"The sequence played by the Dallas Cowboys at the end of the game in Rio was somewhat negligent, to be quite honest with you," Tomlin said.

Tomlin explained how a game that was tied at 31 with seven seconds remaining in regulation should not have turned into a loss until "strategically, Dallas helped [Baltimore] in that circumstance."

How? The Cowboys' disaster began with the fact their kickoff went into the end zone for a touchback rather than remaining on the field, where precious seconds would have ticked off the clock.

"Baltimore gets the ball on the 35-yard-line, and they had this really significant play down the middle of the field to their No. 1 receiver, Zay Flowers," Tomlin said. "But let's really analyze it for a minute. Man, the Dallas Cowboys are playing outside leverage man-to-man.

"They got caught in some one-on-ones, Zay Flowers won, and they put them in position to kick that game-winning field goal."

The ultimate decision on what coverage the defense plays and whether to avoid coverage that doesn't make sense, falls on Schottenheimer.

DEBUT OF FORMER STEELERS COACH MIKE TOMLIN ON NBC HAD HIGHLIGHT MOMENTS

Following the loss, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones requested (demanded?) an explanation of what exactly his coach was thinking. Is Jones satisfied with the explanation he got?

"Well, there is no explanation you're satisfied with," Jones said during his regular Tuesday appearance on 105.3 The Fan in the Metroplex. "None. Let's be sure that we all understand that."

Uh-oh.

"They don't have one that they're satisfied with. We made mistakes during that time. There's no question about it. So there is no explanation..."

This is where the possibility that Tomlin highlighting his fellow coach's mistake to millions of people on TV's most popular weekly broadcast makes him look good. Because being able to explain what should have happened, sends the message that's how he would have handled it as the Cowboys coach.

We are not reporting that Tomlin is focused on putting himself in position to be the next Cowboys coach. But he surely didn't hurt himself with this segment, if that is his intent.

Tomlin hasn't said he wants to get back into coaching next year. Then again, he hasn't said he doesn't.

But if he does eventually want a coaching comeback, one way to help, is by highlighting that he wouldn't lose a game another coach, who displeased ownership, just lost.

Anyone reading this might doubt a former coach would use his position as a broadcaster to help himself land a job he covets. Except, it has happened before.

In 1995, former Cowboys coach Jimmy Johnson would often comment on the Fox pregame show about how talented the Miami Dolphins were and how they should be performing better and winning more.

The obvious implication was that then-coach Don Shula should be doing better than the 9-5 record he eventually milked out of his team.

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People in Miami saw through it. They understood Johnson, who had coached at the University of Miami and lived in Key West, liked the idea of returning to coaching with the Dolphins.

And it worked. Johnson's work on TV fed a public relations campaign that painted him as an upgrade. Shula was ultimately forced out in January 1996 and Johnson was hired one week later.

Shula, believing he had been undermined, never forgave Johnson.

The question now is whether Tomlin will continue to critique Schottenheimer and his staff, adding to more speculation that he's focused on their job.

That would make him a more interesting analyst and maybe even the next Dallas Cowboys coach.

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Chris Hansen rips Robert Pattinson’s ‘Primetime’ as ‘complete fiction,’ reveals how he’s fighting back

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:22:05 -0400

Chris Hansen is pushing back against Hollywood's portrayal of his career in the new A24 film, "Primetime," saying the movie fictionalizes the work that made "To Catch a Predator" a television phenomenon.

"Nothing in that trailer except for the actor saying my name and ‘have a seat’ ever happened in real life. It’s complete fiction," Hansen said during an interview on the "Planet Tyrus" podcast.

The A24 feature, released Friday, offers a dramatization inspired by Hansen's hit "To Catch a Predator" investigations, including events surrounding the death of Bill Conradt, a Texas chief felony assistant district attorney who died by suicide as police arrived at his home to execute search and arrest warrants stemming from an online sting.

The film stars Robert Pattinson as Hansen, portraying the television host as he pursues greater exposure for the program while its increasingly high-stakes investigations propel him toward greater fame and, ultimately, the Conradt incident.

'PRIMETIME' STAR ROBERT PATTINSON SHOCKS FANS WITH CHRIS HANSEN TRANSFORMATION IN 'UNSETTLING' TRAILER

Hansen said the film distorts the work he and others have done to expose adults seeking to sexually exploit children, arguing that Hollywood is using his name and the popularity of the franchise to sell a fictionalized version of events.

"It’s shocking and a bit of an insult, based upon what I’ve seen in the trailer, based upon what other people have told me about the film… It’s an insult to turn something that’s been so positive and so important into a dark, over-dramatized [portrayal]…" he told Tyrus.

"It's Hollywood twisting what happened..." he added.

Hansen said he had not seen the film at the time of the interview and had no input in its production. He said he had no issue with Pattinson, adding that he considers him a "good actor" who has been "very gracious" to him.

Instead, Hansen directed his criticism at the filmmakers and Hollywood more broadly, invoking former film producer and convicted sex offender Harvey Weinstein.

"What do you expect out of an industry that was led for years by one of the most prolific predators to walk the face of the earth, Harvey Weinstein?" he asked.

To combat what he views as an inaccurate portrayal, Hansen said he purchased ad slots before showings of "Primetime," in which he will "walk into [a] kitchen, tell everybody in the theater to have a seat" and remind them that the "real work continues every day" on his true-crime streaming service, TruBlu.

CHRIS HANSEN URGES PARENTS TO TEACH CHILDREN ABOUT ONLINE PREDATORS BEFORE ALLOWING INTERNET ACCESS

Hansen said the 30-second ads will run on 3,500 screens nationwide during the film's first month, which he said will allow him to use the movie's release to direct audiences toward the work he says Hollywood misrepresented.

Meanwhile, Hansen is also preparing to tell his side of the story through a documentary titled "I’m Chris Hansen," which he said recently finished production and is being shopped to streaming platforms. Unlike "Primetime," Hansen said he cooperated with that project and knew the filmmakers involved.

Director Lance Oppenheim has defended his decision not to involve Hansen in the production of "Primetime."

When asked by W Magazine why he did not consult Hansen while making the film, Oppenheim said he believed Hansen's existing work and public record provided what he needed.

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"I felt like I had everything I needed with the Cameo," Oppenheim said, referring to a $30 personalized video Hansen recorded for him in 2024 after the director's wife purchased it as a gift.

Oppenheim said he also read Hansen's book and blog and spoke with Mitchell Wagenberg, a hidden-camera operator who worked with Hansen on "To Catch a Predator."

"It almost felt like we were adapting the Internet's version of Chris Hansen rather than the real Chris Hansen," Oppenheim said. "You can self-mythologize all you want, but at a certain point it becomes part of culture."

"The Odyssey wasn’t told by Odysseus. This movie shouldn’t be told by Chris Hansen. It should be told by the fans of Chris Hansen, which is us," he added.

Lady A's Charles Kelley diagnosed with rare blood cancer after painful health scare

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:16:34 -0400

Lady A's Charles Kelley revealed he's been diagnosed with a rare blood cancer.

Kelley shared his diagnosis in a video posted to Instagram, explaining that doctors discovered he had multiple myeloma after finding the cancer in his blood.

The musician said he had suffered several "random rib fractures," leading his doctor to order tests that ultimately uncovered the disease.

"I think in the same spirit of the way we've kind of shared a lot of my sobriety journey, just getting this stuff off your chest is so freeing, and it takes the power away from it a little bit that we wanted to let y'all know what was going on," he told fans in the video shared on Instagram. "And we're going to get through it.

LADY A'S CHARLES KELLEY SHARES BEFORE-AND-AFTER PHOTOS SHOWING HOW SOBRIETY TRANSFORMED HIS LIFE

"In sobriety, it's all about one day at a time and that we're not in control, and, so, that's the way we're looking at it."

Kelley assured fans he was going to work through the first six months of treatment.

"I believe it's not going to be too super invasive. I can still work," he said. "I think, physically, I will feel like myself. I'll have tough days, but you know, I want to keep working."

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Kelley said continuing to perform and spend time with his loved ones would remain a priority throughout his treatment.

"I need to be happy and doing what I love to do and spending and soaking up as much time with my family as I can as well," he said.

Kelley remained determined to face the challenge head-on.

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"It's just another hurdle, and I'm pretty confident that we're going to get through it," he explained.

Lady A became one of country music's biggest crossover acts, particularly after the release of "Need You Now." Outside the trio, Kelley has pursued solo music as well, including his Grammy-nominated collaboration "The Driver" with Dierks Bentley and Eric Paslay.

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This isn't Kelley's first health issue. In 2022, Lady A postponed its "Request Line Tour" so Kelley could focus on his sobriety journey.

Kelley later said he entered treatment and credited his wife, Cassie, and his Lady A bandmates with supporting him.

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Man found dead on tracks at Brooklyn subway station after his bag reportedly gets stuck in closing doors

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:03:47 -0400

A 57-year-old man was killed in Brooklyn Monday evening after his bag reportedly became trapped in closing subway doors, dragging him beneath the train.

After a 911 call, Yaw Boahene was found "unconscious and unresponsive" on the tracks of a northbound A train at the Utica Avenue station in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood shortly after 6 p.m., according to the New York Police Department.

Responding paramedics pronounced Boahene dead, and an investigation has been launched into the cause of his death.

NYC SUSPECT FREED FROM PSYCH HOLD HOURS BEFORE FATAL SUBWAY SHOVING OF 76-YEAR-OLD FORMER TEACHER

Boahene, of Brooklyn, was exiting a train at around 6 p.m. when his shopping bag got stuck in the doors, The New York Times reported.

Incidents involving commuters being caught and dragged by subway trains are exceedingly rare, but they do happen.

In October 2022, Joseph Ancona, 20, was killed in the Columbus Circle station when his bag was caught in a door, dragging him onto the tracks before he was fatally struck by the train, FOX 5 New York reported at the time.

WOMAN ALLEGEDLY CHOKED SUBWAY RIDER, YELLED ANTISEMITIC REMARKS IN ATTACK CAUGHT ON VIDEO: POLICE

Months earlier, 37-year-old Marcus Bryant was at a station in Brooklyn, where he got caught between a Q train and the platform. He was killed after falling onto the tracks.

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In 2019, Vicente Alatorre, 39, died after he was dragged into a tunnel by a train at Grand Central Station.

Authorities initially believed Alatorre's clothing or a bag had become caught in the train doors, but later said that was not the case, The Times reported.

Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code FOXNEWS350: Bet $20, Get $350 on White Sox vs Astros, AL Wild Card Series

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 14:00:59 -0400

What happens when you have two teams that struggled over the last month face each other in the series opener of the postseason? You’re about to find out as the White Sox play the Astros. Fanatics Sportsbook is giving you a great opportunity to bet on the game with promo code FOXNEWS350, which allows you to earn $350 in bonus bets on a $20 wager on the White Sox-Astros game.

The Chicago White Sox had a resurgent year this season. After multiple years of being one of the worst teams in baseball, all the young talent seemed to click. The White Sox ended the season 84-78 and took the final Wild Card spot, losing out to the Guardians in the division.

This is a bit like the White Sox playing with house money, as no one really expected them to be in this position this year. Still, their team is balanced in the lineup and has some fairly reliable arms. It would be a bit shocking to see them win the championship, but they have a chip and a chair, so anything is possible.

The Houston Astros were in a battle themselves just to make the postseason. They ended the year exactly average with an 81-81 record, but did have a losing record in home games. This was a year most expected the Mariners to run away with the division, but the Astros narrowly beat out the Rangers in the final weekend of the season.

Now they have to figure out a way to battle a confident and young White Sox team. They have an MVP candidate in Yordan Alvarez, who could be the difference-maker in the series. Most likely, this will come down to whichever team is better on the mound.

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How to Watch White Sox vs Astros

When: Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2026, at 5:00 ET
Where: Daikin Park, Houston, Texas
TV/Streaming: NBC Sports/Peacock

Odds for White Sox vs Astros

*Odds are subject to change*

New York Giants release Odell Beckham Jr, ending his anticlimactic return to former team

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:58:50 -0400

Odell Beckham Jr.'s reunion with the New York Giants was fun while it lasted, sort of.

The 33-year-old wide receiver signed with the Giants in June in a nostalgia-filled move that reunited him with the franchise that drafted him 12th overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, but the three-time Pro Bowler is now set to be released three games into the season.

The NFL shared the news of Beckham's expected release on social media.

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Beckham's release comes just a few days after the Giants' win over the Tennessee Titans, a game in which he received his first target of the regular season. His second stint in New York will come to a close without hauling in a catch.

OBJ spent the first five seasons of his career with the Giants as a face of the franchise alongside quarterback Eli Manning and recorded more than 1,000 receiving yards in four of five seasons to begin his career.

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The Cleveland Browns acquired Beckham ahead of the 2019 season, which is where he spent three seasons before single-season stints with the Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins from 2021-2024.

The Giants, particularly their offense, find themselves in a difficult spot in the early stages of the season, having lost starting quarterback Jaxson Dart for the season after he suffered a knee injury during a loss to the Rams.

Veteran signal caller Jameis Winston helped lead the Giants to a 12-7 win over Tennessee in what was a nasty, rain-plagued contest at MetLife Stadium.

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On Monday, the Giants acquired Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2027 NFL Draft.

Sheriff's department aware of possible new ransom note in Nancy Guthrie kidnapping case

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:42:29 -0400

The Pima County Sheriff's Department (PCSD) announced Tuesday that PCSD and the FBI's task force investigating the disappearance of Savannah Guthrie's mother, Nancy, have been made aware of a possible new ransom note in relation to Guthrie's disappearance.

"The PCSD/FBI Guthrie Task Force was recently made aware of a new possible ransom note related to the Nancy Guthrie investigation," PCSD wrote in a Tuesday post on X.

"Investigators are also aware of social media comments regarding the note and are looking further into the information to determine its credibility," the post concluded.

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A law enforcement source close to the case tells Fox News there are no new notes being treated as credible.

Nancy Guthrie was taken from her Tucson, Arizona, home in the early hours of Feb. 1 and hasn't been seen since, according to the FBI and PCSD.

Guthrie was last seen shortly before 10 p.m. local time on Jan. 31 after a relative dropped her off at her home in the Catalina Foothills neighborhood of Tucson.

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Authorities have struggled to identify a suspect or person of interest in her disappearance, despite a masked man appearing on Guthrie's Ring doorbell camera.

Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos, in the days following Guthrie's disappearance, confirmed that she was taken, telling reporters during a news briefing, "She did not leave on her own. We know that."

NANCY GUTHRIE INVESTIGATORS SEE UPTICK IN TIPS AFTER RANSOM NOTES RELEASE: SHERIFF

Authorities had previously released two ransom notes related to Guthrie's kidnapping in July.

The first, which was sent on Feb. 2, reported that Guthrie was unharmed and demanded that her captors be sent $4 million in cryptocurrency to secure her release.

NANCY GUTHRIE RANSOM NOTES MAY BE FAKE AS RENOWNED PROFILER SAYS CASE LOOKS MORE LIKE BURGLARY GONE WRONG

The second, sent four days later on Feb. 6, said Guthrie had died shortly after she was kidnapped.

Authorities released the ransom notes in late July, noting they were written with a unique writing style, asking anyone who recognizes the patterns to share any information with PCSD and the FBI.

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Anyone with information is asked to dial 1-800-CALL-FBI or, to remain anonymous, call 520-88-CRIME.

‘Superman’ star Christopher Reeve’s son reveals 'shock' cancer diagnosis at age 34

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:31:50 -0400

Will Reeve, son of the late famed "Superman" actor Christopher Reeve, announced that he recently battled cancer.

The "Good Morning America" correspondent, 34, shared during Tuesday’s show that he was diagnosed with testicular cancer earlier this year, assuring viewers that he is "OK."

"The diagnosis was a shock and the treatments were a slog," he said. "Today, though, I am relieved to announce that we arrived at our destination and this cancer is in the rearview mirror. But what a journey."

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Reeve said he found a "hard, tender lump in [his] left testicle" just a few months after his wedding to luxury event planner Amanda Dubin.

An ultrasound revealed that he had "a mass that had to come out." After undergoing surgery to remove the testicle (an orchiectomy), Reeve discovered the mass was embryonal carcinoma.

The aggressive subtype of testicular cancer can spread more quickly than some other forms, according to the American Cancer Society.

Reeve later underwent a second surgery to remove lymph nodes from his abdomen after some cancer cells had spread there.

The surgery took place at Memorial Sloan Kettering, which is where his mother, Dana Reeve, died from lung cancer in 2006 at age 44. His father died in 2004 at the age of 52.

Reeve shared that he also underwent two rounds of chemotherapy to lower the risk that the cancer would return. He said he experienced several side effects from the medication, including ringing in the ears, bone pain, night sweats, blood clots and constant headaches.

He did not lose his hair because he used a method called "cold capping," which is used during certain chemotherapy treatments to help reduce hair loss by cooling the scalp and constricting blood vessels.

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After finishing his second round of chemotherapy on July 31, Reeve said he received "clean scans" on Sept. 8.

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In an interview with People, Reeve said he is "going to be fine," although it has been "one heck of a chapter."

"I’m fortunate that I caught this early," he said. "Yes, I had to jump through some flaming hoops to get to the other side, but it could have been much worse had I ignored it or delayed going to the doctor."

Reeve also praised his wife for serving as his "caregiver," similar to how his mother helped care for his father after a 1995 horseback-riding accident left him paralyzed.

"I learn[ed] more about what it was like to be my dad in the final nine years of his life, where he had my mom and our family taking care of him," Reeve said.

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He added that the experience taught him how to "repurpose [adversity] into something hopeful."

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Testicular cancer is among the most treatable cancers, particularly when detected early, according to the American Cancer Society. Experts recommend seeing a doctor promptly for any lump, swelling, pain or change in a testicle.

Fox News Digital reached out to Reeve’s representatives requesting comment.

Office of Personnel Management uncovers $500M in fraud and waste in federal health benefits programs

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:28:57 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration announced $500 million in waste and fraud findings at the Office of Personnel Management – revealing a recovery of potentially fraudulent funds for federal health benefits programs.

Health insurance carriers in the Federal Employees Health Benefits and Postal Service Health Benefits programs reported preventing nearly $510 million in losses before or during payment and recovering an additional $21.9 million after claims were paid, according to the Office of Personnel Management.

"OPM runs health insurance for about 8.9 million retirees and federal employees, and we spend about $80 billion a year," Office of Personnel Management Director Scott Kupor told Fox News Digital. "The $500 million, a little more than half percent, is a good number, but certainly we have a long way to go here to root out more fraud, waste and abuse."

FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP ADMIN OPENS NEW FRONT IN FRAUD CRACKDOWN TARGETING HEALTH INSURERS, DRUG MIDDLEMEN

The White House anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance has reported $260.7 billion in fraud uncovered since Trump took office, and $72 billion in fraud stopped on an annualized basis.

Kupor said his agency is conducting its own review of health insurance claims data for the first time, allowing the agency to analyze billing patterns across providers and health plans to identify unusual prescribing habits, surgery rates and other anomalies that could signal overuse, misuse or potential fraud.

TRUMP ADMIN BLOCKS MORE THAN $1.6B IN POTENTIALLY IMPROPER MEDICARE LAB PAYMENTS, AGENCY SAYS

He said the agency will use those findings to remove providers from federal health programs when warranted and will refer cases involving suspected criminal conduct to the agency’s Office of Inspector General and the Justice Department for further investigation.

Kupor leads the agency responsible for overseeing the federal workforce while managing key employment and benefits programs for millions of current and former federal employees. One of the most prominent examples of his work stems from Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency’s (DOGE) targeting of a mine in Pennsylvania.

EXCLUSIVE: INSIDE THE SECRETIVE MINE DOGE HELPED DRAG OUT OF A DECADES-OLD BUREAUCRATIC BLACK HOLE

Last April, Fox News Digital first reported that the United States government applied the use of artificial intelligence for federal employee recordkeeping – the first time the federal government implemented AI at scale.

The movement was led by Kupor and Musk, and Musk didn’t hide his shock that federal records were being stored and managed solely on paper at the time.

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"The speed at which the mine shaft elevator can move determines how many people can retire... And the elevator breaks down and then nobody can retire," Musk said last February. "Doesn't that sound crazy?"

When asked for an update on progress made on modernizing the mine, Kupor said it is now fully operational on an electronic system.

"This past year, we did 180,000 electronic online applications for retirement, which is just unprecedented," he said. "That's almost double the production that we've had in any prior year. Electronic applications can get solved in less than half the time today that a paper one does."

"We will take something that has been a six-month, nine-month, 12-month horrendous process for retirees, and I think we will be able to do it in as little as 15 days with the continued development of technology."

WHITE HOUSE PUSHES 'WATERSHED' FRAUD-FIGHTING REFORM IN CONGRESS AS VANCE CONVENES TASK FORCE

Kupor’s previous experience working with artificial intelligence has led to his name being floated to serve as the AI czar in the Trump administration – a role cast into the spotlight as data center development and artificial intelligence have become midterm election talking points.

After working as an investment banker at Credit Suisse, Kupor worked at Loudcloud, which was co-founded by Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz, in 1999. He was then hired as the first employee by Andreessen and Horowitz at the duo’s venture capital firm. Kupor also served as the chair of the National Venture Capital Association from May 2017 to May 2018.

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When asked about whether he has had any conversations with the White House about the role, Kupor said he had seen the reports he was being floated, and discussed President Donald Trump’s views on artificial intelligence broadly.

"I’ve read all the same reports you've read and don't have anything to add there," he said. "What the president has said is exactly 100% right, which is that AI is the most important piece of technology that will determine economic growth for us, national security, sovereignty for our country."

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"One of the things that I know, again, having spent all my life in the venture world, is there is no limit to the intellect and inventiveness of entrepreneurs in this country. And we just need to make sure that the conditions around, you know, regulatory controls and others continue to allow the U.S. to flourish in the way that it's always done."

Kupor did not rule out accepting the role if Trump should offer it to him, saying that while he is focused on his job as director of the agency, he serves "at the will of the president."

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Reports had suggested that Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent was being considered for the AI czar position, but last week Trump said he would not be selecting him for the role.