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Hunter Biden calls Merrick Garland the 'greatest mistake' made under the Biden administration

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:46:52 -0400

Former President Joe Biden's son, Hunter Biden, called the appointment of Merrick Garland as U.S. attorney general the "greatest mistake" his father made in office while appearing on the "I've Had It" podcast on Sunday.

During the show, host Jennifer Welch attacked Garland and the Department of Justice under him for not charging President Donald Trump and for investigating Hunter Biden. She asked Hunter Biden for his opinion on what she described as "capitulation by Democrats" to Republicans for pushing Garland in the first place.

"One of the things that pisses me off is the Merrick Garland DOJ and the not prosecuting of Trump. And that they prosecuted you," Welch said in part when teeing up her question.

"My take is this, and removing myself from it as much as I can, my personal feelings, is the single greatest mistake of my father's administration was the leadership of Merrick Garland," Hunter Biden said.

‘PRIVILEGED’ HUNTER BIDEN, SPARED BY DAD’S PARDON, BLASTS TRUMP’S CLEMENCY POWER

He added, "The reason that we are in the situation that we're in right now can almost... by the way, the buck has to stop with my dad. He was the president and he chose him. Now, once he chose him, he played by the, you know, a higher standard than the Marquess of Queensberry rules. He played by the Constitution and the tradition that the president will never, you know, particularly since Nixon, involve himself in any decision-making as relates to anything at the Department of Justice. So, I guarantee you there was a division between church and state there."

Hunter Biden added more blame to Garland for failing to prosecute Trump for any role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riots, claiming that it was a "planned conspiracy" through the Trump administration to undermine the 2020 election.

HUNTER BIDEN ADMITS HE SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN BURISMA BOARD SEAT WHEN PRESSED ON ACCUSATIONS RELATED TO ROLE

"[I]f Merrick Garland had started a completely 100% legitimate investigation rather than thinking like let's not fan the flames… did you not watch what I watched? Did you not see the people storming the Capitol of the United States of America, beating cops and running congressmen and senators literally out of the building? You didn't see that? You didn't see a president and know that it was a concerted and planned effort on their part beginning all the way back from the day before the election when they knew they were going," Hunter Biden said.

Both Welch and Hunter Biden also described Garland as a "moderate" and suggested that he was only selected by President Biden to appeal to Republicans and as a favor after former President Barack Obama previously pushed him for Supreme Court justice.

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"Obama picks this milquetoast candidate. Your dad is a decent man, felt bad about what happened to Merrick Garland. And he played integrity politics. Like, well, 'I'm going to make him whole and make him attorney general.' And then Merrick Garland gets there, and he's like, 'Well, we can't upset these crusty White Republicans,'" Welch said.

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"Massive mistake," Hunter Biden said.

Hunter Biden was previously under investigation since 2018 under President Donald Trump's first term. However, he was later pardoned by his father for any offense he "has committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014, to Dec. 1, 2024 during his final weeks in office.

Unsecured metal pipes impale California sedan in terrifying highway crash

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:15:18 -0400

A driver narrowly escaped a terrifying crash Thursday after unsecured metal pipes from a nearby pickup truck pierced through the back of the driver’s sedan on a Southern California highway.

The incident occurred on a highway in Orange County when a white pickup truck carrying the cargo collided with a gray sedan, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) Santa Ana Area Office said Thursday.

"After investigation, it was determined the white pickup truck loaded with metal pipes crashed into the gray sedan," CHP Santa Ana said in a statement.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK DRIVER FROM INDIA ARRESTED IN DEADLY CALIFORNIA HIT-AND-RUN AFTER BIDEN RELEASE

"After the initial impact, the unsecured metal pipes from the pickup truck were propelled forward, into the sedan, and through the sedan’s rear window."

Photos released by the agency showed the gray sedan with at least six long metal pipes lodged through the shattered rear windshield, narrowly missing the driver’s side of the vehicle.

Officials said the driver thankfully escaped the two-vehicle crash with only minor injuries.

'SLAP ON THE WRIST': ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCKER'S SENTENCE IGNITES OUTRAGE AFTER CRASH KILLED 3

CHP used the incident as a warning to motorists about the dangers of unsecured cargo, noting that road debris contributes to hundreds of deaths nationwide each year.

"Unsecured cargo causes crashes every year, leading to hundreds of deaths and thousands of injuries nationwide," the agency said. "When a load isn’t properly secured, everyone on the road is at risk."

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The agency reminded drivers to properly secure all cargo before hitting the road, using equipment such as ropes, netting, bungee cords or straps. Officials also advised motorists to use sturdy tarps or covers to prevent debris from falling out and to avoid overloading vehicles.

According to data released last year by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road debris was a contributing factor in roughly 53,000 crashes annually between 2018 and 2023. Those crashes resulted in an average of about 5,500 injuries and 72 deaths each year.

Bill Maher claims Donald Trump felt 'betrayed' by him with 'silly' feud after cordial 2025 dinner

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:09:52 -0400

"Real Time" host and comedian Bill Maher claimed on Sunday that President Donald Trump feels "betrayed" by him after they continued to feud following their cordial dinner in 2025.

During an interview on ABC's "This Week," Maher discussed recently accepting the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the Kennedy Center, where Trump serves as the chairman. Ahead of the award ceremony, Maher and Trump traded several barbs after it was reported that the Trump administration initially attempted to stop him from receiving the award.

"I love that, you know, he takes the game seriously. Like no, ‘I’m going to block this guy.’ I respect the move," Maher said on his "Club Random" podcast in April. "But I know that on June 28, it's going to happen. We're going to be at the Kennedy Center, and I couldn't be more appreciative, honestly."

THE FEUD BETWEEN TRUMP AND MAHER IS HEATING UP AGAIN AS HBO HOST RESPONDS TO THE PRESIDENT’S LATEST DIG

After finally accepting the award, Maher addressed his ongoing fight with Trump, arguing that it stemmed from the fact that he refused to agree with Republicans after meeting with Trump last year.

"He was just mad at me because I went to his house for dinner with no guarantee that I would leave – guarantee? It was never in the cards that I was ever going to come over to their – his side," Maher said. "You know, it's better to just talk and go through this."

PATTON OSWALT SAYS BILL MAHER WAS WRONG TO TRY TO 'PLACATE' TRUMP, ARGUES IT ALWAYS BACKFIRES

During the interview, anchor Jonathan Karl pointed out that Maher had previously faced backlash for meeting with Trump, and Maher ultimately stood by the decision.

"I reported honestly that it, no, it wasn't a terrible experience at all from a guy who has done some terrible things," Maher said.

Karl remarked that Trump's attacks against Maher have seemed to grow worse since the dinner.

"Yes, because now he feels betrayed, which is silly because there was never a deal. It was only set up as, instead of shouting at each other, talk to each other," Maher said.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comment.

Though Maher was adamant in his political stance against Trump, he admitted during the interview that he could see himself voting for a Republican like Vice President JD Vance in 2028 if his opponent is supported by the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA).

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"My vote is in play because it can’t be Trump running, so I’m not living in communist America," Maher said.

JD Vance and wife Usha welcome fourth child, reveal baby boy’s name

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 19:05:07 -0400

Vice President JD Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, announced the birth of their fourth child on Sunday.

In a joint Instagram post, the couple said their baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born Sunday morning.

"We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning," the couple wrote. "Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother."

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The Vances also thanked the military doctors and staff at Walter Reed Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit for caring for their family.

"The incredible military doctors and staff members of Walter Reed Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit have been a blessing," they said. "We are deeply thankful for all they have done for our family."

SWING-STATE DEM CANDIDATE'S 'DISGUSTING' COMMENTS ABOUT JD, USHA VANCE'S 'BROWN CHILDREN' SPARKS OUTRAGE

The couple announced earlier this year that they were expecting their fourth child.

"Usha and the baby are doing well, and we are all looking forward to welcoming him in late July," the Vances wrote in a statement shared on social media in January.

SECOND LADY USHA VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT EXPECTING THEIR FOURTH CHILD: 'OUR FAMILY IS GROWING'

JD and Usha Vance met while attending Yale Law School and married in 2014. They are also parents to sons Ewan and Vivek and daughter Mirabel.

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Their three older children drew attention last year while attending the Inauguration Day swearing-in ceremony at the U.S. Capitol and the parade at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C.

Fox News Digital's Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.

Spain beats Argentina to win 2026 FIFA World Cup behind Ferran Torres' extra-time goal

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 18:02:37 -0400

For the second time in FIFA World Cup history, Spain can call themselves champions.

It was Ferran Torres, who subbed into the match in the second half, who finally got the ball past Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez in extra time for the 1-0 victory at New York/New Jersey Stadium on Sunday night.

This was Spain’s second-ever trip to the World Cup Final, but just like they did in 2010, they got the job done.

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Meanwhile, if this was Lionel Messi’s final match for Argentina, it ended in heartbreak.

As expected, both squads were trying to take control of this match, which meant possession was key and chances to strike were going to be few.

In the first half, it was Spain doing what it has done all tournament, controlling the pace of play and being quick with decision-making near their opponent’s box.

TRUMP TAKES IN JENNIFER HUDSON'S INCREDIBLE NATIONAL ANTHEM PERFORMANCE BEFORE WORLD CUP FINAL

Lamine Yamal and company had some chances early on, but none were able to get past Emiliano Martínez’s goal line.

On the other end, Unai Simón faced even less pressure from the Argentina attack, as Spain’s strong defense continued against Lionel Messi and his compatriots.

By the end of the first half, no team cracked the scoreboard, as each country was immediately talking about what was needed to change that. They’d have more time to do so, as Madonna, Shakira, Justin Bieber and many other musical guests performed at halftime on the field at New York/New Jersey Stadium.

As the second half began, Spain seemed to have some answers, creating great chances, including a clear shot on Martínez. However, the goalkeeper was able to make the save.

Then, in the 55th minute, a beautiful pass to Dani Olmo into the box led to a pass back toward Marc Cucurella. But Gonzalo Montiel beat Cucurella to the spot, launching the ball out of bounds for a corner kick, keeping a grade-A chance from striking net.

Spain continued to apply pressure, though, including multiple corner kicks and shots to challenge Martínez. Ferran Torres, who had just substituted in, had a great header after a cross from Yamal in the 66th minute, but Martínez was right there once more.

It felt like every ounce of momentum was going Spain’s way, with Argentina still searching for its first shot attempt, let alone shot on goal. Spain had 10 shots, seven of which found Martínez’s goal by the 82nd minute.

Nonetheless, Martínez remained a brick wall, especially when Nico Williams came flying in during stoppage time and ripped a shot that got punched away. Yamal couldn’t believe Williams didn’t cross it over to him, as he had no Argentine defender on him at the far post.

Just seconds later, though, a key moment came in this final match as Enzo Fernandez’s poor challenge led to his second yellow card, which brought out a red card in the 93rd minute. From that point on, Argentina had to play down one man.

Just before regular time ended, a foul on Torres outside Argentina’s box led to a chance for the 19-year-old Yamal to win the World Cup. He put a great strike on the ball, and it would’ve snuck into the left side of the net if not have yet another Martínez spectacular save.

This match required extra time, but Argentina would be forced to play the next 30 minutes with less men than Spain. And it looked as if Spain finally got past Martínez when Williams buried a shot that Mikel Merino missed in front of the net. However, a foul was called before Williams scored, negating the goal and keeping the tie in place.

The call was a controversial one, as it appeared Nicolás Otamendi sold his contact with Merino a bit. But the call stood and the goal was taken off the board.

But Spain never lost its determination to get past Martínez, and the moment finally came in the second half of extra time.

As play resumed, a cross into the box was kept alive by Williams’ head, and the ball landed right at the foot of Torres. Torres wasn’t trying to be cheeky, as he ripped a shot that slammed underneath the crossbar to finally put a goal on the board in the 106th minute.

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Argentina tried its hardest to generate chances on Simón to keep their World Cup hopes alive, but to no avail. In the end, Spain didn’t allow a single shot on goal, while generating 20 of their own.

Throughout the entire tournament, Spain gave up just one goal to their opponents, showcasing dominance from beginning to end. It was only right their tournament ended with trophy in hand.

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AOC accused of putting on new accent during Memphis rally: 'Going full Kamala'

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:38:42 -0400

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., was accused of putting on an accent during a Memphis rally last week, with critics on social media comparing her to former Vice President Kamala Harris.

Ocasio-Cortez was speaking at a campaign rally in Memphis on Friday for progressive U.S. House candidate Justin Pearson, who currently serves as a Tennessee state representative.

"We cannot afford to leave Tennessee behind," she said. "We cannot afford to leave Kentucky behind, Alabama behind, Mississippi behind, Georgia behind, South Carolina behind. There is no country where we are split apart."

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"About a month or two ago, we were in Montgomery, Alabama — Sister [Rep. Ayanna] Pressley and I were in Montgomery, Alabama, and one of the things that we said was that it is time for the North to roll up to the South," Ocasio-Cortez continued.

Critics online singled out this part of her speech, saying she put on a "fake accent."

"AOC, from the ‘Bronx’ sounding like a southern Baptist preacher while in Memphis," actor Michael Rapaport, who has said he’ll run for the New York City mayor’s office in 2029, posted on social media.

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"Hillary Clinton developed an accent. Kamala Harris developed an accent. AOC is developing an accent. It’s all patronizing," conservative communications strategist Steve Guest posted on social media.

"Rep. AOC just got busted putting on a FAKE ACCENT for a predominantly black audience. She's seriously going full Kamala for 2028," another user wrote, referencing a potential presidential bid.

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Harris was repeatedly accused of altering her accent depending on the group of people she's speaking to.

In 2024, Harris was slammed for using what critics called a fake Southern accent while speaking at a rally in Atlanta in July 2024, and again during a Labor Day rally in Detroit that year. During her 2021 overseas trip to France, critics claimed Harris used a "French accent" while touring a COVID lab.

Fox News Digital reached out to AOC's team for comment on the "fake accent" accusations.

RILEY GAINES: World Cup visitors are reminding Americans what makes this country great

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:12:00 -0400

Some of the most wholesome stories on the internet lately haven't come from celebrities or influencers. They've come from people visiting America for the first time because of the World Cup.

Take Sebastian, for example. Sebastian is a German soccer fan who flew to the United States initially apprehensive.

Like so many people overseas, he'd spent years consuming headlines portraying America as a country overrun by crime, division and chaos. Before he even stepped off the plane, he was worried about his safety.

Sebastian watched Germany play Paraguay in Boston. After the game, he found himself stranded without a way back to his hotel. That's when he met a man named Bob.

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Bob didn't know Sebastian from Adam. He didn't ask about politics. He didn't care where he was from. He saw a man in need and didn’t think twice about helping out by giving him a ride back to his hotel.

In a video that's now been viewed millions of times, Sebastian fought back tears while describing the kindness he experienced from Bob. He admitted he was more upset about leaving America than he was about Germany being eliminated from the World Cup.

Full honesty? I can think of plenty of Americans I'd trade for Sebastian.

With only the championship match remaining, social media has been flooded with videos from international visitors documenting what they've found here. They rave about the hospitality of ordinary Americans. They marvel at our diversity, our national parks, our food, our culture, and yes, even our patriotism.

BILL MAHER LAUDS FOREIGN VISITORS AT WORLD CUP: 'THEY ARE REMINDING AMERICANS THIS PLACE IS KIND OF AWESOME'

They've danced in the streets with complete strangers after matches. They've sung "Take Me Home, Country Roads" shoulder-to-shoulder with thousands of Americans they'd never met. They've stood speechless overlooking the Grand Canyon. They've tried real American barbecue for the first time. They've talked about feeling welcomed in cities they were told to fear.

Watching these videos, I kept asking myself one question: Why do people from halfway around the world seem to appreciate America more than so many Americans do? Maybe it's because they haven't spent years being told to hate it.

For decades, we've been fed a version of America that focuses almost exclusively on what's broken. Turn on the news and you'd think our streets are constantly on fire, neighbors hate one another, and every conversation ends in a political screaming match. That's simply not how most Americans actually live.

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The unfortunate reality is outrage sells. Fear gets clicks and conflict gets ratings. Good news rarely goes viral because it's harder to monetize content that leaves people feeling hopeful.

If you consume outrage all day, eventually you become outraged. If every headline tells you your country is falling apart, eventually you start believing it.

The same anti-American propaganda is being pushed in our education system. Teachers, professors, and other educators are quick to teach students about America's failures while hardly covering its successes. Kids learn at a young age that America is filled with colonizers and oppressors, and are left feeling shameful and guilty for their heritage or their skin color.

For clarity, I’m not saying we shouldn’t teach students about slavery, segregation, Japanese internment, and every other dark chapter of our history. Pretending those things never happened serves no one. But that's not the whole story.

We also abolished slavery. We defeated fascism. We landed on the moon. We built the most innovative economy the world has ever seen. Millions of people have willingly left everything behind for the chance to achieve the American dream. That doesn't happen by accident.

Loving your country doesn't require believing it's perfect. It requires recognizing that, despite its flaws, it's worth protecting and improving. Ironically, it took millions of foreign soccer fans to remind many Americans of that.

Sports have always had a way of cutting through the noise. Anyone who's ever played on a team or even sat in the stands knows it. It’s the one place where identities and feelings don’t matter — well, at least they shouldn’t.

Nobody cares what color your skin is when you score the game-winning goal. Nobody asks whether you're Catholic, Baptist, Jewish, Muslim, or only show up to church on Christmas and Easter. Nobody pauses to ask who you voted for before celebrating a touchdown or lifting a trophy. The only things that matter are your ability level and your dedication to winning.

Fans aren't much different. For ninety minutes, thousands of complete strangers become one team. They cheer together, celebrate together, and sometimes even cry together. That's the kind of unity we've been told is impossible, yet it happens every single weekend in stadiums across America.

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Sports remind us of something we've forgotten in almost every other part of American life: We have a lot more in common than the people and institutions making money off our division would like us to believe.

The World Cup didn't magically make America kinder. It just gave the rest of the world an excuse to see the America that has always existed beneath the click-bait headlines. The America where someone like Bob helps a stranded stranger because it's the right thing to do. It’s the same America that millions of visitors are now discovering isn't the caricature they've been sold.

My biggest takeaway from this World Cup isn't about soccer at all. Maybe it's that America looks a whole lot better when you experience it yourself instead of letting someone else tell you what to think about it. Most Americans could stand to remember that too.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FROM RILEY GAINES

First World Cup halftime show draws mixed reactions for Shakira, Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna performances

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:06:15 -0400

The 2026 FIFA World Cup Final is historic for a number of reasons. Argentina has the opportunity to become the first repeat champion since Brazil in 1962. It's among the most expensive sporting events ever, and the culmination of the most attended World Cup in tournament history.

Oh, and it featured the first halftime show of a World Cup Final, curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin.

In a short, at least by Super Bowl halftime show standards, performance, the show featured performances by Madonna, The Muppets, BTS, Justin Bieber, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, an appearance by Jason Sudeikis as Ted Lasso, Shakira with guest Burna Boy, and a closing song from a group of children assembled in the middle of the field.

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Madonna started her performance in the tunnel, before moving out onto the field to cheers from the crowd.

Dudamel "conducted" The Muppets in their performance of "Seven Nation Army," before BTS joined to sing "Dynamite," one of the group's biggest hits. Ted Lasso then "subbed in" Bieber to sing "Everything Hallelujah," a quieter ballad that he adjusted the lyrics to incorporate "World Cup."

Shakira and Burna Boy performed the official World Cup anthem, "Dai Dai," surrounded by backup dancers, which added some energy before the show closed. Children, joined by Chris Martin and many of the other performers, sang about "love" on the field.

Many compared it favorably to the Super Bowl halftime show from Bad Bunny, saying it had more energy and was intelligible, unlike most of Bad Bunny's "singing."

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Others criticized the length of the show, saying that it took 27 minutes to go from the end of the first half to the start of the second. Former English soccer star Wayne Rooney had some harsh words on the BBC broadcast, saying he thought it was "crap."

Still, while many questioned the need for a World Cup halftime show at all, most seemed to think it was well done, flowed well and didn't drag on too long.

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What needs more excitement? The actual play during the final, with both Spain and Argentina taking their time to warm up into the match and unable to find many good scoring opportunities. Given the success of the show, however, it seems like this will become part of the tradition at the conclusion of the World Cup.

Angel Reese thanks WNBA for suspending Sandy Brondello, frames 'protected species' comment as discrimination

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:04:13 -0400

Atlanta Dream star Angel Reese addressed Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello’s "protected species" comment prior to the Atlanta Dream’s game against the Chicago Sky on Sunday afternoon.

Reese said she was "grateful" the WNBA took action against Brondello and said there is "no place for discrimination or hate" in the league.

WNBA SUSPENDS TEMPO COACH SANDY BRONDELLO FOR 'PROTECTED SPECIES' COMMENT ABOUT ANGEL REESE

What Reese didn’t mention was Brondello’s Australian background or the fact that "protected species" is a common Australian sports expression used to describe a player who receives favorable treatment from officials.

She also didn’t acknowledge that there is no evidence Brondello’s comment had anything to do with Reese’s race or that the WNBA didn't publicly allege racial intent in its suspension announcement.

"I’m sure everyone knows about the situation that happened last game and I’m going to address this one time," Reese said.

"First, I appreciate Sandy’s apology, but I also appreciate the love and support that I have had for the last 48 hours. It has been very overwhelming with a lot of love and also other things.

"But I am grateful that the league did take action... There is no place for discrimination or hate in this league from anyone, from fans to coaches to players.

"And I’m just grateful that we are able to move on from the situation and just play winning basketball. The WNBA is supposed to be positive and we are going in a great light right now. So I just want to continue that and move forward."

Reese never explicitly called Brondello racist. She didn’t have to. Her social media response framed the comment as an attack on a Black woman, and her remarks Sunday placed it squarely in the category of "discrimination or hate." The accusation was clear, even if Reese avoided saying the word herself.

The controversy started Friday night after Reese collided with Tempo forward Nyara Sabally while battling for a rebound. Sabally fell to the floor and remained down in pain, but officials called the foul on her.

Brondello, upset with the call and concerned about her injured player, complained from the sideline that Reese was a "protected species."

It was obvious that Brondello believed the referees were protecting Reese.

The phrase is also common in Australian sports, where it is used as shorthand for perceived favorable treatment from officials.

Brondello is Australian.

None of that stopped Reese from quoting an X post that read, "Calling a Black woman a species…" and responding, "ARE WE SURPRISED?!" with a clown emoji.

Brondello apologized the next morning.

"Angel, I’m sorry," she wrote on X. "Last night, in the emotion of the moment after Nyara’s injury, I used a phrase that I shouldn’t have used, and I take full responsibility for that. My frustration was with the officiating, but my words unfairly put the focus on you."

She didn’t stop there.

"I also understand that my words carried an impact beyond what I intended, particularly for Black women in our league, and I’m deeply sorry for that," Brondello continued. "I’ve spent my career competing with, coaching and learning from incredible Black women."

Then Brondello addressed it again while speaking to reporters on Sunday.

"I wanted to put that out as soon as I woke up," Brondello said of her apology.

She explained that she contacted the Dream after the game and asked to speak directly with Reese "because she doesn’t really know me very well."

"It was a heat-of-the-moment, emotional statement," Brondello said. "It’s very common in Australia. And it wasn’t directed at Angel."

ANGEL REESE DANGEROUSLY PEDDLES RACIST CONSPIRACY THEORY AFTER WNBA COACH CALLS HER TWO WORDS

Brondello said she was emotional after Nyara Sabally suffered another injury and used an expression that Australians "say all the time."

She also acknowledged that she should have stopped to consider how the phrase might be interpreted in the United States because "racism is such a big issue" in America.

Brondello has spent 27 years in the WNBA and said the people she has worked with throughout her career know what she stands for.

"I know I’m not racist," she said. "It’s a really unfortunate situation."

Brondello added that she wants to be "part of the solution, not the problem."

She didn’t merely issue a carefully written public statement and move on. Brondello reached out to the Dream, asked for a direct conversation with Reese and then publicly pleaded for the opportunity to explain herself.

"Hopefully, I can have that chat and she gets to know me and my heart," Brondello said. "I am truly sorry."

Based on Brondello’s comments, Reese had not returned that outreach as of Sunday.

Reese could put the controversy to rest by speaking with Brondello, accepting the apology and acknowledging that the coach used a common expression from her home country while complaining about officiating.

CAITLIN CLARK'S FORMER TEAMMATE CALLS OUT WNBA FOR SUSPENDING TEMPO HEAD COACH OVER 'PROTECTED SPECIES' REMARK

Instead, Reese thanked the WNBA for suspending Brondello and categorized the incident as "discrimination or hate."

Brondello has apologized publicly, attempted to apologize privately and repeatedly explained that the remark had nothing to do with Reese’s race.

Of course, none of that seems to be good enough.

Stephen A Smith warns politics is causing 'division' within America's last unifying pastime

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 17:00:24 -0400

Sports have brought Americans together despite political differences for decades, and Stephen A. Smith is determined to keep it that way.

The outspoken media personality issued a passionate warning about politics encroaching on sports during a July 17 episode of SiriusXM's "The Stephen A. Smith Show," broadcast from the third annual Fanatics Fest sports convention in New York City.

Smith warned of politics hijacking the discourse surrounding how WNBA star Caitlin Clark is treated by the league and the media, pleading with sports fans not to let "divisiveness" take over.

"This is America, baby. This is America — for all the divisiveness, for all the problems, for everything that we endure," he said. "Bottom line is this: people from all over the world want to get here, because it's the land of opportunity. The politicians that sit up there and run their mouth, and try to invade the sports world and contribute to the division — don’t let them do it. Don't let them do it."

Smith sounded the alarm over NBA commissioner Adam Silver's labeling of the Clark debate as "political ping pong," predicting it could add more fuel to the fire.

"When the (NBA) commissioner comes along, and he says, ‘political ping pong,’ because she's White, and she can play, and we're living in the climate that we're living in — these damn politicians are going to utilize that to contribute to a divide," he said. "You got a binary system, and you got to vote for one side over the other. So they're going to favor her because they're trying to paint somebody else on the other side of the enemy, and that divisiveness kicks in. And we all buy into it — I'm saying we need to stop that. We need to stop buying into that stuff."

NBA'S ADAM SILVER PUSHED WNBA COMMISSIONER TO SUSPEND ALYSSA THOMAS FOR CAITLIN CLARK THROAT JAB: REPORT

Smith also urged Clark and her fellow WNBA players to put their differences aside in hopes of cooling the heated debate over her popularity, while pleading with lawmakers to stay out of the conversation.

"Caitlin Clark is not the enemy; she's your friend. Those other ladies ain't her enemies, and she has to know that too," he said. "And the (WNBA) commissioner has to commit herself to being a leader and bringing everybody together, so we're able to look at politicians that try to politicize it and tell them to kiss our a--. Go up on Capitol Hill and do your job. Stop trying to sit up there and get in the way of regular folks out here just trying to work hard, earn an honest living and live their life. Go do your damn job. That's what we’ve got to get accustomed to do. ‘Cause if we don't, it's gonna be a collective sinking ship. And you don't want that."

REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS PRESS WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT TO PROTECT CAITLIN CLARK

Fox News Digital reached out to the WNBA for comment.

Several prominent political leaders and commentators have given their two cents on Clark. Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., previously said the Indiana Fever star gets the "thug treatment" in the WNBA and called it "pathetic."

Rep. Brandon Boyle, D-Pa., got into an online spat with former ESPN host Jemele Hill over the WNBA's perceived lack of marketing for Clark despite her otherworldly shooting talents. Boyle later declared, "The WNBA detests Clark," sparking more debate on X.

Even President Donald Trump weighed in in recent weeks while addressing the media, praising her as a "wonderful basketball player" while slamming Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas for committing a hard foul on Clark during a game. Thomas received a one-game suspension as a result.

"I thought she was treated rather rough, if you want to know the truth," Trump said. "That was a much different kind of event — that was a pretty bad event."

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Smith has continued to use his massive platform to criticize both sides of the political spectrum, blaming Trump for the New York Knicks' Game 3 loss to the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals and calling out the rise of democratic socialism within the Democratic Party.

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Fox News' Ryan Morik and OutKick's Dan Zaksheske contributed to this report.

'We want land invasion': Iran mouthpiece touts new missile, boasts decades of war prep

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 16:30:09 -0400

Tehran has spent decades preparing for — and welcoming — a U.S. ground invasion, a senior Iranian official has claimed, as fresh explosions rocked the region on the eighth day of renewed U.S.-Iran strikes.

Seyed Mohammad Marandi, an Iranian American academic identified as a regime "mouthpiece," also boasted that Tehran had just launched a "new missile" while decentralizing and burying its arsenal deep underground to withstand sustained American air campaigns.

"The Americans are planning an invasion. I'm not saying it will necessarily happen. I'm not saying it will necessarily happen in the next few days. But they have plans for an invasion," Marandi, a former advisor to Iran's nuclear negotiation team, said in an interview with political analyst Glenn Diesen.

I'VE STUDIED MILITARY STRATEGY. TRUMP NOW FACES IRAN'S OLDEST BATTLEFIELD TRICK

"Whether they carry them out or not, we'll see. But the Iranians, as you pointed out, the focus of Iranian strikes is on Bahrain and Kuwait, and that's because that's where most American assets have been placed for a ground invasion," Diesen said.

Marandi’s comments came as the conflict expanded across western and southern Iran in the run-up to Saturday.

Iran also launched missile and drone salvos targeting U.S.-linked facilities in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Jordanian officials confirmed they intercepted 10 missiles early Saturday, while authorities in Kuwait reported casualties and severe damage to a domestic power and desalination plant.

In response, U.S. airstrikes struck bridges, a key road tunnel, surveillance outposts and reinforced underground weapons storage facilities.

Multiple explosions also rocked the city of Khorramabad in Iran's Lorestan province. Iranian state media claimed the blasts were caused by U.S. missiles launched from regional bases in Kuwait, according to reports.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN'S MISSILES 'AREN'T THE PROBLEM' AFTER WHITE HOUSE MADE THEM CENTRAL TO WAR RATIONALE

Khorramabad houses the Imam Ali Missile Base, one of Tehran's primary underground silo facilities engineered to store and deploy liquid-fueled Shahab-3 medium-range ballistic missiles, according to Washington’s Nuclear Threat Initiative.

The complex was damaged by Israeli airstrikes during the 2025 campaign targeting Tehran's military and nuclear infrastructure.

Marandi also detailed what he described as a resilient, subterranean network central to Tehran's military strategy.

"When Iran wants to fire missiles or drones, they don't put them inside buildings or in piles somewhere. They take out whatever they need," Marandi said. "They fire them, and then they go back to their bases, or they take out different missiles and drones, spread them out in different areas, put them apart from one another so that the Americans cannot bomb them in large numbers."

He added: "Everything has been spread out in Iran and placed underground."

The latest escalation between the U.S. and Iran ended a recently signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish a 60-day ceasefire and facilitate nuclear talks.

The key issue has centered on control of the Strait of Hormuz, with the strategic waterway turning into the conflict's main battleground.

TRUMP'S 60-DAY IRAN DEAL REACHES HALFWAY MARK AS CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES INTO ESCALATING WAR

President Donald Trump ordered renewed airstrikes within weeks of the truce, or MOU, being implemented, and on July 14, he floated the possibility of launching a ground campaign.

According to Marandi, Iran's military command is actively counting on a ground scenario and has since introduced a new weapon to the theater.

"Iran has that advantage, and of course, it has been accumulating missiles and drones for decades now, and it is doing so even now," Marandi claimed.

"They, I think, last night introduced a new missile to the war," he said of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRCG).

"The Iranians are hitting very hard, and they are prepared for a land war. They've been preparing for decades."

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Marandi concluded by claiming that Tehran views a U.S. ground operation as the most direct path to ending the conflict on its own terms.

"The Iranians — we discussed this during the 40-day war before on your show — when I said that the Iranians actually want the Americans to carry out a land invasion, and the same is true now, because they felt that if there was a land invasion, they would win," he told Diesen.

US service member killed in Iraq as troops recover unidentified remains in Jordan: CENTCOM

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 16:18:19 -0400

A U.S. service member was killed Saturday during an operation involving explosive remnants from a downed Iranian drone in northern Iraq, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Sunday.

A second U.S. service member was also wounded in the incident, officials said.

The announcement came as CENTCOM confirmed unidentified remains were found Sunday during the search for a U.S. service member reported missing in Jordan following a separate Iranian attack on Friday.

TWO US SERVICE MEMBERS KILLED IN IRANIAN STRIKES ON JORDAN, CENTCOM SAYS

According to officials, the incident in Iraq happened after U.S. forces recovered a downed Iranian drone and began handling the explosive material left behind.

"A U.S. service member in northern Iraq was killed in action July 18 during a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance from a downed Iranian one-way attack drone," CENTCOM wrote in a post on X.

LEAKED IRAN REPORT FINDS RECORD PUBLIC ANGER AS REGIME FOCUSES ON HOLDING POWER

The military did not immediately release further details about the incident, but said the other service member injured in the operation is receiving medical treatment.

In Jordan, officials said the unidentified remains recovered Sunday will also undergo an examination to determine their identity.

"After a thorough search, U.S. military personnel found unidentified remains at the location earlier today," CENTCOM said. "An examination process to verify the remains is ongoing."

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Friday's Iranian attack on a U.S. base in Jordan killed two U.S. service members, CENTCOM previously said.

Four American service members were also medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals, officials said. They have since been discharged.

"CENTCOM is withholding additional information, including the identities of the missing and fallen warriors, out of respect for the families during the notification process," the agency said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Tipster charged with murder after police say anonymous call helped solve 30-year disappearance

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 16:08:57 -0400

More than 30 years after an Alaska man vanished without a trace, an anonymous confession breathed new life into the cold case and ultimately led investigators to the alleged killer.

Christopher Popps, 54, of Michigan, was arrested after Alaska State Troopers said they traced the confession back to him, accusing him of fatally shooting his former co-worker, Patrick Orville Dearth, in 1993 before dumping his body inside a barrel off a remote highway.

Dearth, 34, disappeared in November 1993 after he was reported missing to the Fairbanks Police Department. For decades, investigators had few answers.

The breakthrough came on Jan. 22, 2025, when Alaska State Troopers received an anonymous tip from someone claiming to have committed a murder in the Fairbanks area in 1993, according to the agency.

WOMAN FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVE ID’D AFTER 44 YEARS AS MILLIONAIRE TIED TO ESTATE MURDER PLOT

The Alaska Bureau of Investigation's Cold Case Investigation Unit took over the case, but investigators couldn't immediately search the area because it was buried under snow and daylight was limited, Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel told Alaska Public Media.

When investigators returned in May 2025, they found human remains inside a barrel down a steep embankment near Mile 47 of the Steese Highway. The Alaska State Medical Examiner's Office later identified the remains as Dearth and ruled his death a homicide.

KILLER ADMITS TO DECADES-OLD COLD CASE SLAYING AFTER INVESTIGATORS LEAN ON NEW FORENSIC EVIDENCE: OFFICIALS

As investigators dug deeper, they identified the anonymous tipster as Popps.

McDaniel told Alaska Public Media that Popps had made multiple anonymous tips to different Alaska law enforcement agencies claiming responsibility for Dearth's death.

Investigators have not said why they believe he began confessing more than three decades after the killing.

FUGITIVE TIED TO DECADES-OLD SLAYING OF PUNK ROCKER ROOMMATE CAUGHT IN TROPICAL HOT SPOT: FEDS

Authorities said Popps and Dearth worked together in Fairbanks and that an altercation at an auto shop ended with Popps allegedly shooting Dearth.

"Based on our investigation, we determined there was an altercation at an auto shop, which led Popps to shoot Dearth," McDaniel told the outlet.

A Fairbanks grand jury indicted Popps on two counts of second-degree murder on June 25, 2026, and a warrant for his arrest was issued the same day, according to court records.

Michigan State Police arrested Popps near Kalamazoo on July 16. He remains jailed in Kalamazoo County awaiting extradition to Alaska.

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As of Friday, Popps did not have an attorney listed in Alaska court records, and no future hearings had been scheduled, according to Alaska Public Media.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Alaska State Troopers and Michigan State Police for additional information.

The daytime habit that could transform your sleep, according to new study

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 16:07:06 -0400

Spending more time in bright daylight could help people fall asleep earlier and get deeper sleep at night, according to new research.

A study led by researchers at the University of Manchester found that adults with brighter and more consistent daytime light exposure tended to fall asleep earlier, wake up earlier and experience more deep sleep during the first part of the night.

The findings, published in the journal NPJ Biological Timing and Sleep, were based on more than 500 days of data collected from 89 adults who wore light sensors and sleep trackers while keeping daily sleep diaries.

DOCTORS SAY 8 FORGOTTEN HABITS COULD HELP FIGHT STRESS, OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASE

Participants who spent more time in brighter daylight generally fell asleep and woke up earlier than those with less light exposure. Those with more consistent daytime light exposure also experienced healthier sleep timing and more deep sleep early in the night, according to the study.

Jennifer Martin, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist and professor at Florida International University's Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, said the findings align with what sleep experts already know about how light affects the body's internal clock.

"Light impacts human sleep through a specific pathway, starting with the eye," Martin, who was not involved in the study, told Fox News Digital.

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"When light hits specific cells in the retina, it communicates to the brain that it's daytime, meaning we should be alert and active."

Morning light is especially beneficial because it helps keep the body's sleep-wake cycle consistent, Martin said. She recommends spending time outdoors early in the day when possible.

"Exposure to sunlight early in the day is really good for healthy sleep," she said. "Regular morning light helps people feel sleepy around the same time each evening and build a strong sleep routine."

Limiting bright light in the evening can also help improve sleep, Martin said.

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She recommends avoiding bright light during the last couple of hours before bedtime and maintaining a consistent wake-up time each morning.

"Varying your wake time by more than about one hour can lead to feelings of 'jet lag' and contribute to trouble with regularly sleeping well," Martin said.

She added that adults should aim for at least seven hours of sleep each night and seek help from a sleep specialist if sleep problems become chronic.

While the findings suggest brighter daytime light may support healthier sleep, the researchers said the study has several limitations.

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They noted that the research found an association between daytime light exposure and sleep patterns but did not prove that one directly caused the other.

The researchers also measured light exposure using wrist-worn devices rather than at the eyes, where light directly influences the body's internal clock, and did not account for factors such as physical activity or meal timing that could affect sleep.

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers for comment.

Courthouse weddings are booming as many couples skip pricey traditional ceremonies

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:50:16 -0400

A number of West Coast couples are reportedly foregoing costly, extravagant weddings these days. Instead, they're favoring simple courthouse ceremonies.

The demand for straightforward civil ceremonies is causing a rush for marriage appointments at municipal buildings in California, the Los Angeles Times recently reported.

"They pretty much get picked up as soon as we release them," Santa Barbara County Clerk Melinda Greene told the publication. "We have people from all over the world."

TAYLOR SWIFT'S WEDDING SPARKS HOLIDAY WEEKEND ETIQUETTE DEBATE FOR GUESTS

Slots to get married at California courthouses have been filling up months in advance, while some couples snap up last-minute bookings.

Elopement has turned from "a breezy wedding alternative into a formal contact sport," the same publication reported.

"It books up so fast, you have to be online at the exact time [of day] you plan on having your appointment," Asha Marshall of So Fetch Photography told the Times. "A lot of my brides get stressed out."

Micro-weddings are reportedly on the rise due in part to social media posts inspiring couples to get married at the same venues where celebrities have tied the knot.

Santa Barbara’s Spanish Moorish revival courthouse, for instance, is a sought-after spot where Kamala Harris married Doug Emhoff and where Kourtney Kardashian got hitched to Travis Barker.

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"We see dozens a day, starting at 8 o’clock in the morning," Roy Lee, Santa Barbara County supervisor, told the Times.

San Francisco City Hall, where Marilyn Monroe and Joe DiMaggio were married with great fanfare in 1954, is a top spot for a courthouse wedding, according to the Times. The venue hosts some 7,000 weddings a year.

The trend also coincides with Gen Z — those commonly cited as having been born between 1997 and 2012 — now entering its peak marrying years.

The oldest members of Gen Z are hitting the average marrying age of 28, online wedding-planning and registry company Zola reported, and this generation has become a primary driver of the wedding industry.

"The 2026 wedding season reflects the broader cultural shifts of this generation," Zola reported in its "2026 Wedding Trends: First Look" report, a survey of more than 11,500 couples getting married in 2026.

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"Our couples are using TikTok and AI in their everyday lives, embracing both cocktails and mocktails and prioritizing their mental wellness," the report said.

Though cost-friendly and streamlined civil marriage ceremonies are popular in some places, the average cost of a wedding is $36,000, according to Zola — while the average guest count has remained steady at around 145 people, similar to last year.

"Even with economic jitters, we’re seeing couples prioritize the celebration they want over other financial goals," the company reported. "The sentiment is clear: 85% of couples say their wedding will be worth every penny."

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Bank of America said in June 2026 that "wedding-related spending grew 8.5% year-over-year so far in 2026… suggesting that higher prices haven’t completely curbed spending on that special day."

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The report also found consumers are spending less on one-time formal wear purchases, while more economical, lab-grown diamonds continue to gain traction.

Rory McIlroy should be the last golfer to criticize others for 'performative' behavior

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:44:29 -0400

The Open Championship in 2026 just crowned its Champion Golfer of the Year, a surprising underdog win from Ryan Fox. But two of the most prominent, successful, and accomplished golfers of the tournament keep grabbing headlines: Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.

DeChambeau became the center of attention, and the story of the Open, before the event even started. After missing the cut at all three majors heading into Royal Birkdale, commentators Nick Faldo and Brandel Chamblee both went after him for either prioritizing YouTube golf over competition, or in Faldo's case, an apparent lack of "strategy" in attacking links golf.

Sure enough, DeChambeau quickly put himself in contention, including what appeared to be a second-round 66 that moved him to seven under par and within one shot of the second round leader, Lucas Herbert at -8. But after the round had completed, rules officials took him back to the fifth hole after reviewing footage that they believed showed he incorrectly improved the area around his backswing. Despite a lengthy discussion and argument, DeChambeau was addressed a two-shot penalty. And reportedly considered sitting out the remainder of the tournament in protest.

GOLF ANALYST BRANDEL CHAMBLEE DISGUSTINGLY BURIES BRYSON DECHAMBEAU AFTER BRITISH OPEN PENALTY

There have been passionate arguments on both sides over the legitimacy of the ruling. Many have said it was justified considering it appears on camera as though DeChambeau steps around the area carelessly, while several players, including Xander Schauffele, have come out in his favor.

Then there's the other side of it, that DeChambeau might have held up the R&A's announcement of tee times for round three while deciding whether to play. That certainly rubbed some players the wrong way, including McIlroy.

"I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson," he told reporters. "I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.

"To hold the tournament hostage like that and to have all of us — players, volunteers, everyone — waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look," McIlroy said.

"I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing," he added. "Again, it’s like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters. Hopefully, it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified, for sure."

RORY MCILROY BLASTS BRYSON DECHAMBEAU FOR HOLDING THE OPEN 'HOSTAGE' OVER PENALTY CHAOS: 'IT IS PERFORMATIVE'

It's rare to see a player speak out that, shall we say, aggressively, about another. But McIlroy has increasingly in recent years been more open with his thoughts to the media. Perhaps worn down by years of being one of the most visible and prominent personalities on the PGA Tour, his role in opposing the formation of LIV Golf, starting TGL, or even after winning The Masters, questions about his legacy or years of struggles in major championships. But whatever the cause, McIlroy's answer about DeChambeau summarized who he's become as a public figure.

And it was also a bit hypocritical.

For all his qualities, obviously one of the best golfers of the modern era, someone whose commitment to the PGA Tour helped keep it together as LIV grabbed star after star, and his competitiveness in big events, McIlroy has frequently also demonstrated petulance, immaturity, and in some cases, performative behavior. Which is why he, like DeChambeau, has become a polarizing figure in the golf world.

When he lost the 2024 U.S. Open, to Bryson, after a series of poor holes down the stretch at Pinehurst, McIlroy just...left. He didn't speak to the media, he didn't address fans, or handle the loss with grace and composure, he just...bailed. Then was defensive about it afterward. He didn't speak to the media at all after his four rounds at the PGA Championship in 2025.

In one infamous incident, he grabbed a fan's phone and walked away with it, before returning it later. At the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, it was widely reported that some unruly fans yelled unacceptable things towards him, but instead of handling , McIlroy snapped, screaming obscenities right back. At the 2023 Ryder Cup, he had to be restrained from going after Team USA caddies in the parking lot.

He smashed a tee marker at a US Open, and slammed his driver at the 2026 PGA Championship. He bragged after winning The Masters that he's become almost an honorary member at Augusta National, flying privately up from his home in Florida to practice there each spring. While the PGA Tour looks for ways to increase the number of events featuring top players competing against each other, McIlroy has made no secret of his intention to play as few tournaments as possible because his focus is exclusively on winning majors.

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That's the issue with calling out others for perceived personality flaws. He has many of his own. Which is not to say that he's some malignant figure in the golf world, or even that he's necessarily wrong about DeChambeau. But he's had plenty of incidents that others would call performative, or breaching proper conduct, or losing decorum. That's why McIlroy has become such a polarizing figure. He's often willing to criticize others, even though his own career has featured plenty of emotional outbursts and controversial moments. That doesn't necessarily mean he's wrong about DeChambeau, but it does make his criticism easier to question.

Is DeChambeau performative at times? Sure; he's made no bones about the fact that he views part of his role as being an entertainer. He is an entertainer, professional sports are an entertainment product. If fans didn't find them entertaining, there'd be no one watching. Does that mean he cheated? No. Would McIlroy have been furious about receiving a penalty in that situation? Almost certainly.

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There's a reason for the phrase, those in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Rory should remember it.

Crazy brawl over a parking spot in New York includes a vicious skateboard to the head

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:17:11 -0400

Prime parking spots in New York City are evidently worth fighting a stranger on a sidewalk for. A brawl caught on video in the East Village last Tuesday afternoon shows a driver and a skateboarder doing just that.

The NY Post reports that the skateboarder and a friend were attempting to hold a parking spot for someone when a Mercedes pulled up and tried to park in the "reserved by skateboarder" spot.

The viral video of the incident shows the Mercedes being hit with a skateboard a couple of times before the skater throws his preferred method of transportation at the vehicle.

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The driver jumps out, grabs the board and swings it at the skater. That was a mistake. The two men then exchange the types of pillow-soft punches you throw in your worst nightmare.

These two weren't cut out for hand-to-hand combat. Some kicks are thrown in there before the two fall hard to the pavement. The two ignore the pleas of the woman who was with the Mercedes driver and things get worse for him.

The skateboarder gets on top, appears to land at least one weak punch, then lets the driver up. The skater then grabs his board and smashes his opponent in the head with it.

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The solid shot to the head, the hardest delivered by either of them, is followed by the skateboarder getting the Mercedes driver in a choke hold.

The witness filming the action decides to walk over to the Mercedes and reveals that the SUV has a smashed windshield.

A spokesman for the NYPD confirmed to The Post that the driver of the Mercedes was trying to park his vehicle in a parking spot prior to the insanity captured on camera.

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The skateboarder, who as of Saturday afternoon the police were still looking for, left the scene. The driver was taken to a local hospital in stable condition, according to police.

There were no arrests made. Sometimes you do battle on the sidewalk over a parking spot. Sometimes you're arrested. Sometimes you're not.

Trump takes in Jennifer Hudson's incredible national anthem performance before World Cup final

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:15:03 -0400

President Donald Trump was spotted at New York/New Jersey Stadium for the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina on Sunday.

Trump, standing between first lady Melania Trump and FIFA President Gianni Infantino, looked on from his suite as the sold-out crowd listened to a beautiful rendition of "The Star-Spangled Banner" sung by Jennifer Hudson.

Team USA may have been knocked out in the Round of 16 to Belgium, but as one of the three host countries and being where the final took place, Hudson didn’t disappoint as usual.

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The crowd of over 80,000 fans cheered as Hudson hit every note, and Trump was shown on the FOX broadcast at the end as applause rained down onto the pitch.

The closing ceremony was more than that, though. British singer-songwriter Robbie Williams was there to perform, while actor Tom Cruise delivered a speech to the crowd about how togetherness and unity has been displayed throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico throughout this month-long tournament.

FOX WORLD CUP ANNOUNCER SAYS TRUMP'S APPEARANCE AT FINAL IS 'FUN, UNIQUE THING' DESPITE POTENTIAL BACKLASH

In the end, there can only be one winner, but the FIFA World Cup showcased the power of unity, which Cruise and the football organization wanted to remind each and every person in the crowd before kick-off.

The World Cup trophy was also delivered in a Louis Vuitton luggage case by Spanish tennis star Carlos Alcaraz, while 1978 Argentina World Cup champion Mario Kempes hoisted it up for all the crowd to see.

As the ceremony came to an end, both teams walked onto the pitch in East Rutherford, New Jersey, surely filled with anxious energy and anticipation for what each of them hopes ends in happy celebration instead of tears of defeat.

For Lionel Messi and Argentina, they are hoping to retain their title as the best team in the world after defeating France in Qatar in 2022.

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For Spain, it’s just their second-ever World Cup Final, but it was a victory celebration in 2010. Now, this team, featuring phenom Lamine Yamal and savvy veterans like Mikel Moreno, is hoping it’s their turn to lift the trophy in the end.

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Tom Homan warns ICE surge coming to New York City as Mamdani boasts about sanctuary status

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 15:08:04 -0400

White House border czar Tom Homan warned of an incoming ICE surge in New York City, citing the Trump administration's refusal to be deterred by Mayor Zohran Mamdani's embrace of the Big Apple's sanctuary status.

"It's coming," Homan told the hosts of "Fox & Friends Weekend" on Sunday.

While remaining tight-lipped on further details, Homan clarified his reluctance to elaborate stems from a refusal to show the Trump administration's hand.

GOP SENATORS RALLY AROUND NEW DHS PROPOSAL TARGETING SANCTUARY CITIES: 'SHOULD PAY A PRICE'

"ICE is operating in New York City today. We're operating across the state today, but there's going to be a surge, and there needs to be a surge," he said.

"But I am not going to show our hand because there are... well-funded groups who will try to impede, interfere. We're not going to give them any upside on this," he added.

Homan's remarks came after Mamdani expressed "pride" in the city's sanctuary identity and asserted its unwillingness to participate in immigration enforcement during a New York Times interview Saturday.

FETTERMAN WARNS MAMDANI RISKS 'CONSTITUTIONAL CRISIS' BY VOWING TO DEFY SCOTUS IMMIGRATION RULING

"What we are unwilling to do is to participate in civil immigration enforcement with a federal government that has said openly it wants to deport a vast majority of people for crimes that we will never even know," he said.

When asked by The Times if he had been to the U.S.-Mexico border as a follow-up, he replied, "No."

Homan fired back at the sound-bite from the interview, contending that the democratic socialist can have his stance, but he will not prevent ICE from doing its job.

ICE MAKES NATIONWIDE ARRESTS OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS, MURDERERS, PEDOPHILES IN HOLIDAY BLITZ

"He's damn right. Every illegal alien in this nation that's here illegally, [and] crossed the border illegally, which is a crime, needs to be deported," he said.

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"That's called the rule of law. If he doesn't like it, call your members of Congress, tell them to change the law."

Homan insisted President Donald Trump's campaign promises to bolster border security and impose mass deportations are a large reason why he holds the Oval Office today, arguing his administration's results have demonstrated his willingness to fulfill those promises.

Netanyahu fires back at NYC Mayor Mamdani's vow to enforce 'bogus arrest warrant'

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:54:22 -0400

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office is accusing New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of attacking the Jewish state to distract from his record in New York after calling Netanyahu a "war criminal."

The prime minister's office fired back Sunday after the Democratic mayor said his administration was exploring whether it could arrest the Israeli leader during an expected visit to the city under the International Criminal Court's warrant.

"The ICC is a kangaroo court that has no jurisdiction over Americans or Israelis," Netanyahu's office wrote in an X post Sunday, amid recent reports he is nearing a trip to the White House to meet with President Donald Trump.

POTENTIAL 2028 DEM CONTENDER UNLOADS ON NETANYAHU, ADMITS US-ISRAEL TIES AT 'CROSSROADS'

"Its bogus arrest warrant against Prime Minister Netanyahu was issued by a disgraced former ICC Prosecutor, Karim Khan, a few days before allegations of sexual misconduct against him became public," Netanyahu's office said. "It was a clear attempt by Khan to divert public attention and seek protection from scrutiny."

Mamdani is following the same playbook, the office added.

"Instead of backing Khan's criminal behaviour, Mr. Mamdani should focus on fixing the damage his policies have caused New York," the post concluded. "Like Karim Khan, Mamdani appears interested in diverting public attention from his follies and attacking the leader of the Jewish state and the only democracy in the Middle East."

MAMDANI SPARKS FIERCE BACKLASH FOR WORLD CUP STUNT 'PALLING AROUND' WITH RIKERS ISLAND CONVICTS

Israel vowed to ignore the ICC warrant while it roots Hamas, "a genocidal terrorist organization ," out of Gaza.

"Under Prime Minister Netanyahu's leadership, Israel has taken unprecedented wartime measures to minimize harm to civilians while confronting Hamas, a genocidal terrorist organization that uses Palestinians as human shields and deliberately targets innocent Israeli civilians," the office's post read.

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told Fox News' "Fox & Friends Weekend" earlier Sunday that Mamdani is ostensibly hyperbolizing for "political theater."

"This is a communist, antisemitic mayor trying to make news for his own audience," Pompeo said. "There's nothing more than that. This is no chance he's going to arrest Prime Minister Netanyahu when he comes to New York in September for the U.N. General Assembly.

"It's just simply not going to happen, and he knows it."

Even some Democrats have rejected Mamdani's stance, warning it could embolden terrorists at home and abroad.

"This isn’t a college protest," former Democrat Mayor Eric Adams wrote on X. "This is the City of New York."

"Threatening to arrest the democratically elected leader of one of America’s closest allies during U.N. General Assembly week isn’t bold. It’s reckless," Adams continued. "American diplomats, service members, and officials are stationed in dangerous places around the world. Irresponsible rhetoric like this doesn’t stay in New York. It can put Americans at greater risk abroad. Leadership means understanding that your words have consequences. Reckless political theater can have very real-world costs."

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has long broken with Democrats on becoming the "anti-Israel party," telling the "clown" Mamdani to "sit down."

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"It's such a tough guy to say that kind of thing," Fetterman told Fox News' "Sunday Morning Futures." "He has no way to do that, of course. Obviously, America is not even part of that corrupt court. And so he's just a clown to even say that. So he won't try that. Just sit down and focus on other the problems that they have in New York. That's really not your purview. You and I know that. Sit down."

How sweepstakes entry data can reach scammers

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:47:15 -0400

It's summer. Mall kiosks promise free cruises. Retailers run drawings at checkout. Entry cards sit in stacks near the register. You fill one out, drop it in the box and forget about it by the time you reach your car.

That may be the last moment the information feels contained. Many sweepstakes are legitimate. Still, the official rules or privacy policy may allow the sponsor, its affiliates or marketing partners to use and share your information. The privacy risk grows when those details become part of a larger marketing profile, move through the data broker industry or reach buyers running deceptive campaigns.

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FCC ROBOCALL CRACKDOWN COULD CHANGE PHONE PRIVACY

What personal information sweepstakes collect

A basic sweepstakes entry may ask for your name, email address and phone number. Some promotional forms request far more, including your age range, household income, health interests, medications or magazine subscriptions. Those extra questions can have marketing value even when they have little connection to selecting a winner.

The Federal Trade Commission has found that data brokers collect information from online and offline sources, including purchases, magazine subscriptions, income data and other personal details. Brokers can combine those records into profiles that help marketers predict what may capture your attention.

Before entering, ask yourself whether the sponsor truly needs each answer. The more information you provide, the more detailed the resulting profile can become.

How sweepstakes entry data becomes a marketing profile

Responding to a sweepstakes can become a valuable signal. It tells a marketer that a prize—based offer caught your attention and persuaded you to provide personal information. The FTC has warned that sweepstakes promoters may sell entry information to advertisers. That can lead to more targeted advertising, junk mail, telemarketing calls and spam.

Your entry may also be combined with purchase histories, demographic estimates and records collected from other sources. As a result, the profile can reveal far more than the few answers written on the original form. Once you are categorized as someone who responds to sweepstakes, your information may become more valuable to companies promoting similar offers. The danger grows when a poorly controlled list reaches a buyer running a fraudulent campaign.

What the Epsilon fraud case revealed

Epsilon Data Management was one of the world's largest marketing companies. It entered a deferred prosecution agreement with the Justice Department after acknowledging that one of its business units sold consumer lists to mass-mailing fraud schemes. Those operations sent false sweepstakes notices and astrology solicitations. The mailings claimed recipients had won prizes or could receive personalized psychic services after paying a fee. People who paid received nothing of value.

Epsilon agreed to pay $150 million in penalties and victim compensation. Of that amount, $127.5 million was designated for people harmed by fraud schemes that used Epsilon data. Many of the people targeted were older adults. The case continued beyond the company settlement. A jury later convicted a former Epsilon executive and sales manager of conspiracy, mail fraud and wire fraud.

The Justice Department said the defendants sold targeted lists to fraudsters who used them to identify people likely to respond to deceptive mailings. The case documents a specific abuse of targeted marketing data rather than a universal path for every sweepstakes entry. Still, it shows how information collected for marketing can become a road map for fraud when it reaches the wrong buyer.

How sweepstakes entry data can reach scammers

The exact path will vary by promotion. However, one possible chain looks like this:

You enter a sweepstakes and provide your contact information.
The sponsor stores the entry and uses or shares it according to the official rules and privacy policy.
A marketing company combines your answers with information from other sources.
Your record becomes part of a segment based on your interests and response history.
The information passes to additional marketers or data brokers.
In the worst cases, a buyer uses the list to send deceptive prize notices or other targeted scams.

This chain can unfold without a malicious website, infected attachment or stolen password. The starting point may be a paper form sitting inside a familiar store.

Why local sweepstakes can create privacy risks

A mall kiosk or retailer drawing feels safer than a random website because you recognize the location. That familiarity can make the privacy terms easier to overlook. Before entering, look for the official rules and privacy policy. Check whether the sponsor can share your data with affiliates, sponsors or marketing partners.

Also watch for language giving permission to call, email or text you. Once several companies receive the information, tracing every copy becomes difficult. That lack of visibility is one reason a simple contest entry can create a much larger privacy footprint.

How to protect your sweepstakes entry data

A few simple habits can limit the information you hand over, reduce unwanted marketing and help your family recognize a fake prize before money changes hands.

1) Reduce your data broker exposure

You cannot pull back every sweepstakes entry you have already submitted. However, you can reduce the amount of personal information available through data brokers and people-search sites.

Start by searching for your name, phone number, email address and home address online. You may find profiles that reveal your age, relatives, past addresses and other personal details. Many data brokers provide an opt-out process, although removing your information manually can take time and may require repeated requests.

You can also use a reputable data removal service to contact brokers on your behalf and continue submitting removal requests when your information reappears. Before signing up, check how many brokers the service covers, whether it offers ongoing monitoring and whether you can request removals from specific sites.

No service can erase every public record, social media post or privately held database. Still, reducing the number of sites displaying and selling your information can make it harder for marketers and scammers to build a detailed profile about you.

Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: CyberGuy.com.

2) Share only what the sweepstakes needs

Provide the minimum information required for a valid entry. Think twice when a form asks about your income, medications, health concerns, shopping habits or other sensitive subjects. Some promotions need your age or date of birth to verify eligibility. However, questions unrelated to the official requirements may serve a marketing purpose.

WHAT A SCAMMER SEES THE MOMENT THEY GOOGLE YOUR NAME

3) Read the official rules and privacy policy

Look for the sponsor's full name, eligibility requirements, drawing date and privacy terms. Pay close attention to language explaining whether your information may be shared with affiliates or marketing partners. When no official rules or identifiable sponsor appear, skip the promotion.

4) Skip optional marketing consent

Watch for preselected boxes or fine print that gives the sponsor permission to send promotions by email, phone or text. Leave optional marketing boxes unchecked. When consent is required to enter, decide whether the prize feels worth the additional contact and data sharing.

5) Use a separate email address for promotions

Consider creating an alias email address used only for contests, store loyalty programs and promotional offers. This makes follow-up marketing easier to recognize and keeps your primary inbox less exposed. A separate address cannot prevent the sponsor from sharing the information you provide. However, it can help you contain the resulting email. For more ways to protect your inbox, read how your email address gets into the wrong hands.

6) Never provide financial information to enter

Do not provide a bank account number, credit card number or payment app information on a sweepstakes entry. The Postal Inspection Service advises consumers to avoid any sweepstakes requesting financial information or payment. A legitimate sponsor may need tax information after you have independently verified a major prize. That request should come after the drawing and through a confirmed company contact rather than on the original entry form.

7) Save the rules and sponsor details

Take a photo of a paper entry form or save a screenshot of an online promotion. Keep the official rules, sponsor name and drawing date. When someone later claims you won, compare the message with the original promotion. Contact the sponsor through information you find independently rather than using a phone number or link provided in the prize message.

8) Watch an older relative's mailbox

The Epsilon schemes harmed many older adults and other vulnerable people. Watch for prize letters that feel urgent, personal or unusually persistent. Talk with parents and grandparents before a suspicious letter arrives. Make sure they know to call someone they trust before sending money or personal information. You can also share our guide on how to stop scam texts from targeting aging parents.

9) Never pay to claim a prize

Real prizes are free. A demand for taxes, processing costs, shipping fees, gift cards, cryptocurrency or a money transfer signals a scam. Scammers often create urgency, so you have less time to question the story. Slow down and verify the company yourself. Gift card demands deserve special caution. CyberGuy has also covered how fake prizes lead to gift card losses.

10) Unsubscribe only from recognized senders

Legitimate marketing emails must provide a way to opt out of future messages. Use the unsubscribe option when you recognize the company and remember signing up. Avoid clicking unsubscribe links inside suspicious messages. A fake link may lead to a phishing page or confirm that your email address remains active. Mark the message as spam and block the sender instead.

11) Report suspicious prize mail

Report suspected prize or sweepstakes scams at the Federal Trade Commission's ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can file a report even when you spotted the scam before losing money. When the scam involves the U.S. Mail, report it to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at uspis.gov/report. The agency accepts reports involving sweepstakes, lottery and other mail fraud.

COULD THE 7-ELEVEN BREACH AFFECT YOU?

Kurt's key takeaways

That little entry card by the register can reveal far more than you think. The real concern begins when extra details leave the sponsor and become part of a marketing profile that gets shared, categorized and sold. The Epsilon case showed how lists of likely responders can become a road map for fraud, with older adults paying a steep price. Give the minimum, skip optional marketing consent and read the privacy terms before you enter. Then talk with the older people in your life before a convincing prize letter reaches their mailbox. Any prize notice demanding money belongs in the trash. You cannot pull back every old entry, but you can shrink your data trail and make your household harder to target.

Have you ever entered a sweepstakes and later noticed more junk mail, unwanted calls or suspicious prize offers? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Ryan Fox denies Cameron Young, Sam Burns at The Open Championship as American golf takes another hit

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:22:30 -0400

Ryan Fox failed to birdie the easiest hole at Royal Birkdale while trying to win The Open Championship. But, when it mattered most, he birdied the hardest hole on the course to capture the Claret Jug.

Tied with clubhouse leader Cameron Young at 9-under, the 39-year-old New Zealander needed a birdie on No. 18 to win the tournament after failing to birdie the par-5 17th hole.

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After pounding his drive down the final fairway, Fox hit his approach to just inside 12 feet and then dripped his birdie putt into the edge of the cup to win the 154th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. He finished at 10-under, one shot ahead of Young and two clear of 54-hole leader Sam Burns.

But his win might mean more for international golf than anything else.

Entering the final round, everyone at Royal Birkdale was chasing American Sam Burns, who was searching for his first major championship victory.

Burns, at 10-under, led Fox and South Korea's Si Woo Kim by two shots. American Ryan Gerard and Australian Lucas Herbert were three shots back, while big names like Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Ludvig Åberg sat several shots back but were lurking.

RORY MCILROY BLASTS BRYSON DECHAMBEAU FOR HOLDING THE OPEN ‘HOSTAGE’ OVER PENALTY CHAOS: ‘IT IS PERFORMATIVE’

Burns earned that advantage with one of the best two-round stretches in major championship history.

After opening the tournament with a three-over 73, Burns tied the men’s major record with an eight-under 62 on Friday. He followed that with a five-under 65 in the third round, giving him a 127 total over 36 holes, the lowest score across consecutive rounds in men’s major championship history.

And Burns wasn’t alone in going historically low.

Herbert also shot 62 on Friday, while Fox matched the number on Saturday to rocket 50 spots up the leaderboard and earn a spot alongside Burns in Sunday’s final pairing. Three players had tied the major championship scoring record over a span of two days at Royal Birkdale.

Burns also knew better than most how quickly a promising major-championship Sunday could turn into heartbreak.

He held the 54-hole lead at the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont before shooting a final-round 78 and falling into a tie for seventh. One year later, Burns nearly completed a furious Sunday comeback at Shinnecock Hills, but his birdie putt on the 72nd hole stopped inches short and left him one shot behind eventual champion Wyndham Clark.

Now, Burns had another opportunity.

And he initially appeared ready to take control of the tournament.

The 29-year-old American birdied the second hole to reach 11-under and extend his advantage.

Then everything changed.

Burns made three consecutive bogeys at Nos. 4, 5 and 6, coughing up his entire lead in a span of three holes. The player who began Sunday with a two-shot lead suddenly found himself scrambling to remain in contention.

And while Burns stumbled, another American came charging from the middle of the pack.

Cam Young, like Burns, was already familiar with major championship heartbreak. He finished one shot behind Cameron Smith at the 2022 Open Championship despite shooting a final-round 65 and making eagle on the 72nd hole.

Young began the final round seven shots off the lead, seemingly out of contention, but immediately turned himself into a factor with a spectacular front-nine 29. He made four birdies over his first five holes and eventually reached 10-under with another birdie at the 17th.

Then came trouble.

Young drove into a fairway bunker on the final hole and failed to clear its steep face with his second shot. He eventually escaped with a bogey, but still posted an incredible six-under 64 to take the clubhouse lead at nine-under.

But then Ryan Fox came charging.

Fox birdied the 13th and 14th holes to catch Young at nine-under. The New Zealander caught a terrible break with his tee shot at the newly redesigned par-3 15th and couldn’t save par. However, he bounced right back with a birdie at No. 16 to tie Young again.

Young found himself in the unenviable position of sitting around and just waiting to see if his score was good enough.

Fox caught another bad break on the par-5 17th hole. He elected to hit an iron off the tee to avoid the fairway bunkers, but his ball managed to creep into one of those bunkers after rolling out to over 320 yards. He still managed to give himself a good birdie look, but missed to stay tied.

Burns also failed to make birdie on No. 17, the hole that played the easiest during Sunday's final round. That meant that Fox was tied with Young and Burns was one shot back with the hardest hole on the course, the par-4 18th, looming.

Fox made it look anything but difficult, blasting his tee shot down the middle of the fairway before sticking an iron to inside 12 feet and giving himself a birdie putt to win the Open.

Burns played the hole well, too, but not well enough. His approach came to rest just inside 30 feet from the cup and the American couldn't convert, adding another close call to his major championship résumé.

That set the stage for Fox. Make the putt, win The Open. Miss and go to a playoff against Cam Young.

And he buried it to deliver another heartbreak for Young and another heartbreak to American golf.

Because Sunday’s final round was about much more than whether Burns, Young or another contender would walk away with the Claret Jug.

It was also about whether American golf had truly started to take back control of the sport.

Not long ago, that control appeared absolute.

Beginning with Brooks Koepka’s victory at the 2023 PGA Championship, Americans won seven consecutive men’s majors. Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau all followed Koepka during a run that ended with Schauffele completing an American sweep of the 2024 majors at Royal Troon.

Rory McIlroy finally ended the streak with his dramatic breakthrough at the 2025 Masters.

Even then, it hardly felt like the balance of power had changed.

Scheffler won the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow. J.J. Spaun captured the U.S. Open at Oakmont. Scheffler then dominated The Open at Royal Portrush.

Americans had won 10 of 11 major championships.

It wasn’t a rivalry at that point. It was domination.

Then the tide turned.

Tommy Fleetwood finally earned his first PGA Tour victory by winning the 2025 Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.

One month later, Europe embarrassed the United States on American soil at the Ryder Cup.

The final score, 15-13, made the competition appear far closer than it actually was. Europe entered Sunday singles with an 11½-4½ advantage and had already reduced the final session to little more than a desperate American attempt to avoid complete humiliation.

Things didn’t improve when the calendar flipped to 2026.

McIlroy successfully defended his Masters title, and England’s Aaron Rai followed with his first major championship victory at the PGA Championship. European golfers had won the first two majors of the year.

Wyndham Clark finally stopped the bleeding by winning his second U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.

WYNDHAM CLARK HANDLED HIS U.S. OPEN WIN WITH THE PERFECT ATTITUDE TO WIN BACK GOLF FANS

An American victory at Royal Birkdale would give U.S. golfers the final two major championships of the season and provide real evidence that the momentum had begun shifting back.

A non-American victory would leave Clark as the only U.S. major champion of 2026, marking the first time since 2014 that Americans won just one of the four men’s majors.

And the latter is what happened when Ryan Fox became just the second New Zealander to win The Open and the third New Zealander to win a men’s major golf championship.

Clark’s U.S. Open victory stands as the only American major championship win of the season, the first time since 2014 that American men failed to win at least two major tournaments.

Europe embarrassed the United States at Bethpage. Fleetwood took the FedEx Cup. European players captured the Masters and PGA Championship. And a non-American ended the season by lifting the Claret Jug at Royal Birkdale.

It added up to the roughest major championship season for American golf in 12 years.

And the next Ryder Cup is being played at Adare Manor in Ireland, where the United States will attempt to win on European soil for the first time since 1993.

Based on the past year, there’s little reason to believe that drought is about to end.

Dr Oz reveals the healthy retirement habit that could make America $1 trillion richer

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:12:09 -0400

WASHINGTON, DC – The key to improving Americans' health is reducing healthcare costs while helping people stay active and productive for longer, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz told Fox News Digital.

In an exclusive interview at the Great American State Fair in Washington, D.C., Oz shared the biggest lessons he’s learned about improving Americans’ health while serving in the Trump administration.

"You sit with lots of really smart people and you learn something pretty quickly: The most expensive thing we do in healthcare is give bad quality care," he told Fox News Digital.

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"Because you're paying someone who's not qualified to do a bad job, and you've got to pay somebody to fix that job – they're going to charge you – and you've got to fix all the downstream complications," he added.

When it comes to helping Americans stay healthy, Oz said his focus at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services is on "quality, quality, quality."

That includes everything from preventing disease to encouraging healthy behaviors at home, such as preparing healthy meals.

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"The second big thing we've got to do is make sure that every interaction we have in the health system is based on value," Oz said. "We don't just pay a doctor to do something to you, we want to pay a doctor to take care of you."

The doctor said new healthcare technologies are making it easier to deliver high-quality care by "meeting you where you are."

"It's one of the reasons I do want to embrace AI, if used safely and correctly," he said. "As we get better and better with innovative medications, screening techniques and the ability to get people to think differently about their role, their job, when it comes to staying healthy, we're going to prosper as a nation."

According to the CMS administrator, every Medicare patient is issued a free annual wellness exam, but fewer than half of patients take advantage of it.

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Those who skip the annual wellness visit often assume they're healthy when underlying problems may go undetected, Oz said, leading to more costly treatments later.

"They’re lying to themselves," he said. "Ignorance is bliss, [but] not in healthcare."

In taking these steps to improve the health of Americans, Oz projected that the country could make major gains in wealth and vitality.

"We can get the average American to feel so vital, so with it, so healthy, that they want to work one more year," he said. "The value to our nation is $1 trillion."

"Think about that: $1 trillion of value to GDP, our nation, all the taxes, all the benefits, the social programs, all the extra revenue to help get our country to go full speed. If only we make our people so healthy they want one extra year."

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Oz said most Americans do want to work as they get older, but may start to feel less physically equipped.

"They start to feel that they're not in the game anymore. They're not as strong," he said. "So, let's focus on health in America. We'll spend less. We'll also make more."

Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, David Beckham lead star-studded celebrity sightings at 2026 FIFA World Cup

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 14:00:43 -0400

The 2026 FIFA World Cup brought all the biggest-named celebrities to arenas across North America to watch matches.

Whether they were reliving their playing days, like David Beckham, or cheering for their home country, like Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz, all the stars enjoyed the World Cup this year.

Some brought their kids, while others were focused on the match. The final between Argentina and Spain will air on FOX and stream on FOX One

FIFA Final on FOX One

Here are some of the best celebrity sightings from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Brad Pitt

Brad Pitt attended several matches during the FIFA World Cup, which he enjoyed with his celebrity friends.

The "Fight Club" actor was spotted wearing a blue jersey with stars while intently watching the match between Turkey and the USA in a private suite. Sitting a little farther away from him in the suite was actor Colin Farrell, who was in a red and white striped shirt.

Later on during the tournament, Pitt was photographed with his girlfriend, Ines de Ramon, and actors Penélope Cruz and Javier Bardem, as they rooted for Spain in their quarterfinal match against Belgium.

Tom Cruise

Tom Cruise was spotted sitting next to David and Victoria Beckham at the match between USA and Paraguay.

Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton and her husband, Carter Reum, made the World Cup a family affair when they attended the match between Turkey and the USA.

The couple and their two kids, son Phoenix and daughter London, all wore matching red, white and blue sparkly jerseys, that read Hilton on the back.

The "Simple Life" star was later photographed when she attended the match between USA and Belgium in Seattle.

Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz

Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz attended the quarterfinal match between Spain and Belgium to root for their home country of Spain.

Cruz was born in Alcobendas, just outside of Madrid, while Bardem was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The two could not keep themselves from celebrating when Spain scored a goal against Belgium during the match.

David and Victoria Beckham

David and Victoria Beckham have been photographed at many matches during the FIFA World Cup, aside from the one they attended with Tom Cruise.

The former soccer star and his wife often turned the matches into a family bonding activity, bringing along their sons, Romeo and Cruz, and their daughter, Harper.

The whole family was in the stands to celebrate England defeating Norway in the quarterfinal, and advancing to face Argentina in the semifinal.

Ultimately, England lost to Argentina 2-1, leaving Beckham visibly emotional in the stands as a result.

DAVID BECKHAM GOES FULL COWBOY IN DALLAS BEFORE SPAIN'S WORLD CUP SEMIFINAL VICTORY

Martha Stewart

Martha Stewart was photographed looking chic while checking her phone in the stands at the World Cup match between Sweden and France in New Jersey.

Sabrina Carpenter

Sabrina Carpenter was photographed in the stands when she attended the World Cup match between Ecuador and Germany with her friends.

The singer brought along a pair of binoculars with her to make sure she didn't miss anything on the field.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba was just one of the girls when she attended the World Cup match between Turkey and the USA with her daughters.

She was photographed while taking a selfie with her daughters, Honor, 18, and Haven, 14, and other young women while in their suite.

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Jay-Z

Rapper Jay-Z smiled at the camera in an all-white look, including a large white hat, while walking on the field at the match between Côte d'Ivoire and Ecuador.

Sofía Vergara and Owen Wilson

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Sofía Vergara and Owen Wilson were photographed standing next to each other on the sidelines ahead of the match between Paraguay and USA.

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds was at the World Cup match between Canada and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to cheer on his home country.

The "Deadpool" actor was born and raised in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

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Earthquake shakes Peru's Andes region, killing at least 5, displacing hundreds

Sun, 19 Jul 2026 13:50:37 -0400

A powerful earthquake ripped through Peru's Andes region overnight, killing at least five people and leaving hundreds displaced as homes and a church collapsed, with authorities warning Sunday that an unknown number of people remain missing.

The magnitude 5.5 quake struck shortly after 9:20 p.m. Saturday near the city of Sicaya in central Peru, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake injured more than 20 people and forced at least 300 residents from their homes, Peru's National Civil Defense Institute said.

Officials were still trying to account for missing residents Sunday after several buildings collapsed or were left unsafe, including a local church and convent.

SECURITY GUARD SURVIVES EIGHT DAYS BENEATH COLLAPSED SHOPPING CENTER AFTER VENEZUELA EARTHQUAKES

Authorities said the region's widespread use of traditional adobe construction likely made the damage worse. Luis Vásquez, head of the local civil defense office, said the rustic building materials "contributed to the greater impact and damage."

Images from the hard-hit farming community of Chongo Bajo showed families wrapped in blankets outside damaged homes as neighbors picked through the rubble. Animals could also be seen trapped beneath collapsed buildings.

BOY, 2, PULLED ALIVE FROM RUBBLE SIX DAYS AFTER VENEZUELA'S DEVASTATING TWIN EARTHQUAKES

"My home has been destroyed," resident Hermenegilda Guamalato told local radio while looking for shelter with her three children in the neighboring province of Huayucachi.

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Peru sits along the Pacific "Ring of Fire," one of the world's most active earthquake zones. In 2007, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck the coastal province of Pisco, killing nearly 600 people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.