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Haunting new images reveal the final ship where explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton died

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 08:00:50 -0400

Officials have released the first close-up images of the remains of Quest, the final ship of the legendary Antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton.

The images were taken at the ship's location in the Labrador Sea, around 1,280 feet deep in the waters off of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, and were released in July.

After 60 years, the vessel remains recognizable and in moderate condition, Dwight Coleman, co-chief scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), told Fox News Digital.

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"You could tell it was a ship," he said. "It had an obvious bow and stern, rudder and propeller.

"Even though it was sort of covered in fishing nets, you could still tell that some of that structure was preserved underneath the nets."

In a statement from the Royal Canadian Geographical Society (RCGS), in partnership with WHOI, officials said the wreck "was populated with pink corals, and several species of fish including cod, red fish and wolf fish."

The images show fishing nets draped across parts of the wreck, as well as parts of its metal superstructure and portholes that still remain intact.

Shackleton, one of history's most celebrated Antarctic explorers, died on Quest in 1922 at age 47. He suffered a heart attack while the ship was anchored in South Georgia, a remote island in the South Atlantic.

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After his death, Quest was later sold to Norwegian owners. It spent decades sailing in Arctic waters before being crushed by ice floes and sinking in the Labrador Sea in 1962.

John Geiger, CEO of the RCGS, described seeing Quest for the first time as "a moving experience."

"To see Shackleton's ship, and to think that Shackleton was standing on that deck a century ago ... At first, there was a lot of darkness, but suddenly the bow emerges as you are going toward it. It's incredible," Geiger said in a press release.

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The team used WHOI's Falcon ROV to image the ship and create its digital twin, as well as DSV Alvin, the iconic submersible that first visited the Titanic wreck 40 years ago. The vessels were made available through the National Science Foundation.

Coleman of WHOI, who is based in Rhode Island, said a major part of his job was creating a digital twin of the shipwreck.

The ocean scientist said he was surprised to find the wreck covered in fishing nets and teeming with marine life.

"I wasn't expecting all the fishing gear, the nets and all the fish," he said. "I was honestly thinking it was a little bit deeper and in cold water, and that it would be pretty well-preserved and free of fishing gear because I didn't think there was that much fishing up there."

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Added Coleman, "Boy, was I wrong. … It was a vibrant sort of marine life ecosystem around it."

While much of the ship remains recognizable, Coleman said its wooden components are "rapidly deteriorating" after decades in the underwater environment.

"A lot of the wood was collapsing and degrading. The wooden deck was basically completely gone," he said.

"The metal structures of the ship were still pretty well intact, although deteriorating."

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Coleman said researchers hope to preserve the wreck through detailed digital mapping rather than artifact recovery.

"We understand most of the components that we could find on it, so you're not really learning anything about history by recovering the artifacts. … There really isn't much need to," he said.

Expeditions like this help researchers better understand both maritime history and the marine ecosystems around historic shipwrecks, he added.

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"By studying them, we can bring recognition to history and oceanography," Coleman said. "These shipwrecks are now artificial reefs that support diverse sorts of biological communities."

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He added, "We care about those communities. We want to understand how animals live in the deep ocean. So by bringing this project to the public, the public can gain a deeper appreciation for history and for the ocean."

The newly released images come not long after another Shackleton-linked discovery garnered international attention.

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In October 2025, researchers challenged the long-held belief that Shackleton's famed expedition ship Endurance sank solely because it was crushed by Antarctic ice. They argued instead that structural flaws in the vessel also contributed to its loss.

TNA Wrestling announces departures of 2 women's stars, teases return of former champion

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:53:23 -0400

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) on Monday confirmed the departures of two wrestlers in its Knockouts Division.

Mara Sadé and Jody Threat have left the company.

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"TNA Wrestling confirmed today that Jody Threat and Mara Sadé have left the company," the company said in a news release. "We wish them the best in her future endeavors."

TNA also announced that a former Knockouts champion will also be returning to the promotion, but the company did not say who.

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Sadé and Threat are the latest wrestlers in a string of departures that have hit the company recently. Tessa Blanchard, Steve Maclin, Myla Grace, Eric Young, Mike Santana, Tommy Dreamer, Veronica Crawford, Sami Callihan, Travis Williams and Judas Icarus have all left the company this year.

Still, TNA has been able to keep fans interested with the talent still on the roster.

KC Navarro is a legitimate threat to win the TNA World Championship as he feuds with Nic Nemeth, Jason Hotch defeated Mustafa Ali for the TNA International Championship and the company is nearly set to crown its first TNA Knockouts TV champion.

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TNA is set to hold its first Lockdown pay-per-view in more than a decade. Each match will be held inside a steel cage.

Michigan primary puts Democratic Party divide to the test and more top headlines

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:50:48 -0400

Good morning and welcome to Fox News’ morning newsletter, Fox News First. And here's what you need to know to start your day ...

TOP 3

1. Michigan primary puts the Democratic Party divide to the test

2. Historian unloads on what he saw at the Smithsonian

3. Cracker Barrel enrages its loyal customers once again

MAJOR HEADLINES

PUT UP OR SHUT UP — Clay Travis dares the Las Vegas Aces to earn $10M against a boys' squad. Continue reading …

UNDER FIRE — Crew member missing after fourth attack leaves ship ablaze in key oil route. Continue reading …

SPOKANE SUSPECT — Police reveal who is charged with starting destructive Washington wildfire. Continue reading …

RAISING THE BAR — ICE shatters all-time mark with a jaw-dropping 51,000 arrests in July. Continue reading …

CRUDE AWAKENING — President Trump rips Exxon and Chevron over sky-high profits amid war. Continue reading …

POLITICS

OLD WORDS BITE BACK — Resurfaced clip haunts El-Sayed just hours before Tuesday's pivotal primary vote. Continue reading …

RULES FOR THEE — Democrat pocketed six figures hawking health products after vowing not to. Continue reading …

OPEN FOR BUSINESS — Schumer defuses shutdown fight, handing Thune, Republicans key early win. Continue reading …

COURT BLOCK — Judge delivers major blow to New York's crackdown on masked ICE agents. Continue reading …

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MEDIA

NOW HE TELLS US — Dr Ashish Jha gets candid on pandemic origins in stunning CNN confession. Continue reading …

DEEP DENIAL — Far-left streamer Hasan Piker dismisses Hamas's anti-women, anti-LGBTQ stances. Continue reading …

MAKING 'HISTORY' — Travis offers $10M for modern-day 'battle of the sexes' amid WNBA trans debate. Continue reading …

UNFOUNDED LABELS — Previously arrested writer blasts Sophie Cunningham as 'anti-trans, anti-black'. Continue reading …

OPINION

LIZ PEEK — Michigan’s big choice: Haley Stevens’ normal or El-Sayed’s far-left fever. Continue reading …

JUAN WILLIAMS — My nephew came home from space and renewed my faith in America. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

RECIPE RESET — Living longer could hinge on simple dietary change, study suggests. Continue reading …

PALACE PRESSURE — Prince Harry, Meghan Markle's departure did 'very serious damage' to monarchy: author. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on airport architecture and Olympic outlooks. Continue reading …

BEACHED GIANT — Massive great hammerhead shark washes ashore on North Carolina beach. Continue reading …

LISTEN

Tune in as Karl Rove weighs into Michigan’s Senate battle, the DSA surge, and the 2026 Midterm elections. Check it out ...

PODCASTS

'Ruthless' dives into Michigan's Senate primary. Check it out ...

High school track athlete Ahnaleigh Wilson talks Sophie Cunningham on 'The Riley Gaines Show.' Catch the new episode at 10am ET ...

Dave Rubin joins ‘Hang Out with Hannity.' See the new episode at 10am ET ...

Kennedy joins Planet Tyrus for a wide-ranging and honest conversation. The new episode goes live at 11am ET ...

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What’s it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…

Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Wednesday.

Departure of New York Times columnist puts a spotlight on the void of pro-Trump voices in its opinion pages

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:30:26 -0400

The paper of record doesn't have a representative for roughly half of the U.S. voting population — at least on its opinion pages.

The New York Times has 12 featured columnists following the departure of its longtime conservative writer Ross Douthat, who was poached by CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss last week as a new "60 Minutes" correspondent.

According to a drop-down menu on the Times' homepage, the remaining columnists are Jamelle Bouie, Maureen Dowd, David French, Thomas Friedman, M. Gessen, Michelle Goldberg, Ezra Klein, Nicholas Kristof, Carlos Lozada, Tressie McMillan Cottom, Lydia Polgreen and Bret Stephens.

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Of the Times' 12 columnists, only two of them, David French and Bret Stephens, are self-described conservatives but have spent the past decade opposing President Donald Trump, so much so that they both declared their support for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election.

Douthat's new boss, notably, was formerly a Times colleague of his. Weiss resigned from the Gray Lady as an opinion editor in 2020 after being ostracized and bullied by far-left staffers, famously declaring at the time that "Twitter has become [the Times'] ultimate editor."

Her resignation followed the debacle at the paper after publishing the now-infamous Tom Cotton op-ed in 2020 about using federal troops to quell civil unrest. That prompted a volcanic social media revolt from liberal Times employees and the ousting of multiple opinion staffers in one of the most embarrassing episodes in the paper's recent history.

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The politics of the remaining Times columnists can be seen in their recent commentary and the controversies they've been swept up in. In April, Thomas Friedman said he found himself "torn" about rooting for the Iranian regime's downfall if it meant it would be a victory for "terrible," "awful human beings" President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

In May, Nicholas Kristof sparked an international outcry when he reported without skepticism that Palestinian prisoners detained in Israel were being raped by dogs — Kristof also made an ill-fated bid for Oregon governor in 2021, as a Democrat.

Last month, Goldberg was forced to walk back her fawning coverage of disgraced Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner after the Democrat was accused of sexual assault.

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The overwhelming liberal slant of the Times' opinion pages can also apply to the paper's editorial board, which hasn't endorsed a Republican for president since Dwight D. Eisenhower nearly 70 years ago. In 17 straight elections, it's endorsed the Democratic candidate, including defeated hopefuls like George McGovern, Walter Mondale, Michael Dukakis, John Kerry, Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris.

Just two days after Trump won the 2024 election, The New York Times published a somber video featuring 10 of its columnists, including Douthat, French and Stephens, all offering their predictions of "the worst version of a Trump administration."

In the video, Polgreen insisted Trump will "fulfill his promise to be a dictator on Day One."

Meanwhile, the opinion pages at The Washington Post have had quite the makeover. Its owner, Jeff Bezos, quashed its planned endorsement of Harris and implemented an edict for its opinion section to promote "personal liberties and free markets," prompting major backlash from liberal critics.

"Our readers are overwhelmingly liberal, right?" Washington Post opinion editor Adam O'Neal told Fox News Digital last year, who announced last week he is leaving The Post at the end of August. "And they're all overwhelmingly located in blue states. And just a few blue states. And they're over-represented on the coasts. And so, one way to look at it would be to say, 'Well, if you're non-partisan, and you have a highly partisan readership, they may be offended by that.' And maybe that's true. But looking forward as I rebuild, I really just see it as an opportunity to expand our reach."

But with Douthat's departure from the Times, the conservative representation in its opinion pages becomes even smaller — and what little remains is fervently anti-Trump.

The New York Times did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

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Steelers defend Aaron Rodgers' right to voice opinions after ESPN Fauci segment

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:26:32 -0400

The Aaron Rodgers segment on ESPN got folks on both sides of the Anthony Fauci debate quite riled up on Monday.

People got angry at ESPN — some for allowing Rodgers on air at all, and others because he was steered away from discussing the Dianna Russini and Mike Vrabel scandal on air.

Some people defended Rodgers for calling out Fauci for pleading the Fifth Amendment 111 times during recent U.S. Senate hearings.

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And others attacked Rodgers for lying about his COVID-19 vaccine status or otherwise just not agreeing with their viewpoint.

The segment on "The Pat McAfee Show" left no safe space for anyone, including the "progrum" itself.

The issue became so fiery on social media that the Pittsburgh Steelers felt the need to address the situation.

So, the club is defending Rodgers and his right to voice his opinion.

"Discussions around culture and politics can bring differing perspectives, and our players are entitled to their own personal views," Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten said in a statement to Fox News Digital/OutKick.

"With respect to that, I am certain there are a variety of opinions on many topics within our locker room."

It appears the Steelers believe that people, including their players, have a right to their own opinions.

Imagine that. It's as if the Steelers are located in America and have read the U.S. Constitution.

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Chalk one up for freedom of expression. And chalk one up for the Steelers, which have been notably consistent in this manner in the past.

You'll recall in May 2025, Mason Rudolph, another Steelers quarterback, incited online approval as well as backlash for having the nerve to appear with Vietnam War veteran and former Steelers running back Rocky Bleier and President Donald Trump at a rally at the U.S. Steel's Irvin Works plant in West Mifflin, Pennsylvania.

Trump welcomed Rudolph on stage and predicted big things for the player, saying, "He's going to be the guy."

Fans went nuts.

MAGA immediately rallied to Rudolph and bought more jerseys than any backup quarterback has a right to sell.

Socialists, Democrats, liberals, progressives, communists, including the Viet Cong, people who hate puppies, anarchists, and perhaps Iran (kidding) despised the moment as an utter betrayal of the Steelers' six Super Bowl titles and the Terrible Towel.

The Steelers themselves, meanwhile, reacted with aplomb. With sanity. With class.

"Our alumni and current players make their own individual decisions and these do not necessarily reflect the views of the Pittsburgh Steelers organization," the club said in an email to fans who complained.

And now, with this Rodgers appearance, the club is sticking to its practice of acknowledging viral public reaction, defending its players' right to an opinion, and not really taking a side.

This is more than good public relations. It's public good policy.

The Steelers recognize that their locker room is a melting pot of races, religions, ideas, and opinions. And no one representing any one cause is more respected or heard than anyone else by the organization.

Rodgers undoubtedly has the team's loudest megaphone. And he uses it quite deftly to relay his opinions. So it would be counterproductive for the Steelers to in any way kneecap that or him.

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But it would also be counterproductive to wholly agree with Rodgers because that could alienate other players.

So, the club is going to do what is best for club peace – which in this case comes with the added advantage of being the right thing to do.

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WWE star Brie Bella says she'll be 'out for a bit' after suffering broken scapula during SummerSlam match

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:13:54 -0400

WWE star Brie Bella announced Monday she will be "out for a bit" after suffering a broken scapula during her six-woman tag team match at SummerSlam over the weekend.

Bella made the revelation in a post on her Instagram account and thanked fans for their outpouring of support.

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"I wanted to thank you all for sending me all the love, warm wishes and prayers," she wrote. "When I was sitting in the hospital, I was reading everything you guys were sending my way, love you all!!! Unfortunately I’ll be out for a bit. I broke my scapula. If there’s one thing I know about my sister and I is that we don’t let broken bones stop us. Not sure how I finished that match, but I do believe between the adrenaline, passion for the business and the love for all the women I work with, it gave me the drive to finish.

"Now my new journey starts!! Buddy said he’s going to be my assistant, Birdie‘s going to be my nurse and they both told me that daddy is going to be my personal chef, so I am set!! if there is one thing I know about Brie Mode, she always finds a way to come back to her wrestling home. Let the recovery begin."

Bella appeared to suffer the injury after taking a move from opponent Jacy Jayne. Bella was seated next to the steel steps when her opponent, Jacy Jayne, hit a running senton on her. At that moment, she began to clutch her shoulder and kept rubbing it during the rest of the match with her sister Nikki Bella and Paige.

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WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque told reporters after Night 1 that the injury "seems pretty bad."

"Yeah, she’s injured," he said. "I don’t have an update yet. We’ve taken her. She was here, got some treatment done here, has been taken to the hospital to get some scans done. Don’t have a clean answer on it yet.

"I know she hurt her shoulder. It seems pretty bad, but I don’t have an answer yet. Hopefully we will soon. Hopefully, it won’t be as bad as we thought it was, but that’s the nature of the game."

The Bellas and Paige teamed up against Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley. Jayne scored the pinfall over Paige to give her team the win.

Brie Bella made her stunning return to WWE at the Royal Rumble in January and then was set to team with her sister at WrestleMania 42 before Nikki Bella suffered her own injury.

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Instead, she teamed with Paige as they won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.

Now, Brie will be on the shelf for the time being while Nikki eyes singles gold.

New stars, fading appeal: Has the Hollywood Walk of Fame lost its luster?

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:00:48 -0400

Even as new inductees arrive, some Tinseltown historians say the legendary Hollywood Walk of Fame has lost its luster.

The iconic strip that began with a groundbreaking ceremony in 1960 and now spans 15 blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street has experienced physical neglect.

Many of the 2,852 five-pointed brass and terrazzo stars honoring entertainment industry achievements are dirty, cracked and covered in grime. They sit in Hollywood’s commercial center full of discount souvenir shops, panhandlers and pushy vendors. Trash and unpleasant odors are common, while the general overall condition of the boulevard leaves the area feeling neglected and far from glamorous.

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"It’s really tough today because of what Hollywood has become… there’s very aggressive people on the street," author and pop culture historian Chris Epting told Fox News Digital. "Unfortunately, Hollywood’s been allowed to fall into a really sad state. It’s outright dangerous in many parts."

Epting, who remembers going to the Walk of Fame as far back as the 1970s when he was a kid, noted that when Hollywood as a place began falling apart, it took the Walk of Fame right along with it.

"There’s no way to separate the two," he added. "I think a lot of people lament the fact that part of Hollywood — really most of Hollywood — is not that friendly or inviting the way it once was and the stars on the sidewalk pay that price as well."

Epting, who co-authored the 2017 memoir "Change of Seasons: A Memoir" with musician John Oates of the R&B band Hall & Oates, recalled being with Oates the day he and Hall received their star right in front of the Musicians Institute.

"It’s kind of cool to be part of their little world, the day they got theirs," Epting said, noting that sometimes stars are put in certain places on the famous walkway. For instance, Jay Leno requested that his star be placed at the exact corner where he had twice been arrested for vagrancy early in his comedy career.

"I don’t think many people go out looking for it like they used to, but I think that if they could help the area out a little bit, that would probably help people reconnect with the Walk."

Meanwhile, new inductees are named by the Walk of Fame Selection Committee with roughly 33 honorees selected each year from hundreds of submissions.

Last month, Actress Ming-Na Wen and singer/songwriter Sheila E., both Walk of Famers, joined Hollywood Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ron Frierson, to announce the Class of 2027 honorees from Funko Hollywood retail store.

AVRIL LAVIGNE HONORED WITH A STAR ON THE HOLLYWOOD WALK OF FAME: ‘I FEEL VERY BLESSED AND GRATEFUL’

Among the new group of entertainment professionals chosen from the overall categories of Motion Pictures, Television, Live Theatre/Live Performance, Radio, Recording, and Sports Entertainment include actors Idris Elba, Sam Elliott, sisters Elle and Dakota Fanning and Kate Hudson.

Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos rounded out the Motion Pictures category, while actors David Alan Grier, Lisa Kudrow, Pedro Pascal and Adam Scott were among those selected in the TV category. Waylon Jennings (posthumously), The Ramones, Smashing Pumpkins and others made the cut in the Recording category.

The full list can be seen here.

"… These 32 extraordinary individuals have each made a lasting impact on audiences around the world through their talent, creativity, and dedication to their craft," Walk of Fame Selection Chairman Peter Roth said in a statement. "We are honored to recognize their remarkable contributions and look forward to celebrating them as they take their place in Hollywood history."

According to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, the Hollywood Walk of Fame attracts an estimated 10 million visitors annually. More recent mobility data, however, has the estimate closer to 5 to 6 million visitors each year.

Still, Hollywood historian and storyteller Scott Michaels, known for creating Dearly Departed Tours, an LA tour company that looks at the dark side of Hollywood history, blames much of the Walk of Fame’s decline on the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce, arguing its focus has shifted toward revenue rather than preservation.

Michaels, who was a member of the Chamber for a few years, noted that these days it costs $85,000 to receive a star on the celebrity promenade, while at one time the price tag was just $2,000.

Now, many star ceremonies, which still draw crowds, are scheduled to purposefully coincide with their latest movie or album release. And even corporate brands can receive stars on the Walk.

And because stars are considered historic landmarks never to be removed, certain disgraced figures or minor reality TV names permanently remain.

"There was a time when the Hollywood Walk of Fame was a true honor," Michaels told Fox News Digital, noting that stepping just below the famous celebrity hands and footprints at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, visitors once experienced the shiny brass-and-terrazzo stars embedded in the sidewalk outside.

Since then, a large silver statue called "The Four Ladies" marking the beginning of the Walk of Fame at the corner of LaBrea and Hollywood Boulevard saw the small bronze of Marilyn Monroe at the very top of it stolen (after a thief sawed it off and took it). Marilyn was recovered, but Michaels noted six years later it’s never been reinstalled.

In August 2025, a van slammed into the statue of the "four trailblazing ladies of color" and heavily damaged pioneering actress Anna May Wong, known as the first Chinese American movie star.

A year later, the damaged likeness of Wong has yet to be fully restored.

While the Chamber may not necessarily be responsible for the statue, it likely had its cooperation on design and approval, Michaels said.

The statue is the "gateway" to the Walk of Fame with tourists often posing in front of it.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce multiple times for comment.

The 1.3 mile famous boulevard has also generated negative headlines in recent years, including the time actress/singer Miley Cyrus claimed she landed in the hospital with a brutal infection after filming a scene on the Walk of Fame. Another incident involved a homeless man dumping a bucket of feces on a woman’s head.

A few years back, when Michaels petitioned to move Marilyn Monroe’s star from in front of the McDonald’s a few blocks from Grauman’s Chinese Theatre to in front of the theater because he was "sick of seeing her star being covered in s---, piss and trash," his request fell on deaf ears.

Michaels said the Chamber representative’s response was simply, "Who will pay for it?"

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Yet, Michaels noted, well over 100 images of Monroe are plastered in shops, on shirts and signs, all visible from the street.

"Vendors are out of control. You can now sell dry fetid sausages without a food grade or inspection, in front of actual licensed restaurants. But try to open a restaurant," Michaels quipped, about the state of the boulevard.

Chuck Suhayda, former board member of the Hollywood Neighborhood Council, told Fox News Digital there was a time when a lot of money was spent keeping the Walk clean and up to date on repairs. He credited that to the Chamber’s Economic Workforce Development department, various agencies like the Hollywood Boulevard Commercial and Entertainment District and "the very effective Community Redevelopment Agency installed in Hollywood under previous California Gov. Jerry Brown."

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Suhayda recalled that historically, security firm Andrews International provided the local Business Improvement District security patrol services on Hollywood Boulevard.

"Cameras were all up and down Hollywood Blvd," Suhayda said, noting that Hollywood is and has been considered "ground zero" for terrorist attacks in an area that extends from the 101 freeway to La Brea Avenue.

Yet, despite the decline, Epting still holds fondness for the iconic boulevard in his heart.

"I was always curious about what celebs were actually there when their star was unveiled," he said, recalling a time in the late ‘80s when he took his visiting aunt from New York to see the famous promenade and wound up seeing a real-life star too.

"She kept saying that along with the stars she wanted to see a celeb too," Epting recalled. "And I said, ‘Well, that’s the last place in the world you would ever go see celebrities’."

"So we’re crossing the street by the Chinese Theater as I say, ‘Aunt Lee, for the last time, you don’t see celebrities come to Hollywood!’ And then a head turns around of a gentleman passing us, and he goes, ‘Well, I don’t know if that’s altogether accurate young man’ and it was Jack Lemmon."

"We both laughed, and it was this charming little moment between sort of all three of us," he recalled.

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"But that said, I do hope they figure out a way to make the area more accommodating, more inviting and more engaging because the Walk is, you know, it’s a nice bit of history… it’s kind of like the Hollywood sign. It may just be a sign, but it’s there for so long. It does get sort of engrained in your brain, just like those coral-colored stars on the boulevard."

MARK PENN: Socialist Mamdani sold a tax on billionaires. Regulars homeowners could pay the price

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:00:36 -0400

It sounded simple and even kind of warmly populist in nature — a small tax on "pied-à-terre" properties in New York City. But the more you dig into it, as with all things from Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the more you see it as part of a far more devious plan that could destabilize the New York City housing market and cost middle-class people their homes and savings.

Gotta love whoever pulled this French name into implying the tax would just fall on a few very rich people — no more than 31,000. That was pure deception.

Think about it for a moment: Why tax nonresident property owners? Because they don’t vote in the city. By design, the policy targets non-resident property owners who lack a vote in local elections, shifting municipal tax burdens onto individuals who have no direct voice at the ballot box. And then the city uses money extracted from non-voting property owners to plug general budget deficits and fund broader municipal initiatives. Who knows – perhaps the money will even wind up funding residents who are in New York City illegally.

MAMDANI EXTENDS DEADLINE FOR NYC HOMEOWNERS TO SEEK EXEMPTION FROM NEW PIED-À-TERRE TAX

Because the Department of Finance’s initial roll sent notices to 960,000 property entries, primary residents are now forced to navigate bureaucratic hurdles to prove their exemption. The statute had a little-noticed provision that co-ops and condos qualify for the tax if the NYC Department of Finance computers identify their assessed value over $1 million. Presto chango — hundreds of thousands of New York homeowners were caught up in the initial mailing. And the surcharge on non-primary residences can reach up to 5% or more of market value annually.

So now add $50,000 a year in costs to a million-dollar non-primary condo. What are those owners going to do? Hit the sell, sell, sell button. Imposing steep surcharges on secondary condo owners could chill the broader housing market, reduce demand from out-of-town buyers and ultimately drag down property values across the board. In the end, local homeowners will pay the price through diminished equity. It’s simple economics.

And if you do live in NYC as a primary resident, you now have to prove it. Because the city did not properly screen out existing voters or primary taxpayers beforehand, they are making residents file documents such as their federal tax returns just to clear their names. If you live elsewhere in New York State but keep a place in the city, or if you own two apartments in the city, you are also caught in this net.

LIBERAL PODCASTER SAYS HE WAS 'DOXED' BY MAMDANI'S 'WANTED POSTER' OF PROPERTY OWNERS

And never mind that out-of-town property holders were already paying taxes here even though they use few if any city services. No use of schools, no clogging of traffic, reduced sanitation. They would have an argument to be taxed less, not more. And perhaps they can go to court arguing that the tax is discriminatory since it applies to a class of people without a rational basis related to municipal service usage. It potentially violates the equal protection and commerce clauses.

CLINTON, OBAMA-ERA DEMOCRATIC HEAVYWEIGHTS PENN AND EMANUEL RIP NYC'S MAMDANI OVER TAXES, ISRAEL, BLAST DSA

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This is how creeping socialism works: Politicians advertise that they are going after only those greedy out-of-town billionaires, while creating a sprawling administrative property database that exposes personal details of thousands of everyday homeowners and forces residents to surrender tax returns just to defend their homes.

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And before you know it, what was billed as "tax the rich" hits you and your family.

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Popular weight-loss drugs may help protect against a deadly disease, doctor says

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:00:25 -0400

GLP-1 medications have transformed diabetes and obesity treatment, but emerging research suggests their benefits could extend far beyond those purposes — potentially even aiding in cancer prevention and survival.

Dr. Loren Rourke, a Texas-based board-certified breast cancer surgeon, author and speaker, said growing research suggests glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) medications — including Ozempic and Wegovy — may be associated with a lower risk of cancer diagnoses and recurrence.

She pointed to findings presented at the 2026 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago, where researchers reported an association between GLP-1 use and lower breast cancer recurrence rates, as well as a potential role in preventing the disease.

MILLIONS COULD GAIN EASIER ACCESS TO POPULAR PEPTIDES AFTER FDA PANEL VOTE

However, she noted that the evidence remains observational and can’t prove that the drugs reduce cancer risk.

"So these aren’t studies that, unfortunately, patients can latch onto, call their doctor and say, ‘I want to get on a GLP-1 right now to reduce my risk of breast cancer or make my breast cancer better,’" Rourke told Fox News Digital. "However, what it did do was shine the light on GLP-1s and that relationship."

The cancer connection

The main reason that GLP-1s may aid in cancer prevention, according to Rourke, is that the drugs promote weight loss and reduce chronic inflammation.

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"GLP-1s cause a decrease in your BMI. They cause weight reduction," she told Fox News Digital. "We know that a lower BMI equals a better prognosis with breast cancer."

"So if the secondary effect of taking a GLP-1 means you’re going to lose weight, then that’s a benefit, because we know you’re going to do better with breast cancer."

Diabetes and obesity medications can also lower estrogen production associated with excess body fat, the surgeon noted.

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"The more fat you have, the higher your estrogen production," Rourke said. "You’re kind of bathing your body in estrogen, so to speak. So it intuitively makes sense that we are seeing this correlation or association."

GLP-1s also decrease the inflammatory state in which cancer thrives, the surgeon noted.

"So if it’s fixing the overall chronic inflammation of the body, that’s going to help for a lot of reasons," she said.

"I think this is going to extend beyond breast cancer, but we need to get that scientific proof of a direct cause — is this just an association or a correlation?"

More research needed

Rourke emphasized that researchers have not yet proven that GLP-1 medications directly affect breast cancer cells.

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"But this study has now garnered enough attention, interest and scientific hypotheses that the work is getting started for the randomized controlled trials that we’re all waiting for — and then we can act upon those."

To patients who are considering starting GLP-1s, Rourke offered the following advice.

"My bottom-line message on this one is, if you have an elevated BMI, you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve tried a healthy diet, you’ve tried to exercise, and you’re not winning that fight, consider GLP-1s, and you’re going to get a secondary benefit."

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In particular, post-menopausal women who are struggling with weight gain could get an extra benefit, Rourke added, but she urges them to "call their doctor and have that one-on-one conversation."

WATCH: GOP senator unloads on 'creature of Washington' challenger in critical Senate showdown

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 07:00:00 -0400

MARYSVILLE, OH - The Ohio Senate race could very well decide the balance of power in the U.S. Senate in November and incumbent Republican Jon Husted is making the case that the reasons his Democratic opponent was voted out of office two years ago are still relevant today.

"He’s spent 32 years in Washington, and he's got nothing to show for it, the voters over here in Ohio know it," Husted told Fox News Digital at the annual Summer Farm Fest on Sunday when asked about his race against former Democratic Sen. Sherrod Brown.

"That's why they sent him packing two years ago. He was defeated by Bernie Moreno by over 200,000 votes. This is all he's done. He's been in an elected office since 1974. He hasn't done anything in the private sector. He's just been a creature of Washington and I think the voters finally are tired of it. That's why they sent him packing. I don't think they're gonna have any enthusiasm for rehiring him for a job that he failed at."

After representing Ohio in the Senate for almost two decades after years of serving in the House of Representatives, Brown was defeated by Republican Bernie Moreno in 2024 in a blistering campaign that was one of the most expensive in U.S. history. Moreno consistently tied Brown to the unpopular positions of then-President Joe Biden, and Husted told Fox News Digital those concerns still exist, particularly on immigration.

FOX NEWS POLL: COOL YOUR SERVERS! VOTERS REJECT DATA CENTERS

"We had basically an invasion of 11 million people," Husted said. "He supported amnesty for them. He supported Social Security payments for illegals, healthcare for illegals, COVID checks for illegals. The sanctuary cities he supported led to crime, fentanyl, human trafficking in our state, and it's been terrible, and the voters know this."

"They know that he failed them. They know when he goes off to Washington with his comrades that he votes like a liberal, that he's too liberal for Ohio, that he has a track record of voting with Bernie Sanders and Kamala Harris and Joe Biden, and that's out of step with where Ohio is."

Over the last few weeks, Brown has blanketed the airwaves with ads criticizing Husted on data centers, a hot-button issue in Ohio, arguing that Husted’s support of data centers over the years has resulted in higher energy prices for consumers.

Husted, who was appointed to the Senate in January 2025 after the departure of now-Vice President JD Vance, pushed back on that assertion when asked about the ads.

"He had 32 years in Congress, he did nothing about it, and I, in my, just briefly over a year there, have legislation to require data centers to build their own power, to pay their own way, and to give the benefits of their presence to the citizens of those local communities, rather than the way that Sherrod Brown has done it, where he's failed," Husted explained.

DEM SENATE CANDIDATE SHERROD BROWN CLAIMS HE SUPPORTS 'CLOSING THE BORDER'; GOP SAYS RECORD PROVES OTHERWISE

Husted continued, "This is the problem with the guy, is that he does nothing, and then a problem comes out, and he says, blame that person… He didn't do anything about it. He never does anything about it. He just waits for problems to happen. And then he says, well, it's the other person's fault. It's time to hold him accountable."

Husted made the case that the policies Brown supported in Congress led to the high energy rates the country is seeing now.

"He spent 32 years in Washington and didn't do anything except raise our electricity prices because he and the radical climate change agenda shut 23 power plants in Ohio," Husted said. "If we had those 23 power plants today, we wouldn't have high energy prices."

Husted continued, "Him voting for Obamacare, which has doubled the price of health care insurance in the state of Ohio and around the country. He needs to be held to account for his failed policies."

While Ohio has historically been known as a bellwether swing state, President Donald Trump won the state convincingly in 2016, 2020 and 2024, shifting the Buckeye State to a reliably red stronghold. However, recent polling, including a Fox News poll in June, shows Husted trailing Brown as Republicans battle the historical headwinds of the party in power struggling in midterm elections.

Brown, recruited back into politics in part by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, is looking to flip one of the four seats Democrats need to regain control of the Senate, with Ohio among the party's top pickup opportunities alongside Alaska, Maine and North Carolina.

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With less than 100 days to go until the midterms, Husted says that Brown’s record will be front and center.

"Just showing the contrast between 32 years of failure from Sherrod Brown and the fact that I'm an Ohio guy, I've fought for Ohioans, I've helped in state government to turn this state in the right direction," Husted said. "We now have more jobs than we've ever had in our state's history, the lowest unemployment rate, frankly, than we ever had in our states' history. And we don't need to send this guy back to Washington, Sherrod Brown, to continue the failed policies that have harmed the country and harmed our state. We need a guy like me who will fight for Ohio."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Brown campaign for comment.

Former Vikings captain Jack Brewer calls out Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve for 'trans kids belong' shirt

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:36:30 -0400

Former Minnesota Vikings captain Jack Brewer witnessed a clash of cultures in his state this past weekend.

Ahead of Sunday's WNBA game between the Minnesota Lynx and Indiana Fever, the third organized rally in support of Sophie Cunningham's support for protecting women's sports pitted women's rights activists against pro-trans counter-protesters outside the Target Center.

Inside the arena, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve was seen wearing a shirt that read "trans kids belong."

CHERYL REEVE SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE TO SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM WITH ‘TRANS KIDS BELONG’ SHIRT DURING FEVER-LYNX GAME

Brewer disagreed with Reeve's shirt.

"The Lynx have a rich history in that state. That team was established the year I got to Minnesota, and I remember watching them. To now see a coach representing that team in this way is sad. It is sad to think that young girls in Minnesota are coming to games and watching teams promote something like that. It is ridiculous to think that a grown woman would go so hard in support of men playing against women and entering women’s locker rooms," Brewer said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

"This coach is promoting the idea that children who should be receiving psychiatric treatment... should instead be affirmed. It is disgusting and sad. These people are sick and need help. We should be praying for them and finding treatment for them. Instead, people like this coach in Minnesota are promoting these types of atrocities. It is a terrible thing."

Brewer added that the visual was personal to him as a father, and someone with ties to Minnesota. Brewer began his career with the Vikings in 2002 after playing football at the University of Minnesota from 1998-2001.

"As a father and someone whose family is deeply connected to Minnesota sports, I have an eight-year-old daughter who plays highly competitive tennis and competitive soccer. She also plays and trains in Minnesota. We go to Minnesota during the summers. Her cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles are there. My nieces and nephews are there. I went to school in Minnesota, my family lives there, and my cousins coach various sports there. I am involved in sports in that state. It is embarrassing," Brewer said.

In addition to Reeve, three other WNBA coaches have come under scrutiny for their responses to questions about women's sports in the last week alone.

Golden State Valkyries coach Natalie Nakase, Indiana Fever coach Stephanie White and Portland Fire coach Alex Sarama all declined to back protecting women's sports at pre-game press conference this past weekend.

STORM CO-OWNER SUSPENDED AFTER INCIDENT WITH SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM FANS AS STAR BREAKS SILENCE ON CONTROVERSY

Meanwhile, Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was suspended and fined after allegedly berating two young Cunningham fans who were sitting courtside for celebrating Cunningham's stance on women's sports.

Brewer sent a message to the WNBA's other leaders with advice on how to proceed.

"My advice to other coaches, owners and teams is to speak the truth. Every coach who loves God, loves this country and wants to protect women needs to speak out against coaches who are that ignorant. You should not be able to promote something like that without being held accountable. You should be held accountable for your actions," he said.

Brewer also criticized the league for its handling of Caitlin Clark.

"They cannot stand up for the white girl, even though the white girl sells more jerseys than the other players in the league. They cannot admit that the white girl is worth protecting. Caitlin Clark should be the face of the WNBA. She should be to the WNBA what Michael Jordan was to the NBA. Caitlin Clark is the reason people watch the WNBA."Her image should become the logo of the WNBA because she is the reason the league has become popular. I remember watching the WNBA in its early stages," Brewer said.

"There was hardly anybody in the crowd, and they had to let people attend for free. Now stadiums are half-full and, in some cases, nearly sold out."It is sad that the league will not fully support its star player because she does not fit the race-and-gender ideology they want to portray through victimhood. She is not a victim, so she does not fit their victimhood mentality. That is why she gets no love from the teams of the WNBA. It is terrible."

Brewer is backing Clark and Cunningham, and hopes the rest of the WNBA and its fans can rally behind them.

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"Caitlin Clark’s impact on the WNBA cannot be denied. Caitlin Clark is the Jerry West of the WNBA. They need to make her the logo and emblem of the league, whether they want to agree with it or not. She has defined the game. There will be greater players than Caitlin Clark, just as there have been greater players than Jerry West. But Caitlin Clark, like Jerry West, made the sport popular at this particular time and juncture," he said.

"They need to give this girl her flowers while she is doing it."That is also why Sophie Cunningham is so popular. She is standing up for herself and standing up for Caitlin Clark. I love her for that, and I have her back. I do not care what Black girls, Black men or anyone else has to say. I am a Sophie Cunningham fan. I do not agree with everything about her, and I think she can be too provocative and show her body too much, but I still pray for her. I like that she stands up for herself, and I like that she has Caitlin Clark’s back, because so do I."

Holy Land battle: Solomon's Pools become flashpoint in fight over Israel's biblical heritage

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:25:51 -0400

Built more than 2,000 years ago to supply Jerusalem with water, Solomon's Pools have become the center of a modern political dispute, with officials from the nearby Israeli town of Efrat accusing the Palestinian Authority of allowing the historic site to deteriorate after it was placed under Ramallah's jurisdiction following the 1993 Oslo Accords.

Most archaeologists date the construction of Solomon's Pools, three ancient reservoirs located between Efrat and Bethlehem, south of Israel's capital, to the Hasmonean period in the second century B.C. The reservoirs were built to supply water to Jerusalem during the Second Temple period. Herod the Great (37–4 B.C.) later expanded the system to provide water to his palace-fortress at Herodium.

"Solomon's Pools are not only the history of the Jewish people in the Land of Israel and the source of Jerusalem's living water, but also the future of Efrat in our ability to exercise our sovereignty, preserve Efrat's development space and sustain tourism for all religions in the area between Jerusalem and Hebron," Dovi Shefler, mayor of Efrat, told Fox News Digital.

EXCLUSIVE: ISRAELI PRESIDENT HERZOG BLASTS MAMDANI, PRAISES TRUMP, SOUNDS ALARM ON IRAN

The three reservoirs collectively hold approximately 288,000 cubic meters of water, or more than 10 million cubic feet. They are fed by the Arrub and el-Biyar aqueducts, which, together with rainwater, historically supplied Jerusalem with water year-round. During the British Mandate, the pools underwent significant renovations and became known as "Jerusalem's beach" until the Oslo Accords.

Under the agreements, the West Bank was divided into Areas A, B and C. Solomon's Pools are located in Area A, which falls under Palestinian civil and security control.

Yonatan Marcus, chief of staff of the Efrat Municipality, told Fox News Digital that during the negotiations, then-Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin maintained that the pools would remain under Israeli control, alongside other archaeological sites of major Judeo-Christian significance such as Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem.

However, during the mapping process, he said, the words "Solomon's Pools" remained within Area C on zoomed-out maps, while the reservoirs themselves ultimately mistakenly fell inside Area A.

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Marcus said under Palestinian Authority control, things changed for the worse. "When you visit today, you can see that the place is neglected. Much of it has been destroyed. There are signs everywhere in Arabic stating that swimming is not permitted because the pools are filled with sewage water," he said.

He added that the sewage contamination was not natural, with wastewater deliberately diverted into the pools, replacing the fresh water that flowed there until the Oslo Accords. He said this occurred despite the PLO's commitment under the agreement to protect historical sites in Area A.

"Our main goal is to protect these magnificent pools. It's not just about Jewish history; it's about Judeo-Christian history and whoever believes in the people of the Bible who walked here," he said.

He described the reservoirs as the largest archaeological pools in Israel, saying they occupy a strategic location between the Western Wall and the Cave of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs along Route 60, known as the Biblical Highway.

Although the pools are located in Area A, Marcus said visits by Israelis take place only on coordinated tours secured by the IDF's Judea and Samaria Division, as permitted under the Oslo Accords.

He noted that visits by Israeli officials, including Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, have prompted improvements, saying the Palestinian Authority removed about 200 bags of garbage from the site following years of neglect.

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"If the pressure of our coming here is going to make them take care of the site, then wonderful. In the end, our goal is for it to be preserved," he said.

Ahmad Fattouh, a spokesman for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, rejected the allegations.

"It's absolutely audacious that the leadership of the colonial settlement of Efrat claims to be concerned about the condition of Burak Sulaymān's pools when they are the very reason behind its declining water levels," Fattouh told Fox News Digital. He said Israeli locals diverted the springs that feed the pools and argued that the Palestinian Authority has restored the site and developed it as a tourist destination.

Fattouh also accused Israeli officials of using the issue to justify taking control of the site, saying Smotrich's visit showed that the pools were not completely dry, contrary to claims by Efrat officials.

Yishai Fleisher, international spokesman for Hebron, said the pools are akin to rediscovering a lost part of the Jewish Temple, as they supplied Jerusalem with water for some 2,000 years.

He said preserving the site begins with attracting visitors, producing educational videos, improving access along the new road from northern Efrat, hosting senior Israeli officials and establishing a permanent presence with cameras, patrols and farms.

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"Since the story started breaking, the P.A. is trying to build a mosque there. The goal of the P.A. is to stop Israeli presence in Judea and Samaria and the Land of Israel. They are not about developing anything for its own sake," Fleisher claimed to Fox News Digital.

Fleisher, who is an influential voice among the Israeli right, called for a radical change in policy. "What we really have to do is dismantle the P.A. and assert sovereignty over Judea and Samaria. In the meantime, the line should be redrawn so that Solomon's Pools, which are essentially archaeological sites, are placed under Israeli control in Area C," he said.

Aaron Rodgers calls out ESPN for ignoring Dianna Russini-Mike Vrabel scandal: 'What are we doing here?'

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:22:09 -0400

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers took his microphone on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Monday and unloaded on Dr. Anthony Fauci and ESPN, the network airing the program, in a diatribe heard ‘round the NFL.

During his evisceration of ESPN, he called out Dianna Russini, a former reporter with the network before joining The Athletic as an NFL insider.

Russini was embroiled in a major scandal this offseason, as she was alleged to have had an inappropriate relationship with New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel. Russini resigned from her role at The Athletic, and Vrabel left the Patriots during the NFL Draft to enter counseling as details began to unfold around his relationship with Russini.

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During his diatribe, Rodgers wondered how an alleged affair like the one Russini had with Vrabel could affect the NFL, while simultaneously roasting ESPN for their lack of coverage compared to other media outlets surrounding the scandal.

"Look at what the network’s doing. You have literally an individual that maybe used to work at ESPN, that covers our league at the highest level, and there’s a major scandal," Rodgers told McAfee and his crew. "And it’s just like nobody can f---ing talk about it? Like, what are we doing here?"

One of McAfee’s co-hosts told Rodgers that he of all people should understand how personal lives are meant to be personal, but Rodgers had a retort.

AARON RODGERS EVISCERATES ANTHONY FAUCI AFTER PLEADING THE FIFTH AT SENATE HEARING: 'ABSOLUTE CRIMINAL'

"I understand, but if it’s affecting certain things – if there’s leaks going on, there’s tampering going on," he said. "If that person is also an MVP voter and Coach of the Year voter. Remember when I won MVP in 2021, and that bum in Chicago – yeah, that’s real life. How are we allowing these people to have an impact?

Rodgers joked, "I told these boys I was bringing it today," pointing to likely producers behind the cameras during the live taping at Steelers training camp.

But it was the truth. A simple question about Rodgers’ mindset heading into his final NFL season this year from McAfee led to him mocking Fauci.

"I’ll plead the Fifth," Rodgers said before going scorched Earth on Fauci, whom he was mocking after the former White House COVID advisor invoked the Fifth Amendment 111 times during a Senate hearing last week.

Rodgers, though, also may have a gripe with Russini herself, especially during his time with the New York Jets. It was a failed tenure for the four-time MVP quarterback following years of success with the Green Bay Packers.

During his time in New York, Russini, working for The Athletic at the time, was very active in Jets reporting around the Rodgers turmoil and how the franchise was allegedly being affected by him.

In 2024, The Athletic reported Rodgers wanted to continue playing past that season, but not for the Jets. Rodgers said at the time on McAfee’s show it was "100% false," while ripping into the media.

"There is not a lot of journalistic integrity anymore, I don’t think," Rodgers said, which prompted McAfee to respond by saying, "Standards."

MIKE VRABEL UNTOUCHED BY DIANNA RUSSINI SCANDAL AT FIRST PRESS CONFERENCE OF PATRIOTS TRAINING CAMP

"The standards are what they are," Rodgers replied, while not implicating Russini directly. "Listen, some of the stuff that I’ve read I would say the majority is limited in its truth, and questionable in its content. Meaning, I don’t understand why some of the articles written last year, because it seemed like they were really trying to ruin people’s lives."

Rodgers also mentioned how tight-knit his inner circle is.

"I don’t have anybody, I don’t believe, that is in my inner circle that would spend any time talking to a reporter about other people’s s---, or trying to slam ‘em, or trying to protect themselves," he said. "But, unfortunately, this business has turned into a lot of cover your a--, you know. I guess that’s part of what this is, people trying to cover their a--, so they gotta have a fall guy. It was [former Jets OC Nathaniel] Hackett, it was [former Jets head coach] Robert [Saleh], it was [former Jets GM] Joe [Douglas], then it’s me."

Russini said in 2025 on the "Scoop City" podcast that the Jets gave Rodgers an ultimatum that he won’t be doing interviews on McAfee’s show any longer. Obviously, that didn’t come to fruition.

Rodgers has told ESPN’s top NFL insider, Adam Schefter, to "lose my number" in 2023 when the football world was waiting for his decision on whether he’d retire or not following his darkness retreat. He also noted getting a similar text from Russini, though he didn’t answer. He said if he did, it would’ve been the same answer he gave Schefter.

Russini resigned from her post at The Athletic amid mounting criticism over her relationship with Vrabel after photographs of them hugging and holding hands at a private resort in Sedona, Arizona, went viral. After initially trying to downplay it, saying "reporters interact with sources away from stadiums and other venues," Russini ultimately released her resignation.

After the original photos, others dating back to 2020 showed Vrabel and Russini kissing at a bar in New York City. The pictures exclusively obtained by the New York Post were taken in the early hours of March 11, 2020.

"They were kissing, and they were all over each other," an eyewitness told the outlet. "He had a ring on."

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While Russini resigned, Vrabel was back with the Patriots after a counseling visit, which fell on Day 3 of the 2026 NFL Draft.

Vrabel said he had difficult conversations with his family, while also speaking with his players about the situation. The Patriots said before the draft they "fully support" Vrabel, allowing him to seek the counseling he desired despite four rounds of the draft still remaining.

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Sports cartoons of the day

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:08:52 -0400

Discontinued Cracker Barrel foods that fans are begging to get back

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:54 -0400

Cracker Barrel Old Country Store has built its reputation on serving Southern comfort food and nostalgic favorites — which may explain why some discontinued menu items continue to spark passionate reactions from loyal customers.

From black-eyed peas and fried haddock to red-eye gravy and fried chicken livers, fans have taken to social media and online forums over the years to call for the return of beloved classics.

One breakfast favorite that still has customers talking is the Sunrise Sampler. It's a platter that combines eggs, grits, fried apples, hash brown casserole, sausage, bacon, country ham and biscuits with gravy.

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"I noticed a while back that Cracker Barrel removed the GOAT of all breakfasts, the Sunrise Sampler, from the menu," Josh Cooper, owner of Cooper's Next Level BBQ in Tallahassee, Florida, told Fox News Digital. "You used to get a little bit of everything without breaking the bank."

Cooper said recreating the same meal today requires ordering each item separately — driving up the cost.

"Now, in order to get that same teaser touch from the Sunrise Sampler, you have to order it all à la carte, which costs around $25 for the same great meal," he said. "Blasphemy!"

Fox News Digital reached out to Cracker Barrel for comment.

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While menu changes are often driven by rising ingredient costs or operational challenges, Cooper said restaurants should recognize the emotional attachment customers have to longtime favorites.

"The reality is that nostalgia matters. And when you remove popular items without controlling the narrative or managing customers' expectations, you are bound to have upset patrons," he said.

"Whether it's due to rising food costs, kitchen timing or any other reason, it's important to communicate with the people who put you on the map in the first place. Communication matters."

Cracker Barrel faced backlash last summer over efforts to modernize its image, including a short-lived logo redesign and restaurant makeover.

Last week, the company announced that CEO Julie Masino would step down.

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Rachel Love, a self-described Cracker Barrel enthusiast from Tennessee, said black-eyed peas are a side dish that she hopes will make a return.

"I absolutely loved the black-eyed peas, and I'm so glad they're getting some attention," Love told Fox News Digital. "They were one of my favorite sides and always felt like such a classic part of the Cracker Barrel experience."

She also said she hopes the chain will revive its baked apple dumpling, which she described as "the perfect comfort dessert" that matched the restaurant's nostalgic atmosphere.

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The appeal goes beyond any single dish, Love said.

"People aren't just asking for old menu items — they're asking for the comfort and nostalgia that came with them," she said.

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"Sometimes bringing back one classic dish means more to loyal customers than introducing several new ones."

Historian blasts Smithsonian's activism shift after first visit in over a decade: 'Completely different place'

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:27 -0400

A historian and museum professional accused the Smithsonian of abandoning its educational mission in favor of activism following his visit to the National Museum of American History (NMAH) for the first time in more than a decade amid mounting criticism from the Trump administration and conservatives over how the museum presents American history.

"It's a completely different place than when I was there in 2012," Dr. Jody Edward Ginn told Fox News Digital.

"Its mission is clearly exactly what they changed it to be. It is a museum for activism. They use history, but that's kind of the problem. You know, scholars of history, and I don't consider these folks scholars anymore. They're activists."

After reading the administration's Domestic Policy Council report accusing the Smithsonian and the NMAH of failing to present history "in a way that is inspiring, unifying, and worthy of our great republic," Ginn said he traveled all the way from Texas to see it for himself.

INSIDE THE BEHEMOTH SMITHSONIAN MUSEUM NETWORK DRAWING FIRE FROM THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

"From the moment I walked in, it's a very different experience," Ginn said. "Now, I wasn't totally shocked by this because I've been watching this evolution in my field for over a decade."

As he made his way through the exhibits, Ginn said the institution seeks to "specifically direct" visitors "to action" rather than give them the information to "make their own decisions."

"It became this goal, their own stated goal, to turn museums from institutions of education, of public education, into institutions to encourage activism, which could also be said to indoctrinate."

Ginn said he found "factually incorrect information" in some exhibits but argued what they don't tell visitors is just as misleading.

WATCH: SMITHSONIAN HISTORY MUSEUM DIRECTOR STUMBLES OVER BASIC QUESTIONS ON SEX: ‘I’M NOT SURE’

"The biggest problem is in what they leave out," he said.

Ginn argued the museum's "graphic" and sexually explicit exhibits have no place in a museum frequented by children and families, saying they're "out of sync with what museums were just a few years ago."

"These are geared towards all ages," he said. "Why would you do that? All of that's out of sync with what museums were just a few years ago."

In a House hearing last month, lawmakers raised similar concerns during a House hearing, pressing Smithsonian National Museum of American History Director Anthea Hartig about the museum's exhibits.

Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., asked Hartig about the exhibit titled "Illegal to Be You: Gay History Beyond Stonewall," which featured a bondage harness, saying "You have pictures of bondage, you have some overtly sexual things up there, you have transgender folks."

Lawmakers also questioned Hartig about the 2017 MASS Action Toolkit, a guide for museum professionals that references the 2014 Ferguson, Missouri, police shooting and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests while describing "objectivity" as a characteristic of "white supremacy culture," which Ginn said was part of its effort to lean towards activism.

SMITHSONIAN PUSHED ‘REVOLTING’ SOCIAL ACTION TRAINING AFTER ‘WHITENESS’ CHART APOLOGY: EXPERT

Reflecting on the testimony, Ginn said it was "very disappointing" and did not represent "a scholarly presentation whatsoever."

"If that's the kind of museum you've been approved to run, then just own it," he said. "Don't say you're being unbiased when it's really evident."

Ginn also criticized Hartig for maintaining that the museum has not taken a side, adding its revised mission statement "changed the purpose of that museum."

During a 2024 presentation to undergraduate and graduate history students, Hartig explained the museum removed the mention of "American history" from its mission statement because it was "hard to get out of the 'America First' mentality."

For Ginn, his visit confirmed what he described as a "massive shift" in the museum profession, with the Smithsonian serving as "the highest-profile symptom of a process that's been going on for some time."

"It is my opinion as a public historian that the mission we've always had is to educate the public and provide scholarly information," he said. "To me, that's what the National Museum of American History should be."

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However, Ginn said he is "not hopeful" the institution can change without a "massive effort" to replace current staff with people he believes would prioritize history over politics.

"You're going to have to put in new people who are committed to scholarly standards and non-politicized educational programming," he said. "These people have bought into it, hook, line and sinker."

Fox News Digital reached out to the Smithsonian for comment.

El-Sayed touts endorsement from pastor who praised notorious antisemite infamous for calling Jews ‘termites’

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:25 -0400

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed is enthusiastically touting the endorsement of Horace Sheffield III, an influential Detroit pastor and radio host who once heaped praise on Nation of Islam minister Louis Farrakhan.

Sheffield endorsed El-Sayed on air in November 2025, with the Senate hopeful issuing a press release to commemorate the occasion and saying that he was "deeply honored" to have his support. In May 2013, Sheffield gave a speech introducing Farrakhan to a gathering of religious leaders where he praised the controversial cleric for his leadership and accused outside forces of slandering him.

"We need someone to give us direction. I believe we have a leader here that can organize us," Sheffield said, referring to Farrakhan, according to a media outlet founded by Farrakhan.

MICHIGAN SENATE RACE: EL-SAYED’S TIES TO EXTREMIST FUEL ANTISEMITISM CONCERNS AMONG JEWISH VOTERS

Before Sheffield lauded the Nation of Islam leader, he had racked up an extensive record of controversial remarks slammed as anti-Semitic or as instances of anti-White racism.

In 1996, for instance, Farrakhan accused Jews of being "wicked deceivers of the American people" who have "sucked their blood." A year later, he suggested that "people will never be free in this country" until they are liberated from the "tremendous amount of influence" Jews exert over the American government.

Shortly before Sheffield praised Farrakhan in May 2013, the Nation of Islam minister stated that "Jews are the most violent of people" in February 2012.

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Farrakhan also called White people "the skunk of the planet earth" and suggested that Europeans are not yet fully evolved human beings.

Following these controversial statements, Sheffield suggested during his 2013 introductory remarks that Farrakhan was a truth teller whom the establishment was trying to silence.

"They want to silence people who tell us the truth, and we know why this is happening and who is doing it, but we need some help with how to overcome it," Sheffield said during his speech.

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After the 2013 event, Farrakhan continued his habit of controversial remarks, calling Jews "termites" in 2018.

Despite Sheffield’s praise of a highly controversial cleric, El-Sayed’s campaign has worked with him to a considerable degree.

In June, Sheffield stopped by El-Sayed’s campaign office to record a promotional video for the candidate. More recently, the Washington Free Beacon reported that the El-Sayed campaign had paid a nonprofit run by Sheffield $75,000 for "consulting" fees between October 2025 and June of this year.

Sheffield’s previous radio station suspended him in 2018 after he endorsed Democratic Rep. Shri Thanedar’s failed bid for Michigan governor after accepting tens of thousands of dollars in "consulting" fees from him, according to the Free Beacon.

While Sheffield’s controversial past associations could provide Republicans with ammunition to use against El-Sayed in the general election, especially given the accusations of antisemitism surrounding his campaign, the pastor's endorsement could also help him win the support of Black Michiganders, a demographic he has so far failed to impress.

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"I’m deeply honored to have Rev. Sheffield’s support. His lifelong commitment to justice, faith, and service embodies the very best of Detroit," El-Sayed said following the endorsement. "We’re building a coalition that believes politics should be about people, and together we’ll fight to deliver dignity, opportunity, and equity for every Michigander."

Representatives for El-Sayed and Sheffield did not return requests for comment when reached by Fox News Digital on Monday.

GOP party fissures exposed in battle for SC Senate seat to replace Graham: 'I don't like hearing that'

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:18 -0400

The five GOP candidates that appeared in South Carolina’s U.S. Senate debate on Monday evening touched on several key issues of national importance as they made their case to fill the seat of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who died while in office last month.

Although candidates remained united on broad issues of party consensus, the debate exposed a fraying of opinion on topics like the war in Iran, U.S. government spending, the filibuster and data center expansion, highlighting the influence of even just one Senate seat.

The candidates include Sen. Darlene Graham Nordone, R-S.C., Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C., Rep. Russel Fry, R-S.C., businessman Mark Lynch and former South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.

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The biggest clash of the night came from Graham’s own sister, the appointee currently filling his seat.

Nordone, who received President Donald Trump’s endorsement, announced she would vote to end the filibuster — a procedural hurdle that prevents the chamber from passing most legislation without 60 votes. Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the chamber.

"And I am all for — this is where I differ from my brother — getting rid of the filibuster to get this done, because eventually the Democrats are going to get rid of it anyway," Nordone said, noting the major break with her late brother.

While supporters of the filibuster argue it prevents parties from strong-arming their views into law without bipartisan input, acting as one of the country's last bastions of moderation, the rule has throttled several Republican priorities called for by President Donald Trump, including national voter identification legislation.

Mark Sanford, another candidate who formerly served as governor of South Carolina, also touched on a topic of controversy on Monday by alluding that Congress — not the president’s discretion — should set the direction for the war in Iran.

"Only Congress has the authority to declare war. This decision needs to be made by Congress … body bags don't go back to Washington. They come back to home states and congressional districts," Sanford said.

It has been nearly six months since the U.S. originally bombed Iran in coordination with Israel, killing Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The conflict has stretched well beyond the timeline the administration said it had expected.

WAR POWERS RESOLUTION FAILS AS SENATE REPUBLICANS STAND BY TRUMP ON IRAN

In the time since, debate among lawmakers has raged over whether the president has overstepped his authority and started a war — a power granted to Congress under the U.S. Constitution — and whether lawmakers should pass legislation to restrict his abilities.

Besides Sanford, other candidates seemed to support Trump, citing a concern over Iran’s nuclear capabilities.

One candidate, Rep. Russell Fry, R-S.C., qualified that support by affirming he would not support deploying U.S. service members to the area.

"No boots on the ground. I’m not a believer in that. My brother served in Iraq, and I’ve lost friends in foreign wars. But we can finish the mission by defanging Iran and making sure they have no capabilities left," Fry said.

In yet another area of division, Mark Lynch, a South Carolina businessman, raised the issue of data centers, a somewhat niche policy concern that’s rapidly raising questions of how national security interests are balanced against local interests and energy consumption.

While Republicans remain split on the issue, Lynch said he would favor prioritizing local community concerns.

"It is a pain point for South Carolinians," Lynch said, referring to the expansion of the centers.

"We're tired of waking up and seeing 100 acres of trees bulldozed, and we're told the data center is going to go right next to our neighborhood. It is horrible noise pollution. They're robbing our water. It takes millions of gallons to cool the data centers, and it's causing our electric utilities to increase. We already have a problem with inflation and affordability."

Although the debate remained largely restrained, Nordone needled Lynch in her closing remarks over several criticisms of her brother.

Lynch had criticized the late senator’s track record on amnesty and the legalization of marijuana.

"Mr. Lynch mentioned Lindsey Graham multiple times, and I don't know if he's just afraid Lindsey beat him, and now his little sister is going to beat him. But I just don't like hearing that," Nordone said.

Lynch ran against Linsey Graham in the 2026 primary earlier this year, before his death. Graham soundly defeated Lynch in a 56.8% to 28.9% win in June.

WATCH: DEMOCRATS ADMIT WHEN THEY'D ELIMINATE THE FILIBUSTER AS SAVE ACT FIGHT HEATS UP

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Lynch did not have an opportunity to respond.

With the debate now concluded, the Republican who wins the primary later this month will go on to run in the state’s Nov. 3 general election against Democratic nominee Annie Andrews — a race that’s projected to heavily favor the GOP. The primary, set for Aug. 11, will likely decide which Republican will go on to win a full six-year term in November.

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's royal 'rupture' caused 'very serious damage' to the monarchy: author

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:11 -0400

As Meghan Markle celebrates her 45th birthday, one royal author argues the Duchess of Sussex's exit from royal life caused "very serious damage" to the monarchy.

"I believe that the rupture in the family that saw Meghan and Harry go to the United States has done very serious damage to the monarchy," Catherine Mayer, who penned "Divide & Rule," told Fox News Digital.

"But to say that is not to say that I blame them for what happened," she said. "It's often taken as a criticism: 'Look what they've done to the monarchy.' I think this has been very painful for everybody and for the institution, but you need only look at the latest polling on the popularity of the monarchy to see that it is losing ground."

PRINCE HARRY LONGS FOR HIS OLD ROYAL LIFE AS AMERICA ISN'T WHAT HE EXPECTED, EXPERTS SAY

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex stepped back as senior royals in 2020, citing intrusive British media coverage and a lack of support from the palace. After moving to California, they aired their grievances in interviews and documentaries. Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare," further strained his relationship with the family.

In July, the former American actress had planned to accompany her husband during several engagements on his return to the U.K. However, security concerns prevented Meghan and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, from making the full trip.

While the Sussexes had a private meeting with King Charles and Queen Camilla on July 10, marking the first time since 2022 that Meghan had returned to England, she didn't make any public appearances.

WATCH: PRINCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE'S EXIT HURT THE MONARCHY: AUTHOR

The couple lost their taxpayer-funded security when they stepped down as working royals. The Duke of Sussex has long sought to have it reinstated, citing concerns for his family's safety.

Mayer argued that, according to U.K. polls, the royal family has lost popularity primarily due to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his princely title following his controversial relationship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, she believes that "undoubtedly," the Sussexes had an ability to connect with younger populations in a way that’s "not really there with the rest of the family."

"The only ones who can potentially do it are Kate and William, and they're more of a small 'c' conservative in their approach," said Mayer, referring to the Prince and Princess of Wales.

"They're young, but they're in their 40s," she said. "Their children are really young. And there's nobody in between George and his parents, William and Kate, to capture the imagination of younger audiences. Harry and Meghan are basically the same age, but they had this appeal, a much broader appeal, and that's been lost now."

Royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner echoed that view, noting that family divisions remain unresolved despite recent signs of reconciliation.

"I feel there are major cracks in the royal family over Meghan and Harry, especially between King Charles and Prince William, who I believe are at loggerheads over the couple, culminating in the recent private meeting at Highgrove, leaving William blindsided about the meeting. Now, with Harry able to use Buckingham Palace again when he returns, it could be a breakthrough for Meghan and a heart-piercing wound for William."

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While Meghan's relationship with King Charles reportedly softened following their private family reunion this summer, multiple reports continue to describe her ties with William and Kate as distant, with little evidence the broader royal rift has fully healed.

"In my book, I also examine the bullying allegations made against Meghan," said Mayer. "One of the problems was that they surfaced at exactly the time of the 2021 Oprah Winfrey interview. I think that made a lot of people suspect this was done to undercut anything Meghan might say in the interview. I'd actually been hearing about friction in the palace for a very long time before the story surfaced. As I explain in the book, that doesn't necessarily mean we're talking about bullying, but we're definitely talking about real friction there."

"We're talking about people who were very bruised by the experience, which includes her as well," Mayer continued. "But the fact is, there were real frictions between the brothers, William and Harry, as well as between the women and within the palace system. I don't think Meghan really understood that the monarchy will always give preference to the monarch and the immediate heir. And its members get very nervous when somebody feels bigger and more glamorous than the institution."

"The last thing they wanted to do was make her into some big star," Mayer added.

Turner noted that Meghan hasn't been the only one to experience struggles with "The Firm."

"Outsiders are accepted, provided they do not become more powerful or overshadow family members," he said. "In my time, Charles used to hate being overshadowed by Princess Diana at walkabouts. I believe this was part of the reason for the breakup. I feel palace employees and members of the royal family could see Meghan's charm was making her into another Diana in waiting."

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Still, British royal expert Hilary Fordwich said mistakes made by the Sussexes cannot be overlooked and have contributed to their estrangement from the royal family.

"Harry and Meghan didn't just make a silly mistake," Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "They have undertaken a fundamentally damaging, deliberate strategy to undermine the royals, which is unforgivable. The Firm was most welcoming to her, bent the rules for her, made exceptions for her, but she thwarted it all. She didn't want to either learn or accept advice. King Charles and Prince William now have a narrower, more disciplined monarchy as a result."

"Yes, things could have been very different if Meghan had been dedicated to duty and not to herself and her own aggrandizement," said Fordwich.

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard also told Fox News Digital that the secret to being a successful member of the British royal family is to adapt quickly.

"The House of Windsor may appear rigid, but it has run like clockwork and survived through history," said Chard. "The one thing people marrying into The Firm have to learn is to adapt. Both Princess Catherine and Meghan came in as outsiders. But one chose to learn the institution. The system is tough, but the system also gave Meghan support. The system can't save someone who won't play ball. The institution expects sacrifice before platform."

"Harry himself also talked about leaving royal life for years. Meghan gave him that push. Better handling could have delayed it, but I don't think it would have prevented it."

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Mayer pointed out that Meghan was facing an uphill battle from the very beginning.

"When I was writing this book, I really did go back and challenge my own assumptions about whether Meghan could have ever made a go of it," said Mayer. "And I concluded that it was highly unlikely, and not her fault — or certainly not entirely her fault. One of the things people always say to me is, 'Of course she Googled Harry before they started dating. Of course, she knew about it.'"

"I've been covering the monarchy for a very long time. I'm also the biographer of Charles, the man who is now King. I've spent a lot of time behind the scenes. Even after all the time I've spent there, I'm still surprised by the strangeness of the culture and how unlike any other culture it is."

Mayer also recalled when Meghan received criticism for mimicking how she curtsied to the late Queen Elizabeth II in the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan." However, audiences missed the point, she said.

"How weird it is to have a family where, even in private, you not only curtsy to the monarch, but you also follow an order of precedence," said Mayer. "How would anybody be prepared for that? The monarchy is essentially a medieval institution with some modern features grafted onto it."

Chard said "the damage has been done" following Meghan and Harry's departure. She noted the royal family has "moved on," prioritizing the future. While there will always be hope for reconciliation, she said, it will take time on all sides.

"Trust takes years to rebuild," she said.

Why Trump is downplaying reports Russia and China are helping Iran

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 06:00:06 -0400

President Donald Trump cast doubt in recent days on allegations that Russia is helping Iran target U.S. forces, even as members of his own administration acknowledge Moscow and Beijing are supporting Tehran in other ways.

Trump dismissed Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's claim that Russia supplied Iran with satellite imagery of U.S. military installations in the Gulf, saying any assistance would have been "very unimpactful" given the damage inflicted on Iran's military.

"We’ll find out if that’s true. I’ll ask Putin. We’ll find out," Trump told reporters at the end of July.

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"I don’t think they’ve been doing it, certainly not at a high level," Trump added. "And if they have, it has been very unimpactful."

Trump pointed to the damage Iran’s military has suffered during the war. Russian help, he argued, has failed to stop the United States from destroying much of Tehran’s conventional forces.

Trump's comments came as his administration confronted separate reports that Russia and China are helping Iran in different ways — allegations that, if borne out, would suggest America's two chief geopolitical rivals are quietly supporting a nation at war with the U.S. Members of his own administration have acknowledged broader help from Moscow and Beijing.

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War Secretary Pete Hegseth has said Russia and China are "enabling some of the things Iran is doing," but a White House official told Fox News Digital that any foreign assistance has failed to improve Tehran's ability to attack Americans.

Trump's comments came in response to two recent reports: Zelenskyy's allegation that Russia provided satellite intelligence to Iran and a Reuters report that China could send hundreds of shoulder-fired air-defense missiles to Tehran through Pakistan, which China has denied.

Fresh satellite imagery could help Iran locate high-value assets and refine strike coordinates, then show whether an attack hit its intended target.

"As the President stated, nothing that any outside actor is doing to help Iran is in any way increasing their ability to target Americans," the official told Fox News Digital, responding to questions about Zelenskyy's claim that Russia gave Iran satellite imagery of U.S. military installations in the Gulf.

Zelenskyy laid out Ukraine's evidence Saturday, saying Russian satellites had surveyed Gulf countries and U.S. military installations beginning in early July before the imagery later appeared in Iran.

"These images subsequently appear in Iran," Zelenskyy wrote on X.

Ukraine found what Zelenskyy described as a "clear correlation" between the Russian observations and subsequent Iranian attacks. According to Zelenskyy, Moscow collected imagery before strikes to aid targeting and returned afterward to assess the damage.

Zelenskyy said Russian satellites focused on four air bases over two days — two in Bahrain and one each in Jordan and Kuwait — and said Ukrainian intelligence had shared the information with foreign partners.

Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Olga Stefanishyna said at a July 30 reporter roundtable that the allegation did not arise during Zelenskyy’s White House meeting with Trump because the agenda was crowded. She said Ukraine had provided the information "through other channels."

A Ukrainian official told Fox News Digital that Kyiv wants to avoid "opening a second front" with Iran.

Hegseth acknowledged Russian and Chinese support for Iran during a Senate hearing in July.

There was "definitely adversary alignment," Hegseth said. Russia and China were "at different levels, enabling some of the things Iran is doing."

The U.S. has ways to deter that support, he added, though some of those measures should remain classified. Hegseth said earlier in the war that the administration knew "exactly" what Moscow and Beijing were doing and was addressing their actions where needed.

Russia has denied supplying Iran with intelligence on American military targets. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said the locations of U.S. bases were publicly available. The Kremlin also dismissed earlier reporting about Russian intelligence support for Iran as false.

Trump also questioned reports that Iran could soon receive hundreds of Chinese-made shoulder-fired air-defense systems through Pakistan, saying Chinese President Xi Jinping had assured him Beijing would stay out of the conflict.

"That was surprising. I mean, things like that happen, but that would be surprising. He told me very strongly he wouldn’t partake, but he knows I’d be quite disappointed. He’s coming here, I think, on September 24," the president told reporters Wednesday.

Matthew Kroenig, a former Pentagon and intelligence official, called the reports "highly plausible," pointing to growing cooperation among Russia, China and Iran.

"From Russia and China’s point of view, if they can complicate the U.S. war in the Middle East and raise the cost to Washington, that’s a good thing for them," Kroenig told Fox News Digital.

Kroenig said Trump may be warning Moscow and Beijing privately instead of confronting them before television cameras.

"That might be the most generous interpretation, that it’s his way of warning China and Russia to knock it off," he said.

Trump’s comments would carry more risk if the president were relying on assurances from Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kroenig said. He urged the administration to make clear that either country would face a cost for helping Tehran.

"I think there would be a risk to just discounting this altogether," Kroenig said.

Anna Borshchevskaya, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, said Moscow has spent years building closer military ties with Tehran.

"If this proves accurate, Russia has found a way to help Iran without direct military engagement, and that’s why this is significant," Borshchevskaya told Fox News Digital.

Iran began supplying Russia with Shahed attack drones in 2022, giving Moscow a cheap weapon it could launch in waves against Ukrainian cities and power infrastructure.

Russia later began producing its own versions with Iranian support and improved the design, making the drones a mainstay of its attacks. Tehran’s earlier support now hangs over Zelenskyy’s claim that Moscow is helping Iran target American forces.

Satellite imagery would give Moscow another way to aid Tehran while avoiding a direct clash with American forces.

"It’s hard to think how the provision of intelligence is insignificant," Borshchevskaya said.

She said Trump may be trying to keep his public exchanges with Moscow calm as U.S. officials send firmer messages in private.

Russia views the wars in Ukraine and Iran as connected parts of its campaign against American influence, Borshchevskaya said. U.S. officials tend to handle each conflict through a separate policy process.

"The challenge for us is that we often separate theaters, but Russia does not," she said. "Russia looks at all of these conflicts in a much more interconnected way."

Borshchevskaya said Russia has chosen forms of aid that can strengthen Iran without committing Russian troops or entering a direct fight with Washington.

"Russia is being restrained here," she said. "They’re playing a much more nuanced game."

Trump also voiced surprise Wednesday at a report that Iran could soon receive hundreds of Chinese-made, shoulder-fired air-defense systems through Pakistan.

Xi had given Trump a firm assurance that China would stay out of the war, according to the president.

"He told me very strongly he wouldn’t partake, but he knows I’d be quite disappointed," Trump said.

China called the report "groundless." Pakistan rejected the claim that it would help route the weapons to Iran, calling the allegation "baseless and devoid of truth."

Kroenig said Beijing has supplied Russia with economic and industrial support during the war in Ukraine. China has stopped short of openly sending lethal weapons, a limit he had expected Beijing to observe in the Iran war.

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Advanced air defenses would require approval from the Chinese government, he said. Russian satellite intelligence would also come from state-controlled capabilities.

"There are no mom-and-pop shops in St. Petersburg selling this data," Kroenig said.

MORNING GLORY: President Trump’s triple bogey

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:00:25 -0400

Pardon the extended analogy ahead, but as President Donald Trump is easily the best golfer among all presidents, it plays well.

Don’t believe me about the best golfer assessment? Ask ChatGPT or any AI agent. It isn’t even remotely a close question.

Having been a caddy since 1966, I’ve carried lots of clubs, raked plenty of traps and held many pins. "Pipeline Joe Day" was the best senior I’ve ever caddied for, and he earned his nickname among the golf gophers because he drove 16 or 17 out of 18 fairways or greens well into his 80s, but as he lost distance when he crossed over the octogenarian mark, the birdies mostly went away. Even the best short games among seniors can save par but won’t make many birdies.

TRUMP IS WINNING EVERY BATTLE IN IRAN—AND RISKING THE WAR THAT MATTERS

President Trump can routinely shave a stroke off of par on any given hole, and it wouldn’t surprise if there is an eagle or two every month of rounds.

But, as no golfer is perfect, the president is bound to have had some awful rounds and some very bad holes. Not "Tin Cup" Kevin Costner bad, but bad. He must go "OB" on his drive at least occasionally, and a three putt on top of hitting three off the tee… well, that’s usually triple bogey land for even very good amateurs and most pros.

Like even the greatest golfers, every president yanks a decision or three almost every round. If a president has ever had a perfect month of perfect days, I’m unaware of it. So mistakes will be made, and President Trump made a big one this past weekend.

TRUMP WARNS IRAN FIGHTING ISN'T OVER AS HE VOWS US WILL 'WIN' AS TALKS FADE

"Reliable reports from a variety of sources confirm that President Trump had ordered a major escalation of combat with Iran for this past weekend only to call it off late Saturday night. Some of our allies were primed to participate, but others urged a delay."

It is the second time President Trump has called off a return to major combat operations that would continue uninterrupted for the weeks it would take to try and break the rump regime in Iran run by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Pay almost no attention to the civilian puppets of the rump regime. It is a military dictatorship inside Iran now.

"We just want to win," President Trump declared at the Cabinet meeting in Camp David last week. That was a clear and candid declaration of the end game: A return to the genuinely open Strait of Hormuz coupled with a verifiable abandonment of the Iranian regime’s decades-long drive for nuclear weapons.

MORNING GLORY: PRESIDENT TRUMP, IRAN AND NAPOLEON’S STILL-RELEVANT MAXIM

President Trump knows that the IRGC lies and that the IRGC cheats. He has said many times that the regime’s negotiators will spend hours talking about the nuclear program in closed meetings, and then immediately walk to the microphones and declare the nuclear program was not discussed at all in the same meetings.

"They are scum," he has said. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has declared, "These people are crazy." Both are correct.

The original MOU was worth a try. I always thought it signaled halftime in the battle and that after the midterm elections in the U.S., President Trump would demand the immediate implementation of a rigorous inspections regime at every site known or suspected of harboring part of Iran’s nuclear weapons program — including "Pickaxe Mountain" — as the necessary conditions without which major combat operations would resume and continue indefinitely to batter the shaky regime until it crumbled in real time.

But the IRGC came out of the locker room first and broke the MOU. Since then, they have again broken an agreement to trade a ceasefire for an open Strait and layered on a surprise attack on our military in Jordan. They are the polar opposite of "good faith" bargainers and always have been.

There is no reason to believe that the IRGC will not lie and cheat again. It is who they are and who they have always been since Ayatollah Khomeini led the revolution to topple the Shah in 1979. Since then, the Iranian regime’s negotiators have fooled both President Carter and President Obama in a comprehensive fashion and other presidents to some degree, but they have never fooled Donald Trump.

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Until this past weekend. The president launched a huge slice past the out-of-bounds markers. Everyone saw it. Everyone knows the president is hitting three on the tee now.

Can he scramble and save par? Yes, because it’s a long par 5. Can he win the match in a decisive way? Yes, but not if he keeps playing this way. Not if he gets the yips again.

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Everyone who has ever caddied for a very good golfer in match play should know the truth of the scorecard mid-round, as well as the potential to turn that match around, sometimes quickly. But only the president can do that. Not our allies. Not his advisors. Certainly not the legacy media.

Donald Trump has been surprising and indeed startling his critics for his nearly dozen years in politics. Hope he has at least one more huge surprise in store.

Hugh Hewitt is a Fox News contributor and host of "The Hugh Hewitt Show" heard weekday afternoons from 3 PM to 6 PM ET on the Salem Radio Network, and simulcast on Salem News Channel. Hugh drives Americans home on the East Coast and to lunch on the West Coast on over 400 affiliates nationwide, and on all the streaming platforms where SNC can be seen. He is a frequent guest on the Fox News Channel’s news roundtable, hosted by Bret Baier weekdays at 6pm ET. A son of Ohio and a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, Hewitt has been a Professor of Law at Chapman University’s Fowler School of Law since 1996 where he teaches Constitutional Law. Hewitt launched his eponymous radio show from Los Angeles in 1990. Hewitt has frequently appeared on every major national news television network, hosted television shows for PBS and MSNBC, written for every major American paper, has authored a dozen books and moderated a score of Republican candidate debates, most recently the November 2023 Republican presidential debate in Miami and four Republican presidential debates in the 2015-16 cycle. Hewitt focuses his radio show and his column on the Constitution, national security, American politics and the Cleveland Browns and Guardians. Hewitt has interviewed tens of thousands of guests from Democrats Hillary Clinton and John Kerry to Republican Presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump over his 40 years in broadcasting. This column previews the lead story that will drive his radio/ TV show today.

LIZ PEEK: Michigan can stop the socialist fever rage — or watch it swallow the Senate

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:00:17 -0400

On Tuesday, Michigan voters have a final shot at shutting down the socialist surge that is convulsing the Democratic Party and alarming the country. Polls and prediction markets suggest they will not do so.

Tuesday is the final day for voters in the Democratic primary to choose a U.S. Senate candidate for November. The primary winner will face former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers for the seat currently held by Sen. Gary Peters, who is retiring. Although Mallory McMorrow remains on the ballot after suspending her campaign, the contest has effectively narrowed to establishment-backed Rep. Haley Stevens and progressive Abdul El-Sayed. Stevens has represented Michigan’s 11th Congressional District since 2019.

It is, to paraphrase Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a choice between normal and crazy. El-Sayed, who wants to abolish ICE, eliminate oil and gas, ban school choice, deny arms shipments to U.S. ally Israel, sharply raise taxes, provide tuition-free four-year college degrees and establish a wealth tax, will likely win the primary. Stevens, in contrast, is a normal liberal Democrat.

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Why should you care? Because the critical Michigan contest could well determine whether Democrats take over the Senate in November and effectively shut down the Trump agenda.

If you agree that there is much more work to do to strengthen our immigration laws, make American energy permanently accessible, level the trade playing field for U.S. companies, purge our welfare programs of fraud, appoint more conservative judges, promote new industries and improve our health care system, you will not want to see the virtual end of the Trump presidency.

That is what is at stake.

The Michigan race will also indicate whether the progressive left — the ideological home of the Democratic Socialists of America — has the support of mainstream voters in a Midwestern purple state or instead represents a fringe element born of an intellectually bankrupt Democratic Party whose sole message for the past 12 years has been its hatred of President Trump.

SOCIALISM’S RISE INSIDE THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NOW THREATENS THE AMERICAN DREAM

If El-Sayed wins the primary but is defeated in the November election, the progressive left will lose steam and have less say in choosing the Democratic presidential nominee in 2028.

That would be good for Democrats and good for the United States.

It would also be good for Israel and for American Jews. The Michigan contest is as much about support for the Middle East’s only democracy and a close U.S. ally as it is about tax policy or Medicare for All, which El-Sayed endorses. AIPAC, the pro-Israel lobbying group, and affiliated groups have spent about $30 million supporting Stevens and opposing El-Sayed in the race, which has already become the most expensive Democratic Senate primary in history.

JEWISH MICHIGAN DEMOCRATS ADMIT THEY WILL VOTE REPUBLICAN IF ABDUL EL-SAYED BECOMES NOMINEE

The race is a proxy battle for the heart of the Democratic Party, pitting El-Sayed supporters Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., against popular Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., and Peters, all of whom are backing Stevens.

Stevens’ supporters claim she has a better chance of beating Rogers in the fall than El-Sayed does. RealClearPolling averages support that claim, showing Stevens leading Rogers in a potential November matchup while El-Sayed narrowly trails him.

Republican Rogers ran for the Senate before, losing by only half a percentage point to Democrat Elissa Slotkin, a former CIA analyst and Defense Department employee. At the time, Democrats had lost only two Senate seats in 52 years. Many of these Senate races were fiercely competitive, which was not surprising. Michigan is an authentic swing state. Trump won the state in 2016, lost it to Joe Biden in 2020 and won it again in 2024.

Rogers, a veteran, a seven-term congressman and a businessman, is campaigning with the endorsement of President Donald Trump, as he did in 2024.

Michigan holds open primaries, prompting speculation that Republicans might cross party lines to vote for El-Sayed, thinking the inexperienced Muslim candidate would be easier to beat in November. There is no evidence that this is happening.

Another quirk of the race is that the UAW has endorsed El-Sayed, despite his opponent’s ties to the auto industry. Stevens served as chief of staff for the Presidential Task Force on the Auto Industry, "the federal initiative that helped save General Motors, Chrysler, and over 200,000 Michigan jobs during the Great Recession." In addition, she helped build the Office of Recovery for Automotive Communities and Workers in the Obama White House.

In contrast, El-Sayed has no real ties to the auto industry or its workers. Since expanding to include more than 100,000 higher education workers, the UAW has been hijacked by leftist elements. The union recently endorsed a candidate in a New York City Democratic primary who ran on a platform opposing federal highway spending and embracing public transportation. The UAW endorsement does not mean what it used to.

El-Sayed has not declared himself a member of the DSA but shares many attributes with that group’s newly elected candidates. Some of his funding, like that of former Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner, has come from his family, with his father-in-law, a nephrologist at a Detroit hospital, donating $300,000 to an independent super PAC supporting his candidacy. He is also campaigning with Hasan Piker, the far-left antisemite who once said that America deserved the 9/11 terrorist attacks, which killed thousands.

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And, like other progressives, El-Sayed’s résumé is paper-thin. He was appointed executive director and health officer of the Detroit Health Department in 2015 but resigned in 2017 to run for governor of Michigan. He came in second in the 2018 primary. He worked for the Wayne County Department of Health, Human, and Veterans Services starting in 2023 but left two years later to run for the Senate. He points to his emergency leadership of the county’s scandal-plagued juvenile detention facility as a key accomplishment, but local news fact-checkers have scrutinized that claim as overstating the extent of the recovery.

The star-struck liberal media have unsurprisingly spent little time investigating his performance in those two posts.

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If he wins, that will change, and El-Sayed’s spotty and opportunistic record will become campaign fodder. He is favored by young, white, anti-Israel liberals. Whether that group can propel him across the finish line in November is questionable.

We fervently hope not.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM LIZ PEEK

Socialist insurgents eye Midwest gains as Dem civil war threatens must-hold Senate seat

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:00:13 -0400

DETROIT, MI - The high-stakes fight between the left-wing and the center-left establishment for the future of the Democratic Party is front-and-center on Tuesday in Michigan's primary.

Boosted by a string of victories this spring in mostly blue congressional districts across the country, the Democrats' ideological war moves to the Great Lakes battleground state, where progressive victories could reshape the party and endanger must-hold seats in the midterm elections.

Also at stake as Michigan joins Kansas, Missouri, Virginia and Washington State in holding mid-summer primaries is President Donald Trump's immense clout over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican nominating contests.

But taking top billing is Michigan's divisive and expensive Democratic Senate primary, which is seen as the biggest stage to date in the fierce fight for the future of the Democratic Party.

THE MIDTERM SENATE RACES THAT COULD FLIP THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CONGRESS

"This is ground zero in the battle for the future of the Democratic Party, pitting status quo corporate Democrats against shake up the system economic fighters, and we’ll see who wins," Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee (PCCC), a leading group on the left, told Fox News Digital.

The primary face-off pits Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County Health Department director, against Rep. Haley Stevens, a more moderate candidate backed by the establishment. The race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who is backing Stevens, is a must-hold for the Democrats and one of roughly a dozen Senate races from coast to coast that will determine if Republicans hold onto their slim Senate majority.

Matt Bennett, one of the leaders at the Third Way, a leading center-left Democratic organization, told Fox News Digital the Michigan showdown is "the first time the left is competing for a swing seat" and warned, "the significance is it could really put this seat in jeopardy."

El-Sayed, who, if elected, would make history as the nation's first Muslim senator, is an epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018. He has made support for "Medicare-for-all" a major component of his campaign.

The far-left candidate has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), and is a vocal critic of Israel amid its war with Hamas — even characterizing Israel's actions in Gaza as "genocide" against Palestinians.

MIKE ROGERS ARGUES ABDUL EL-SAYED IS 'A SPECIAL SAUCE OF CRAZY'

And El-Sayed, who is backed by top far-left leaders and teamed with progressive champions Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York on the Michigan campaign trail two weeks ago, and who served as a top surrogate on Sanders' 2020 presidential campaign, has vowed not to accept PAC donations.

Stevens, who flipped a GOP-held district in her 2018 election to Congress, is backed by top national and Michigan Democrats, including Peters, term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, and longtime Senate Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer.

Schumer and the party establishment view Stevens as more electable than El-Sayed, who has sparked controversy with his past comments.

"I am the best Democrat to go forward. I am the only person in this race who has won tough primaries multiple times. You know, running with the Michigan grit, resilience and determination," Stevens told Fox News Digital on Sunday, as she teamed up with Peters on the campaign trail.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

Over $80 million has been spent on the primary showdown, making it the most expensive Democratic Senate nomination race in history. Much of the money has been shelled out by outside groups in support of Stevens and against El-Sayed. The biggest spending comes from United Democracy Project, a political action committee aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC).

El-Sayed, who has repeatedly attacked Stevens over the massive infusion of AIPAC-linked money, told reporters on Sunday, "If you need $70 million to come in here and help get you elected, then the question has to be, are you actually electable on your own terms."

The winner will face off in the midterms against former Republican Rep. Mike Rogers, who is on a glidepath to win the GOP Senate nomination.

The Trump-backed Rogers, who lost the 2024 Senate election in Michigan by a razor-thin margin, said in a Fox News Digital interview that he doesn't care whom he faces off with in November.

"It doesn't matter to us. We've looked at both candidates. We feel confident we're going to beat either one of those candidates that come out of that race," Rogers highlighted.

And Rogers claimed, "They are very radical, and they are way too extreme for Michigan. I mean, Abdul, he has his own special sauce of crazy."

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But Democrats are confident they can regroup after a combustible primary.

"Let's make sure that anyone but Mike Rogers gets to the United States Senate," Stevens told reporters on Sunday. "After the primary, you're going to see a united Democratic Party. You are going to see us going full force, full fledged ahead."

And El-Sayed told Fox News Digital, "I think we all understand the risk of Donald Trump. We all understand the risk of Mike Rogers."

The left-wing versus establishment battle is also playing out in Michigan's 7th Congressional District, a key Republican-controlled swing seat race that's among roughly two-dozen that will impact whether the GOP holds onto its fragile House majority.

William Lawrence, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement, which advocates for political action to tackle climate change, is on the rise against two more moderate Democrats. Lawrence is backed by Sanders and El-Sayed, as well as some top progressive groups. The primary winner will face GOP Rep. Tom Barrett in the general election.

The party civil war is also on display in Michigan's deep blue 13th Congressional District.

MEET THE FAR LEFT INSURGENTS WAGING WAR ON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THE 2026 MIDTERMS

Rep. Shri Thanedar, who is supported by top House Democratic leaders, is being challenged by state Rep. Donovan McKinney, who is backed by Sanders, El-Sayed, and "Squad" members Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania.

And the ideological warfare is also front-and-center in Missouri, in the state's St. Louis-based and heavily Democratic 1st Congressional District.

Rep. Wesley Bell is facing off in a rematch against former Rep. Cori Bush, a Squad member who Bell ousted in the 2024 primary.

Trump's endorsements are getting tested in two statewide showdowns on Tuesday, in Michigan and Kansas.

The president is backing Rep. John James in Michigan's GOP gubernatorial primary. James, a West Point graduate and one-time Republican rising star, is facing off against multi-millionaire businessman Perry Johnson, a former gubernatorial and presidential candidate.

The winner will take on likely Democratic nominee and current Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, in the race to succeed Whitmer.

In Kansas, Trump is supporting state Senate President Ty Masterson in a crowded field of Republican gubernatorial contenders.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited, which makes the race to succeed her a top flip opportunity for the GOP.

In Washington State, the marquee primary showdown is in the state's 3rd Congressional District, where Democratic Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, a former auto shop co-owner, is facing a crowded field of challengers from both parties.

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Washington state has a top-two primary system in which all candidates, regardless of party, compete on the same ballot and the two highest vote-getters move on to the general election.

The race is another crucial House showdown that may decide the chamber's majority.

In Virginia, voters head to the polls to cast ballots in Senate primaries and in a handful of House primaries in extremely competitive districts that may impact the balance of power on Capitol Hill.

I was a female athlete, now I fight for them in court. We need more Sophie Cunninghams

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 05:00:08 -0400

Sports have played a crucial role throughout my life. Growing up, I ran cross-country and was coached by my dad in basketball, until I found my true love: volleyball. I loved being a setter to the point that I dreamed about making plays. It taught me the things a sport often does: willpower, loyalty, discipline and how to come back swinging when you get knocked down.

But what I remember most is simply how much I loved it. My obsession even dictated the college I chose, where a devastating injury broke my heart and ended my career. There’s one thing I feel obligated to tell you, though: I was never going to be a collegiate star.

I went to a small school, and I still stand today at my maximum height of 5 feet flat. What I lacked in stature, I assure you, I did not lack in heart. I was a scrappy competitor, and I took losses hard. (Some would say I still do.) I embraced every morning and late night, the bruises and broken bones — not because I was destined to be Division I, but simply because I loved it.

JEMELE HILL TAKES AIM AT SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM AS STORM CONTROVERSY GROWS OVER GIRLS SUPPORTING WOMEN’S SPORTS

I gained friendships, grit, and drive I’m confident I wouldn’t have gained elsewhere. And I say this, admittedly, not as a promising up-and-comer, but just a girl who loved playing. I step into a different court these days, but I still carry the grit that women’s athletics gave me when I walk into a courtroom.

Enter Sophie Cunningham.

In a now-famous ESPN interview, the Indiana Fever star, who calls herself politically "very much in the middle," said she wants to protect young girls "who shouldn’t have to go against biological men." With that love, she added, comes truth.

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM DOUBLES DOWN AHEAD OF SUN GAME AFTER ESPN PROFILE STIRS CONTROVERSY: 'I SAID WHAT I SAID'

After the media clutched their pearls over her saying biological sex is real, she doubled down, called it "common sense" and posted on Instagram saying, "I said what I said." No apology tour. No caveats. Just the truth, said twice for the people in the back. Her bold stand has sparked an important nationwide conversation in the days since and a whole gamut of supporters and detractors.

This is the courage aspiring female athletes need, especially in a league that partners with Girls in the Game, which says that one of its values is "moving beyond the binary of ‘girl.’" Tell that to the girl who sacrificed everything to reach the podium.

Women’s sports had a banner year. In two cases, Alliance Defending Freedom litigated alongside the courageous leadership of Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador and West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that sex matters and that states can protect women’s sports under Title IX. That’s a win for every girl in those 27 states.

'SAVE WOMEN'S SPORTS' LEGAL DEFENSE AND TRANS ATHLETE'S ATTORNEYS SPEAK OUT AFTER LANDMARK SCOTUS RULING

But what does this mean for Kallie Keeler in Washington, who had to report a sexual assault after competing against a male wrestler during a match? For Selina Soule, Chelsea Mitchell, Alanna Smith and Ashley Nicoletti, still waiting for Connecticut to stand up for the girls who are losing to boys today? For girls in California forced to compete against biologically male athletes like AB Hernandez?

It means we’re coming for the 23 remaining states. A girl’s equal opportunity shouldn’t hinge on her ZIP code. Our daughters deserve better than lawyers who can’t define what a woman is — better than professional athletes with platforms who think it’s fine for men to steal the podium from the girls coming up behind them.

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And they deserve far better than a WNBA co-owner swearing at them for holding a sign that read, "Thank you, Sophie, for speaking up for girls!" The newly suspended Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton forgot that love tells the truth.

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But Sophie remembered. At the height of her career, she took a stand for truth while others chose cowardice. Speaking truth should be praised, not punished.

There are young girls who dream of being the next big star. And there are also girls who just love the game like I did. They all deserve fair play. Where are the women willing to stand up, inspire greatness, and tell the truth? Ladies, we’re pointing the finger at you.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM KRISTEN WAGGONER

Washington man arrested on arson charge tied to devastating Spokane wildfire

Tue, 04 Aug 2026 03:11:58 -0400

A Washington state man was arrested Monday on a first-degree arson charge in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of several wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of structures and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate the Spokane area, authorities said.

Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was taken into custody after Spokane County Sheriff’s Office detectives and Washington Department of Natural Resources investigators developed probable cause to arrest him, according to the sheriff’s office.

Citizen tips and information from Airway Heights police officers and Spokane County sheriff’s deputies who responded to the initial call and conducted evacuations helped lead investigators to Farinacci, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities described Farinacci as a convicted felon from Arizona but said they had found no documented criminal history involving fires.

Investigators have not connected Farinacci to the two other major blazes burning in the area, the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires, officials said.

PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY DRIVEN BY 'SOCIETAL REVENGE,' BEHAVIORAL ANALYST TESTIFIES IN COURT

"We will be looking into any other crimes Mr. Farinacci may have committed in the past," Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said during a news briefing.

Nowels said first-degree arson was the charge supported by probable cause at that stage of the investigation and cautioned that the case could change as authorities gathered additional evidence.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Farinacci and a search warrant for his residence in the 2800 block of West Elliott Drive, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies served the warrant Monday and arrested Farinacci without incident. Authorities said detectives found a butane lighter and waterproof matches while detaining and searching him.

SPENCER PRATT REACTS TO SPOKANE DEVASTATION WITH BLUNT WILDFIRE WARNING AND MESSAGE OF FAITH

Farinacci was booked into the Spokane County Jail and was being held on $1 million bond.

The Old Trails Fire was first reported Saturday near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road. It became the largest of three destructive fires burning around Spokane and remained uncontained Monday, according to authorities and wire reports.

The three fires had collectively destroyed at least 700 structures and prompted evacuation orders affecting approximately 67,000 people as of Monday, according to The Associated Press. More than 1,000 firefighters were battling the blazes.

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Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency Saturday amid drought, unusually high temperatures and strong winds. The declaration also imposed a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through Sept. 30.

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I was a female athlete, now I fight for them in court. We need more Sophie Cunninghams

Washington man arrested on arson charge tied to devastating Spokane wildfire