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MLB drops hammer on Boston's Willson Contreras with hefty suspension after helmet-throwing incident

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 22:10:22 -0400

Major League Baseball handed down four suspensions Thursday in the aftermath of Tuesday night's benches-clearing brawl between the Washington Nationals and Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Boston first baseman Willson Contreras and Washington starter Cade Cavalli each received seven-game suspensions and undisclosed fines for their roles in the fourth-inning altercation.

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The suspensions stemmed from an incident during Washington's 8-1 victory Tuesday, when Cavalli struck out Contreras looking on a full-count pitch and yelled, "Sit down, boy."

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Contreras answered by charging the mound, then firing his batting helmet toward Cavalli, prompting both benches and bullpens to empty.

MLB also disciplined two players who left the dugout and became involved in a separate scuffle.

Nationals right-hander Miles Mikolas was suspended five games, while Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton received a three-game ban. Both players were also fined undisclosed amounts and ejected during the game.

BREWERS PITCHER ABNER URIBE GETS A ONE-GAME SUSPENSION FOR CROTCH-CHOPPING CELEBRATION

All four suspensions are scheduled to begin Friday.

The Red Sox open a three-game series in Anaheim on Friday, while the Nationals host the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Boston figures to feel the impact more immediately. While Cavalli and Mikolas are likely to miss only one turn through the rotation, Contreras will be out of the Red Sox lineup for a full week.

Cavalli apologized Wednesday, saying he regretted using the word "boy" and now understands its historical weight. He added that the incident kept him awake that night because of the example he wants to set for young fans. Nationals officials also addressed the matter with the right-hander.

Contreras, meanwhile, entered Tuesday's game after an emotional stretch. The veteran first baseman had been ejected the previous night for arguing a checked-swing call and has also spoken publicly about the stress of devastating earthquakes in his home country of Venezuela.

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Any appeals would delay the suspensions until MLB's review process is complete.

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Massachusetts city imposes curfew ahead of historic World Cup match

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:55:05 -0400

A Massachusetts city with one of the nation's largest Cape Verdean communities has imposed a temporary curfew ahead of Friday's historic World Cup match between the West African nation and Argentina.

The curfew will be in effect in Brockton, just south of Boston, from 10 p.m. Friday until 5 a.m. Saturday.

City officials said the decision follows recent World Cup celebrations that led to dangerous and unlawful behavior.

"World Cup celebrations have resulted in incidents of reckless driving, illegal street gatherings, vandalism, assaults, fireworks violations, disorderly conduct, and other criminal activities," the city said.

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Brockton is home to one of the largest Cape Verdean communities in the United States, with nearly one in four residents identifying as Cape Verdean, according to local outlet The Enterprise.

Friday's match was expected to draw large celebrations, as the 2026 tournament marks the first time the African island nation has qualified for the FIFA World Cup.

Following previous World Cup matches, Brockton police said several people were injured in shootings that erupted during postgame celebrations, according to local outlet Boston 25 News — prompting city officials to impose the temporary curfew ahead of Friday's matchup.

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Under the curfew order, no one will be permitted to enter establishments serving alcohol after 7 p.m.

Patrons already inside will be allowed to remain until 10 p.m., but "last calls" for alcoholic beverages must end by 9:30 p.m.

The city said only limited exceptions to the curfew will be permitted.

Such cases include law enforcement officers and other first responders, individuals traveling directly to or from lawful employment, those seeking medical care, and those responding to emergencies.

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Brockton officials described the measure as a public safety measure intended to preserve public order.

"The purpose of this curfew is to protect public safety, reduce criminal activity associated with post-match celebrations, and enable police, fire, and emergency personnel to effectively maintain order and respond to emergencies," the city said.

"Residents and visitors are urged to celebrate responsibly, obey all laws, avoid unlawful gatherings, and cooperate with public safety officials to ensure that all World Cup celebrations remain peaceful and safe."

Fitness influencer pleads guilty in violent gym attack after beating man with weightlifting belt

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:51:41 -0400

Social media fitness influencer Wes Watson pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated battery in connection with a confrontation at a Miami-Dade County gym, resolving the case ahead of sentencing later this month.

Watson, 42, entered the plea in Miami-Dade County court as part of a negotiated agreement with prosecutors. Under the deal, prosecutors recommended a sentence of 21 months in prison, including credit for time already served, followed by seven years of probation and court-ordered mental health treatment.

He is scheduled to be sentenced July 17.

Watson, a former prison inmate who built a large online following as a fitness influencer and motivational personality after his release, was charged after a Dec. 29, 2024, altercation at Elevation Fitness in Miami-Dade County.

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He has amassed millions of followers across social media, where he shares content focused on fitness, discipline, entrepreneurship and his life after prison.

According to an arrest affidavit, Watson told responding officers he was working out when the victim approached him and said he wanted to fight. Investigators said surveillance footage showed Watson striking the man with a weightlifting belt during the confrontation.

During Thursday's hearing, Watson's attorney argued the circumstances surrounding the incident were unusual, saying the alleged victim intentionally sought out his client because of Watson's online notoriety.

"There's been a lot that's been argued in this case about stand your ground," defense attorney Eric Clayman said, according to Local 10.

JETS' GENO SMITH UNDER ACTIVE INVESTIGATION IN FLORIDA FOR ALLEGED ASSAULT AT HIS HOME: POLICE

"What's unique is you have an alleged victim that sought somebody out because of his presence online. This guy bought a plane ticket, came through New Jersey, showed up at the gym for the sole purpose of confronting Mr. Watson. That turned into something else."

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The Miami-Dade case is separate from multiple pending felony cases Watson faces in neighboring Broward County. Prosecutors there have charged him with felony battery, aggravated assault, witness tampering and charges related to an alleged domestic violence incident involving his girlfriend. Those charges remain pending.

The Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for additional comment.

Driver charged with manslaughter after Tesla crashes into Texas home, kills grandmother

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:50:24 -0400

A Texas man has been charged with manslaughter after authorities said his Tesla crashed into a home last month, killing a 76-year-old grandmother.

According to court documents, Michael David Butler, 44, told investigators he was driving a Tesla Model 3 with a Tesla driver-assistance system engaged when it crashed into Martha Avila's home in Katy on June 19. He later told paramedics the vehicle was on "Autopilot," according to the affidavit. Tesla has disputed that account.

Avila was inside the residence when the vehicle crashed into the home. She was flown by Life Flight to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced dead.

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Butler was arrested Thursday and charged with manslaughter, according to the Harris County Sheriff's Office.

According to an arrest affidavit, Butler told investigators he was making a DoorDash delivery when he adjusted the music on the Tesla's touchscreen before he "passed out."

The affidavit alleges the vehicle reached 73 mph — more than double the posted speed limit — and that the brake pedal was not applied during the minutes leading up to the crash.

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The sheriff's office said Butler failed to maintain a single lane before leaving the roadway and crashing through the side of the home.

Ring doorbell footage of the crash shows the vehicle slamming into the house at a high rate of speed.

According to the affidavit, Butler denied feeling ill or consuming alcohol or drugs before the crash.

'TESLA ROAD RAGE DRIVER' SENTENCED TO SEVEN YEARS IN PRISON AFTER ATTACKING MOTHER AND DAUGHTER IN HAWAII

Tesla has disputed Butler's account. CEO Elon Musk said a vehicle operating in Full Self-Driving mode would travel slowly through residential streets, while Tesla's head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, said Butler manually overrode the system by fully depressing the accelerator.

"In this case, the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100% of the accel pedal in this residential area," he wrote in a post on X.

KHOU-TV reported Butler appeared in probable cause court Thursday, where his bail was set at $150,000. He was also ordered to wear an ankle monitor and not drive.

Avila's family sued Tesla last week, alleging her death resulted from the company's gross negligence and failure to warn consumers that its self-driving systems were defective.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to Tesla for comment.

Fox News Digital's Tessa Hoyos and Reuters contributed to this report.

Athletics prospect Ryan Lasko awaits feeling in lower half after C6-C7 spinal surgery following collision

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:45:06 -0400

A top Athletics outfield prospect still can’t feel his lower half after spinal surgery was needed to repair fractured vertebrae following a scary collision with a teammate in Double-A ball.

Ryan Lasko, a 24-year-old outfielder in the Athletics system, was injured during a game with Double-A Midland RockHounds after diving to catch a ball while playing center field.

The problem was Lasko’s right field teammate was also barreling down to catch the ball. They both gave up their bodies for the potential catch, but collided as they hit the turf.

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Lasko’s teammate, Devin Taylor, was able to get up and field the rolling ball that split the two defenders, but Lasko stayed on the ground in what was a pretty ugly crash.

After he was carted off , it was found that Lasko fractured his C6-C7 vertebra, according to MLB.com. He needed spinal decompression and stabilization surgery to repair the injury, and he was in stable condition.

However, due to swelling, Lasko still doesn’t have feeling in his lower half just yet.

REDS' DANE MYERS CARTED OFF FIELD AFTER CRASHING INTO WALL MAKING ACROBATIC CATCH VS BREWERS

Athletics manager Mark Kotsay discussed Lasko’s injury on Wednesday, saying that "there’s hope the feeling comes back."

Lasko is one of the Athletics’ top prospects, entering the season as the franchise’s No. 18 prospect, per MLB Pipeline. He was taken by the Athletics’ in the 2023 MLB Draft in the second round.

While he opened the season in Double-A, Lasko made it to Triple-A Las Vegas last season.

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This year, Lasko is slashing .209/.275/.360 with six home runs, five triples and 34 RBI.

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Karlie Kloss reveals what it's like navigating Trump family ties at dinner table as a Democrat

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:30:07 -0400

Supermodel Karlie Kloss defended the importance of bipartisan dialogue on Wednesday as she spoke about being part of President Donald Trump’s extended family.

Emily Chang of "The Circuit" via Bloomberg Originals spoke to the model, who is married to Joshua Kushner, the brother of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, noting, "You're married to a man whose brother happens to be married to Ivanka Trump. How do you deal with everything that comes with that?"

"Well, I know who I am," Kloss replied. "I know the values that guide my life and the issues that I care about. So, you know, I haven't lost sight of who I am, but also, it's my husband's family."

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"What's conversation like at family dinners?" Chang asked.

"Well, we're sitting here in St. Louis, which is a blue dot in a red state," the model replied. "Since as long as I can remember, I've always been exposed to a lot of different political points of view and I think that trained me for my life."

She added further, "You know, I'm a Democrat. I think it's possible to have relationships with people who you politically don't align with, and I think this country has always been a place for, for dialogue. We have to be able to talk to each other."

MICHELLE OBAMA WARNS LIBERALS AGAINST PIGEONHOLING TRUMP VOTERS, SAYS THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO

When asked whether she had ever actually met Trump himself or spoken to him about politics, the model revealed she has never met him.

In a 2019 interview with TIME Magazine, she offered a similar answer about balancing her life while being associated with such an influential family.

"It’s been hard," she told the outlet. "But I choose to focus on the values that I share with my husband, and those are the same liberal values that I was raised with and that have guided me throughout my life."

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Mexican national made knife from pens, tried stabbing passenger in the brain on Vegas-bound flight, DOJ says

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:07:31 -0400

A Mexican national who was granted lawful permanent resident status in 2018 pleaded guilty Thursday after admitting he bundled three pens together with hairbands before boarding a Seattle-to-Las Vegas flight, then tried to stab another passenger "through the eye to reach his brain," according to federal prosecutors.

The terrifying attack unfolded about 30 minutes before the plane was scheduled to land in Las Vegas, when Julio Alvarez Lopez allegedly left his seat, walked to the restroom and, after returning, suddenly began punching, hitting and stabbing a passenger seated across the aisle, according to a federal criminal complaint obtained by Fox News Digital.

Witnesses told investigators there was "blood everywhere" as the victim's wife screamed at Lopez to stop attacking her husband. During the struggle, the complaint says, she was struck while shielding the couple's 7-year-old son.

After the attack, Lopez "began walking towards the front of the aircraft," according to the complaint. As he moved up the aisle, a witness told investigators Lopez repeatedly yelled, "I'll only talk to the FBI."

CHAOS ERUPTS ON AMERICAN AIRLINES FLIGHT AS UNRULY PASSENGER ALLEGEDLY BITES FELLOW TRAVELER MIDAIR

A law enforcement officer aboard the flight ordered Lopez to sit down before flight attendants provided flex cuffs and passengers restrained him for the remainder of the flight, according to the complaint.

The flight landed safely at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, where officers with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department took Lopez into custody.

PASSENGER ALLEGEDLY BOARDS FLIGHT WITH FAKE BOARDING PASS, FORCING PLANE BACK TO GATE

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Nevada, Lopez pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in the alleged Jan. 24, 2024, attack.

During an interview with FBI agents and after waiving his Miranda rights, Lopez admitted he made the weapon before boarding the aircraft by bundling three pens together with hairbands, officials said.

Investigators said Lopez told them he believed the victim, identified in court documents as C.R., had been following him during the flight. Lopez also said he believed C.R. "was the Cartel" and that he was trying to get him to stop following him.

'HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER' ACTOR NICK PASQUAL CONVICTED OF ATTEMPTED MURDER FOR STABBING EX-GIRLFRIEND

The complaint further states Lopez told investigators he had never seen C.R. before the flight but "planned on attacking and killing him."

According to investigators, Lopez admitted he intended to kill the victim by stabbing him in the eye.

"I planned on attacking and killing him," Lopez told investigators, according to the complaint.

Lopez also admitted to investigators he was trying to stab C.R. "through the eye to reach C.R.'s brain to kill him."

According to prosecutors, the victim sustained injuries to his body and eye area that required stitches.

Court documents say witnesses noticed Lopez acting strangely before the attack. One passenger told investigators Lopez appeared "fidgety," repeatedly put gloves on and took them off, got into his backpack several times and avoided making eye contact with other passengers.

A witness described Lopez as having "gray/white hair tied in a bun on the top of his head," and wearing a sweatshirt at the time.

Another witness said Lopez stood up twice as the aircraft began descending into Las Vegas, went to the restroom, then returned to his seat before suddenly launching the attack.

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The complaint also states Lopez told investigators he was seeking asylum in the United States and believed the mafia had been chasing him for several months.

Lopez is scheduled to be sentenced Sept. 22.

Democratic infighting grows as congresswoman exposes ‘disrespectful’ welcome of socialists into ‘big tent’

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:00:46 -0400

A deepening rift within the Democratic Party is coming into sharper focus as the establishment grows frustrated with the rising influence of the party’s socialist wing.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Wash., called out her Democratic colleagues for their "disrespectful" welcome of socialists into the "big tent" party.

"I think that there are a lot of very disrespectful comments that are coming from some parts of the Democratic Party that are dismissing the voters who elected these individuals," Jayapal told CNN.

She made the comments as socialism gains ground within the Democratic Party, with socialist candidates securing major primary victories and unseating established Democrats.

RAHM EMANUEL WARNS NEW GENERATION OF DEM SOCIALISTS DON'T LIKE AMERICA

All three congressional candidates endorsed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — Brad Lander, Claire Valdez and Darializa Avila Chevalier — won their respective Democratic primaries, reflecting an increasing acceptance of the far-left movement within the party.

Jayapal, who serves as chair emerita of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, argued the victories show that Americans are seeking fiercer leadership.

DSA’S THIRD MAJOR PRIMARY WIN DEEPENS DEMOCRATS’ FIGHT OVER THE PARTY’S FUTURE

"I think people are sick and tired of the old establishment politics that too many Democrats were part of moving forward, and they're ready for something bolder," the Democratic representative said.

Jayapal raised concerns about the treatment of moderates compared with progressives within the "big tent" party, urging fairer treatment of the latter.

"Why is it that every time a moderate wins an election, people are like, ‘That's the new blueprint for the Democratic Party.’ But if a progressive or a Democratic socialist wins, ‘Oh, the whole party's falling to hell in a handbasket.’"

MS NOW HOST ACCUSES DEMOCRATIC SENATOR OF GASLIGHTING AFTER HE DODGED ON SOCIALIST'S POSTS

Jayapal slammed Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, a prominent Democrat, saying he was "wrong" for arguing that some democratic socialists are engaging in performative politics.

She said Democrats must learn to understand what it means to be a "big tent" party.

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"I find it really insulting to say that Democratic socialists are just making noise," she told CNN.

"I think you have to ask, ‘Why is it that we've lost so many Democratic voters?’ In these races, where democratic socialists are winning, where progressives are winning, even in very tough swing states, it's because they are bringing voters back."

Dana White says Donald Trump wouldn't stop pushing to make the White House UFC event bigger

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 21:00:34 -0400

The UFC's Freedom 250 event at the White House was a total success.

And after putting on the most-watched UFC fight of all time, UFC chief Dana White is taking a victory lap.

White is prominently featured in the new Fox documentary, UFC Fight House: The Making of the Biggest Fight in History.

TRUMP MARKS 80TH BIRTHDAY WITH PATRIOTIC UFC FREEDOM 250 SPECTACLE ON WHITE HOUSE SOUTH LAWN

The UFC president visited "The Will Cain Show" on Thursday and broke down the massive success of the June 14 UFC festivities on the White House South Lawn.

WATCH:

Real UFC fans celebrated the incredible main event, while others marveled at the spectacular show staged right at the doorstep of the White House.

White told Cain that the reality of the situation surpassed anything Hollywood could dream up.

"If you wrote a script, you wouldn't believe all the things that happen in this thing," White said.

Clips from the show displayed President Donald Trump leading discussions during the early stage-building phase of the project.

The man's a builder.

Standing on the historic grounds before the fight, Trump mapped out the massive outdoor setup, looking to squeeze in as many seats as possible.

"You could have an arena of 8,000 right here, and then you could do something there nice, whether it's stand-up or seats, around the fountain. What do you think your maximum is?" Trump said in the clips.

Trump didn't beg; he demanded an impressive stage build on the lawn, even if the historic terrain presented unique obstacles.

"My concept was right smack at the front door to the White House, build it as big as you can, you know, we're a little confined because of trees and these beautiful plantings and everything else, so it's not easy," the president said during the planning.

Cain pointed out that having the president of the United States greasing the wheels definitely helped speed things along.

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White agreed, saying Trump helped lead the logistical challenge of pulling off the event.

"Well, he was the one that kept pushing us harder and harder to be able to get more seats and to get people in there," White said.

"[Trump] was pushing hard on that, and every time he would push, we would try to figure it out. But, I mean, we built basically a stadium on the South Lawn of the White House, and then I think what we did at The Ellipse is even more impressive.

"I mean everything that went into that and the amount of people that were over there."

According to the UFC, the Freedom 250 event shattered records as the most-watched domestic event in company history, racking up 34 million global viewers.

Also, an estimated 85,000 fans packed the Fan Fest at the Ellipse.

The most unbelievable moment of the entire event came down to the elements. White detailed a bizarre, almost miraculous weather event that saved the outdoor fight night just as things looked grim.

"Literally, the storm is coming to hit the White House and it breaks apart and goes around the White House and the Ellipse and continues on," White shared. "It's incredible, unbelievable, and it was an amazing night."

Things got off to a shaky start when a thunderstorm struck D.C. that fight weekend, pushing back the fighters' Friday night press conference at the Lincoln Memorial.

Ultimately, the high-stakes gamble paid off perfectly for everyone involved.

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"And battling the weather, the elements, you know, all the unknown, the event could not have gone better," White concluded.

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

'Milestone': Scientists claim to build synthetic cell, raising concerns in step toward artificial life

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 20:33:26 -0400

Scientists at the University of Minnesota say they have built the most life-like synthetic cell yet, creating a laboratory-made system assembled entirely from nonliving components that can grow, replicate its genetic material, divide and even pass beneficial traits to future generations.

The researchers describe the work as a major step toward building artificial life but said the synthetic cells cannot survive outside carefully controlled laboratory conditions and require externally supplied nutrients and specialized components to grow and divide.

Their findings were published Thursday as a preprint on bioRxiv, meaning the research has not yet undergone peer review.

SCIENTISTS UNVEIL 'LIVING BANDAGE' THAT COULD DRAMATICALLY SPEED WOUND HEALING

"One of the most ambitious and fascinating goals of bioengineering is to build a biochemical system that could cross the threshold from chemistry to life," the researchers wrote. They said the work demonstrates "the first minimal cell with a cell cycle, genetically encoded growth and division, all coupled to selection and competition."

The researchers call the synthetic cell "SpudCell." Unlike earlier approaches that started with living organisms, SpudCell was assembled from chemically defined, nonliving components.

Its 90,000-base-pair genome enables the synthetic cell to produce proteins, replicate its DNA, feed, grow and divide into daughter cells.

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Researchers also introduced a genetic mutation that allowed some synthetic cells to grow faster than others. After several generations, those faster-growing cells produced more offspring and became increasingly common in the population, demonstrating a basic form of natural selection.

The team said the work represents "key milestones towards construction of synthetic life" and could eventually provide a foundation for "fully artificial organisms" designed for biotechnology applications.

Still, the researchers acknowledged that the system remains far less capable than even the simplest living cells. The synthetic cells cannot survive outside laboratory conditions, require externally supplied nutrients and specialized components and rely on ribosomes purified from E. coli bacteria. After five generations, researchers found that only about 30% of daughter cells inherited the complete synthetic genome.

SCIENTISTS UNVEIL 'LIVING BANDAGE' THAT COULD DRAMATICALLY SPEED WOUND HEALING

Those limitations mean the work falls well short of creating self-sustaining artificial life, but researchers said it demonstrates that many of life's defining characteristics can be recreated from nonliving materials.

The researchers also acknowledged that increasingly sophisticated synthetic cells could raise new biosafety and biosecurity questions.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the University of Minnesota research team for comment on the matter.

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"This project offers a significant milestone towards evolvability of synthetic cells, making it more likely that more robust, autonomous systems will be available soon," the authors wrote, adding that the progress "highlights the urgent need to develop a safety and security framework for future synthetic cell engineering."

Future work, the researchers said, will focus on making synthetic cells more self-sufficient by regenerating more of their own molecular machinery, improving how genomes are distributed during cell division and allowing mutations to arise naturally rather than being introduced by researchers.

Couple publicly caned after alleged TikTok kiss sparks outrage in Indonesia

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 20:31:39 -0400

A young couple in Indonesia was publicly caned Thursday after allegedly kissing during a TikTok livestream.

The couple — a 22-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman — each received 21 lashes, according to The Associated Press.

They were reportedly convicted of violating local morality laws under an Islamic Sharia court in Indonesia’s conservative Aceh province.

The pair, who were detained in March, had already spent four months in prison prior to the punishment, which ultimately reduced their sentence from 25 lashes to 21, the AP said.

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According to local authorities, the couple filmed a TikTok video inside a car one night in March.

As the video went viral, they were subsequently apprehended for what officials described as an "immoral act."

"Their actions were uncovered thanks to reports from residents who were disturbed by their immoral livestream content," Sharia police said in April.

"The trigger was their livestream on TikTok while engaging in immoral acts in the car," Head of the Sharia Police Muhammad Rizal added in his statement. "This sparked criticism from netizens and local residents, who then reported them to the authorities."

THREE HIKERS KILLED AFTER CLIMBING RESTRICTED INDONESIAN VOLCANO TO CREATE ONLINE CONTENT, POLICE SAY

The court also confiscated a cellphone and a USB flash drive containing the TikTok video, which authorities promised to destroy, according to the AP.

A Banda Aceh resident who attended the caning, 22-year-old Aini Nadhirah, said she believed the punishment was "entirely justified."

"In my opinion, this caning is entirely justified because it serves as a warning to other Aceh residents to be more careful when using social media," Nadhirah said, according to the AP.

"It also raises awareness that such actions are unacceptable, thereby educating the public."

STUNNING PHOTOS CAPTURE MOMENT ONE OF INDONESIA'S MOST ACTIVE VOLCANOES ERUPTS

Aceh is the only province in Muslim-majority Indonesia that enforces its own Islamic Criminal Code governing moral conduct.

The province’s right to implement Islamic law was granted by Indonesia’s secular central government around 2005 as part of a peace deal to end a separatist insurgency. The policy was later expanded to apply to non-Muslims.

Under the law, moral offenses — including adultery and same-sex relations — can carry penalties of up to 100 lashes. Caning is also used for individuals accused of gambling, drinking, adultery and premarital intimacy.

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Public caning in Aceh has long drawn criticism from human rights groups, including Amnesty International Indonesia, which has called the practice cruel and degrading.

Despite Indonesia having ratified international conventions prohibiting cruel punishment, authorities in Aceh defend the practice, arguing it does not fall under such a definition.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

The unwinnable war America's Founding Fathers fought and won changed human history forever

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 20:00:51 -0400

Two hundred and fifty ago, 56 men met in the Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia to commit treason against the most powerful empire on Earth.

Representing 13 colonies of that empire, these men – a mix of landowners, entrepreneurs, politicians and others – had become enamored with a new set of ideas flowing from enlightenment thinkers and Christian teaching. Those convictions led them to start a war no sane person believed they could win.

Remember what government looked like back then. We now live in the world those 56 men created – a world in which even dictatorships like North Korea cloak themselves in the language of "republic."

But in 1776, freedom, equality and self-governance were nascent concepts espoused by philosophers and adopted only incompletely in a few small enclaves. The vast majority of countries in the world were hereditary monarchies and empires under which equal rights and individual liberty were not contemplated. The Founders’ fight seemed incomprehensible.

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In launching it, the Second Continental Congress largely tasked one man – Thomas Jefferson – with drafting the document that would articulate their vision for humanity and this new country and reshape history.

Imagine how he must have felt. Jefferson secluded himself from June 11 to June 28 in a rented home on Market Street to draft the document. He was 33 years old at the time. In isolation in that rented townhome he drafted what I think is one of the most beautiful passages in history:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Read it again. Read it as if you were living under a Spanish colony in South America or under the iron fist of the Qing dynasty in China. Read it as if you were a poor tenant farmer under the oppressive rule of King George in Virginia or an enslaved person in Georgia (whose freedom under the principles of the Declaration was still decades away).

WHY THE MAGA MOVEMENT IS THE 1776 REVOLUTION OF OUR TIME

Read it as if you grew up in a system that assumed you were worth less than your neighbor by virtue of your social station, and under which your future was limited by the circumstances of your birth.

The Declaration was, in fact, a "revolutionary" statement articulating the ideological and factual basis for a coup against empire. But spiritually, it was more important than that.

It was a revolution against history. It was a revolution against the idea that some men (and women) are worth more than others. It was a revolution for the idea of dignity, human rights, and equality before law.

And when Jefferson submitted his document to the Congress, and those 56 men signed it and shipped it off to King George and to others rulers around the world, they ignited a war in the America colonies that would become a centuries-long war to transform the globe from tyranny to liberty.

READ: THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

War they got. Five of the signers were captured, tortured and killed. Nine died from wounds or hardships fighting in the war. All were impacted – raked by violence, their homes and property ravaged, their children thrust into the violence they created. They starved. They lost battles.

They must have wondered if it was worth it – these ideals that had caused them to plunge a nation into violence. And then, unexpectedly, they won.

In creating America, those Founding Fathers reshaped history. We now live in a world in which nearly half of countries are democracies. The combination of political freedom, free markets and the technological innovation unleashed by those systems has lifted billions of people out of poverty – creating a world more than 100 times richer than the one that existed at the time of the Declaration of Independence.

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The dominant ideology now globally is the one articulated in the Declaration. And the revolution in America has become a revolution in human history.

This weekend in the United States we celebrate Independence Day. We celebrate 56 men who risked everything. But we also solemnly reflect on the charge of the Declaration and its authors.

All people are created equal. We are all endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights. Each of us deserves life, liberty, and the ability to pursue our own unique paths to flourishing. But those inalienable rights are not guaranteed. As our forebears, we are called to embrace and fight for them.

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Abraham Lincoln once noted that great men "thirst and burn for distinction" and will have it, "whether at the expense of emancipating slaves, or enslaving free men." And around the world the powers that oppose liberty, dignity and opportunity fight ceaselessly to dominate others.

May we, on this Independence Day, marking America's 250th, fight back. May we have the audacity and conviction to oppose the enemies of liberty and to continue to fight for the promise of the Declaration and America’s spiritual foundation. May we do so out of love – for our neighbors and for the blessings of the Creator. And may we gain courage from the example of those 56 men, their hundreds of thousands of compatriots, and the unwinnable war they won. Happy Independence Day.

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Zohran Mamdani admits he wants to end his ‘one-sided beef’ about taxes with rapper 50 Cent

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 20:00:42 -0400

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani admitted Wednesday he would love to end his one-sided feud with rapper 50 Cent.

While appearing on the "Complex" podcast, Mamdani was put on the spot by host Jillian Superstar when she asked the socialist mayor, "If you were to have a dinner party — that I know I'd be invited to after this interview — who would be your dream dinner party guest, dead or alive?"

His first choice, he answered, would be Mayor Fiorello La Guardia, who he touted as the greatest mayor of New York City in history.

ZOHRAN MAMDANI PRAISED FOR 'FANTASTIC' QUESTION-DODGING ON PRESIDENTIAL ELIGIBILITY

"I would throw in 50 Cent so we could have a conversation around tax policy," he added.

"A very much needed conversation," the interviewer agreed.

During an interview on "The Breakfast Club" last year, the mayor noted that while he was a fan of 50 Cent, the musician wasn't a fan of his tax policy.

"I know if 50 Cent is listening, he's not going to be happy about this. He tends to not like this tax policy, but I want to be very clear: This is about $20,000 a year. It's a rounding error. And all of these things together, they make every New Yorker's life better, including those who are actually getting taxed now," Mamdani said during the June 2025 podcast.

The rapper responded shortly after by asking, "Where did he come from? Whose friend is this? I’m not feeling this plan. No. I will give him $258,750 and a first-class one-way ticket away from NY. I’m telling Trump what he said too!"

BILLIONAIRE FIRES BACK AT MAMDANI, SAYS BUSINESS LEADERS MUST 'FIGHT FOR THEIR CITY'

Mamdani noted during Wednesday's interview that he was still a fan of 50 Cent, even if 50 Cent wasn't a fan of his policies. Superstar showed this to be true, playing a clip of the mayor quoting the rapper’s song, "Get Rich or Die Tryin,'" during a recent commencement speech.

"So, it's a one-sided beef?" the interviewer asked.

"It's a one-sided beef," Mamdani agreed.

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"I think we're always going to have a disagreement on that tax policy," he added. "I want to increase taxes on the wealthiest. He does not want that to happen. But I will still appreciate the song 'Many Men,' whatever our disagreements are."

Representatives for 50 Cent did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

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ESPN must hold Stephen A accountable after doubling down on racist remarks about White basketball players

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:51:38 -0400

Stephen A. Smith is doubling down on his racist commentary, insisting the Los Angeles Lakers cannot succeed if their top three players are White.

On Wednesday, Smith mocked the team's trade for Walker Kessler, pairing him with Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

"Where the hell the Los Angeles Lakers think they are going with a bunch of White dudes?" he asked on his podcast. "Your three top players are White dudes. Really? This is basketball."

He then asked, "In NBA history, when has a team led by three White dudes ever gone to the promised land? Somebody gotta say it."

After facing criticism, Smith responded Thursday by declaring he "ain't backing down." He argued it's "just facts" that championship teams need "Black brothers" to help "White dudes" win.

https://x.com/stephenasmith/status/2072744504650559747

Consider that Smith is this worked up simply because the Lakers' top players happen to be White.

Notice, too, how illogical his argument becomes. In defending himself, Smith acknowledged the greatness of Larry Bird, Dirk Nowitzki, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic, Steve Nash and Cooper Flagg. If he acknowledges that White players can be just as great as Black players, then there's no logical reason three elite White players couldn't win together without "Black brothers."

By Smith's own logic, it would simply mean no team has assembled the right White trio yet. But that isn't what he argued. He claimed a team cannot win with three White stars because no team has.

The distinction matters.

By that reasoning, no NFL team could win a Super Bowl with a Black quarterback, Black head coach and Black general manager. Of course, that's not true. It just hasn't happened yet. Still, if someone argued otherwise, Smith and his ilk would rage in fury.

The double standard is obvious.

LET'S HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION ABOUT CAITLIN CLARK, RACISM, AND MEDIA COWARDICE | BOBBY BURACK

Notice how much stronger the reaction has been to Colin Cowherd reporting that teams viewed new 76ers forward Jaylen Brown as "arrogant," a possible explanation for his underwhelming trade market. Cowherd relayed what teams reportedly believed. Smith, meanwhile, is explicitly arguing that White players are inherently inferior.

Smith didn't make these comments off the cuff. His social media team promoted the clips, and he has continued defending them. In his latest video, he argued the comments "had to be said." It's unclear why, other than that he appears to believe White players should know their place.

But the larger issue isn't just Stephen A. Smith.

Since 2020, society has increasingly normalized, if not rewarded, for making openly hostile racial comments about White people. There is no accountability for it. In some cases, there are incentives, with White executives continuing to elevate personalities who traffic in racial grievance because it's safer than confronting them.

That's why certain media figures seem to pretend to be racist, including Jemele Hill and former ESPN broadcaster Mark Jones. Whether genuine or performative, they understand there's value with their bosses and with "Black Twitter" in cultivating hostility toward White people.

It's transparent. And it's ugly.

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

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Smith's comments should not be acceptable. Even on his own platform, he remains one of ESPN's most prominent personalities. Yet there's little reason to believe his employer will hold him accountable.

OutKick has repeatedly asked ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro over the past year why he allows Black commentator to make bigoted remarks about White people and White athletes. On occasion, Pitaro has sent a PR stooge to call me names off the record.

Pitaro himself has never publicly addressed the issue -- or privately.

Sources tell OutKick that Pitaro backed Mark Jones in 2020 when Jones falsely accused police officers of plotting to shoot him. He also defended Kendrick Perkins in 2023 after Perkins falsely accused NBA MVP voters of favoring White players based on inaccurate claims about the racial makeup of the voting pool.

Just imagine the message Pitaro could send if he simply acknowledged Smith's comments as racially inappropriate. It would cause lesser-known race idolaters at ESPN to think twice before making similar remarks on air.

But he likely won't. Pitaro has shown a consistent pattern of cowardice since assuming the chairman role in 2018.

That's why the consensus ESPN commentary about Caitlin Clark is that the Black women who cheap-shot and hard-foul her out of animosity are the true victims, not Clark, no matter how many black eyes and injuries she sustains.

It's pathetic.

Pitaro has enabled a culture in which black commentators feel beyond consequence, while everyone else walks on eggshells, hoping he doesn't lay them off.

Still, one has to ask a simple question: Who exactly is the target audience for segments like Stephen A.'s rant about "white dudes" on the basketball court?

Seriously.

Maybe Black people are better at basketball than White people on average. It's certainly possible. But so what? Who tunes into sports talk to hear that? What's the point?

Likewise, who is looking for a sports talk show to argue that white people are better at golf, as Smith also claimed during his rant?

Anyone?

We ask because Smith's former colleagues tried this approach before. ESPN gave Bomani Jones three shows that covered sports primarily through a racial lens. All of them failed and posted historically poor ratings in their respective time slots. Jemele Hill tried it. It failed. Dan Le Batard leaned heavily into similar commentary and saw ESPN's radio affiliate count dramatically shrink during his tenure.

Believe it or not, sports fans don't watch games counting the number of White and Black athletes involved. Only the media does.

And until a Black commentator is held responsible for making openly hostile remarks about White people, nothing will change. In other words, nothing will change.

As soon as these anti-White commentators are done dog-whistling about the Lakers' new White trio and Caitlin Clark, they'll move on to the media-generated race war between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.

Rinse and repeat.

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But since Stephen A. Smith is so eager to point out patterns, here's one.

His show most days features him alongside an almost entirely Black panel of commentators. First Take's ratings have become a problem. They're sluggish compared with the shows immediately before and after it, hosted by White dudes Mike Greenberg and Pat McAfee.

In fact, sources say Smith has told executives at ESPN to stop booking guests who appear on his show on Greenberg's the same day, as a result.

Should we point that out because it's "just facts"?

United States-Bosnia and Herzegovina World Cup match delivers massive TV ratings

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:35:22 -0400

Any time the U.S. men's national team steps on the pitch, it's going to draw a lot of eyeballs, but Wednesday's match against Bosnia and Herzegovina was historic.

Preliminary numbers from Nielsen report that the broadcast on Fox averaged 24.43 million viewers, peaking at 31.88 million late in the game.

That was enough to make it the largest English-language audience for a soccer broadcast in U.S. history.

WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE

It edged out the previous record holder — the 2015 Women's World Cup final between the U.S. and Japan — which averaged 22.32 million viewers, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Telemundo's Spanish telecast of the game brought in 9.1 million viewers for a combined total of 33.53 million, easily a record for a soccer match broadcast in the United States.

But what else is new? This World Cup has been obliterating ratings records since it started.

FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE

The highly anticipated clash saw the U.S. trying to win its first knockout stage match since 2002 and bounce back from a disappointing loss to Turkey that capped off the group stage.

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Meanwhile, Bosnia and Herzegovina looked to play spoiler after advancing from Group B as a third-place team, hoping to eliminate the United States on its home soil.

In the end, the U.S. came out with a 2-0 win, but it came at a cost. Star striker Folarin Balogun was on the receiving end of a wildly controversial red card that not only took him out of the match against Bosnia and Herzegovina — forcing the U.S. to play the last 25 minutes or so a man down — but also ruled him out of Monday's Round of 16 match against Belgium.

The crazy flag designs … that could have been our new flag

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:28:47 -0400

The American flag is so familiar, but do you know that the design could have been something you would not recognize?

Back in 1958, as talk of the admission of two new states to the union swept the country, the Eisenhower administration was deluged with varying designs for a new 50-star flag.

"People begin sending in ideas for how the new flag should look," said Dr. Jim Ginther, the supervisory archivist for the Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum in Abilene, Kansas, which has kept all the submissions from back then.

"Suddenly there's a massive public interest again in the design of the flag. Beginning in July 1958, the White House begins receiving designs from the public, as does the Quartermaster Corps of the Army, from all over the country and from all over the world."

ERIC SHAWN REVEALS SURPRISING DESIGNER OF CURRENT AMERICAN FLAG

The story of the 50-star flag is told in the first episode of the new series, "Crazy American History with Eric Shawn," now streaming on Fox Nation.

One star was added to the flag in January 1959 when Alaska joined the union as the 49th state.

The 50th star was added with the admission of Hawaii as a state, and that new flag was officially raised for the first time July 4, 1960, at Fort McHenry, in Baltimore, site of the War of 1812 bombardment that inspired Francis Scott Key to write "The Star-Spangled Banner."

But in the two years before President Eisenhower settled on the new design for the Stars and Stripes, flag fever gripped the nation.

The White House eventually received more than 1,900 designs, many from school children as part of their lessons from the classroom publication "My Weekly Reader."

Adults from across the country, and even overseas, submitted their proposals.

"Some of them are coming in as simple as pencil drawings, some of them are as fancy as Draftsman's drawing. Some of them are sewn flags made out of cloth. Some of them are crayon drawings," Ginther noted.

The Eisenhower administration used the opportunity to educate Americans about the flag and responded to every submission with a letter from a top White House official.

"Several publications are produced by the government about the history of the flag, about flag etiquette, about various other aspects of use of the flag that they begin to send back out to the public, along with these letters thanking them for their submissions to educate the public about the flag."

The Continental Congress enacted the flag on June 14, 1777, which is now observed as flag day.

Betsy Ross is credited with designing the first flag with the 13 stars in a circle for the original 13 colonies.

The guidelines call for a design of alternating red and white stripes with a blue field for the stars.

But Ginther noted that the way the stars were to be laid out was never specified, which means some of the designs can appear to be curious and compelling.

But a massive change was not to be.

"The flag is symbolic," said Ginther.

NEIGHBOR SURPRISES HOMEOWNER WITH BRAND-NEW AMERICAN FLAG

"Radical change in it is going to be difficult. People are used to that symbol. It comes out in the deliberations over the flags, in the documentation," he said. "Radically changing the flag is going to be expensive, so we have to take that into consideration as well. And then you have to consider that particularly, our military, has a vested sentimental interest, in that they have fought and bled under that flag.

"There is reason, perhaps, why you might not want a radical change, even though many people in the country were interested in submitting designs. There is also an argument to be made for not being very radical in a redesign of the flag as a symbol of the nation."

In the end, President Eisenhower selected a similar design to the historical tradition, adding the two stars in alternating rows of six and five stars, on the blue field where it has been so familiar ever since.

It is the flag that represents our freedoms and the American ideals on our nation's 250th birthday.

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Watch "The Fifty-Star Flag," the first episode of the new Fox Nation series "Crazy American History" for more on President Eisenhower and the flag.

The website of the Eisenhower Presidential Library, Museum and Boyhood Home tells more about the flag and the president: https://www.eisenhowerlibrary.gov/

Ex-Texas middle school teacher sentenced to 33 years for sexually abusing 13-year-old student

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:24:43 -0400

A former Texas middle school teacher was sentenced to more than three decades in prison after being convicted of sexually abusing a 13-year-old student.

A Webb County jury sentenced Adriana Rullan, 30, to 33 years in prison after finding her guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child younger than 14.

Jurors also sentenced her to 10 years for indecency with a child by sexual contact and 13 years for an improper relationship between an educator and a student. The sentences will run concurrently, and Rullan was also ordered to pay $20,000 in fines.

The verdict followed a two-day trial in the 341st District Court, during which prosecutors presented testimony from six witnesses and dozens of exhibits, including text messages, photographs and video recordings.

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WHO ALLEGEDLY HAD SEX WITH STUDENT IN CLOSET NOW FACES CHARGES INVOLVING MORE TEENS

During the sentencing phase, the victim, who was 13 at the time of the abuse, told jurors the abuse cost him his friendships, his sense of self and nearly his life, according to KGNS.

The victim's mother also addressed the jury, blaming Rullan for her son's depression and anxiety and describing the emotional toll the abuse had taken on their family. She told jurors Rullan was manipulative and should never be allowed to harm another child, according to KGNS.

The jury returned guilty verdicts after deliberating for less than two hours, according to the Webb County District Attorney's Office.

FBI AND TEXAS AUTHORITIES ARREST 276 SUSPECTED CHILD PREDATORS, RESCUE 89 CHILDREN IN SWEEPING OPERATION

According to the district attorney's office, the investigation began Nov. 27, 2023, after the victim's parents contacted the United Independent School District Police Department with allegations of an inappropriate relationship between a student and a teacher at Gonzalez Middle School in Laredo.

A forensic examination of the victim's cellphone recovered electronic communications documenting the relationship and provided significant evidence supporting the charges, a spokesperson for the Webb County District Attorney's Office told People.

Rullan was arrested the following month and pleaded not guilty to all charges.

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It was not immediately clear whether Rullan intends to appeal.

Fox News Digital reached out to the Webb County District Attorney's Office for additional comment and court records and the United Independent School District for comment but did not immediately receive responses.

Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell addresses NFL streaming service affordability controversy

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:20:59 -0400

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell addressed concerns over the affordability of watching NFL games as the league auctions off broadcasts to more and more streaming services.

The issue has gotten attention from Congress and the FCC.

"I think it's important that we continue to make it something that, you know, all fans can have a pathway to watching our games," O'Connell told Fox News Digital at a news conference Thursday for the American Century Championship golf tournament.

"Hopefully, a lot of them make it out to whether to U.S. Bank Stadium or SoFi Stadium or any of the, you know, great venues we have in our league. And there's nothing like being there, but I can tell you that it's very important for the NFL to have our games be available to as many of our fans as we possibly can."

SUPER BOWL CHAMPION JOE THEISMANN SAYS THE NFL'S IS LOSING TRADITION TO STREAMING-ERA SCHEDULING

Still, O'Connell defended the league's media rights contracts and believes utilizing different streaming services can also help expand the fan base.

"I think it's an alignment with where a lot of, you know, not just sports media, but media in general, has kind of gone, where the consumer is choosing different ways to find their entertainment and I think a lot of the different aspects of where games are available," he said.

"I know our game is very, very popular, and I know it's a very important thing for the league to continue to make our game available to every possible fan out there. We're always trying to find different pathways to new fans ... not only in the United States, but it's clear globally as well."

NFL ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL THANKSGIVING EVE GAME BETWEEN PACKERS AND RAMS WILL BE STREAMED ON NETFLIX

The issue has become a larger part of the NFL media conversation. The league’s 2026 schedule includes games on traditional broadcast networks, cable and multiple streaming platforms. According to the NFL, Prime Video will carry "Thursday Night Football," Netflix will stream games in Week 1, on Thanksgiving Eve and on Christmas Day and Peacock will exclusively stream a regular-season game in January.

The NFL has noted that its games remain available free over the air in local markets. In its 2026 schedule announcement, the league said it is the only sports league that presents all regular-season and postseason games on free over-the-air television in local markets.

But the broader access question has still drawn scrutiny in Washington. In June, the House Judiciary Committee released an interim staff report on the Sports Broadcasting Act and the NFL’s media model, saying fans increasingly need a combination of over-the-air, cable and streaming services to watch their favorite teams. The committee also said some fans must pay more than $600 per season to watch all of one team’s games.

Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, also asked the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission to examine whether the NFL’s distribution practices still fit within the Sports Broadcasting Act’s limited antitrust protection. In that request, Lee said fans spent nearly $1,000 last season when cable, streaming and internet costs were combined.

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O'Connell made the comments as he prepares to compete in the American Century Championship for the first time at Edgewood Tahoe this weekend.

The event will feature a star-studded lineup of competitors, including Davante Adams, Baker Mayfield, Trevor Lawrence and Kyle Juszczyk, while Hall of Famers Drew Brees, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Marcus Allen, Charles Woodson, Brian Urlacher, Tim Brown, Dwight Freeney and DeMarcus Ware are also expected to play.

Teacher accused of sex with students was allegedly blackmailed for better grades: warrants

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:09:00 -0400

A Georgia high school teacher accused of having sexual trysts with multiple students in a classroom and a closet was blackmailed for better grades after students discovered she owned and operated an OnlyFans account, according to police.

Maris Nichols, 25, was arrested twice over alleged relations with six students at Alexander High School in Douglas County, Georgia, according to Fox Atlanta.

She was indicted on 27 counts related to the allegations. Two of the teenagers were younger than 16, authorities said.

Search warrants obtained by the news outlet said Nichols, a former biology teacher and football program administrator, operated an account on OnlyFans, a subscription-based platform used by content creators, many for adult content.

HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER WHO ALLEGEDLY HAD SEX WITH STUDENT IN CLOSET NOW FACES CHARGES INVOLVING MORE TEENS

Some students discovered the account and blackmailed Nichols into giving them better grades, the warrant states.

During its investigation, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office served warrants on OnlyFans, Snapchat, AT&T and Nichols and multiple students and their families, the news outlet reported.

WASHINGTON TEACHER CHARGED WITH INCEST AFTER ALLEGEDLY HAVING SEX WITH TWO TEENAGE BOYS SHE ADOPTED

Investigators also had a warrant to collect genetic evidence and fingerprints from two teenagers and surveillance footage from St. Andrews Golf Course related to a rendezvous between Nichols and a student, WSB-TV reported.

The warrant also requested a "Jesus Loves You" necklace Nichols was seen wearing in a video showing her having sex with a student, the news outlet said.

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Nichols turned herself in to authorities last week after prosecutors said she repeatedly violated the conditions of her bond, including leaving her home without permission while on house arrest with electronic monitoring.

She has been in custody at the Douglas County Jail since last week.

Rams legend LeRoy Irvin, 2-time All-Pro cornerback, dead at 68

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:05:37 -0400

LeRoy Irvin, a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback for the Los Angeles Rams, has died. He was 68 years old.

Irvin’s former Rams teammate, Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson, wrote on his Instagram Thursday that Irvin had died recently, saying he was "devastated" by the news.

Los Angeles-based journalist Eric Geller, who noted working with Irvin after his retirement, wrote in an X post that Irvin had been battling throat cancer. No additional details were disclosed about Irvin’s death.

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"LeRoy wasn’t just a lockdown corner and a fierce competitor on the field; he was a true friend and a great man who always brought incredible energy," Dickerson said. "Rest in peace, my brother. Sending my thoughts and prayers to the Irvin family and all of Rams Nation."

Dickerson shared a photo of him and Irvin together during an event for the former’s foundation.

49ERS ANNOUNCE DEATH OF ALDON SMITH AT 36, ONCE THE FASTEST PLAYER TO REACH 30 SACKS IN NFL HISTORY

Irvin became a part of the Rams in 1980 when they took him in the third round of the NFL Draft out of Kansas.

Irvin spent 10 of his 11 years with the Rams, though his career ended after one season with the Detroit Lions.

Irvin was a lockdown corner named first-team All-Pro in 1981 after tallying three interceptions, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries across 16 games. He also notched his first career sack that year.

Irvin had a knack for the big play, especially when it came to interceptions. He had 35 in his career. During the 1984 campaign, he had five interceptions, two of which he returned to the house for a pick-six. Those two interception returns for touchdowns led the league.

Irvin was cemented as a star corner for the Rams at this point in his career, earning Pro Bowl nods in 1985 and 1986, the latter of which he was named first-team All-Pro yet again. In 1985, he was named second-team All-Pro.

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"We mourn the loss of Rams Legend LeRoy Irvin," the Rams wrote in a statement on social media. "We extend our condolences to his family and friends during this difficult time."

During his Rams career, Irvin amassed 34 interceptions, five of which he returned for touchdowns; nine forced fumbles; and 13 fumble recoveries.

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Josh Shapiro reads 'a little more Jewish' than other Democratic candidates, CNN anchor remarks

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 19:00:55 -0400

CNN's "The Story" host Elex Michaelson remarked how Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff "may not read as Jewish" as potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidates like Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro during Tuesday night's show.

During a panel with Los Angeles County Republican Party Chair Roxanne Beckford Hoge and political commentator Eric Messersmith, the three discussed Ossoff's chances of becoming a presidential candidate after recent betting odds websites placed him second behind California Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Hoge expressed doubts that Ossoff could overcome the Democratic Party "playing footsie with antisemites" to become a candidate, but Messersmith defended Ossoff as disciplined and very "on message" despite being untested on the national stage.

JOSH SHAPIRO WARNS THAT ATTACKS ON AIPAC ARE BEING USED TO 'SILENCE CERTAIN VOTERS'

"But on the Jewish thing, because he is Jewish, he might be the Democrat that can thread the needle. Because even though he’s Jewish, he’s very critical of the Israeli government, very critical of Benjamin Netanyahu," Messersmith said.

"He has credibility on that issue. So, it’s possible — I think he could fill that lane in between the two extremes of the Democratic Party."

Michaelson responded, "Yeah, as a Jew, some people read a little more Jewish than other people, and Jon Ossoff may not read as Jewish as Josh Shapiro does, for whatever that’s worth."

Fox News Digital reached out to Shapiro and Ossoff's offices for comment.

Michaelson and Messersmith's comments received some backlash for appearing to rank Democratic candidates on how "Jewish" they appear.

BATYA UNGAR-SARGON EXPLAINS WHY SO MANY AMERICAN JEWS BECAME DEMS — AND WHY SOME NOW FEEL POLITICALLY HOMELESS

"What exactly are we doing here?" conservative commentator Meghan McCain asked.

Targeted Victory Vice President Logan Dobson wrote, "what a deeply weird place the democratic party is in on this issue."

"CNN anchors, chatting casually: 'There’s the acceptable Jew, you know the one who denounces Netanyahu and Israel.' 'What about Scott Wiener?' 'Oh… hahaha. Guess there’s no acceptable Jew,'" Boundless Israel CEO Aviva Klompas commented.

Former U.S. ambassador David Friedman wrote, "Most dangerous and offensive words in the modern vernacular: 'As a Jew…'"

JEWISH CALIFORNIA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE SAYS HARASSMENT FROM GAZA AGITATORS WENT ‘BEYOND FREE SPEECH’

After the clip was shared across social media, Michaelson apologized for his comments on X.

"I apologize. I made a comment that was offensive. Going forward, I’ll do better," Michaelson wrote.

Though running for re-election as governor, Shapiro has emerged as a potential 2028 presidential candidate in a crowded field. However, his Jewish background and support for Israel have drawn backlash from far-left critics.

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Ossoff also faces re-election in November amid suggestions he could run for president in 2028. However, he has repeatedly denied he has any plans to run in the near future.

Ex-Obama advisor mocked after questioning Chicago's response to unconscious man: 'Own a mirror?'

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:51:56 -0400

David Axelrod, a Democratic political consultant and strategist, received backlash online for noting that emergency services in Chicago had declined to assist a seemingly homeless man outside the Art Institute of Chicago.

"An elderly man, probably homeless, was sprawled unconscious on the museum's front stone steps in the midst of a heat emergency. I called 911, and the operator said, ‘Well, is he ASKING for help?’ When I said no, she said, ‘Well, I'm not going to send anyone.’ So the man remained, passed out in the blazing noon sun. I guess that's how the City of Chicago deals with such situations," Axelrod wrote.

"I hope we're not all complicit in assisting an unintended suicide," Axelrod, the chief strategist for Obama's 2008 and 2012 presidential victories, said.

FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTS

His comments sparked mockery online when observers highlighted similar encounters in a number of other Dem-run cities in the U.S.

"David Axelrod comes face to face with Democratic policies in action… turns out he doesn’t like them very much," Abigail Jackson, a White House deputy press secretary, observed on X.

GOP Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's deputy chief counsel, Erielle Azerrad, said, "Anyone who lived in the Mission district of SF has like 20 stories like this."

"It’s awful to hear. It’s also why most of us who have witnessed it are so vehemently opposed to socialist nonsense ruining our once awesome cities. Welcome to the party, dude," she continued.

"Democrat policy which you dedicated your career to impose," New York Post columnist Miranda Devine posted on X.

"Does David Axelrod own a mirror?" conservative strategist Steve Guest wondered.

Earlier this year, the city, led by Mayor Brandon Johnson, launched a five-year homelessness initiative with the goal of making homelessness "rare, brief and nonrecurring." The plan centers on seven core strategies, including emergency services, housing, health, education, employment, community cohesion and systems alignment.

MORNING GLORY: DEMOCRATS CLIFF DIVE OVER THE FAR-LEFT EDGE OF AMERICAN POLITICS

The plan does not come with a stated budget expectation but partners with several other city programs, such as a $1.2 billion housing initiative.

At least one other Democratic voice bashed Axelrod’s description and the city’s response.

"This is awful and unacceptable. In a case like this or a freezing/blizzard spell, the city must mobilize to render necessary aid, even if its refused," Susana Mendoza, a candidate for Chicago mayor, said in her own post.

"Despite all the talk from this mayor and his administration about helping people like this in urgent need, they have abandoned them."

Notably, Axelrod described how the man had spoken with security at the Art Institute but declined to move or accept assistance.

"I asked a museum security guard about it and she said she had woken him 3 times and suggested he move into the shade and he refused each time," Axelrod wrote.

SPENCER PRATT SEIZES ON HOMELESSNESS REMARKS BY KAREN BASS, BLASTS DEMOCRAT FOR FAILURES

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When asked about the situation, the Art Institute of Chicago confirmed to Fox News Digital that a man had been outside the building and added that he had departed.

"We are aware that a museum security officer checked on an individual on the front steps and that person left on their own accord shortly after," the institute said in a statement.

Secret Service missed 'multiple opportunities' to prevent Trump assassination attempt: watchdog

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:43:43 -0400

The U.S. Secret Service "missed multiple opportunities" to prevent or disrupt the July 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump as he spoke to supporters during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General said in a report released Thursday.

The 64-page document detailed several lapses in security that allowed Thomas Matthew Crooks to get a line of sight of Trump as he stood on stage in Butler, Pennsylvania, during the July 13, 2024, event.

"The Secret Service’s overall lack of policy and processes coupled with limited intelligence sharing and poor collaboration and communication with protectee staff and state and local law enforcement set the conditions that led to missing opportunities to prevent and detect the attempted assassination," the report states.

Among the OIG's findings was a failure to warn Trump's protective detail that Crooks had a range finder and a long gun and had climbed onto the roof of a nearby building due to a lack of communication between the Secret Service and local law enforcement.

TWO MEN SHOT AT TRUMP'S BUTLER RALLY SUE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OVER SECRET SERVICE 'PREVENTABLE FAILURES'

Instead, they operated out of separate locations 257 yards apart with intermittent and highly limited radio connectivity between them.

As a result, the Secret Service missed 102 radio transmissions regarding an increasingly intense search for a suspicious individual, including alerts that the suspect was on the roof with a long gun.

Because the Secret Service communications room only received a handful of phone calls and texts, agents failed to recognize the urgency of the threat and never warned Trump's protective detail to delay the speech or remove him from the stage, the OIG said.

"Communications was a problem because of inoperability. There were too many command posts," Paul Eckloff, a former Secret Service agent, told Fox News Digital. "The biggest failure that is probably not addressed in the OIG report is that they never should have accepted the risk of doing it at this site. It never should have been done. That roof had an egregious line of site."

SECRET SERVICE, TSA AND NYPD TRANSFORM MADISON SQUARE GARDEN INTO FORTRESS FOR TRUMP'S NBA FINALS VISIT

Crooks was able to fire eight shots. Trump was grazed in the ear, and Corey Comperatore, 50, who was attending the rally, was killed. Two other spectators were critically injured but survived.

Moments after Trump was shot, Secret Service agents rushed the stage and moved him to safety.

In addition to a lack of communication, the Secret Service failed to detect Crooks' drone flight that he used to view the campaign event stage less than three hours before the rally due to an under-trained operator and an equipment malfunction, the report states.

Crooks flew the drone undetected for almost nine minutes and flew 471 yards from the event stage at an altitude of 102 feet. During the rally, the Secret Service had a counter-drone system on site, but it malfunctioned.

The counter-drone system was not operational when Crooks flew his drone hours before he tried to kill Trump.

The agency also failed to share intelligence about a long-distance threat to Trump with the Pittsburgh field office and agents on site, the report said.

Agents also failed to secure the area outside the security perimeter and did not use available resources to block Crooks' line of sight from the roof of the American Glass Research International building to Trump despite the line of sight being identified as a concern, the OIG said.

Despite identifying the AGR complex as a line-of-sight vulnerability during advanced walkthroughs, the Secret Service failed to ensure the view to the stage was obstructed.

"There should have been a better advance, more officers, more agents, but there's simply a limit to that," Eckloff said.

Officials originally proposed using trucks already onsite to block the view from the AGR complex, but Trump's campaign staff rejected the idea because it would interfere with press photographs.

WHITE HOUSE UFC TERROR PLOT 'RINGLEADER' IS A MEXICAN ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT, DHS CONFIRMS

An agent proposed a secondary location for the trucks but never verified that the campaign staff actually moved the equipment. As a result, Crooks had an unobstructed view of Trump's podium from a distance of just 155 yards, the report said.

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Fox News Digital has reached out to the Secret Service and the White House.

The report offered several recommendations to improve the Secret Service’s processes for securing events, such as mandatory threat communication, enhanced counter-drone training and a process to formally document the identification and blocking of line-of-sight vulnerabilities.

Riley Gaines and women's sports activists share honest reactions, emotions to SCOTUS Title IX ruling

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:40:09 -0400

The U.S. Supreme Court's 6-3 decision to uphold state laws that protect women's sports was a swell moment for Riley Gaines. But she admits the fight has taken a toll.

"Everything that, that I have found myself fighting for over the past few years. I don't want to speak for anyone else. Um, but there is a level of me that's exhausted as well." Gaines told Fox News Digital.

"It's exhausting that in the year 2026, we are still having this conversation, that the highest court in the land is having to rule on, on such insanity, when, I mean, I think even just 10 years ago, we wouldn't have necessarily celebrated this ruling. We would've kind of been like, 'yeah, duh. This is, like, the default.' It's the standard position for anyone to take. Of course we don't want boys in girls' sports. But now we find ourselves celebrating, which is a, a telltale sign of the times, of where we're at culturally and socially. Um, and so there's still more work to do."

RILEY GAINES: SUPREME COURT HANDS WOMEN AN IMPORTANT WIN, BUT THE FIGHT ISN’T OVER

She is already thinking about next steps. And it will take more than six votes to get that task done.

"Number one, Congress to act," Gaines said.

"We need, we, we need Congress to codify President Trump's executive orders... I think we need real enforcement mechanisms as well for those who continue to suffer from the very real diagnosable crippling disease that is TDS...

"What we're going to see make the biggest change, is when people, your everyday person, so think of parents, coaches, etc., when they're bold enough to defend their daughters or defend their athletes or defend themselves, um, that's when you see real change."

Gaines led a rally on the steps of the Supreme Court during oral arguments for the two cases the justices ruled on this week. Right next to her crowd of women's sports advocates was a mosh of pro-transgender activists wearing costumes and shouting obscenities.

"They're so angry," Gaines said of the opposing crowd.

"You look across the bike racks that were there separating us, and you saw anger, and you saw negativity, and you saw screaming, and you saw vitriol, and you saw colored hair, and you saw piercings, and you saw what I would describe, honestly, just visually looking at it, was island of the misfit toys. Not to be like, mean, but just speaking pretty objectively here."

Gaines was a new mother at the time and famously wrapped her infant daughter Margot in a bulletproof blanket when she spoke that day.

Now, as she looks toward the next steps after an "exhausting" first few years in the fight, she will have a growing army of women athletes alongside her.

Many of the other current and former female activists involved in the fight shared their reactions to the ruling after it was announced.

Jen Sey, founder of XX-XY Athletics, told Fox News Digital that the fact that 23 other states don't have laws protecting women's sports is "unacceptable." "We won, but we are not done," Sey said.

"What changes today is athletes who are competing under the auspices of Title IX in middle school, in high school, and in college — in the 27 states that have laws on the books protecting women’s sports — they can continue to protect women’s sports. Girls in every ZIP code deserve fair sports. The court did not say that the other 23 states must enact laws. One could argue we have a law — it’s called Title IX," Sey told Fox News Digital.

Sey's vision of a successful endgame for the "Save Women's Sports" movement is a widespread culture change.

"There’s still a lot of work to do. It’s why I keep saying we have to focus on changing the culture, because I think once we do that, all of the governing bodies will fall in line and protect the women’s category," Sey added.

Sey and her company have been central to growing the movement and bringing on new women as activists, as she has aggressively recruited star Olympians and prominent women impacted by the issue as brand ambassadors.

Former UPenn women's swimmer Paula Scanlan, who had to share a pool and locker room with trans swimmer Lia Thomas in 2021-22, praised the court's decision in an interview with Fox News' "America's Newsroom" on Tuesday.

"More work needs to be done. We need to see protections in all 50 states in this country. Why should a girl in Texas have different rights than a girl in Connecticut, or New York?" Scanlan said.

"It's disappointing also to learn that it's not 9-0. That's something I'm upset about. But I take this win."

Former San Jose State volleyball player Brooke Slusser called Tuesday’s Supreme Court ruling in favor of states protecting women’s sports the "biggest win" female athletes have had yet.

Slusser appeared on Fox News’ "The Faulkner Focus" after the high court ruled 6-3 in favor of West Virginia and Idaho in two landmark transgender athlete cases. The ruling upheld state laws requiring student-athletes to compete on sports teams that correspond with their biological sex at birth rather than their gender identity.

For Slusser, who became one of the most prominent voices in the fight to protect women’s sports after speaking out about a transgender player on her volleyball team in 2024, the decision was deeply personal.

"I mean, it’s amazing," Slusser told Harris Faulkner. "It’s the biggest win we’ve had yet, so I couldn’t be happier. We couldn’t ask for more right now."

Former high school volleyball player Payton McNabb, whose career ended when she was struck in the face by a spike from a trans player, shared her thoughts in an op-ed on Fox News Digital.

PAYTON MCNABB: GIRLS DESERVE FAIR COMPETITION, AND THE SUPREME COURT JUST AGREED

"Today, I feel something that I haven’t felt in a long time when it comes to the protection of women’s sports and spaces: relief," McNabb wrote.

"Today’s decision is a reminder that truth does not disappear simply because someone believes a delusion. Reality does not change because people are uncomfortable discussing hard topics."

Other prominent activists shared their reactions on social media.

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MIKE DAVIS: Dissecting the Supreme Court's 'birthright' betrayal

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 18:06:42 -0400

The Supreme Court just delivered its most disastrous ruling in generations in Trump v. Barbara. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the three liberal justices to block President Donald Trump's executive order and hand over birthright citizenship to the children of tens of millions of illegal aliens and birth tourists from China and other enemy nations.

The majority ruled that the 14th Amendment, which was passed after the Civil War to give former slaves equal rights, mandates citizenship to nearly anyone born on U.S. soil, even if they entered illegally, even if they’re a foreigner who hates America, even if they’re only here on a temporary visa and even if they are gaming our system as a Chinese birth tourist.

Under this logic, American citizenship means nothing but birthplace. Forget heritage, patriotism or common values. All that matters is location.

ALITO WARNS SUPREME COURT MADE 'SERIOUS MISTAKE' THAT COULD HAVE NATIONAL SECURITY CONSEQUENCES

This decision destroys what it means to be an American. It ranks among the court's very worst, alongside Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) and Roe v. Wade (1973).

Justice Samuel Alito warned in dissent, "This is one of the most important decisions in the history of the Court, and in my judgment, the Court has made a serious mistake."

Justice Alito is a gentleman. This was more than a serious mistake. John Roberts’ disastrous decision, joined by the court’s four women, could be fatal for our country.

The damage cannot be overstated. At the core of sovereignty is the power to decide who enters the country and who becomes one of its citizens. Otherwise, we live at the mercy of billions of foreigners. Citizenship defines who shares in America's blessings and burdens, who upholds its values, who honors its history and who joins its social contract. It will ultimately determine whether the United States is a nation or just a place.

The American people built the New York skyline, tamed a vast frontier, defeated fascism and communism, landed on the Moon and created the freest and most prosperous and powerful country in human history. Deciding who we invite to join us is the most consequential choice our nation can make. Once citizenship is granted, it is rarely undone. Citizenship confers full and equal rights, including the right to vote and claim every economic and social benefit.

Yet this ruling puts the newborn child of an MS-13 gangster who crossed the border illegally days earlier on equal footing with the descendants of generations of Americans who fought world wars, built this country from nothing and died for its future.

The national security implications are terrifying.

As Justice Alito noted, a child born here to an enemy visitor from China or another hostile power, then raised abroad to hate the United States, would have lifelong citizenship and the right to vote in every election. That child could even run for president of the United States.

TRUMP SUFFERS MAJOR SUPREME COURT DEFEAT AS JUSTICES UPHOLD BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP

The votes of professors Roberts and Barrett, who call themselves originalists, are especially despicable. Anyone with a reasonable historical understanding of the 14th Amendment could never conclude it was intended to endow citizenship to children of illegal aliens or foreigners with no allegiance to this country. Ratified in 1868 to secure citizenship for freed slaves after the Civil War, the amendment's pivotal qualifier — "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" — deliberately excludes children of diplomats and children of invading soldiers.

The Supreme Court recognized this principle in Elk v. Wilkins (1884), ruling that Native Americans born on reservations were not entitled to birthright citizenship under the amendment because they were subject to the jurisdiction of — and owed their allegiance to — their tribes instead of the United States. Congress later extended birthright citizenship to them by statute in 1924.

If Native Americans born here and who have lived here for thousands of years are not constitutionally entitled to birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment, the children of illegal immigrants, foreign criminals and fraudster tourists certainly cannot be. Until now. The amendment's ratifiers could never have imagined, let alone intended, citizenship for the children of millions of unvetted illegals or for a birth-tourism industry that’s funneled hundreds of thousands of foreigners, especially from China, into the country for this purpose.

But Roberts, Barrett and three liberals put their vanity over our sovereignty, national security and country. This ultimate betrayal is unforgivable.

By deciding the case on sweeping constitutional grounds rather than a narrower statutory basis, the majority, including Roberts and Barrett, made fixing this catastrophe extraordinarily difficult. Reversing it now requires the passage of a constitutional amendment by two-thirds of both chambers of Congress and three-fourths of the states or a constitutional convention. They ignored the canon of constitutional avoidance, locked in a maximalist, ahistorical rule, and tied the hands of future majorities.

Had they taken the narrower path, as Justice Kavanaugh argued, Congress could have legislated a fix. Justice Kavanaugh’s rationale was still wrong, but it wasn’t catastrophic, like Roberts’ ruling.

With this decision, Roberts again prioritized his personal perception over constitutional duty. His legacy is one of preserving his own reputation at the expense of our nation when political pressure mounted. Time and again he has flinched — on Obamacare, on election cases, on immigration — choosing the path of least resistance and maximum elite approval.

ICE SURGES ENFORCEMENT, MAKES 10,000 ARRESTS IN FIVE DAYS AMID SUPREME COURT BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP DECISION

Justice Barrett's vote is particularly galling. Barrett auditioned as the next Justice Scalia, for whom she clerked. Her advocates sold her as the same. Yet Barrett helped deliver a ruling that ignores the amendment's text, history and limiting principles. This was a failure of character and of judgment that elevates abstract academic hypotheticals over real stakes: anchor babies for gang members, incentives for further surges of illegal immigration and the erosion of citizenship as a meaningful inheritance rather than a geographic accident. Originalism without regard for the sovereign interests it is supposed to protect is performative.

Professor Barrett thinks she’s grading law-school exams instead of exercising sound judgment, proving why she’s the junior varsity justice who is not up to the job.

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The Trump administration must pursue mass deportations of all illegal immigrants, starting with women of childbearing age. Even if these illegals have "citizen" children, they must still be deported to prevent them from creating more fake citizens. Cutting federal funds for programs that benefit illegal immigrants, as well, will force the hands of those who exploit our generosity.

Federal funds to states, cities and any other entities that provide benefits to illegal immigrants must also end. And the Trump Justice Department, under the all-star leadership of Todd Blanche, must continue to use all criminal and civil tools to sue, imprison, denaturalize and expel illegal aliens who have entered our country, attacked our citizens, plundered our treasure and debased our culture.

The American people deserved better from Roberts and Barrett. Lifetime tenure exists precisely so justices can resist political fads and elite pressure. This abomination of a ruling destroys our sovereign power and duty — as We The People, the sovereign citizens of America — to define and control our own future. It amounts to national suicide by judicial decree. It is the ultimate betrayal by five unelected narcissists in robes. With no mercy, we must quadruple the mass deportations. And immediately.

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