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What are the Fox News Power Rankings?

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 08:59:54 -0500

Fox News Power Rankings provide insight into the competitiveness of elections. Each ranking is informed by data, reporting, and analysis.

Which races are ranked?

Power Rankings are available for every President, U.S. Senate, U.S. House and Governor’s race each election cycle.

What does each ranking mean?

Races are assigned to one of seven categories:

Toss-Up: Neither party has an advantage.
Lean D or Lean R: One party has an edge but the race is highly competitive.
Likely D or Likely R: One party leads but the race is competitive.
Solid D or Solid R: This race is not competitive.

Rankings are pre-election predictions. In other words, they are based on known information about a race before any votes are counted.

Rankings predict the outcome of an election result. For example, if a race is labeled "Likely R," it means that the Republican candidate is likely to win the race, not necessarily that the candidate will win by a large number of votes.

How are the rankings decided?

Power Rankings are driven by data, reporting, and analysis. The three factors are:

Polling: The results of recent Fox News Polls and other polls that meet Fox News editorial standards.
Election fundamentals: Results from previous elections and relevant non-election data, like demographic data and economic figures.
Candidate strength: Fundraising reports, incumbency data, and reporting from the campaign trail.

The rankings are nonpartisan. Democratic and Republican sources may provide information about a race but have no influence on ranking decisions.

How is the forecast decided?

President

To win a presidential election, a candidate must win a majority of Electoral College votes, or 270 votes. Electoral votes are awarded to the winner of the popular vote in each state.

(Maine and Nebraska award two votes to their statewide winner and one vote to the winner of the presidential vote in each of the states’ congressional districts.)

The Power Rankings forecast is a calculation of the total number of electoral votes for states categorized as Solid, Likely, or Lean for each party. Toss Up states are not added to either party’s total votes.

A candidate with at least 270 electoral votes is the predicted winner. If neither candidate has at least 270 votes, terms like ‘lead’ or ‘edge’ are used depending on the strength of their advantage.

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Senate & House

To win control of the Senate, a party must win a majority of seats, or 51 seats. The same applies to the House, where 218 seats is a majority.

The Power Rankings forecast is a calculation of the total number of seats categorized as Solid, Likely, or Lean for each party. Toss Up seats are not added to either party’s total seats.

A party with the majority of seats in the Senate and/or House is predicted to have control of that chamber. If neither party has a majority, terms like ‘lead’ or ‘edge’ are used depending on the strength of their advantage.

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How does the Power Rankings Issues Tracker work?

The Fox News Power Rankings Issues Tracker measures the advantage a candidate or party has on specific issues. For every issue, it compares an average of polls that measure whom voters trust more on that issue.

For example, if the average of polls show 60% of voters trust the GOP more on the economy, while 40% trust the Democrats more, the tracker shows a 20-point lead for the GOP on the economy issue.

If a candidate or party’s advantage is outside the margin of error of the tracker, then the candidate leads on that issue. If their advantage is within the margin of error, terms like ‘edge’ or ‘ahead’ are used.

The number for each issue is calculated by averaging recent polls that:

Meet the same standards as those included in the Power Rankings, and
Ask voters whether they believe a candidate or party could "better handle" or "address" a given issue, or words to that effect.

Questions about candidate qualities like honesty and age usually do not ask respondents to compare the candidates within the question, so for some categories, the tracker is calculated by averaging "yes" (or positive) answers to the same question for each candidate.

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The tracker shows which candidate or party voters prefer on an issue, not how important the issue is to their vote.

Issues and qualities are included in the tracker if the Fox News Poll or at least two other eligible polls asked about them.

Aaron Rodgers reconciling with his parents after nearly a dozen years of estrangement

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:14:24 -0400

If being happy and fulfilled helps a person at work, then Aaron Rodgers is apparently setting the table for a good final NFL season because his strained relationship with his parents seems to be healing.

Rodgers and his parents have been estranged for nearly a dozen years and perhaps longer.

But on Monday evening the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback posted on Instagram new photos of himself with his mother Darla Rodgers and father Ed Rodgers.

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And there seemed to be a good amount of joy in the snapshots.

Rodgers is seen in one photo with his arm around his mom while she embraces him with both arms. Both are smiling at the camera.

Rodgers and his father can be seen in the next photograph standing side-by-side, smiling, with their arms around each other's backs.

"Another bonding week," Rodgers wrote.

And then he added the hashtag "#fam."

This is not nothing.

The estrangement between Rodgers and his parents has been one of the NFL's most-discussed family stories despite the fact neither the quarterback nor his parents have ever pointed to one critical reason for the problem.

Most reporting is based on observations from family members, friends, former partners, and Rodgers' own comments over time. All of those have sometimes been used to paint Rodgers in a certain way – usually as aloof or haughty in articles that typically were unflattering.

Ed told the New York Times years ago that the family stopped communicating with Rodgers around 2014.

"It's complicated," he said of the reason.

The situation became widely known when younger brother Jordan Rodgers appeared on ABC's "The Bachelorette" show and said, "Me and Aaron don't really have that much of a relationship."

"It's kind of the way he's chosen to do life," Jordan added.

Not good.

Rodgers, meanwhile, suggested in a 2024 Netflix documentary that he started growing apart from his family well before 2014.

He cited his family's religious beliefs, differing value systems, and feeling emotionally unsupported as some factors that contributed to the unquestionable rift.

It should be noted Rodgers has been the most prominent active NFL player to openly discuss using ayahuasca, a psychoactive Amazonian plant brew traditionally used in Indigenous spiritual ceremonies, and has also embraced Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine.

He's gone on so-called darkness retreats, and discussed interest in psychedelic mushrooms.

All of that perhaps explains why Rodgers, who grew up in an evangelical Christian environment, may have rejected his family for a time.

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"I started to stand up to the institutions of my youth," he said in the Netflix documentary.

But the past couple of weeks have shown a different side of Rodgers – at least based on the photos he's posted on social media.

He spent time with teammates last week in what he called a bonding week in preparation for his final NFL season.

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And now, at age 42 and on the cusp of his 22nd NFL season, he seems to be settling family business before what he has called the "last rodeo."

The Pittsburgh Steelers and Rodgers report to training camp in Latrobe, Pa., on July 28.

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SJSU volleyball coach's alleged assault victim speaks out for the first time since allegations surfaced

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:13:15 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: The woman who has accused current San Jose State University (SJSU) head volleyball coach Todd Kress of attacking her in a hotel room has come forward with her first statements since the allegations went public. Kress is widely known for overseeing the controversial 2024 season that was overshadowed by a trans athlete scandal involving Blaire Fleming and female teammate Brooke Slusser.

The woman, who previously played for Kress at Fairfield University, informed SJSU officials in October 2024 of her alleged experience with the coach.

"SJSU has known I feared for the safety of the women in the program since October of 2024 and yet they have allowed Todd to continue to coach and travel with the team," she told Fox News Digital on the condition of anonymity.

"I informed both Fairfield and SJSU of my 1998 encounter with Todd after reading accounts of young women on the 2024 SJSU team describing his intimidation, coercive, and manipulative behaviors.

"Why don’t some women come forward after being assaulted by those in positions of power? It’s a fair question. One needs to look no further than the situation at SJSU."

INSIDE THE FALLOUT OF THE SJSU VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: ‘THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM’

Kress's alleged victim is speaking out two weeks after the allegations were first reported.

Neither SJSU nor Kress has addressed the allegations since then despite multiple inquiries, and the coach has made multiple social media posts boasting his new recruiting class in that time as well.

Fox News Digital reported on July 7 that during the SJSU volleyball trans athlete scandal's peak in the fall of 2024, administrators received an email from the woman in October of that year. The email included a letter to Fairfield that included the allegations that Kress attacked the player in a hotel room in 1998.

Emails obtained by Fox News Digital via an independent verified source show that SJSU officials acknowledged the receipt of the allegations, met with the former Fairfield player and her lawyer, thanked her for coming forward and even apologized for her experiences.

Fox News Digital submitted a public records request to SJSU seeking emails related to an investigation of those allegations, but the request was denied, with SJSU citing privacy exemptions and attorney-client privilege.

"Did SJSU investigate my complaint? They were given information that would have allowed them to corroborate my claims. Their refusal to release their investigative steps and final determination allows for much speculation," the former player added.

"My singular motivation was a hope that in bringing to the attention of school administrators what Todd did to me, they might act to protect young women. I trusted the system and chose to operate without public attention."

Fox News Digital has verified her identity and that she played for Kress at Fairfield in 1998.

Slusser, who played under Kress for two seasons in 2023-24, previously told Fox News Digital that she and other teammates in 2024 were not told of the allegations that fall.

"The school gave us absolutely zero information. This was never brought up once." Slusser said. Slusser is currently suing SJSU for her own alleged experience playing under Kress and alongside Fleming.

The alleged incident involving Kress and the former Fairfield player occurred in a hotel after Fairfield’s loss to Clemson in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament in December, according to her letter.

Part of the letter alleges, "He immediately took caramel from a plastic container and smeared it all over my face and hair. He then forcibly threw me on the bed and held me down. I was in shock. He let go of me and then pulled his pants down and put his back side in my face.

SJSU DIDN'T PENALIZE VOLLEYBALL COACH DURING TRANS SCANDAL AMID TITLE IX COMPLAINTS, FEDERAL FINDINGS ALLEGE

"Todd again grabbed me, picked me up, and threw me into the bathtub where he held me down and threatened to turn on the shower with me laying there to ‘clean the caramel off of my face.’ At this point I was fighting back to get away from him.

"Todd let me get out of the tub, laughing, and then he stood in front of the door blocking my exit. Todd told me he would only let me leave if I took a shot of liquor, which I did only to get him to move away from the door. Once he did, I ran for it. He chased me. I got into my room and although he seemed to be in a rage, he turned and calmly walked out," the letter alleges.

Fox News Digital has sent multiple inquiries to Kress, SJSU and the California State University system (CSU) for a response to the allegations and the player's latest statements, but none of the parties has addressed the issue.

The allegations have been public for 14 days.

A U.S. Department of Education (ED) Title IX investigation into SJSU over the transgender scandal determined that the university allegedly made the decision to not suspend or relieve its head volleyball coach during the team's 2024 transgender scandal, despite Title IX-related complaints against the coach. The investigation’s findings made no mention of the former Fairfield player and her letter.

The findings do not mention the coach by name, but Fox News Digital reasonably believes the figure titled "Coach 2" in the findings to be Kress.

"Additional notes indicate the decision to not suspend Coach 2 also included the improper consideration: 'If we relieve him… [w]e could also spark more media attention…. ' University records indicate University officials, including the President of the University, agreed to not suspend Coach 2 because they felt his suspension would unduly disrupt the team," the findings state.

However, the investigation did not disclose what those complaints were, and SJSU and the CSU are suing the department to challenge those findings.

Meanwhile, former associated head coach Melissa Batie-Smoose was suspended and later did not have her contract renewed, after submitting a Title IX complaint over the team's alleged handling of Fleming and the women on the team in 2024. Batie-Smoose is waging a wrongful termination lawsuit against SJSU.

SJSU has withheld relevant records and has not responded to questions

Fox News Digital recently submitted a public records request to SJSU seeking emails related to SJSU's investigation of the allegations against Kress, but the request was denied.

"SJSU has conducted a reasonable search for these records under California Government Code §7922.535 and has determined the requested records are not disclosable under the Public Records Act," the SJSU public records office responded.

"First, the request seeks documents exempt under attorney-client privilege. Additionally, the requested communications implicate substantial privacy interests. Disclosure of these records would therefore constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighs the public interest in disclosure."

Prior to that, Fox News Digital submitted a formal public records request to San Jose State University seeking copies of the Oct. 24, 2024 complaint letter that was sent to the school by Kress's former player, a Nov. 1 follow-up email, and a Nov. 7 response to the woman from the university's Title IX office.

But that record was also denied.

"The requested communications implicate substantial privacy interests," the university's response stated.

"Disclosure of these records would therefore constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighs the public interest in disclosure. Specifically, these records are being withheld subject to the following exemptions: Personnel Records/Privacy... General Privacy Rights... [and the] Balancing Test. Here, the public interest served by disclosure is minimal and is outweighed by the public interest served against disclosure in protecting substantial and significant privacy rights."

Fox News Digital was given copies of emails exchanged between SJSU and the former Fairfield player, from an independently verified source. The letter with the allegations was forwarded to SJSU administration on Oct. 24, 2024, and a response acknowledging receipt of the letter was sent later that same day.

Then on Nov. 4, 2024, former SJSU interim Title IX and Gender Equity Officer Peter Lim reached out to set up a meeting with the former player and her attorney.

"Thank you for sharing your concerns about Coach Todd Kress. I am sorry to hear about your experiences. I have reviewed your letter and would like to meet with you to better understand your experiences with Coach Kress. The purpose of the meeting would be to help me assess potential next steps, which may or may not include an investigation into the reported conduct," Lim wrote.

Three days after that, on Nov. 7, Lim sent another email to the former Fairfield player, thanking her and her attorney for meeting with them.

"I am so sorry about your prior experiences with Todd Kress at Fairfield University. I appreciate the time you took to describe those experiences, the impact those experiences continue to have on you, and the safety threat that you believe he presents to SJSU’s volleyball team," Lim wrote.

"We are evaluating the information you provided and determining appropriate next steps. If it is okay with the two of you, I would appreciate staying in touch."

There was no further correspondence between the two parties after that exchange, Fox News Digital has learned.

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Fox News Digital has posed multiple questions to Kress, Lim, SJSU admins and public records office clerks, and CSU spokespeople regarding their responses to the allegations, the woman's recent statements, Slusser's statements, what, if any, investigation took place into the allegations, and why they deem disclosure of the requested records are not enough in the public interest to warrant disclosure. But no response to those questions has been given by any of the parties.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Fairfield for a response to the former player's allegations and recent statement, but was told by a spokesperson, "The university does not comment on former or current personnel matters."

Prince William, Kate Middleton finally feel free to show affection in public: experts

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:00:24 -0400

Prince William and Kate Middleton's increasingly affectionate public appearances have caught royal watchers' attention, with experts saying the couple are entering a happier, more relaxed chapter following a difficult few years.

On William and Middleton's official Instagram account, the couple shared a photo of themselves embracing in a deep hug after completing the National Three Peaks Challenge for The Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

During the challenge, Middleton hiked the three tallest mountains in Scotland, England, and Wales, which raised money for the charity which directly supports The Royal Marsden – the hospital she received her cancer treatment from.

Just a few days later, the Prince and Princess of Wales were spotted holding hands at the DMMI Royal Charity Polo Cup 2026.

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Hilary Fordwich, British Royals Expert, told Fox News Digital that the up in PDA "shows a wonderful steadiness in their relationship" and family cohesion.

"Which bodes so well for the future of the monarchy and traditional marital loyalty under intense media scrutiny," she continued.

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Fordwich continued, "We can see first-hand genuine affection but still with a degree of restraint. It is so reassuring as their solid marriage is the foundation of their stable household, which is greatly appreciated after not only the divorce of Prince William’s parents but of his uncle and aunt."

She pointed out that their marriage "hasn't changed over time," but it has strengthened as they become more comfortable as the future king and queen.

"No doubt their sharing the stress & strains of Princess Catherine’s cancer has had a great part in this as well as the tremendous outpouring of public affection seeing her healthy return has buoyed her spirits immensely," Fordwich said. "Due to the response from the public at large, she feels ever more at ease publicly & more confident too."

The British royal expert shared that Middleton and William are not only hands-on with each other, but also with their kids.

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"In private they share family & household roles. They purposely don’t have an extensive staff. They both want to be hands-on with all their three children & have embraced this together. It has drawn them ever more closer," she concluded.

Helena Chard, British broadcaster and photographer, told Fox News Digital that the public displays of affection mirror Middleton's "real sense of renewal and being truly thankful for another chance" after her cancer battle in 2024.

"Together, they feel very lucky. Their experience seems to have brought them even closer. The warmth and ease we see publicly isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about two people who don’t take a single day together for granted. At the heart of it is partnership, family, and a shared determination to make the most of what matters most," Chard said.

She continued, "The Prince and Princess of Wales have grown into themselves. Older, wiser, and more assured, they’re stepping purposefully into their future roles. They’re grounded, comfortable, and they balance each other beautifully."

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William and Middleton's love story began in 2001 when they met as students at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland. After years of dating, including a brief split in 2007 that ultimately strengthened their relationship, William proposed during a trip to Kenya in 2010 with Princess Diana's iconic sapphire engagement ring.

The couple married in a globally televised ceremony at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011, and have since built a family with their three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis. They celebrated 15 years of marriage this spring.

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Two House races take center stage as conservative PAC launches multimillion-dollar Big Tech push

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:00:18 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: A conservative super PAC focused on policy involving artificial intelligence is making its first campaign investments, throwing its support behind two Republican candidates in House races it views as critical to the GOP's hopes of keeping control of the chamber.

Fox News Digital has learned from a person familiar that Defending Our Values PAC is backing Rhett Marques in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District and Scott Singer in Florida's 25th Congressional District.

Republicans hold only a slim majority in the House, meaning a small number of competitive races could determine which party controls Congress after the 2026 midterm elections. According to the person familiar with the super PAC's plans, Defending Our Values views both contests as key opportunities to help Republicans preserve their House majority.

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The group's political push comes as artificial intelligence has rapidly emerged as one of Capitol Hill's biggest policy debates, with lawmakers weighing how to regulate fast-moving technology while preserving American innovation and maintaining the country's technological edge over China. Defending Our Values argues conservatives, rather than Silicon Valley executives, should play a leading role in shaping those policies.

While Defending Our Values announced a $15 million election effort last week, the group had not previously disclosed which candidates would receive its support.

Marques and Singer are the first candidates to become beneficiaries of that effort, according to the person with knowledge of the investments. The organization selected the pair because it believes they would be among Congress' strongest advocates for taking on Big Tech, strengthening online protections for children and families, and advancing policies aimed at helping the United States outpace China in artificial intelligence innovation.

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Both candidates are navigating crowded Republican primaries before what are expected to be competitive general election contests.

Marques is facing multiple candidates in the Republican primary in Alabama's 2nd Congressional District, and has been endorsed by President Donald Trump and Sen. Katie Britt, R-Ala.

Alabama is scheduled to hold a special Republican primary on Aug. 11 following redistricting.

Singer, similarly, is competing in his own crowded Republican primary in Florida's 25th Congressional District. He has been endorsed by Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, among other Republicans, ahead of the Aug. 18 primary election.

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According to the person familiar with the super PAC's plans, the group's spending is intended not only to help Marques and Singer emerge from crowded Republican primaries but also to boost their name recognition heading into November's general election.

If he secures the nomination, Marques would face incumbent Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Ala.

Singer, if he wins, would likely face Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., one of Trump's most outspoken Democrat critics in Congress.

Forget the mojito: Experts say Ernest Hemingway's signature drink was likely something else

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:00:17 -0400

As Ernest Hemingway's birthday rolls around each July, Florida bars from Key West to Miami Beach shake mojitos in tribute to the Nobel Prize-winning author. But Hemingway scholars say one of the writer's most enduring cocktail legends is probably just that — a legend.

"His connection to the mojito is probably more myth than reality," said Mark Ott, a Hemingway scholar who has edited the Teaching Hemingway book series and served as a consulting editor on Ken Burns' and Lynn Novick's "Hemingway" documentary. "There's not much of a record of him drinking mojitos."

The myth is often traced to Havana, Cuba's famed La Bodeguita del Medio, where a handwritten inscription attributed to Hemingway proclaims, "My mojito in La Bodeguita, my daiquiri in El Floridita."

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But historians have long questioned both the authenticity of the signature and whether the restaurant even operated in its current form during much of Hemingway's time in Cuba, where he wrote "The Old Man and the Sea" — which earned him a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1953.

Still, the inscription has become a staple of tourism and cocktail culture.

By contrast, Hemingway's affection for daiquiris is well-documented. Ott said the author was a regular at El Floridita in Havana, where bartenders developed what became known as the papa doble, a variation of the daiquiri made with extra rum and no added sugar.

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"The daiquiri is Hemingway," agreed Frank Gonzalez, corporate beverage director for Havana 1957, a South Florida restaurant group known for its Cuban cocktails.

Gonzalez said Hemingway likely enjoyed both mojitos and daiquiris during his years in Cuba but that his drinking habits changed over time.

"He became diabetic, so he had to avoid drinks or cocktails with sugar," Gonzalez told Fox News Digital.

Reporting over the years has similarly revealed that while Hemingway almost certainly visited La Bodeguita del Medio, the evidence linking him to mojitos is thin.

Contemporary accounts, letters and biographies much more frequently place a daiquiri, beer, wine or scotch in his hand than Cuba's mint-and-lime cocktail.

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For Ott, the historical record speaks for itself.

"There's literally thousands of photographs of Hemingway," he told Fox News Digital. "I have never seen one where he actually has a mojito in his hand. … You'll see lots of photos with him and beer bottles in his hands, for example, or mixing up martinis and things like that, but never with minty leaves floating on the top of a glass."

One drink Hemingway did favor, Ott said, was scotch.

"He certainly liked his scotch," Ott said. "There's no question about that."

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That doesn't mean mojitos deserve any less appreciation, Gonzalez said.

He calls the classic combination of white rum, fresh lime juice, mint, sugar and soda water one of Cuba's most enduring cocktails — as long as it's made with fresh ingredients and a gentle muddle.

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Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899.

He died on July 2, 1961, at age 61.

'America's Most Wanted' fugitive laid blueprint for vanishing before 20-year escape: affidavit

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 06:00:11 -0400

An "America's Most Wanted" fugitive spent days preparing for his disappearance before vanishing more than 20 years ago, according to newly reviewed court documents detailing emails to his attorney, a canceled flight to London and literature on changing identities found inside his home.

Ronald L. Fischer, 69, was captured Thursday aboard a sailboat off the New Jersey coast after spending more than two decades on the run following his disappearance during a Rhode Island sexual assault trial.

The FBI told Fox News Digital last week that the breakthrough came after an online sleuth tipped off investigators, ultimately leading the agency and the U.S. Marshals Service to the sailboat where Fischer had been living under the alias Richard Graydon.

'AMERICA'S MOST WANTED' FUGITIVE CAPTURED ON SAILBOAT OFF NJ COAST AFTER 20 YEARS ON THE RUN

Fischer never returned to Rhode Island Superior Court after disappearing during his trial in April 2005. A jury found him guilty of first-degree sexual assault after he fled, and authorities spent more than two decades searching for him before his capture last week.

The newly reviewed affidavit provides the first detailed account of what investigators uncovered in the days after Fischer disappeared.

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A federal affidavit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island says Fischer emailed his attorney on April 23, 2005, telling him he was fleeing the country.

Later that evening, he called each of his daughters and said he was leaving the U.S. Investigators also determined Fischer contacted a New York travel agency before purchasing an American Airlines ticket from Boston to London, then canceled the reservation before boarding the flight.

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Hours later, surveillance cameras captured Fischer returning a rental car to an Enterprise location in Boston shortly after midnight before walking away carrying two travel bags over his shoulder.

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Investigators wrote that Fischer spent the days before his disappearance putting his affairs in order. He transferred vehicles to each of his daughters, instructed them to remove their belongings from his home and disposed of a Jaguar before vanishing.

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Authorities also reviewed an email Fischer allegedly sent to attorney Robert Mann in which they said he explained he had decided not to risk being convicted in state court and instead planned to leave the U.S. to enjoy what he described as "a good, safe, secure and comfortable life."

A search of Fischer's home uncovered literature explaining how people could change their identities and disappear.

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Fischer's ex-wife, Dr. Nancy Stein, told investigators he was well traveled, had friends in other parts of the world –including Brazil –and believed he might attempt to charter a boat.

The U.S. Marshals Service told Fox News Digital investigators believe Fischer likely left the U.S. by boat after disappearing in 2005. Authorities also believe he paid more than $1 million for the 56-foot sailboat "Silver Lining," though they have not yet confirmed when or how he acquired the vessel.

Investigators believe Fischer had been using the alias Richard Graydon since at least 2017, adding he may have adopted it earlier. Authorities also said Fischer may have alternated between living aboard the sailboat and staying on shore during his years as a fugitive.

Federal authorities ultimately obtained an unlawful flight warrant, alleging Fischer had traveled in interstate or foreign commerce to avoid prosecution.

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Fischer's years on the run ended Thursday when investigators intercepted the 56-foot sailboat "Silver Lining" off the New Jersey coast after what the FBI described as "a tip from an online sleuth."

He was taken into custody without incident during a coordinated operation involving the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Coast Guard and other law enforcement agencies.

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The U.S. Marshals Service did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for additional information about where Fischer spent the past two decades, when he first adopted the alias Richard Graydon or how he acquired the sailboat where he was ultimately captured.

Sports cartoons of the day

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

MORNING GLORY: America is winning its battle with Iran. It’s only a matter of time

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:00:49 -0400

In the four months and three weeks since combat began with Iran, the United States has lost 17 or 18 of its warriors (with three or four killed over last weekend), with more than 420 others wounded.

Sixty Israelis have been killed. More than 100 Iraqis have died as a result of the conflict. Our allies in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have all suffered civilian deaths and every country in the region has taken significant damage to its infrastructure.

Iran has suffered military deaths in the thousands with many hundreds of civilians killed as well. The toll on the country’s infrastructure is massive — exponentially larger than that which it has inflicted on its neighbors in the region — with the highest estimates in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Iran’s conventional military has been shattered. Its missile and drone forces have been significantly damaged or expended. It is far, however, from being out of ordnance with which to threaten shipping in the Strait of Hormuz or its neighbors.

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Iran has avoided striking Israel during the most recent 10 days of combat as it fears the response of the Israeli Defense Forces. That is deterrence restored. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard is afraid to strike the Jewish State. Now it must be made afraid to shoot at Americans or at its Arab neighbors or international shipping.

The rump regime that remains appears to be a military dictatorship led by the 68-year-old commander-in-chief of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps, Ahmad Vahidi, who came out of retirement to lead the military dictatorship after the opening strike on Iranian leaders killed scores of leading officials in the country.

The "official" successor to the killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is his son Mostafa Khomeini, who has not been seen in public since the conflict began. Khamenei 2.0 is widely believed to have been seriously wounded in the opening strikes of the battle and has recently been reported to have been moved out of the country.

'WE WANT LAND INVASION': IRAN MOUTHPIECE TOUTS NEW MISSILE, BOASTS DECADES OF WAR PREP

The economy of Iran is in a shambles with the exchange rate of Iranian rials for U.S. dollars approaching 2 million to one. The United States Navy’s blockade of Iranian shipping is completely effective as to shipping, so Iran is again denied the most basic and essential revenue stream from the sale of oil via the oceans. Its imports must come from land or air.

The conflict could extend for months or even years as America’s blockade drives the Iranian economy deeper into the hole out of which it will take decades to climb once combat ends. The country’s nuclear program is indeed obliterated, and while the deep tunnels and caverns of Pickaxe Mountain remain a mystery to the U.S. the IRGC’s ability to "break out" to a nuclear weapon has been crushed. (The U.S. has not yet targeted Pickaxe, and may not be able to damage its deepest reaches.)

Once measured in weeks, Iran is now years and years away from a nuclear weapon, even if oil exports resumed in the future and the rump regime dedicated all of that revenue from the sale of oil to again pursue nuclear weapons.

STEVE FORBES URGES TRUMP TO KEEP THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ OPEN AT ALL COSTS

The cost of oil hovers above $80 a barrel across the world, 30% higher than when the battle began but significantly lower than the $126 a barrel cost reached in April. Workarounds via pipelines and the use of the southern shipping route through the Strait near Oman have kept the cost of oil from skyrocketing, and production worldwide has also stepped up in response to the off-and-on closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

Whether President Donald Trump decides to escalate the strikes on Iran to include destruction of power plants and bridges that serve dual uses that include the Iranian military and the IRGC (legitimate targets under the laws of war) will be revealed in the days ahead.

Every lethal attack on Americans elicits from the United States extraordinary punishment on Iran. The cost to the American families bearing those losses of family is immeasurable and the U.S. is extracting a price after every deadly blow delivered by the Iranians in the ongoing effort to deter the fanatics.

That may be an unrealistic goal given the martyrdom ideology of the theocracy, but the original dictator of the Islamic Republic, Ayatollah Khomeini, drank "from the cup of poison" in 1988 and accepted what was essentially a defeat in the Iran-Iraq War of 1980-1988.

Vahidi is a veteran of that war. Perhaps the dictator will follow the original supreme leader’s example, and the advice of his civilian advisers, and the public faces of Iran who are believed by some to have grasped the scale of the defeat inflicted on Iran. The President of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkian, and its Foreign Minister, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, have almost no power over the dictator and his legions with the guns who murdered tens of thousands of Iranian citizens in January. But the civilians have hinted at the reality of a shattered country, and the crushed proxy armies in Gaza and Lebanon should also weigh on Vahidi. Does he want the IRGC to go the way of Hamas and Hezbollah?

Iran can have a ceasefire in hours if it stops firing on shipping and agrees to minimal steps like comprehensive inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency of its known nuclear weapons development sites plus Pickaxe Mountain.

It is irrational for the regime to continue to take the pounding it is receiving, and the fact that Israel has not been targeted in these past 10 days suggests that Vahidi has grasped the reality of his situation. He has been deterred from ordering strikes on Israel. The nightly pummeling by the United States presents Vahidi with only terrible choices aimed at deterring him from his current course.

Whatever he calculated about the cost to the world in oil prices or to Trump in political damage in November, he was not just wrong, but very wrong. Does he have the ability to see that as clearly as Khomeini did in 1988?

About 7.5 million Americans saw Christopher Nolan’s "The Odyssey" this weekend. The monumental cinematic reflection on the cost of war — the retelling of a story that has resonated down more than 2,700 years — still has the power to remind every viewer of the infinite price of battle for those who lose loved ones in the conflict.

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No American should want this combat to continue a day longer than it must. Trump certainly does not. The destruction of Iran’s military capabilities and its military-industrial complex is near complete. Its nuclear program is in ruins. The Iranian people will face a much weaker regime when next they rise up to demand freedom from the fanatics.

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But as every member of the military will tell you, the enemy gets a say in when the fighting ends. The decisive victory of the American military won’t be concluded until Iran stops its aggression on international shipping. It may not do so for a long while yet. The "cup of poison" isn’t anything Vahidi wants to accept or the regime mouthpieces want to acknowledge. But President Trump is pursuing the right strategy to make its sipping inevitable.

America must honor its fallen and care for their families as well as the wounded and their families. But we pray for this spring and summer of war to end before the fall arrives. It was a necessary battle, and further devastation of Iran is not something the president or any American should want, but that choice is with Vahidi.

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.

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MIKE PENCE: Here's where we should look for the leadership America needs now more than ever

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:00:34 -0400

One year ago, America lost one of the architects of the modern conservative movement. But if the past 12 months have taught us anything, it is that America needs Ed Feulner’s example now more than ever.

Dr. Ed Feulner never confused winning momentary political battles with securing long-term victory. While others chased headlines, Ed built institutions. While others measured success by the next election, Ed invested in the next generation. While others sought influence, Ed cultivated leaders who would carry the cause of freedom long after he was gone.

He understood that political victories come and go, but a movement grounded in principle can shape history for generations. That conviction transformed the conservative movement and our country.

MAJORITY LEADER THUNE: LINDSEY GRAHAM WAS THE GOP’S GLUE, BINDING US TOGETHER WITH COURAGE AND GRACE

As the founding president of the Heritage Foundation, Ed helped create an institution that brought conservative ideas out of the academy and into the halls of government. Years later, we were deeply honored when he joined the board of Advancing American Freedom to continue the principled fight for timeless conservative values. As always, Ed’s concern was preparing the next generation to stand up for freedom with courage and conviction.

One year later, his life offers a blueprint for the challenges we face today.

America stands at an extraordinary moment in history. As we celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, we also face profound challenges: restoring confidence in constitutional government, confronting the growing threat posed by Communist China, taming a runaway national debt, defending free enterprise from government encroachment and ensuring that America continues to lead the free world with confidence and strength.

These challenges require the same enduring truths that guided Ed throughout his remarkable life.

HERITAGE FOUNDATION FOUNDER EDWIN J. FEULNER DIES AT 83

In an age consumed by personalities, Ed reminded us that principles matter more. In a culture driven by instant gratification, he taught that lasting victories require patience and perseverance.

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The greatest tribute we can pay Ed Feulner is not merely to remember him, but to emulate him. Let us recommit ourselves to the principles he championed. Let us strengthen the institutions that defend liberty. Let us raise up a new generation of courageous conservative leaders. And let us never lose confidence in the goodness of America or the timeless truths that have sustained our nation from the beginning.

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One year after his passing, America needs more leaders like Ed Feulner who believe that principles endure, institutions matter and freedom is always worth defending. If we carry that work forward with the same humility, courage and faith, then Ed’s greatest legacy will not simply be what he built in the past, but what we build tomorrow because of him.

AS AMERICA MARKS 250 YEARS, OUR GREATEST CHAPTERS ARE STILL AHEAD OF US

The Bible tells us, "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." Ed Feulner devoted his life to advancing that cause. One year after his passing, we honor his memory best not with our words alone, but with our resolve to continue the work to which he devoted his life, and which has helped preserve the liberty we so cherish.

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Trump’s GOP clout faces Arizona test with House majority, governor’s race at stake

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:00:15 -0400

President Donald Trump's immense clout over the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican nomination races face their latest test Tuesday, as Arizona holds primary elections.

Trump's endorsements in a handful of key races, including in a top swing congressional district, could impact the midterm battles for the House majority and control of governors' offices.

Trump is backing Rep. Andy Biggs, a former House Freedom Caucus chairman, for the GOP gubernatorial nomination and the chance to challenge Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs in November.

Biggs, who is also backed by the political wing of the conservative powerhouse Turning Point USA, is considered the frontrunner in a race that also includes longtime Republican Rep. David Schweikert. Also on the ballot are concrete pumping contractor Scott Neely, who's making his second straight run for governor, and business owner Ken Miceli.

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

The winner will face off in the general election with Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, a former Arizona secretary of state who narrowly defeated then-GOP nominee Kari Lake four years ago. Hobbs was unopposed for re-nomination.

Down-ballot, the statewide race for the Republican attorney general nomination has become combustible as state Senate President Warren Petersen and military attorney Rodney Glassman have traded fire. The winner will challenge Democratic incumbent Kris Mayes in the general election.

In the race to succeed Schweikert in Arizona's 1st Congressional District, which is anchored in the northeastern Phoenix suburbs, Trump is backing former Arizona Cardinals professional football player and former CBS Sports NFL analyst Jay Feely.

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Former state lawmaker Joseph Chaplik and businessman John Trobough are also running for the GOP nomination in the key swing district.

Former TV anchor Marlene Galán-Woods and former state Rep. Amish Shah are facing off in a rematch for the Democratic congressional nomination. Shah, an emergency room physician, won the 2024 faceoff.

Galán-Woods, a former Republican, has the backing of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, which has big bucks to support her, as well as top Democrats Sen. Mark Kelly and former Gov. Janet Napolitano.

Rick McCartney, president and CEO of InMedia Company, and Jonathan Treble, founder of WithMe, are also on the ballot.

The midterm race in Arizona's 1st District is one of two or three dozen across the country that will determine whether the GOP holds onto its razor-thin House majority.

In the race to replace Biggs in Arizona's 5th District, which is located in the southeastern Phoenix suburbs, including parts of Mesa, Trump is backing former Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb, who is facing off with construction contractor Daniel Keenan for the GOP nomination.

Keenan has made the sexual misconduct and abuse-of-power allegations against Lamb a key part of his campaign. The Pinal County attorney last month cleared Lamb of criminal wrongdoing as it closed its investigation. And Trump, despite the controversy, reaffirmed his endorsement of Lamb earlier this month.

The winner of the Republican primary will be considered the clear favorite to succeed Biggs in the solidly red district.

The brute force of the president's endorsement power has been on display in GOP primaries this spring and summer, with his candidates ousting incumbents he targeted in showdowns in Indiana, Kentucky and Texas, as well as the Louisiana primary.

But Trump's endorsement streak in statewide and congressional Republican primaries was snapped in early June when his last-minute endorsement of Republican Rep. Randy Feenstra of Iowa in the race to succeed retiring GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds wasn't enough to propel the three-term congressman to victory.

Feenstra was narrowly edged by Zach Lahn, a businessman, farmer and former political strategist who was backed by the political wings of MAHA — the acronym for the Make America Healthy Again movement aligned with Trump's Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — and Turning Point USA, the powerful conservative organization co-founded by the late Charlie Kirk.

Trump-backed candidates won two of the three top races in key GOP primary runoff elections in Georgia and Alabama last month, with the one setback coming against a billionaire businessman who shelled out over $100 million of his own money to boost his campaign.

A week later, Trump-backed first-time candidate Anthony Constantino, a businessman and former boxer, defeated Robert Smullen, a retired Marine Corps colonel and New York assemblyman who had the backing of the state party, in the upstate New York race to succeed retiring GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik.

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Meanwhile, in South Carolina's Republican gubernatorial runoff, Trump couldn't lose.

That's because, besides backing Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette a few weeks earlier, he also gave a last-minute endorsement to state Attorney General Alan Wilson, who ended up winning the late June showdown in a landslide.

The president also enjoyed victory in Louisiana, where Sen. Bill Cassidy, who voted to convict Trump in his 2021 impeachment trial, was ousted as he sought re-nomination. Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow ended up winning the nomination in last month's runoff election.

LIZ PEEK: The Trump economy is doing better than the media want to admit

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 05:00:01 -0400

President Donald Trump has a good story to tell on the economy; he should be telling it, because it’s a sure bet the liberal media will not.

Consider the big picture: unemployment is low, real wages are rising, the stock market is high, investment is booming and inflation, though above the Federal Reserve’s target, came down last month, and will recede again once oil prices stabilize. (Inflation, most recently at 3.5%, and at 2.6% excluding volatile food and energy, is also significantly below the 4.95% recorded on average under President Joe Biden.)

More good news: the conservative Committee to Unleash Prosperity reports that during the first 16 months of Trump’s current term, real incomes for the lowest 25% of earners increased almost $2,100, while they actually shrank under Biden.

BESSENT CREDITS TRUMP IMMIGRATION POLICIES WITH HELPING RETURN JOBS TO AMERICANS AS WAGE GAINS RESUME

Additionally, the Bank of America Institute writes that "total credit and debit card spending rising 6.3% year-over-year (YoY) in June - the strongest growth in over four years." Importantly, the Institute further reports that "gaps in wage and spending growth across income groups narrowed."

Wait! Income inequality is actually shrinking under Trump? Yes – but you sure won’t hear that from Bloomberg or CNBC – they’re too busy convincing voters that Republicans are hell-bent on pumping up the wealthy at the expense of, well, everybody else.

Sure, we have challenges, as always, and especially with the cost of living being too high and housing too expensive for many Americans. But, overall, the economy is in pretty good shape.

FOX NEWS POLL: MOST RATE THE ECONOMY NEGATIVELY, INCLUDING HALF OF REPUBLICANS

That’s not what most people think. A new survey from CNBC shows "61% of the public is pessimistic about the current state of the economy and about the outlook for the future." A Washington Post-Ipsos poll puts the president’s approval rating on the economy at a dismal 33%.

Why the disconnect? I blame the incessant negativity of the Trump-hating media and also the inability of many Republicans to articulate the benefits of lower taxes and lighter regulations, the president’s signature agenda. If your own team can’t sell your successes, you’re in trouble.

For instance, GOP candidates should be talking up the Trump accounts. Over 6 million children have already signed up for these deferred investment accounts, of which 1.4 million qualify for a $1,000 contribution from the Treasury.

Dell CEO Michael Dell, who, with his wife Susan, donated $6.25 billion to the program, said, "What the research shows us, pretty clearly, is that when a kid has even a small account in their name, they start to see themselves differently, and that shows up in graduation rates, in homeownership, in the businesses they start. That’s not just a financial outcome — it’s a mindset shift."

What could possibly be more transformational than giving millions of American children the opportunity to invest for the future and introducing them to the magic of compound interest? This is the best of Trump: inventive, inclusive and pragmatic.

The president signed an executive order in April also creating a new low-cost "Trump IRA," which Trump described as offering every American worker "the same type of retirement accounts that federal employees enjoy." According to one analysis, some 40% of full-time workers and the vast majority of part-time workers lack access to retirement savings through their employers. As of next year, when the program begins, that should change.

This is a game changer; the more people who have skin in the American economy, the better for our country.

The midterm elections are just over three months away. They will decide whether the Trump agenda can move forward or be buried under a blitzkrieg of vindictive investigations and impeachment hearings. Nothing in these remaining weeks will matter more than the state of the economy and how voters regard their own financial circumstances.

The House and the Senate are both in session this week, and not due to reconvene until mid-September. This is the moment to not only talk up recent economic successes, but also to deliver a splashy final policy assault, to convince voters that the GOP has more to offer.

Instead, Republicans appear on the cusp of passing a meager $95 billion reconciliation bill that mostly funds defense needs and helps farmers. So narrow is that legislation that some GOP House members are talking about a possible fourth reconciliation bill, to include other unaddressed priorities.

Why are Republicans playing defense? Why aren’t they taking what may be their last chance to create a bill that offers much-needed relief on housing, for instance? Many have proposed indexing the capital gains tax on home sales to inflation, to loosen up supply. Many older people, especially, cannot afford to sell their long-held homes because of the taxes they would owe. Why not fix that?

Why, in short, are Republicans in a defensive crouch?

Democrats, in charge of the most expensive cities and states in the U.S., are laughably telling voters they are the party concerned with "affordability." They also have, despite four years under Biden when inflation soared to 40-year highs, convinced voters that Republicans cannot be trusted to produce an economy that makes their lives easier.

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Democrats argue that the GOP’s tax cuts have benefited only the wealthy. That is not true. The Big Beautiful Bill’s features like an expanded child tax credit and standard deduction, "No Tax on Tips" and "No Tax on Overtime" benefited millions of working-class Americans. Families making between $15,000 and $30,000 saw tax cuts of 21%, the most of any income group, while the share of revenues coming from the top 10% actually rose.

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That is a solid win for working people in the U.S. Republicans need to hit the campaign trail armed with those facts, and also with proposals that build on those gains.

To paraphrase James Carville, it is always – always – the economy, stupid.

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DOJ opens probe into Harvard's financial aid for alleged discrimination against American students

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 02:16:10 -0400

The Justice Department is reviewing whether Harvard University accepted foreign donations that improperly favored students from China and other countries over American students.

The department said Monday that Harvard’s foreign-funding disclosures raised concerns that some donors imposed nationality-based restrictions on financial aid. Officials are examining whether those arrangements violate Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which bars federally funded institutions from discriminating based on national origin.

"Every American student should have an equal opportunity to compete for college scholarships, grants, and other kinds of financial aid and benefits," Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon said in a statement.

"Schools cannot take federal dollars and then turn around and accept money from foreign sources to give financial aid that deliberately excludes American citizens — doing so is illegal, and we will stop it wherever we find it," she continued.

KEY TRUMP AGENCY PUTS TOP UNIVERSITIES IN CROSSHAIRS OVER ALLEGED RACE-BASED DORM PROGRAMS

The DOJ said some China-based donors directed Harvard to use their money for aid programs benefiting students from particular countries. The department alleged that complying with those restrictions could disadvantage students of other nationalities, including Americans.

Officials stressed that the review remains ongoing and that the department has not reached any conclusions. The DOJ also did not identify the specific scholarships or donors under examination.

Harvard denied that its financial aid policies violate federal civil rights law.

"Harvard follows the law for required reporting of donations and, consistent with our legal obligations under Title VI, does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, or national origin in allocating financial aid," the university said in a statement.

DOJ SUES UCLA OVER ALLEGED ‘JUDENREIN’ CONDITIONS DURING ANTI-ISRAEL ENCAMPMENT

Federal law requires colleges and universities to report foreign gifts and contracts worth at least $250,000. The DOJ said a Civil Rights Division audit of those disclosures found that Harvard had reported nearly $4.5 billion in foreign funding — more than any other American university — including over $630 million from China, its largest foreign source.

The university provides need-based institutional aid to international students, while federal grants and other government assistance are generally limited to eligible U.S. students. Harvard also uses private scholarship and employment funds to support students from outside the country.

Some private gifts have been designated for students from specific nations. In 2014, SOHO China co-founders Pan Shiyi and Zhang Xin donated $15 million to support Chinese students at Harvard. The DOJ has not said whether that gift is part of its review.

The inquiry adds another front to the Trump administration’s broader conflict with Harvard. Federal officials have also scrutinized the university over alleged antisemitism, admissions practices and its treatment of foreign students.

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A federal judge previously blocked the administration from cutting billions of dollars in research funding from Harvard as related litigation continues.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Nicaragua's Ortega says country will 'never again' hold elections, shutting out opposition

Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:56:27 -0400

Nicaraguan leader Daniel Ortega said the Central American country would no longer hold elections, further closing off any potential path for the opposition to challenge the government he leads with his wife, Rosario Murillo.

Ortega, Nicaragua’s longest-serving leader, has remained in power since 2007 after previously governing during the 1980s. His current presidential term is scheduled to run through 2027.

"There won't be any more elections here for them to try to seize the government and seize power," Ortega said.

He delivered the remarks Sunday during a speech commemorating the 1979 Sandinista revolution, in which Ortega participated in the overthrow of the U.S.-backed dictatorship of Anastasio Somoza.

TRUMP ADMIN BACKS BOLIVIA STATE OF EMERGENCY AS LEFTIST EX-LEADER'S LOYALISTS FRACTURE NATION

The declaration appeared to eliminate the possibility of a future electoral challenge as Ortega and Murillo continue consolidating control over the country’s political institutions.

"The days when parties backed by the Yankees (United States) and the Somocistas would return to power are over — never again," Ortega declared.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the U.S. State Department for comment.

The Trump administration has described the Ortega-Murillo government as a dictatorship and imposed sanctions on members of the government and their allies. The State Department has also enacted visa restrictions targeting more than 2,350 Nicaraguan officials and their family members.

"The United States stands with the Nicaraguan people who, like Rivera, aspire to see a free Nicaragua," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in June.

TRUMP EXPANDS CUBA SANCTIONS BEYOND US COMPANIES IN MAJOR CRACKDOWN ON FOREIGN ENABLERS

The Biden administration previously said Ortega illegitimately awarded himself another term following Nicaragua’s disputed 2021 presidential election.

Authorities arrested presidential candidates, opposition figures, business leaders and journalists ahead of that vote as the government intensified its criminalization of dissent.

Ortega and Murillo further expanded their authority through sweeping constitutional changes that took effect in 2025. The reforms extended the presidential term from five years to six and elevated Murillo from vice president to "co-president."

The changes also placed Nicaragua’s legislative, judicial and electoral institutions under the authority of the presidency, according to United Nations experts.

Ortega and Murillo now exercise control over nearly every branch of the government, including the armed forces, police and judiciary.

Ortega had already effectively eliminated meaningful electoral competition during elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021, Salvador Marenco, coordinator of the Costa Rica-based Nicaragua Nunca Más Human Rights Collective, told Reuters.

Many prominent opposition leaders have been imprisoned, forced into exile or stripped of their Nicaraguan citizenship, while opposition parties and independent civic organizations have lost their legal status.

A United Nations group of experts has accused the Ortega-Murillo government of systematically violating human rights as part of a campaign to eliminate criticism and preserve its hold on power. The experts said some alleged violations may amount to crimes against humanity.

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The government launched a violent crackdown on anti-government protests in 2018. More than 300 people were killed during the unrest, according to international human rights groups.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Darline Graham focuses on kitchen-table issues as she announces full-term Senate bid

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 22:42:42 -0400

Sen. Darline Graham, R-S.C., the sister of late Sen. Lindsey Graham, outlined her political priorities in an exclusive interview with "Hannity" on Monday as she announced she would run for a full Senate term in November.

"He's worked so hard for so long. I can’t just let that die. I've got to step in and carry on his legacy," she said during her first interview since Lindsey’s death.

"I know he cared about the people of South Carolina so deeply. He worked so hard for them. And I feel like I can do that, too. He taught me well," she added.

SEN DARLINE GRAHAM REVEALS WHETHER SHE WILL RUN FOR A FULL-TERM DURING ‘HANNITY’ EXCLUSIVE

After being appointed by South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster last week to serve out the rest of her late brother’s Senate term until January 2027, Graham announced Monday that she will run for a full, six-year term.

Graham, South Carolina’s first female U.S. Senator, told Fox News she feels an "inner peace" about succeeding her brother in representing The Palmetto State.

"It is a tremendous amount of pressure," she said.

"I feel like I can do it. I feel an inner peace about it."

Graham said that unlike Lindsey, who was passionate about ending the Russia-Ukraine conflict, she plans to focus primarily on domestic issues rather than foreign policy and place greater emphasis on day-to-day concerns of South Carolinians.

NANCY MACE REVEALS SENATE DECISION AS LINDSEY GRAHAM'S SISTER REDRAWS THE RACE

"I used to see him on the talk shows. I would watch him, and I'd be like, ‘Lindsey, are you just talking about national security all the time?'," she explained. "And I understand that's important. Protecting our borders, national security, absolutely."

"I said, ‘But talk about also what matters to the average person. The price of groceries, the price of gas, health care. Insurance, those kind of things.’ That's what I'm worried about."

Lindsey Graham died suddenly on July 11 at age 71. His cause of death was later identified as an aortic dissection due to arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease.

"It's been tough, extremely tough," Darline Graham told host Sean Hannity.

MAJORITY LEADER THUNE: LINDSEY GRAHAM WAS THE GOP’S GLUE, BINDING US TOGETHER WITH COURAGE AND GRACE

"He was everything, he was my rock. He was my brother, my mother, and my father," she added.

Since 2019, Graham has served as a commissioner for South Carolina’s Commission for the Blind, overseeing a $90 million budget. The organization helps people who are blind or visually impaired find employment.

"It was a passion of mine, but I have a servant's heart," she said. "You have to have a servant's heart for a job like that."

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Bodycam catches Sunny Hostin invoking her legal chops as cops cite Harvard-grad son for trespassing

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 22:03:56 -0400

"The View" co-host Sunny Hostin repeatedly reminded police she was a "former federal prosecutor" after officers stopped her Harvard-educated son for trespassing on Metro-North railroad property, as newly released body camera video captured the TV host urging officers to cut him a break.

"My name is Sunny Hostin, and I'm one of the co-hosts of 'The View' and I'm a former federal prosecutor," Hostin tells an officer over the phone in bodycam video obtained by Fox News Digital.

After arriving at the scene, Hostin continued making her case.

"That's my son. He's a Harvard graduate. He doesn't have a criminal record," she says. "He's not a kid who's ever in trouble. It's an innocent mistake."

According to records obtained by Fox News Digital, Gabriel Hostin was stopped by Metropolitan Transportation Authority police shortly before 8 p.m. June 16 after officers observed him on the Metro-North railroad right-of-way at the New Rochelle station.

Police alleged he was trespassing in an area marked with "NO TRESPASSING" signs.

An MTA Police spokesperson told Fox News Digital the 23-year-old was observed running near an electrified third rail before officers stopped him near Commerce Drive, conducted a criminal background check and escorted him from the area.

Because Hostin had no criminal history and cooperated with officers, police said he was issued a summons for trespass and released.

The bodycam video shows Gabriel Hostin asking officers whether issuing the summons was necessary.

"Because it is an arrestable offense. I want to make that clear," one officer tells him.

"We're dimming it down to a trespass violation because you were in the right-of-way."

The officer goes on to explain that police were taking his lack of criminal history into account.

"We know you're not a criminal or anything like that, but our hands are tied with cameras everywhere," the officer says.

Hostin again urged officers to exercise discretion.

"He's a Harvard grad who teaches fourth-grade geometry to South Bronx kids," she says. "He's not a kid who's ever in trouble. It's an innocent mistake."

According to charging documents obtained by Fox News Digital, an officer alleged he observed Gabriel Hostin on the active railroad right-of-way at the New Rochelle station "in violation of the posted NO TRESPASSING signs."

The citation narrative similarly states officers observed him on the railroad right-of-way before conducting a warrant check that came back negative and issuing him an appearance ticket for trespass.

The records also include photographs of warning signs reading, "NO TRESPASSING – PRIVATE PROPERTY – VIOLATORS WILL BE PROSECUTED," posted near the entrance to the property, along with photos of the gated access point.

According to court records, Gabriel Hostin is scheduled to appear in New Rochelle City Court on July 31.

In a letter obtained by TMZ, Hostin argued her son mistakenly entered the property while jogging after spotting what appeared to be a gravel incline suitable for hill training.

She said the entrance gate was open and that the only "No Trespassing" sign was attached to the left gate and was not visible when he entered.

The bodycam video also sparked reaction online, with several conservative accounts criticizing Hostin for invoking her legal background during the encounter.

Libs of TikTok contrasted Hostin's past remarks that "no one is above the law" with her comments to officers that she was "a former federal prosecutor" and that her son was a Harvard graduate with no criminal record.

End Wokeness posted a similar critique, arguing the footage conflicted with Hostin's previous public comments about equal treatment under the law.

Fox News Digital reached out to Hostin's representatives for comment.

New York far-left group claims reparations 'owed' as Blacks' median wealth 'nearly 15 times less' than Whites

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:30:49 -0400

A prominent civil rights organization is pushing for statewide reparations, arguing that a historical debt is owed to Black New Yorkers due to deep wealth disparities rooted in the state's ties to slavery and decades of systemic discrimination.

"Reparations are a debt that is owed. Enslaved Black people built the foundation of New York’s economy, but Black families in our state still face racism that has been codified into our laws and budgets," said Lanessa Owens-Chaplin, Director of the Racial Justice Center at the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU). "New York State was not a bystander to slavery — it created, enacted, and protected the institution. Reparations must be extended to all Black New Yorkers descended from those enslaved by New York State, and to all Black New Yorkers still living under the systems slavery built."

In a joint report released last week titled "The Other New York: The Legacy of Slavery and the Case for Reparations Now," the NYCLU and the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) detailed the lasting economic impacts of slavery and Jim Crow–era policies on Black communities across the state.

CHICAGO SUBURB LOCALS HOPE REPARATIONS ADDRESSES 'AFFORDABILITY PRESSURES' AS BLACK POPULATION DWINDLES

According to the report, the median wealth of Black New Yorkers stands at $18,870 — nearly 15 times less than the median wealth of White New Yorkers, which sits at $276,900. The groups noted that New York state exhibits a wider racial wealth gap than the national average.

The report points to government-backed practices like redlining as major catalysts for today's wealth inequality, noting that the exclusion and displacement of Black communities denied them "the stability and generational wealth that homeownership provides."

"Nearly 90 years after redlining and urban renewal, formerly redlined communities remain some of the highest-poverty neighborhoods in New York," the report states. "Zoning laws reinforced the racial hierarchy established under slavery, forcing Black people to live in industrial areas with increased pollution — leading to disproportionately high asthma, cardiovascular disease, premature delivery, and premature death. Schools serving predominantly Black students have been severely underfunded and disproportionately affected by environmental hazards, crumbling infrastructure, and lead poisoning."

The groups argue that reparations must go beyond symbolic gestures, advocating for both direct compensation for financial losses and broad institutional policy changes.

"Supporting reparations is about more than compensation; it is about acknowledging harm, restoring dignity, and creating pathways for communities to thrive," the authors wrote. The report outlines proposed remedies to "compensate for the harm by addressing tangible losses, such as loss of wealth, wages, and other damages caused by wrongdoing," while also targeting broader structural changes in criminal justice, environmental policy, and public school funding.

"In order to build a thriving economy and a resilient multi-racial democracy, New York must repair past harm and break down barriers to opportunity for Black communities. Reparations benefit all New Yorkers," the report urged.

The NYCLU did not respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

KEY TRUMP AGENCY PUTS TOP UNIVERSITIES IN CROSSHAIRS OVER ALLEGED RACE-BASED DORM PROGRAMS

These localized efforts come as state and municipal racial redress initiatives face growing legal and political scrutiny nationwide. In Evanston, Illinois — the first U.S. municipality to distribute cash and housing grants as reparations — the program is facing a high-profile federal lawsuit. The U.S. Department of Justice intervened in the suit, arguing that race-based benefit distributions violate the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.

Meanwhile, in New York, progress on state-level recommendations has stalled.

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The New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies was created under legislation signed by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in late 2023. The panel was tasked with examining the state's historical ties to slavery, subsequent Jim Crow practices, and modern economic disparities to formulate recommendations for policy changes and financial remedies.

However, the NYCLU slammed state officials after a provision quietly embedded in the state budget pushed the commission’s final report deadline back two years — from its original 2025 date to 2029.

Trump says first call with new UK PM Burnham went 'very well,' pledges US support

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:26:01 -0400

President Donald Trump said Monday that he spoke with Britain's new prime minister, Andy Burnham, shortly after he took office, calling the conversation "very good."

Trump added that he and Burnham plan to meet in the "not too distant future" to discuss issues of mutual interest.

During the call, the leaders touched on the longstanding U.S.-U.K. relationship and the challenges facing Burnham as he begins his time in office, with Trump pledging American support.

"We discussed many subjects, including the outstanding relationship we have had with the UK," Trump said.

ANDY BURNHAM TAKES OVER AS UK PRIME MINISTER, CALLS FOR 'NEW POLITICAL MODEL'

"The Prime Minister has got a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the U.S.A. will be there to help!"

The pair also discussed North Sea oil, trade, the U.S.-U.K. military alliance and efforts to clear mines from the Strait of Hormuz, Trump said.

Burnham's office released a statement following the call, saying the prime minister looked forward to welcoming Trump to Manchester during a future visit.

According to Downing Street, Trump updated Burnham on the situation in the Middle East, while Burnham reaffirmed the United Kingdom's commitment to reopening the Strait of Hormuz safely.

"The Prime Minister outlined the UK’s commitment to securing the movement of shipping in the Strait of Hormuz to support global supply chains and drive down costs for businesses and families across the country," the British office said.

Burnham further emphasized that defense and security would remain the U.K.'s top priority alongside its allies.

KEIR STARMER REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING STEPPING DOWN AS PM AND COULD ANNOUNCE TIMETABLE FOR DEPARTURE

On the domestic front, Burnham emphasized that he will pursue reindustrialization efforts to drive economic growth across the country.

Trump ultimately described the conversation as a major success.

"The call was interesting, and went very well. I wished Prime Minister Burnham, GOOD LUCK AND GODSPEED!" Trump said.

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Burnham became Britain's seventh prime minister in a decade on Monday, vowing to reshape a country that has cycled through a series of leaders in recent years. He succeeds Keir Starmer, who served as prime minister for just over two years after taking office in the summer of 2024.

The two leaders have previously traded criticism. Before Burnham took office, Trump labeled him "extremely liberal," while Burnham has been openly critical of the American president.

Sinaloa Cartel boss 'El Mayo' sentenced to life, ordered to pay $15B in drug trafficking profits

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 21:00:05 -0400

Sinaloa Cartel co-founder Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada Garcia, of Mexico, was sentenced on Monday to life in a U.S. prison and ordered to forfeit $15 billion in drug trafficking profits, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan said that while he had no choice but to give a life sentence since the charges carried a mandatory term of life imprisonment, he believed it was the right punishment.

"The almost unimaginable amount of drugs attributable to him and the number of murders that we can document is enough to justify Congress's decision to make this a mandatory life sentence," the judge said.

He is one of the most high-profile Mexican drug traffickers to be sentenced by a U.S. judge since fellow Sinaloa leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman was sentenced to life in prison in 2019.

ICE RENEWS HUNT FOR EL CHAPO'S ;AST TWO FUGITIVE SONS WITH MASSIVE REWARD

Garcia, 76, agreed to plead guilty in August 2025 to multiple charges, including racketeering conspiracy and continuing criminal enterprise, after the DOJ said it would not pursue the death penalty.

He was arrested in July 2024 alongside Joaquin Guzman Lopez, one of Guzman's sons, after their plane landed in the U.S. Guzman Lopez has since pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including drug trafficking and a July 2024 kidnapping.

Joseph Nocella, a federal prosecutor, told reporters after Garcia's sentencing that Guzman Lopez had admitted to kidnapping Garcia in an attempt to secure leniency and credit from U.S. law enforcement.

"The United States made perfectly clear that we do not condone kidnapping and that he would receive no credit," Nocella said.

Guzman Lopez has not yet been sentenced.

Garcia told the court during his sentencing on Monday that he took responsibility for the harm he had caused.

"No one wins in a war like this. To the next generation, I say, choose a different path," he said.

US CHARGES MEXICAN GOVERNOR, TOP OFFICIALS IN CARTEL CONSPIRACY AS MEXICO FIRES BACK OVER PROOF

Cogan suggested that Garcia be placed in a facility where he would receive adequate medical care since he was suffering from several progressive health ailments.

"Ismael Zambada Garcia spent nearly four decades poisoning American communities to make billions of dollars in profit and ordering the murders of anyone who stood in his way. Today, that chapter closes for good," Nocella said in a statement.

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"He will spend the rest of his life in a U.S. prison, exactly where he belongs," he added. This sentence was made possible by the tireless bilateral cooperation between U.S. and Mexican law enforcement, who refused to let El Mayo's years of evading justice become a permanent state of affairs. We hope that today's sentence brings some measure of justice to the countless victims of the Sinaloa Cartel's narcotics trafficking and violence."

Reuters contributed to this report.

Michigan Dem hopeful Abdul El-Sayed jabs CNN giving him 'non-consensual colonoscopy' in recent interviews

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:42:54 -0400

Democratic Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed took a swipe at CNN over what he suggests are uncomfortable appearances he has had on the network.

"I go on CNN every once in a while and I get a non-consensual colonoscopy," El-Sayed quipped at a rally in Grand Rapids on Sunday, sparking laughs from the crowd.

"And then, all they ask me about is another country, and they're like, 'All he's ever talking about is another country.' No! I just want everybody to understand that there's an opportunity cost to the money being sent over there, and that is what we could have over here," he continued.

DEMOCRATS' CIVIL WAR HEADS TO MICHIGAN WHERE PROGRESSIVES FACE BIGGEST TEST YET IN HIGH-STAKES SENATE SHOWDOWN

CNN did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Earlier in the day, El-Sayed appeared on CNN's "State of the Union," where he was grilled by anchor Jake Tapper about previously-leaked audio of him saying he didn't want to comment on the killing of Iranian Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in February in order not to offend any of his constituents.

SOCIALIST-BACKED MICHIGAN SENATE HOPEFUL CALLS AMERICAN POLITICS A 'DISEASE' AFTER PROFESSING LOVE FOR US

"Why were you worried about people who supported the ayatollah?" Tapper asked.

El-Sayed largely sidestepped the question, insisting he didn't want to comment because of the "ridiculous pretext," instead putting focus on the three U.S. servicemembers who were killed by Iranian strikes in Jordan over the weekend.

"Look, let's have a conversation based in Michigan. I'm running for Senate in Michigan. And I think here in Michigan, all of us are probably sad about the fact that we went to a war that we never should have fought. I'd rather our money be spent here," El-Sayed told Tapper.

"I was specifically asking you about comments you didn't want to make because you didn't want to offend people in Dearborn, which is in Michigan," Tapper replied before moving on to another topic.

SOCIALIST-BACKED DEM WHO RIPPED THE WEALTHY CRACKS STATE'S TOP 1%, TAX RETURNS SHOW

In another contentious exchange earlier this month, El-Sayed clashed with CNN anchor Kasie Hunt about his deleted social media posts expressing support for defunding the police, accusing the network of seeking "clickbait" instead of focusing on the issues voters care about.

El-Sayed, who has earned the endorsement of far-left progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., is currently running in a combative Democratic primary against Michigan Rep. Haley Stevens. Both Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez joined him at Sunday's campaign rally.

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Controversial streamer Clavicular explains viral 'looksmaxxing' trend as Gen Z adopts extreme regimen

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:25:52 -0400

Controversial internet personality Braden Peters, known online as Clavicular, explained the goals behind his "looksmaxxing" movement, as the dangerous health regimen gains popularity among young men.

"Looksmaxxing is the most well-rounded form of self-improvement, just almost taking it to its logical conclusion," Clavicular said in a new episode of "Hang Out with Sean Hannity."

The looksmaxxing movement championed by the 20-year-old livestreamer has surged in popularity among Generation Z and Generation Alpha.

The strict health regimen is meant to maximize your appearance and includes practices such as taking stimulants and bone smashing , which Clavicular describes as striking your facial bones with a hammer in an effort to stimulate bone growth.

INFLUENCER CONNOR MURPHY'S RENTAL DISCOVERED IN SHOCKING CONDITION AFTER HIS SUDDEN DROWNING

Medical experts have warned against the practice because of the risk of serious injury.

"[Looksmaxxing is] gonna include just traditional bodybuilding and fitness style stuff, as well as a new focus on sort of facial esthetics," he said.

TRANS ACTOR ELLIOT PAGE ARGUES 'HEALTHY MASCULINITY' IS REJECTING EXPECTATION TO 'SHUT DOWN'

"And that's been missing from a lot of like the male red pill stuff and male self- improvement was emphasis on the face, and you know, a lot more of the emphasis was on just the physique and training and all that kind of stuff."

Clavicular is best known for his hours-long livestreams on Kick, where he is filmed in a candid setting socializing at nightclubs. Clips from those outings, in which he uses pickup lines to attract women, frequently go viral online and amass millions of views.

"Going to the clubs, it shows the very nature of hypergamy and kind of the reasoning behind the whole philosophy of looksmaxxing, why it's important," Clavicular said.

FLORIDA MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY LURED WOMEN WITH DATING APP COULD HAVE MORE VICTIMS: AUTHORITIES

"Only about 2% of the people in nightlife that you see are gonna have success with women, are gonna be able to take a girl home and have a one night stand with her, right? 2%. So most people in the clubs stand literally no chance."

The streamer’s interactions with young women have stirred up controversy about his insolent treatment of women. He was arrested in March on a battery charge which involved him allegedly instigating a fight between two woman and posting the video to social media.

Many members of Generation Z and Generation Alpha have adopted Clavicular’s controversial looksmaxxing techniques in hopes of improving their appearance, but critics have expressed concern about the streamer’s growing influence on younger audiences.

Fox News host Sean Hannity questioned him about what his intentions are in posting videos promoting looksmaxxing.

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"The more content that I do, it kind of displays that and puts an emphasis on, like, you really need to prioritize looking better and starting to look max," he said.

The influencer explained that looksmaxxing is not solely intended to get girls and argued attractive physical appearances improve "every single micro interaction in your life."

"If they're not good-looking they're not going to get the job," he said, arguing that one must be physically attractive to obtain work.

The latest episode of "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" featuring Clavicular will be available on Tuesday on YouTube, Spotify, and Apple.

Dodgers' Kiké Hernández blasts fan's angry letter over White House skip, exposes address to followers

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:13:30 -0400

Dodgers fan favorite Kiké Hernández has built a reputation for clutch October moments and an easygoing personality.

But after choosing to skip the team’s upcoming July 23 White House visit celebrating their 2026 World Series title, the utility veteran found himself at the center of a heated political debate.

SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE WERE 'TOO BUSY' FOR DODGERS' PRIDE FESTIVITIES

Officially, the 34-year-old is missing the trip to begin a minor-league injury rehabilitation assignment for a strained left oblique.

"It's going to be hard to be in two cities at the same time," Hernández admitted recently. Though he quickly added a more candid takeaway: "If I was active, I probably wouldn't have gone anyways."

LOS ANGELES DODGERS HOST FAITH NIGHT AFTER SISTERS OF PERPETUAL INDULGENCE DISASTER

That admission didn't sit well with one disgruntled fan named Larry, who sent a typed letter to the ballpark taking direct aim at the Puerto Rican-born star:

"Mr. Hernandez, after hearing about the horrible experience during your last visit to the White House and your excuse for your absence this year, it seems clear that you are just a disrespectful, spoiled, pampered, entitled little brat. Remember, you work for an organization that promotes a group (The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence) that disparages and denigrates the entire Catholic religion."

Rather than tossing the hate mail in the trash, Hernández posted a photo of the letter, along with Larry’s unredacted return address, to his 1.5 million social media followers.

"SO to Larry for the nice letter!" Hernández captioned the post. "Next time, at least make it handwritten, you nice sir!"

Hernández isn't the only Dodger opting out of the Washington trip.

While Hernández did attend the team's White House visit in April 2025 following their 2024 championship, he later indicated he regretted the experience.

DODGERS SPARK PROTESTS AFTER ALLEGED ICE AGENT BLOCK AT DODGER STADIUM; ICE CALLS CLAIMS FALSE

Superstar teammate Mookie Betts is also expected to skip the July 23 event.

Betts previously made headlines when he opted not to visit the White House with the Boston Red Sox in 2019, during Donald Trump's first term.

Hernández has long been vocal in his opposition to President Trump’s immigration stance.

Tensions surrounding the Dodgers hit a boiling point in 2025 following rumors that immigration officials were present at Dodger Stadium.

While rumors initially claimed ICE was targeting fans, OutKick confirmed at the time that the personnel was actually California Border Control agents conducting routine operations unrelated to local sweeps.

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Championship White House visits were once a universally accepted, non-partisan victory lap for championship teams. Today, they are an ideological battleground.

Whether you agree with Larry or the player, doxxing a fan over a typed critique crosses a line.

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela

Colorado's socialist candidate calls for 'more immigrants into office' to stop America's 'exploitative' nature

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:09:44 -0400

Colorado socialist candidate Melat Kiros pushed more immigrants with "heritage in the global south" to enter office and push back against the "exploitative and extractive" nature of the United States last week.

Kiros took part in the Wa’Ela Tigrai event in Denver, Colorado, last weekend and discussed her rising congressional campaign after defeating longtime incumbent Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo., during a Democratic primary last month.

Drawing on the experiences of House "Squad" members like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., Kiros spoke about the importance of helping others to achieve after her for the sake of changing the global world order. One way, she argued, was pushing people who understand American exploitation "on a fundamental level."

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"There's a certain reckoning that we are going to have to have with the global world order as it exists today and the way that it fundamentally will have to shift going forward," Kiros said. "The responsibility that we have as Americans, the recognition that is going to be required of us, of the exploitative and extractive nature that we play on the global scale and the global stage is only going to be challenged if we are getting represented by people who understand that on a fundamental level."

She continued, "And that means getting more immigrants into office. That means getting more people who have heritage in the global south into office because that's where those decisions are made specifically."

Fox News Digital reached out to Kiros' campaign for comment.

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Kiros was one of several candidates endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) who defeated an incumbent Democratic politician in a primary election for the 2026 midterms.

During the event, she appeared to push an anti-capitalist sentiment based on her experience as an attorney, claiming that it "broke [her] spirit."

"When I was in law school, I tell everybody that was where I learned that the system is not broken, that it's actually working exactly as it was designed to. And that really kind of broke my spirit a little bit and made me believe there's really nothing to be done, which is why I went to a big law firm in the first place and just wanted to retire and take care of my parents and call it a day. But that's no way to live, right? At the end of the day, the spirit of our people, the spirit of our community and our culture is to fight and to never give up," Kiros said.

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She added, "Regardless of what ends up happening, regardless of what happens with my own candidacy and this general and then what this potential, you know, office could look like with me in it… I would rather go down fighting than to give up."

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Kiros was previously fired from her position at the Sidley Austin law firm in 2023 after publishing an open letter criticizing law firms, including her own, that called for action against antisemitism on college campuses.

Rand Paul releases docs that reveal FBI halted border inspection of virus researcher over Wuhan lab links

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:07:40 -0400

Agents with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were preparing to question a British zoologist and disease ecology expert upon his return to the United States from the World Health Organization’s investigation into the origins of COVID-19, before the FBI intervened and asked agents to stand down, according to files released Monday by Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.

"They told the public a COVID lab leak 'wasn’t plausible,'" Rand wrote on X. "Their own private messages say otherwise. Today I’m launching The Reading Room where the public can review records related to my ongoing investigation – not just conclusions but the actual documents."

The documents show CBP’s National Targeting Center flagged Peter Daszak as "a high person of interest" ahead of his Feb. 5, 2021, arrival at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Daszak, the former president of EcoHealth Alliance, was flagged because of more than 15 years of collaboration with the Wuhan Institute of Virology (WIV) and his longstanding relationship with its lead researcher, Zhengli Shi, as well as his role as principal investigator on National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants funding bat coronavirus research in China.

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Much of the funding Daszak received was put toward gain-of-function research, the documents state.

The documents highlight that the NIH had asked Daszak to retrieve the original type-specimen used by WIV for genetic analysis and return it to the U.S., as well as to explain several aspects of his collaboration with the lab, including providing related cell phone data.

CBP officials planned to question Daszak on his activities in China, his contacts at the WIV, and whether he illegally collected or carried biological samples.

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Internal communications highlighted concerns regarding Daszak’s involvement in gain-of-function research and potential conflicts of interest involving federal grants.

However, three days before his arrival in New York, CBP received a request from the FBI’s New York Field Office to halt the stop, and the inspection never happened.

"FBI New York requested we do not stop the subject below," the request states, according to the documents.

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The records include detailed flight itineraries, proposed interrogation questions, and internal emails documenting the interagency disagreement over the search.

"This isn't the whole story. It's the start of one," Paul wrote in a lengthy thread on X. "The Reading Room will be updated on a rolling basis as the investigation continues."

At the time of the planned interception, Daszak headed the now-defunct EcoHealth Alliance, an American-based nonprofit that conducted research and outreach on the causes of emerging pandemic diseases, such as those originating in bats.

He was a member of the 10-person WHO team that traveled to China to investigate the origins of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

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Daszak had received public criticism regarding a potential conflict of interest for being included on the WHO investigative team despite his financial and professional ties to WIV.

Daszak now heads Nature Health Global, a non-profit scientific organization focused on ecological research, public health, and pandemic prevention.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the FBI and Nature Health Global.

Johnson's strategy to bypass Democrats' SAVE Act blockade survives key vote, handing GOP big win

Mon, 20 Jul 2026 20:06:17 -0400

Speaker Mike Johnson's latest bid to skirt Democrats’ opposition to an election integrity bill backed by President Donald Trump survived a key hurdle on Monday evening.

The Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act has faced significant headwinds in Congress despite having Trump’s full-throated support. While it passed the House, the legislation has struggled in the Senate where at least several Democratic votes are needed to break a filibuster and advance to final passage.

But the new plan by Johnson, R-La., which would allow key parts of the bill to skirt Democrats entirely, is one step closer to getting a House-wide vote sometime this week.

TRUMP INTERVENES AS HOUSE GOP REVOLT PUTS SAVE AMERICA ACT AT CENTER OF SPENDING SHOWDOWN

Republicans would erase the need for any Democratic buy-in by putting key elements of the SAVE America Act into a larger budget reconciliation bill. The reconciliation process allows the party in power to pass sweeping fiscal policy reforms without input from their opposition by lowering the Senate’s threshold for passage to line up with the House’s simple majority requirement.

But there are strict guidelines for what can be in a reconciliation bill. Such legislation must deal with yearly federal spending and revenues, meaning issues that do not directly affect fiscal policy are generally excluded.

House Republicans are aiming to use this reconciliation bill to fund states’ election integrity efforts, replenish military funding amid the U.S. war with Iran, and dole out aid to American farmers.

GOP'S $95B DEFENSE PACKAGE SURVIVES CRITICAL HURDLE AMID FISCAL HAWK REVOLT

In total, the legislation would set the stage for $95 billion in new federal spending across the next 10 years.

The first chamber-wide step in the reconciliation process is to pass a framework that directs the relevant committees to then craft details dealing with their allocated budgets. Those details are then put back into a single sweeping bill that must pass the House and Senate before getting to Trump’s desk for his signature.

Passing the House Rules Committee means the bill will see a chamber-wide test vote that, if adopted, will set the stage for lawmakers to debate the bill before a final vote.

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That vote is expected to occur Tuesday afternoon, with the final vote taking place the following day at 3:30 p.m., according to a preliminary schedule obtained by Fox News Digital.

Trump urged Republicans to advance the bill earlier Monday, arguing it would "get AS MUCH of THE SAVE AMERICA ACT as possible in a Budget Bill, along with aid to our incredible Farmers, and funding for our Military."

Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Republicans of trying to unfairly sway elections with their SAVE America Act push.

"This is a phony issue that Donald Trump is creating. What's amazing to me is that Donald Trump had the nerve to say to the Speaker of the House, who apparently didn't object, that the most important thing that Republicans should focus on is voter suppression legislation, and that housing doesn't matter, healthcare doesn't matter, grocery bills don't matter," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said earlier this year.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has repeatedly referred to the legislation as "Jim Crow 2.0."

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"While the specific policies may have changed since the days of the Jim Crow South, the goal of the SAVE Act is the same: disenfranchising American citizens and making it harder for eligible people to vote, particularly low income Americans and people of color," he said in February.

Republicans argue that the SAVE America Act — which would implement federal voter ID requirements and a proof of citizenship mandate in the voter registration process — would make American elections safer and more secure.