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Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi may have just dropped the most outlandish quote in ACC Media Days history

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:40:20 -0400

It seems as if an entire season's worth of headlines have been spawned from this week's ACC Media Days in Charlotte.

From Florida State head coach Mike Norvell acting seemingly oblivious to any hot seat talk to SMU's Rhett Lashlee angering an entire conference with his comments about the Sun Belt, college football fans have been treated to only the finest of offseason theater from several of the personalities of the Atlantic Coast Conference.

On Friday, however, one man entered the conversation with what may have been the craziest take any college football fan has heard in years.

Meet Pat Narduzzi, head coach of the Pitt Panthers.

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Pitt had a solid campaign under Narduzzi in 2025, going 6-2 in conference and even having a chance to play for the ACC title going into the last week of the season.

Maybe that moderate success has gone to the man's head, however, because he dropped a quote so shocking you have to hear it to believe it.

Did all of these ACC coaches get a call from the conference's PR director telling them to drum up some headlines for clicks or what?

Now listen, I'm an SEC homer, so the last thing I want to do is defend the Big Ten, but where has this guy been the last three years?

He cites a "winning record" against both the SEC and Big Ten in bowl games and the regular season, which I guess counts for something, but he wasn't really specific about the years or teams involved, so I'm not sure if you can even count that as a win for Narduzzi.

I distinctly remember Miami losing to Indiana in the College Football Playoff championship game, which has to count for something.

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Speaking of championships, the Big Ten is on a three-year streak of winning the national title in college football, and before that, the SEC had a four-year run.

You have to go all the way back to 2018, when a freshman Trevor Lawrence helped Clemson obliterate Alabama in the Bay Area, to find an ACC team winning it all.

He claims the ACC has better players than the Big Ten, but I'm not so sure about that either.

The 2026 NFL Draft saw 68 players selected from the Big Ten (10 first-rounders), while only 38 were taken from the ACC (six first-rounders).

The recruiting side of things doesn't help Narduzzi's narrative either.

According to the 247Sports 2026 recruiting rankings, the Big Ten edged the ACC out in terms of teams in the top-25 (six to four), but when you look at the top-ten, it's even more lopsided in favor of the Big Ten, as they held three of the top four spots in the composite while the ACC's lone representative in the top-ten, Miami, sat at number nine.

Other than the aforementioned Hurricanes, the ACC hasn't had much to crow about for the past few years, but apparently that hasn't stopped Narduzzi from trying.

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Who knows, maybe Narduzzi and the rest of the ACC will make me eat my words this year when they go out and dominate their other Power 4 competitors en route to a national championship.

Until then, though, college football belongs to the Big Ten with the SEC nipping at their heels, leaving the ACC in a distant third place.

Navy says no reprimands or firings after Blue Angels’ low pass over beachgoers

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 13:45:37 -0400

Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao said the flight debrief was complete and there would be no reprimands or firings and there was "no problem" after the Navy's Blue Angels drew widespread attention with a wildly low flyover on a Florida beach.

Cao tweeted: "That’s the sound of Freedom! Semper fi and Hooyah," on Thursday after videos of the maneuver went viral.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and other Trump allies also took to social media to weigh in.

Video shared online showed beachgoers cheering as two Blue Angels jets with the flight demonstration team made a low pass over Pensacola Beach on Wednesday. Social media reactions varied, from those who praised the flyover and wished they could have seen it in person, to those who criticized the stunt.

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Hegseth, however, posted on X, "The flyovers will continue until morale improves."

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell shared a photo of one of the aircraft performing a maneuver during the flyover and wrote, "Carry on Patriots."

Eric Trump also responded by sharing an ABC News report on X, writing, "Can't stand the manufactured outrage by the low-T mainstream media. This was undoubtedly the highlight of these people's day…"

The ABC News report Eric Trump shared said Navy officials confirmed in a statement to the outlet that Blue Angels leadership is "reviewing the circumstances surrounding the maneuver and conducting a thorough safety review."

The Blue Angels did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

The flyover came during Wednesday morning's annual "Breakfast with the Blues" event, which marks the start of Red, White and Blues Week and gives spectators a chance to watch the Navy's flight demonstration squadron practice over the Gulf Coast.

Local news outlet WALA-TV reported that this year's event drew one of its largest crowds in recent memory, with the Casino Beach and Quietwater parking lots filling by about 7 a.m. Thousands lined the beach as the Blue Angels spent about two hours practicing ahead of this weekend's air show.

Brenda Bennett, who has attended the event for decades, told the newspaper she had never seen a crowd this large.

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"I've been coming since 1997 and this is the best kept secret, but I think the secret's out because there's more people here than normally," Bennett said.

Theresa Smith and Sheri Marinovich said they had to park farther away than usual because of the crowds but said the extra walk was worth it.

"They're showing out," the pair told the newspaper. "They love to put on a show for the breakfast crowd. You feel like they're just so much closer and we get to hear them talking on the radio and they do different maneuvers than they do for the show."

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Many spectators told the outlet the event felt especially meaningful following the recent America 250 celebrations. Bennett said she hopes Americans continue celebrating "our freedom that we have here in the United States."

The Blue Angels are scheduled to practice again Thursday before public performances Friday and Saturday.

LeBron James shows love to Caitlin Clark on his Instagram after her historic 45-point performance

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:16:21 -0400

Caitlin Clark put together an historic performance Friday night against the Seattle Storm. She broke Fever franchise records and set WNBA records. Her 45-point, 10-assist performance caught the eye of sports fans across the country, and even one of basketball’s all-time greats.

NBA free agent LeBron James showed the Indiana Fever star some love on his Instagram story on Saturday. James reshared a post that ESPN, SportsCenter, WNBA, and ESPN W collaborated on. The post showcased some of Clark’s best plays, including a coast-to-coast and-1, one of her four steals leading to a transition three, and of course, her last three-pointer to give the Fever the lead for good.

LeBron James and Caitlin Clark have developed one of the most unique superstar relationships in basketball. They’ve been supportive of each other since Clark was in college at Iowa. It makes sense. They’re both the face of their leagues and Nike athletes.

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Before Clark entered the WNBA, when she was a rising star at Iowa, James was publicly supporting and defending her against critics, while praising the way she was transforming women's basketball. He compared her journey to his own experience as an 18-year-old phenom entering the NBA, noting the similarities between being labeled the face of a league, dealing with constant scrutiny, and being expected to immediately change the game. LeBron has called Clark a "transcendent player," highlighting her elite basketball IQ, passing ability, and vision, while recognizing the impact she has had on growing the WNBA.

Clark has returned the favor, expressing similar admiration for LeBron, calling him one of her biggest basketball idols and describing him as the greatest of all time. (Yes, she unfortunately believes LeBron is the GOAT over Michael Jordan.)

When the two finally met in person in March of 2025, after the Los Angeles Lakers played the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis (where the Fever play their home games as well), Clark admitted the moment was surreal because she had grown up watching LeBron dominate the NBA. She has appreciated that he understands the unique challenges of being a generational talent under a microscope and has supported her through the highs and lows of her professional transition.

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CAITLIN CLARK MAKES WNBA HISTORY WITH RECORD-BREAKING GAME AFTER WEEKS OF CONTROVERSY

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Their relationship does not seem to be a traditional mentor-student dynamic, but rather a connection between two athletes who have made a major impact in their respective leagues.

No matter how you feel about LeBron’s legacy, his play, his politics, or his platform, it’s nice to see how much he admires Clark and her game. She’s unlike anything the WNBA has ever seen. It’s nice to see an all-time great give her props for the best game of her young career.

Pamela Anderson trades Hollywood glamour for 'magical' garden oasis

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:13:37 -0400

Pamela Anderson is trading Hollywood glamour for garden glory.

The "Baywatch" star gave fans a rare look inside her sprawling backyard oasis at her family compound in Ladysmith on Vancouver Island, revealing rows of flourishing vegetables, towering sunflowers and colorful blooms that quickly stole the spotlight on social media.

"Look what's growing in my garden," Anderson, 59, began in her heartwarming video as she panned the camera across the lush landscape.

Set to whimsical music, the clip winds through gravel pathways lined with oversized leafy plants, vibrant purple and orange flowers and vine-covered garden arches.

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Raised garden beds overflow with vegetables and greens, while a white wooden table, picnic area and lounge chairs transform the space into a country retreat.

"Good morning from the garden," Anderson captioned her social media post.

The actress' famous friends, family and fans were quick to shower the garden with praise.

Her son, Dylan Lee, 28, teased, "Tell me you love to garden without telling me you love to garden."

"There's something about nurturing a garden … that's so nourishing to us," influencer Malia Hana commented. "I've just started, but wow..."

Fans flooded the comments with admiration, writing, "Beautiful… You and your garden" and, "The sunflowers are striking!"

Others marveled at Anderson’s passion project, and wrote, "Your garden is so magical!"

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Another compared the Hollywood actress to Martha Stewart, and commented, "That is gorgeous. You're quite the Martha."

"Just so happy for you in this phase of life!!! everything is growing in your garden," an adoring fan added.

Anderson's passion for gardening has become a defining part of her life in recent years.

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Anderson's passion for gardening has become a defining part of her life in recent years.

The former Playboy Playmate documented the transformation of the property in HGTV's two-season series, "Pamela's Garden of Eden," which followed the actress and producer as she restored the waterfront estate her grandmother purchased decades ago in British Columbia.

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The garden update comes just weeks after Anderson traveled to Saint-Tropez, France, to celebrate another milestone — the wedding of her and ex-husband Tommy Lee's son, Dylan, to interior designer Paula Bruss.

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The couple exchanged vows during an intimate garden ceremony, making lush landscapes a fitting backdrop for another major moment in Anderson's summer.

Cubs great Anthony Rizzo snags another home run ball in Wrigley Field bleachers

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:05:08 -0400

What are the odds that a former Big Leaguer would wind up with a home run ball while sitting in the bleachers at his old ballpark?

Probably pretty low, but it has now happened to former Chicago Cub Anthony Rizzo twice.

The odds of which seem so astronomical you'd have to get someone from NASA to figure them out for you.

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In the bottom of the first inning against the Minnesota Twins, Cubs first baseman Michael Busch sent the 0-1 offering from Twins righty Taj Bradley to the right field bleachers, where a bunch of fans tried to get their paws on it.

However, the one who came up with it happened to be the first baseman from the 2016 curse-breaking Cubs.

How about that?

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As I said, it seems borderline impossible for that to happen once, but the same thing happened to Rizzo in another game at Wrigley just last season.

It was nice of Rizzo to switch up his jerseys, so we know that those homers happened on different days. Would've been nice if he held up that day's newspaper just to make it concrete.

This boggles my brain, and I think it just means that we all have to go on Anthony Rizzo home run-catching (or, more accurately, grabbing off the ground) watch. At his current one home run ball per season clip, he's looking at making it No. 3 next season.

Rizzo was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2007 and made his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres in 2011.

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But, of course, it was his ten seasons in Chicago — including being a part of that 2016 World Series team — that his career is best remembered for.

He was traded to the New York Yankees in 2021 and played his final MLB season in 2024.

Rory McIlroy blasts Bryson DeChambeau for holding The Open ‘hostage’ over penalty chaos: 'It is performative'

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 17:01:38 -0400

Rory McIlroy unloaded one of his biggest shots of the day on Saturday at The Open during the press conference.

McIlroy, 37, unloaded on Bryson DeChambeau when asked about his conduct on Friday after the 32-year-old was assessed a two-stroke penalty after a lengthy and heated interaction with rules officials well after the round.

"I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson," McIlroy told reporters after shooting a 1-under 69 in the third round. "I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention."

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

The reigning two-time Masters champion said he had no doubts that DeChambeau improved the line for his backswing; and that his actions "didn’t seem right."

"I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing," McIlroy said. "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."

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Other golfers were a little more sympathetic to DeChambeau, as former Open champion Xander Schauffele called the situation unfortunate.

"He said he didn’t do it intentionally, and it’s unfortunate that he got penalized because he was playing incredibly well and obviously he’s still playing incredibly well," Schauffele said, "so he’s obviously going to have something to prove these next two days."

DeChambeau responded to the two-stroke penalty with a solid third round, as he went 1-under par to finish the day at 6-under for the tournament. He is four strokes off of Sam Burns, who leads at 10-under for the tournament after shooting 5-under par on Saturday.

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If DeChambeau falls within two strokes of the winner on Sunday, the discourse over his two-stroke penalty will not dissipate anytime soon.

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McIlroy is tied for 30th at 2-under par for the tournament, and would need an excellent round and a lot of help to get himself into contention on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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MLB's first female home plate umpire statistically ranks among 2026's worst

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 16:38:39 -0400

Jen Pawol made history as Major League Baseball's first female home plate umpire in the 2025 season, sparking debate about whether she earned her spot, or was simply a political statement for inclusion and diversity. Now those debates are reignited based on some viral videos and statistics that prove her on-field performance is one of the worst during the 2026 season.

SPOILER: She’s been horrendous.

According to season-long data from UmpScorecards, who measures every called ball and strike against MLB's Statcast strike zone, grading umpires on overall accuracy, consistency and how they perform relative to the expected difficulty of the pitches they call, Pawol currently ranks 89th out of 91 qualified MLB umpires in overall ball-and-strike accuracy. Yikes.

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She owns a 91.8% overall accuracy rate, a 93.1% consistency rating, and an accuracy-above-expected mark of -1.6%.

Her ranking has drawn additional attention because she has also been involved in several high-profile games that featured controversial strike-zone decisions.

Pawol had an abysmal start to her game behind the plate on Sunday, June 16, between the St. Louis Cardinals and Minnesota Twins. She had three ball calls overturned in the top of the first inning alone.

(WARNING: Language)

Pawol’s very first strike call, in her first MLB game behind the plate, was also terrible.

Here’s a challenge from a 2026 spring training game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians where the broadcaster not so subtly trolled Pawol saying, "The call is overturned on a pitch that was right down the middle of the plate that was called a ball."

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The most recent controversy came between the San Diego Padres and Toronto Blue Jays on July 13, where she didn’t allow Padres’ Sung-Mun Song to challenge a called strike and shortly after, Pawol called a balk to force in a run for the Padres.

Her overall consistency in that game, as recorded by UmpScorecards, was only 88%. The average is 94%. I also found it odd that the other umpires seemed to be protecting Pawol from interacting with the managers. I get the impression that managers can barely argue with her on the field, or not at all because the other umps step in. Is it because she’s a woman? I can’t tell you that definitively, but it does raise eyebrows.

While Pawol has time to turn things around, it’s clear from a meritocracy standpoint, she hasn’t proven herself worthy of the position she’s in. The worst rated umpire, CB Bucknor, has accepted a buyout and is retiring at the end of season. As Zach Dean said in his piece, I don’t think it’s a coincidence.

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I couldn't see Pawol being offered the same buyout scenario. It would reflect poorly on the league after making such a big deal about her promotion, with many people bending over backward to defend the decision, only for her to last a mere two seasons.

Dem Rep Henry Cuellar rejects DSA agenda, says socialists are trying to 'use' Democratic Party

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 16:30:38 -0400

Rep. Henry Cuellar issued a warning to his party, claiming the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) organization is "using" the Democratic Party as a temporary vehicle to launch a radical agenda.

Speaking on "Saturday in America," Cuellar argued that DSA candidates hide their more extreme platform ideas behind softer talking points to win Democratic seats.

"They're trying to use the safe Democratic seats to run in. And they also know that the Democratic Party is inadequate, but they're using us or trying to use the Democratic Party as a vehicle so later they can set up their own platform," Cuellar said.

WATCH: HOUSE DEMS DODGE QUESTIONS ON SOCIALIST AGENDA THAT THREATENS TO ABOLISH KEY INSTITUTIONS

The Texas representative called on fellow Democrats to openly reject the DSA’s positions, including what he called more extreme views such as restructuring the Supreme Court and abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

"As a Democrat, I reject what the DSA is doing. I read their platform, and it is radical," Cuellar said.

Fox News Digital reached out to the DSA for comment.

"They want to... get rid of the Senate. So constitutional changes there. They want to get rid of ICE. I reject that. They want to defund police. I reject that, reject also the constitutional items. They want to have open borders also, I reject that. They want to get rid of prisons. I reject that," he said.

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He noted that Democratic socialist candidates don’t often discuss those agenda items, instead winning people over by focusing on issues of affordability, housing and the cost of living.

"They’re trying to use the Democratic Party. They're not talking about those radical positions. They're talking about affordability and housing, things that sound good, but we as Democrats, we reject that radical faction," Cuellar said.

"They don't even have their own party, but they're trying to use the Democrat Party... I reject them completely," he added.

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He noted he has firsthand experience being primaried by socialists. He said the DSA and Justice Democrats spent over $20 million against him in two past primaries, which he said he won by running on strong border security and supporting oil and gas jobs.

"I defeated them and what I did, I stood for Border Patrol, I stood strong border security, I stood up for oil and gas in a Democratic primary. And guess what? The Democratic voters in my district said yes and said no to the radical position," he said.

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Cuellar’s warnings come after several Democratic socialists won major elections, including in New York and Colorado. In Colorado, a new candidate backed by the DSA, Melat Kiros, pulled off an upset. She beat longtime Democratic Rep. Diana DeGette in Denver's heavily Democratic district.

In late June, a group of far-left candidates won their elections in New York, too. They were backed by New York City’s Democratic socialist mayor, Zohran Mamdani. The winners included newcomer Darializa Avila Chevalier, who beat powerful Rep. Adriano Espaillat, and Brad Lander, who defeated Rep. Dan Goldman.

New Alzheimer's blood test predicts who is likely to develop dementia in 5 to 10 years

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 16:27:48 -0400

A simple blood test detecting a specific protein linked to Alzheimer’s disease may help predict future cognitive decline in older adults up to a decade before any noticeable symptoms appear, according to a new study.

The Harvard-led research, presented at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference in London and simultaneously published in The Journal of the American Medical Association, could transform how doctors assess dementia risk and help patients prepare for the disease.

By measuring a blood biomarker called p-tau217, which tracks the build-up of damaging proteins in the brain, clinicians may soon be able to assess Alzheimer's risk much like they use cholesterol tests to estimate heart disease risk, researchers say.

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In one of the largest analyses of its kind, researchers tracked nearly 2,700 cognitively healthy adults averaging 70 years of age for up to a decade.

They found that symptom-free individuals with very high levels of p-tau217 had an estimated 78% chance of developing cognitive impairment within 10 years, and a roughly one in three chance within five years. Even those with moderately elevated levels faced a 45% risk over a decade.

The p-tau217 protein is a modified form of tau, which forms tangles in the brain and is associated with memory loss. The blood test provided information beyond what standard brain scans and genetic testing can offer, according to the researchers.

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Rachel Buckley, the study’s lead author and an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School, said the findings provide some of the clearest evidence yet that dementia risk can be detected years before memory problems begin.

"Once verified, these blood tests could be used to recruit patients for clinical trials of treatments to prevent cognitive decline and dementia," she said in a press release.

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"In the future, when treatments are approved for use early in the disease process, these tests could help guide monitoring, treatment decisions and counseling for patients and families," Buckley added.

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The researchers cautioned that p-tau217 cannot fully predict an individual's future on its own. Other factors like age, genetics, kidney function and racial background can also influence biomarker levels and dementia risk.

The team emphasized the need for longer studies in more diverse groups to perfect these risk estimates.

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Maria Carrillo, chief science officer at the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, said that targeting the silent stage of the disease before memory issues arise is where future treatments could have the greatest impact.

"Identifying people at risk earlier could fundamentally change how we diagnose, treat and potentially prevent dementia," she told Fox News Digital, noting that earlier detection could allow people to begin interventions before symptoms develop.

IndyCar driver David Malukas ruled out of qualifying after big crash at Nashville Superspeedway

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 16:15:47 -0400

It's a big weekend for IndyCar with the series' race at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday getting a big lead-in from the FIFA World Cup final, but it got off to a scary start thanks to a big crash for Team Penske's David Malukas that has ruled him out of Saturday's qualifying session.

Malukas, who is in his first season behind the wheel of the No. 12 Chevrolet, lost the rear of his car mid-corner and went left rear first into the SAFER barrier during practice on Saturday morning.

It was a heavy impact that destroyed the rear of Malukas' car.

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That was obviously the end of Malukas' practice session, and he was reported to be "awake, alert, and in good spirits."

But a little bit later, it was revealed that Malukas had been taken to a local hospital for further testing and evaluation.

IndyCar vet Conor Daly has since been tapped to take over Malukas' car for qualifying. However, his status for Saturday evening's practice and Sunday's race, the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix, remains unclear.

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Interestingly, Malukas was already set to serve a nine-place grid penalty due to an unapproved engine change.

Now, with the car needing major repairs after the crash, if it's ready for qualifying, Daly's job will be to perform a shakedown run to ensure it's ready to go for the rest of the weekend regardless of who is in it.

Even after qualifying had gotten underway, the team was still working to put the car together, with the added consideration that if Daly drives in qualifying, he will have to drive the rest of the weekend, even if Malukas is healthy enough to return.

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Malukas is currently sitting in fourth place in the championship standings, 66 points behind leader Alex Palou, and has performed well in his first season with one of the series' premier teams.

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While he's still chasing his first win, the 24-year-old from Chicago has one pole, five top fives, and 9 top tens on the year, including a second-place finish in this year's Indianapolis 500.

This week, Malukas was one of three drivers — along with Palou and Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist — who visited the White House ahead of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, DC.

Shakira soaks up the Miami sun as bikini-clad Nina Dobrev, Kim Kardashian showcase summer getaways

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 16:00:17 -0400

Summer is heating up and Hollywood's biggest stars are taking advantage.

Shakira soaked up the Miami sun, while other A-list stars such as Nina Dobrev and Kim Kardashian enjoyed time with friends and family.

Whether they are living their best lives on a yacht, or spending time with their families, these celebrities aren't wasting one second of summer.

BELLA HADID, KELSEA BALLERINI AND OTHER STARS KICK OFF SUMMER EARLY WITH BIKINI PHOTOS

Here are some of the best celebrity bikini photos.

Shakira

Shakira was photographed enjoying some downtime in Miami earlier this month after performing at the opening ceremonies of the FIFA World Cup in Mexico City in June. Shakira is also set to perform on Sunday for the first-ever World Cup Final halftime show.

The 49-year-old singer wore a red bikini with fringe details, which she paired with oversized sunglasses.

In some of the photos, the "Hips Don't Lie" singer is seen jumping into the ocean to cool off, before putting on a red skirt to cover up.

Other photos show her rinsing off with a hose after getting out of the water.

Kylie Jenner

Kylie Jenner showed off her new Khy x Frankies Bikinis collaboration, in a new Instagram post featuring her in one of the bikinis from the collection.

One of the photos features the reality star taking a selfie in a leopard-print bikini top, as she poses with one of her fingers on her lips, as her brunette locks cascade down her chest while she looks down at the camera.

She accessorized the bikini with her big black glasses and a soft makeup look.

In another photo, fans got a peek at the whole look, as she shared a full-body shot, showcasing the bikini tops matching bottoms.

"You are amazing as always 😍❤️," one fan wrote in the comments section. Another added, "I just bought a set but I need this one 😍," while a third chimed in with, "first task: serve."

KYLIE JENNER SENDS FANS INTO A FRENZY AS SHE SHOWCASES HER CURVES IN PINK STRING BIKINI

Christina Haak

Christina Haack is "Enjoying home more than ever" as she spends a day on a yacht with her friends, in celebration of her birthday.

In a recent Instagram post, the TV personality shared a series of photos of her spending the day in Newport Beach with her friends, which also included a series of bikini pictures.

One of the photos shows the "Flip Off" star sitting on the edge of a yacht as she sips on a glass of Champaign.

In the photo she is wearing a string bikini, which she paired with a matching cover-up skirt, a pair of sunglasses and a cowboy hat.

Other photos show her laughing with friends, with one featuring her sitting next to her boyfriend, Chris Larocca.

"Happy looks good on you ❤️," one fan wrote in the comments section, while another added, "Live it up girl u deserve to have ur happy space … looking amazing 😍🔥."

Kim Kardashian

Kim Kardashian shared snippets from her family's recent getaway, including a few bikini photos, captioning the Instagram post, "lake life."

She and her sister, Khloé Kardashian, twinned in matching black bikinis as they posed side-by-side for a photo while relaxing on a boat in the middle of the lake.

Both sisters accessorized their swimsuits with black sunglasses, with Kim opting to cover up on the bottom with bike shorts.

Later on in the post, Kim shared a video of herself water-skiing on the lake.

"I see you gettin’ it 🏄‍♂️..🌊..🤙🏼 good stuffs 📸 fun fun 💯," one fan wrote in the comments section. Another added, "The most beautiful woman in this universe 🌍."

Nina Dobrev

Nina Dobrev shared a flurry of bikini photos from her recent vacation to Italy.

In a recent Instagram post, the "Vampire Diaries" star shared a number of photos of herself in a bikini, including a selfie of her lying on a dock with her friend in a multicolored print bikini with red and white checkered straps.

She accessorized the look with a white baseball cap and a smile.

The "Love Hard" star then gave fans a look at the beautiful views she was surrounded by while on vacation.

"Summer 26'" she captioned the post.

In addition to showing all the yummy food she ate and the sightseeing she did with her friends, Dobrev included more bikini photos.

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The post showed her and her friends swimming in the Mediterranean Sea, as well as the actress sitting on the edge of the boat with her arm in the air and the beautiful coastline behind her.

"This is undoubtedly my favorite dump 😍," one fan wrote in the comments section, while another added, "Omg body tea😍😍." A third wrote, "Nina is living her best life."

Jenna Dewan

Jenna Dewan and her longtime partner, Steve Kazee, enjoyed some time away from the kids while on a little trip.

"A much needed zen getaway recharge moment for mom & dad ✨," she captioned the post.

In addition to including cute snaps of the couple enjoying their time together, the post featured a few opportunities for Dewan to flaunt her toned body with bikini pics.

Her toned abs were on full display in one photo, which featured her lounging poolside with a drink, in a white bikini with gold, red and floral designs on it.

She also included snaps of her unwinding in a sauna in the same bikini, as well as a mirror selfie in which she is standing next to Kazee.

"Jenna in her zen era before she comes back and destroys Season 9 with that Rookie chaos," one fan wrote in the comments. Another added, "Beautiful bikini 👙," while a third wrote, "That bikini is🔥🔥."

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Millie Bobby Brown

Millie Bobby Brown stunned in a makeup-free selfie she posted on Instagram.

The "Stranger Things" actress looked up at the camera as she posed in a brown bikini top, which she paired with pink sunglasses, a brown cowboy hat and white shorts.

"Badder by the day‼️😉," one fan wrote in the comments section. Another added, "YOU ARE SO GEORGUS❤️🔥😍," while a third wrote, "Oh mills you are SERVING 😍."

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‘The Dark Knight’ remains a masterpiece 18 years later and a reminder of Christopher Nolan’s greatness

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:29:01 -0400

Do you know where you were on this day 18 years ago?

You probably don't, but I remember it like it was yesterday. I was at a movie theater formerly known as Ridge Cinema in Davie, Florida, watching "The Dark Knight" on opening day with a group of my closest friends.

I can recall this partially because of how mind-blowing the movie was (more on that in a bit) but also because some guy had a heart attack in the front row and I had to run to the concession stand and tell some poor teenager working his summer job to call 9-1-1.

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He survived, but they had to end the movie prematurely and offer us vouchers to come watch it again at a later date for free.

I didn't even see the climax and resolution until the DVD release, and I still thought "The Dark Knight" was the greatest superhero movie ever made. That's how good it was.

18 years later, and I still hold that opinion.

Sure, movies like "Captain America: Civil War" and "Avengers: Infinity War" were bigger spectacles, but Christopher Nolan's grounded and gritty take on the caped crusader is still a nearly flawless masterpiece that stands the test of time almost two decades after its cinematic release.

I thought with all of the controversy surrounding Nolan and his questionable decisions pertaining to his latest blockbuster, "The Odyssey," it would be nice to look back on a film from the director/producer that is almost universally beloved.

The word "perfection" gets thrown around a lot, and while I don't think "The Dark Knight" is perfect (nor do I think any movie is perfect, for that matter), it's about as close as a blockbuster film can get.

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Let me preface a lot of what I'm about to say with this: I am no film junkie and I'm certainly not a classically trained critic, but I think that is what makes my opinion a good one.

In a way, I represent the masses, the lowest common denominator, if you will.

So when I tell you this movie is almost perfect, it isn't coming from a place of pretentious snobbery, but as a casual fan.

One of the biggest knocks against modern superhero movies is that they are too bloated and stuffed full of unnecessary protagonists and antagonists.

Go watch "Avengers: End Game" without having sat through the requisite 24 other films you have to view before going into it, and your head will be spinning by the 10th-minute mark.

"Who is this blue chick and why the hell is she hanging with Iron Man?"

Even if you never saw "Batman Begins" and went into "The Dark Knight" fresh, Nolan does a fabulous job of introducing new characters and establishing old ones in the same breath.

You don't need to know who Rachel Dawes is from the first movie, because in the first 15 minutes of "The Dark Knight," it's established that she's a childhood friend of Bruce Wayne's whom he has unrequited feelings for, while she's in love with the new district attorney.

Bam. Got it? Good.

Speaking of protagonists and antagonists, "The Dark Knight" starts off with introducing the Joker and does a great job of building him up.

That way, by the time the movie kicks into full gear, it isn't jarring when he shows up and inserts himself in the war between the mob and the forces of good in Gotham.

Speaking of the Joker, it's almost become a cliche at this point, but Heath Ledger's tragic turn as the Clown Prince of Crime is simply sublime.

He carries every scene he's in, and his reveal at the start of the film still hits the same way it did 18 years earlier.

A lot of people heap praise on Ledger at the expense of the other cast members, but that really isn't fair to the rest of the actors in this movie.

Everyone is at their best in "The Dark Knight," particularly Christian Bale as Wayne/Batman, Gary Oldman as Jim Gordon, and Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Even supporting characters like Alfred Pennyworth (Michael Caine) and Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman) are scene-stealers.

Everything about the movie is memorable, from the dialogue to the set pieces and even the plot.

Nolan's take on post-9/11 America and the dangers of the Patriot Act were a little controversial in 2008 but have aged like fine wine and make the movie even more of an engaging watch in 2026.

The way he weaves society's fear of a surveillance state into the third act of the movie so seamlessly - with Batman's sonar technology turning every phone in Gotham into a tracker to catch the Joker - is incredibly "based," especially when you consider why Nolan is in hot water these days.

"The Dark Knight" is even one of the most quotable movies of all time, too; a rarity for any superhero movie that eschews the Marvel "thousand-quips-a-minute" form of dialogue that has become so pervasive and cringey over the last decade.

Lines like "you either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain" and "why so serious" became so ubiquitous and "memeable" after "The Dark Knight's" release that they still find their way into the cultural zeitgeist to this day.

Even the source material from which Nolan draws his inspiration for this movie is a love letter to hardcore Batman fans.

"The Dark Knight" has elements of classic Batman comics like "The Long Halloween" and "The Man Who Laughs," showing that Nolan at least knows his stuff on a surface level about Gotham's broody guardian.

I could go on and on about what makes this movie great, as we are nearly 1,000 words in and I haven't even discussed the grounded realism of Batman and his rogues gallery or the clever story that seems to wind with twists at every turn, but it's all been said before.

Suffice to say, "The Dark Knight" was such a groundbreaking film that every other superhero movie, even Nolan's follow-up, "The Dark Knight Rises," falls short in trying to live up to its legacy.

As DC continues to try and catch the lightning in a bottle that was the Nolanverse, the simple fact remains: all other superhero movies from now until the end of time are playing for second place.

Even calling "The Dark Knight" one of the best superhero movies of all time does it a disservice. It belongs in the pantheon of best movies.

Period.

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So while you are taking your (much deserved) jabs at Nolan for his follies with "The Odyssey," just remember the gift that is his magnum opus.

There was once a time when Christopher Nolan couldn't be touched, and "The Dark Knight" represents the man at the zenith of his powers.

Liberal circuit judge blasts SCOTUS conservatives, says Hawaii will defy high court

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:08:17 -0400

A Hawaii Supreme Court justice used a ruling overturning a decades-old criminal conviction to deliver a blistering rebuke of Chief Justice John Roberts' Supreme Court, accusing the nation's highest court of weakening constitutional rights, damaging democracy and advancing a political agenda.

Justice Todd Eddins authored the 91-page majority opinion Wednesday in State v. Granillo , a case involving a man convicted in 1990 of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a woman on Maui. The court ordered a new trial after concluding that hair and fiber evidence presented by an FBI expert relied on forensic science that has since been discredited.

But in roughly eight pages of the opinion, Eddins argued Hawaii's courts should not look to the Roberts Court when interpreting the state constitution, using the case to deliver an unusually sharp critique of the nation's highest court.

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"When six justices walk away from those they are supposed to protect, state constitutions hold the line," Eddins wrote, referring to the court's six conservative justices. "That is not defiance. That is the design."

Eddins argued that Hawaii's Constitution provides stronger protections than the federal Constitution as currently interpreted by the U.S. Supreme Court, and said the Court has abandoned landmark civil rights principles.

"The Court that now defines federal due process does not honor the work of 1954," Eddins wrote. "It revives the work of 1857. The work of 1896."

Eddins was referring to Brown v. Board of Education, ruled in 1954, which ended racial segregation in public schools, as well as Dred Scott v. Sandford, the infamous 1857 decision denying citizenship to Black Americans and Plessy v. Ferguson, the 1896 ruling that upheld racial segregation.

Eddins argued that the Roberts Court no longer reflects the constitutional principles established in Brown v. Board of Education, but instead, he argued the Court's originalist approach relies on the same type of constitutional interpretation in the discredited Dred Scott and Plessy decisions.

"Today’s hubristic originalists use the same method to control modern life," Eddins wrote.

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"The Court overrides what Congress passed," Eddins continued. "It overrides what the people chose. All to serve its own ends. What this Court has done to constitutional rights, democratic institutions, and the rule of law explains why Hawaiʻi’s Constitution takes no instruction from it."

Throughout the opinion, Eddins pointed to many of the Roberts Court's most consequential decisions as evidence that constitutional protections have been weakened, including Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, which overturned the federal constitutional right to abortion; Citizens United v. FEC on campaign finance; Rucho v. Common Cause on partisan gerrymandering; Trump v. United States on presidential immunity; and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which expanded Second Amendment protections.

Eddins accused the Roberts Court of adopting a "colorblind" approach to the Equal Protection Clause that, in his view, ignores the amendment's original purpose of protecting formerly enslaved Black Americans.

"The Roberts Court sees only white," he wrote. "It refuses to acknowledge who the Equal Protection Clause was written to protect."

He also suggested that recent Supreme Court decisions have repeatedly expanded the power of government officials and wealthy interests while reducing protections for individual rights.

"A court that systematically dismantles democratic safeguards, steamrolls constitutional liberties, and tramples human dignity does not chart the course for the Hawaiʻi Constitution," he wrote.

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The opinion quickly drew criticism from legal observers, who said it was highly unusual for a state supreme court opinion to devote so much space to criticizing the U.S. Supreme Court.

"The Court issues an unhinged attack on the legitimacy of the Supreme Court," Iowa Solicitor General Eric Wessan wrote on X. "I haven't ever seen something like this. And it's not good."

George Washington University law professor Jonathan Turley similarly described the opinion as "devoid of judicial restraint and decorum."

"The Hawaii Supreme Court just issued a truly shocking opinion that unleashed a torrent of rage and recrimination against the majority of the United States Supreme Court, including suggesting that they are de facto racists," Turley wrote on X.

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The opinion comes just weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court handed Hawaii a major loss in Wolford v. Lopez, striking down the state's so-called "vampire rule." In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled Hawaii could not require gun owners to get a property owner's permission before carrying a firearm into businesses and other private property open to the public.

Eddins has served on the Hawaii Supreme Court since 2020 after being appointed by then-Democratic Gov. David Ige.

New York school district to deploy humanoid robot in classrooms this fall

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 15:00:24 -0400

An upstate New York school district is bringing a humanoid robot into the classroom this fall, where it will assist with instruction as educators test how artificial intelligence can be integrated into teaching.

Syracuse.com reported Wednesday that students in the Salamanca City Central School District in Western New York will have access to a humanoid robot that is not intended to replace their teacher but will serve as a support to teachers and students.

The outlet reported that during a board meeting last month, the Cattaraugus County school district said it would buy the robot from tech company Realbotix as well as an AI teacher’s assistant program that gives students the ability to work with the robot on their laptops.

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"This deployment in a working school district represents a landmark moment for both AI and humanoid robotics," said Andrew Kiguel, CEO of Realbotix, whose company is currently building the robot. "Salamanca marks the beginning of a new era where humanoid robots and intelligent AI assistants become standard tools in STEM education."

The robot, named Sally, is designed to resemble a human, with silicone skin and long brown hair. It will remain seated but will be capable of a range of facial expressions and upper-body movements.

Kiguel said students will log in using unique ID numbers, allowing the robot to access their previous interactions and tailor its responses to each student's learning history. For example, the robot could recognize a student and continue a discussion from an earlier class.

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Mark Beehler, Salamanca Superintendent, said his district is trying to incorporate AI into their day-to-day learning.

"Many schools are taking the easy solution of simply banning it, but I have found that students will find a way around most rules that schools put in place," Beehler told Syracuse.com. "I also believe it is critical for schools to teach proper use of technology, not simply exclude it."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Kiguel said, "The humanoid robot and Optio AI teaching assistant being developed for Salamanca are the first of its kind, providing the school with purpose-built educational tools. They will operate under district and teacher oversight, with education-specific safeguards in place and Realbotix will not have access to student data."

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Kiguel added, "Realbotix is incredibly fortunate to partner with the Salamanca School District, whose deep commitment to STEM education aligns perfectly with our mission. They believe there is no better way to learn robotics and coding than through hands-on, real-world interaction. This has been a deeply collaborative process designed to support, rather than supplant, traditional learning. We are providing custom-built educational robots that prioritize both student engagement and robust safety and privacy protections."

Fox News Digital reached out to Beehler for comment.

Team USA hockey equipment manager arrested on misdemeanor charges of battery/domestic violence

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:38:06 -0400

Team USA men’s national hockey team and Florida Panthers equipment manager Thaddeus "Teddy" Richards was arrested on Friday.

Richards, 43, was arrested in Florida on misdemeanor charges of battery/domestic violence and unauthorized use of 911 services, according to online records. The Athletic was first to report it.

The incident happened in Coral Springs, Florida, and Richards was in jail at the Broward Main Jail in Fort Lauderdale as of Friday night.

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"The Florida Panthers organization has been made aware of an incident involving the arrest of equipment manager Teddy Richards," the Panthers said in a statement.

"Effective immediately, he will be suspended from all team activities and facilities pending investigation."

Fox News Digital reached out to USA Hockey for a statement, but did not immediately receive a response.

ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!

Richards is from Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, and began his career working for the Pittsburgh Penguins organization. He worked with the Penguins’ AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins from 2002 to 2013.

After over a decade in the AHL, he was promoted to assistant equipment manager for the Penguins. He remained there from 2013 to 2016, and was part of the staff for the team’s Stanley Cup run in 2016.

After the Penguins won the Stanley Cup, he departed for the Panthers. He has been the Panthers’ equipment manager since the 2016-17 season.

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He has been with the team for both of its Stanley Cup championships in 2023-24 and 2024-25.

While with the Penguins, Richards worked with head coach Mike Sullivan, who was the head coach for Team USA in both the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off in 2025 and the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Winter Games.

Richards was the team’s equipment manager for both of those Team USA squads, with his connection to Sullivan helping him land the role.

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Canadian wildfire smoke ignites cross-border feud over Ottawa's 'willful negligence'

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:31:11 -0400

As smoke from Canadian wildfires continues to drift across parts of the United States, forestry experts say Canada could reduce the severity of some fires through more aggressive forest management.

The issue reached the White House Friday, with President Donald Trump accusing Canada of failing to properly manage its forests and threatening to factor the economic cost of the smoke into tariffs on Canadian imports.

"We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air," Trump wrote on Truth Social. He said he planned to call Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and accused Canada of refusing to engage in "basic Forest Management and Debris Removal," calling it "Willful Negligence."

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Andrew Hale, a Canadian fellow at Advancing American Freedom, argued that Canada’s wildfire policies have failed to prioritize forest management.

"Canada has a policy of not keeping reservoirs. They also will not cut firebreaks and will not thin their forests," Hale told Fox News Digital. "This is the result of the undue influence of environmental groups who are firmly politically motivated and have divorced themselves from science and good stewardship. Canada and the rest of North America is suffering as a result," he said.

Earlier this week, four Republican members of Michigan's congressional delegation — Reps. Jack Bergman, John James, Lisa McClain and John Moolenaar — sent a letter to Carney saying residents in their state were once again experiencing unhealthy air because of smoke drifting south from Canadian wildfires.

"We are done accepting apologies in place of action," the lawmakers wrote, accusing Canada of underinvesting in forest thinning, fuel reduction and prescribed burns while calling for measurable plans to reduce future wildfire smoke crossing the border.

The criticism comes as Canada's own Senate has reached a similar conclusion on one point: while it says climate change is making wildfire seasons longer and more severe, the country also needs to do substantially more to prepare its forests before fires ignite.

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The Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry released a report in June titled Canada on Fire: The Catastrophic and Escalating Effects of Wildfires on Lives and Communities after holding 17 meetings, hearing testimony from 79 witnesses and receiving 23 written briefs from scientists, government officials, Indigenous leaders and industry experts.

The committee concluded that Canada's three most recent wildfire seasons demonstrated that climate change was accelerating fire behavior "beyond the capacity of existing systems." At the same time, it found that prevention efforts have not kept pace with the growing threat.

Much of the report focuses on what experts call "fuel management" — reducing the amount of dry grass, dead trees, fallen branches and other vegetation that allows small fires to become large, destructive wildfires.

"Several witnesses agreed that prescribed fire is the most important risk-reduction tool for helping to manage or slow wildfire on the landscape and restoring ecological integrity," the report said.

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One witness, Paul Hessburg, a professor at the University of Washington's School of Environmental and Forest Sciences, said that climate change is making wildfire conditions worse but does not eliminate the value of proactive forest management.

"The punchline is, with climate change, these conditions will intensify with less snowpack, more fires, bigger fires, hotter fires," Hessburg told the committee. "The question is: Can we restore resilience? We can. We can bring back these elements and put the governors back into the landscape that historically regulated the flow of fire."

Jason Hayes, a senior research fellow in energy and environmental policy at the Heritage Foundation, said the practical solution is to spend more time managing forests before fires begin rather than relying primarily on emergency response after they start.

"The best thing to do is get out, space and thin, do prescribed burns and recognize that these are renewable resources," Hayes told Fox News Digital. "If we did that, then we would have much less intense wildfires."

Hayes acknowledged that carrying out those recommendations across Canada would be far more difficult than simply identifying them. He said many fires burn in remote areas of northern Ontario and other parts of Canada that are difficult to reach because they are far from roads and population centers.

"You have to fly in, and it's just difficult to do," Hayes said.

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Witnesses to the Canadian Senate committee also warned that Canada faces practical challenges beyond forest management, including shortages of wildfire-management expertise and an aging fleet of firefighting aircraft. The report cited testimony that provincial fleets still include 22 older CL-215 aircraft and that at least 20 aircraft require immediate replacement.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Office of Prime Minister Mark Carney but did not receive a comment in time for publication.

Stephen Miller says Trump administration is pursuing policy to debank illegal immigrants

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:23:50 -0400

White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller said Friday that the Trump administration is seeking to debank illegal immigrants as an incentive for them to self-deport from the United States.

Miller gave an update on the White House's latest tactic to deter illegal immigration during an interview Friday on The Clay Travis & Buck Sexton show.

"President Trump signed an executive order a few weeks ago saying that we are not going to allow illegal aliens to use banking services in this country," Miller said.

"Illegal aliens have credit cards, they have bank accounts, and they're paid with direct deposit. So, illegal aliens fully participate in the commercial systems, the financial systems of America. Shutting that down is a massive engine for deportation," he added.

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Miller was likely referring to an executive order Trump signed on May 19 that directed banks and federal regulators to increase scrutiny of accounts and credit applications involving immigrants without legal status or work authorization.

The order did not explicitly instruct banks to deny credit cards or bank accounts to illegal immigrants, but compliance with it could make it more difficult for them to participate in the financial system.

Federal agencies have already begun acting on Trump's executive order.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION ORDERS GREEN CARD APPLICANTS TO LEAVE THE US, APPLY FROM THEIR HOME COUNTRIES

In early June, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, led by Russell Vought, issued guidance stating that lenders may — and in some cases must — consider applicants' immigration status and work authorization when assessing their ability to repay loans.

Miller also referenced guidance from three federal agencies issued on July 13 "reminding supervised financial institutions to apply existing safe-and-sound credit risk management practices when lending to borrowers who are not legally authorized to work in the United States."

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Both advisories serve to tell banks that illegal immigrants could be higher-risk customers for loans.

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

New Yorkers collected $2.6 billion in welfare cash payments last year, city data shows

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:19:52 -0400

New York City doled out more than $2.6 billion in cash assistance to city residents in 2025, a Fox News Digital review of city records showed.

The money reached a record 864,999 people, a 30-year high not matched since before former Mayor Rudy Giuliani instituted major welfare reform in the early 2000s.

The $2.6 billion figure represents a 71% increase from 2022's $1.57 billion, data showed.

MAYORS WANT TO KEEP HANDING OUT FREE CASH AFTER FEDERAL FUNDS DRIED UP

When coupled with payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the city paid out more than $7 billion in welfare to residents in 2024, according to a Fox News analysis of data from the city's Human Resources Administration (HRA).

The rise in welfare payments comes as some of New York City's wealthiest contemplate a Big Apple exodus due to what many have described as a policy environment unfriendly to businesses and moneymakers.

NYC MAYOR MAMDANI CALLS THREAT OF RICH PEOPLE LEAVING NYC OVER TAXES 'IMAGINED'

Billionaire hedge fund manager Ken Griffin notably threatened to put a major Midtown renovation on hold for his Citadel offices after socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani targeted him by name in a video announcing a new tax on second homes in the city.

"When I ran for mayor, I said I was going to tax the rich … Well, today we're taxing the rich. This pied-à-terre tax is specifically designed for the richest of the rich," Mamdani said while recording a video outside the building that houses Griffin's penthouse.

"This is an annual fee on luxury properties worth more than $5 million whose owners do not live full-time in the city — like this penthouse, which hedge fund CEO Ken Griffin bought for $238 million."

Griffin called the video "inappropriate" in critical comments.

"What really upset me about the video was the fact that he put me in harm's way … And to put any citizen in harm's way is just inappropriate for one of our political leaders," Griffin said, also calling the video "creepy" and "frightening."

Though Mamdani inherited the state of his city's welfare system from his predecessors, his policy decisions indicate a continuation of the upward rise in payments.

The city's new nearly $126 billion budget that Mamdani and city councilors agreed to in June contains a $14.63 billion outlay for the HRA, which handles welfare and social services.

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The 2026 budget allocated $11.97 billion for the HRA, giving the 2027 budget a social services earmark over $2.6 billion more than the previous year's.

The $14.63 billion for 2026 represents 14% of the city's total budget.

Fox News Digital contacted the HRA and Mayor Mamdani's office for further comment.

WNBA coach predictably bends the knee to the fake outrage mob over Angel Reese's racism claim

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 14:02:45 -0400

In the most predictable plot twist in the history of time, Toronto Tempo head coach Sandy Brondello has issued an apology to Angel Reese after the internet — and Reese — accused her of using a racist term during Friday's game.

Late in the fourth quarter of Atlanta's eventual 111-92 win, Reese and Tempo forward Nyara Sabally collided, with Sabally suffering a rib injury but ultimately being called for a shooting foul. She eventually had to be helped off the court.

While she was still down, Brondello came over to plead her case to the officials, and a hot mic picked up part of the conversation.

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

That's when Brondello called Reese a "protected species," sending the WNBA world into a frenzy because, of course, it was deemed racial.

Reese later called her out via X, responding to a post that accused Brondello of calling "a Black woman a species" by saying, "ARE WE SURPRISED?!" while also tagging Brondello in the post.

The WNBA continues to be an unserious league

"Angel, I'm sorry. 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," Brondello said Saturday afternoon in a lengthy social media post. "My frustration was with the officiating, but my words unfairly put the focus on you. 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.

"I've spent my career competing with, coaching and learning from incredible Black women. I regret that my words caused hurt to a community I respect so deeply. I have a lot of respect for you as both a player and a person, and I sincerely apologize to you, your teammates, and the Dream organization for my comment."

Goodness gracious. It's all just incredible. The pandering. The virtue-signaling. The fake-outrage. Bending the knee to the mob.

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It's straight out of the WNBA's playbook, and it's so exhausting.

No, Sandy Brondello didn't have to apologize. What world are we living in here? Calling someone a "protected species" is not racist.

Frankly, it's a sports phrase that's been around forever. Forever.

Patrick Mahomes is a protected species, because defenders can't touch him without getting penalized.

Tom Brady was a protected species.

LeBron James is a protected species.

Obviously, Brondello met that certain players get certain calls. Duh. She didn't reinvent the wheel with this term, folks. Coaches and players have been accusing other players of getting preferential treatment for DECADES now. That's what this term means, and everyone knows it.

Above all, Brondello knows it. Yet, she chose to bend the knee to the mob because Angel Reese posted about it and peddled a dangerous claim. A false claim.

Here's the bottom line: Angel Reese is black, and the internet has selective hearing. So, someone posts — out of context, mind you — that she was called a "species," and then Reese peddles the narrative by reposting it with a sarcastic comment and a clown emoji.

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That's silly. That's disingenuous. Frankly, it's dangerous.

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Angel Reese played the victim card perfectly here, and Sandy Brondello joined right in.

What an unserious league.

Mike Waltz, Tim Tebow launch effort to combat online child exploitation: 'It's happening in their backyard'

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 06:30:40 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz and former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow on Thursday unveiled a renewed international effort to combat online child exploitation, bringing together government officials, law enforcement leaders and anti-human trafficking advocates like Tebow's foundation to strengthen cooperation against predators operating across borders.

Following the event, Waltz and Tebow answered questions exclusively from Fox News Digital, with Tebow warning parents that the threat isn't confined to distant countries or dark corners of the internet.

"It's happening in their backyard," Tebow told Fox News Digital when asked what would shock American parents most about child exploitation today.

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The event put a spotlight on how the U.S. is teaming up with countries around the world to rescue exploited children, crack down on human trafficking networks and prosecute child predators. Officials also pointed to recent international operations, new funding from Congress and a U.S.-led U.N. resolution targeting online sextortion.

"The United States is leading the charge to combat child exploitation in partnership with civil society groups like the Tim Tebow Foundation," Waltz said during the event. "Child exploitation criminals operate across borders, so a global response is critical. We need to work together to protect our children from predators."

Tebow said the danger facing children online is something parents should think about every day.

"If it's unprotected, it's similar to dropping them off at a playground knowing that pedophiles are circling that playground," he told Fox News Digital. "You would never do it."

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He urged parents to take advantage of online safety tools and remain engaged with their children's digital activity, saying predators are constantly searching for opportunities to exploit young victims.

"There are so many predators online that are looking for a vulnerability and an access to a boy or girl so that they can exploit, so that they can lure, so they can groom, so that they can sextort," Tebow said. "I really believe it's one of the worst evils in the world."

During the event, Tebow stressed that child exploitation requires international cooperation.

"Child exploitation requires a response as global as the threat itself," he said. "Right now, children around the world are being harmed, and we cannot look away. No child should be invisible, and no predator should be able to hide."

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Asked by Fox News Digital whether some countries are refusing to cooperate with U.S. investigations, Waltz said the larger challenge is that many nations lack the legal tools and investigative resources needed to pursue child exploitation cases.

"I don't know that there's countries refusing to cooperate," Waltz said. "But what I can tell you, there's countries all over the world [where] they don't have the laws on the books that make these things a crime. They don't have the extradition treaties. They don't have the prosecutors or the investigators that know how to handle the electronic evidence in the right way."

He added that U.S. agencies and United Nations partners are working to help countries strengthen those capabilities through training and international cooperation.

Waltz also argued that migration and human trafficking remain closely linked, saying vulnerable girls are often exploited by criminal organizations during migration routes.

Tebow added that investigators around the world continue to face enormous challenges identifying victims because offenders deliberately work to avoid detection.

"When we also talk about this, there are so many places that are underfunded, under-equipped, and it does take some training and understanding of what is happening online so we can best use victim identification," Tebow said. "Those victim identification specialists really are specialists. They're incredible at what they're doing because those that are performing this evil, they're not trying to get caught."

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"So it takes really special people to be able to understand, to find them and then bring them to justice. More importantly, bring that kid into freedom."

The collaboration between the U.S. Mission to the United Nations, the Tim Tebow Foundation and international law enforcement partners is intended to strengthen cross-border efforts to combat child exploitation through expanded cooperation, technology and coordinated investigations.

Jim Acosta urges TV networks to stop airing some Trump speeches live, calls them 'totally nuts'

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:58:28 -0400

Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta urged television networks to forgo live coverage of President Donald Trump's primetime address last Thursday, warning they would be "totally nuts" to air what he described as the president's "conspiracy theories" without immediately fact-checking them.

"I think the networks are totally nuts if they take this speech live," Acosta said on "The Joy Reid Show."

"It is totally crazy to put his bats--- ‘Looney Tunes’ conspiracy theories on live national television without fact-checkers in real time, and some of the networks will say, 'Well, we'll have some fact-checkers on afterwards,' and the fact-checkers will come on and say, 'Well, there isn't any evidence to support his claims.' It's all boloney kabuki Washington DC theater."

ABC, NBC, CNN AVOID AIRING TRUMP'S PRIMETIME ELECTION SECURITY ADDRESS LIVE

Acosta relayed his worries to Reid that Trump would further spread alleged conspiracies surrounding the integrity of U.S. elections, thereby casting preliminary doubt on the integrity of this year's midterms.

"He has never ever proven any of these things. He has lost the benefit of the doubt," he said.

"We should not be erring on the side of putting these things out there, and I totally agree with you that he's chumming the waters for not trusting the midterms."

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Adding to his critique, Acosta suggested the president could be forging a broader plot to create what he coined as a "52-car pileup" around the midterm elections.

"[He could] say, "See, I can't trust these results over here in this state or these results over here in that key district that may determine the control of the House. And Mike Johnson, maybe we just shouldn't seat a new Congress right away, and maybe we should just all go to court and have the courts untangle... [and] that's going to take until May or June of next year," he warned.

"That, to me, is a terrifying thought."

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

Acosta's warning came ahead of Trump's primetime address Thursday, where, speaking to the nation, the president renewed his focus on election integrity and alleged that China "worked to influence the results" of the 2020 presidential election, an accusation Beijing has denied.

Trump did not claim China changed votes or altered election results. Instead, he said Beijing engaged in an influence campaign aimed at shaping U.S. public perceptions.

Trump used the disclosures during Thursday's address to press Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, casting the newly released intelligence as evidence that lawmakers must tighten federal election rules before the midterms.

The act passed the House in February but stalled in the Senate in March, when a 53–47 vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance it.

Ultimately, CBS News aired a special report that initially provided analysis before dipping into the speech minutes after Trump began speaking and cut away moments after Trump's attacks towards ABC and NBC. MS NOW carried the first 15 minutes of his speech live before dipping out to provide commentary. Fox News carried the speech in its entirety.

"The least that the networks can do at this point is not platform these lies, to not allow him to chum the waters with this nonsense," Acosta warned ahead of the address.

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"And I think that it's a very serious moment for the television networks in this country."

Fox News' Greg Norman-Diamond, Joseph Wulfsohn and Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

Two US service members killed in Iranian strikes on Jordan, CENTCOM says

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:36:40 -0400

Two U.S. service members were killed in action in Jordan during Iranian attacks on a U.S. base in Jordan on Friday, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed Saturday.

"On July 17, two U.S. service members in Jordan were killed in action as U.S. Central Command … and partner forces defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks. Additionally, one service member is currently missing," CENTCOM wrote in a statement on X.

"Four American service members were medically evacuated to Jordanian hospitals. They have since been discharged. Other personnel who were evaluated for minor injuries have returned to duty," CENTCOM wrote.

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Out of respect for the families, CENTCOM will withhold additional information, including the identities of the fallen warriors, until 24 hours after the next of kin have been notified," the post concluded.

War Secretary Pete Hegseth responded to the news on X Saturday, saying, "Godspeed, heroes. Their sacrifice only stiffens our resolve."

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other elected officials were among numerous lawmakers who offered prayers and support for the fallen troops, their families and the service member who remains missing.

Rep. Abe Hamadeh, R-Ariz., said he was "heartbroken" by the loss of "two American soldiers who heroically defended our nation and partner forces against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks in Jordan." Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., called the news "devastating" and urged Americans to pray for the missing service member and the troops' families.

Some Democrats also paired their condolences with criticism of U.S. policy toward Iran. Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., said his "heart is with the families" of the fallen service members before calling to bring American troops "out of harm's way," while Rep. Melanie Stansbury, D-N.M., said the service members were killed in "a war that never should have happened in the first place."

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The service members' deaths mark the first U.S. deaths in the Iran war since fighting resumed in June following the collapse of a ceasefire and memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the U.S. and Iran. 16 total U.S. service members have died in the conflict since the war began in February.

Iran's strikes on Jordan come amidst a wider wave of Iranian attacks on U.S. allies in the Persian Gulf. Iran has launched missile and drone strikes on Kuwait and Qatar in recent days as well.

The attacks followed a six-day U.S. attack campaign in Iran in response to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) attacking commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

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Fox News Digital contacted the White House and CENTCOM for additional comment.

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

Caitlin Clark set to debut new colorway for Nike signature shoe Saturday against New York Liberty

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:27:40 -0400

After more than two years of anticipation, Nike unveiled Caitlin Clark's first signature basketball shoe, the Nike Caitlin 1, marking a major milestone for one of basketball's biggest stars. Clark became one of a select group of athletes to receive a signature sneaker from Nike, joining an elite roster of basketball icons.

On Saturday, after a historic 45-point performance against the Seattle Storm the day before, and setting a franchise record for points scored while becoming the first player in WNBA history to record a 40-plus-point 10-assist game, Clark unveiled a new colorway for the Nike Caitlin 1.

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Now that another colorway has been released, here are my favorites so far:

This bright royal blue upper (called racer blue on Nike’s website) accented by a white Nike Swoosh and neon volt details was the first colorway for the Caitlin 1 released. At first, this shoe was underwhelming, but it’s grown on me.

This white upper with a clear blue bottom is the most versatile of the four colorways revealed by Clark so far. It’s a clean look that will be seen on and off the court more than any other colorway, in my opinion.

The Nike Caitlin 1 is scheduled to release on Oct. 1, 2026. The shoe will retail for $140 for adults, with youth sizes priced at $115.

KEVIN DURANT'S MEDIA COMPANY SAYS CAITLIN CLARK IS THE THIRD MOST MARKETABLE WNBA PLAYER

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On the outsole of the shoe, the phrases "Shoot More Threes", "From Anywhere", and "It was never a long shot" are featured.

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Clark's signature sneaker arrives after she signed a reported eight-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Nike following the 2024 WNBA Draft. During her first two WNBA seasons, Clark primarily wore Kobe Bryant player-exclusive sneakers while fans eagerly awaited her own signature model.

The Indiana Fever play at home against the New York Liberty on Saturday.

Kentucky governor says he received 2 calls from agencies indicating McConnell had 'passed'

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:19:08 -0400

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said this week that he received two calls from agencies suggesting Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., died while he was in the hospital.

In an interview with Katie Couric uploaded to YouTube on Thursday, Beshear, a Democrat, did not specify which agencies allegedly called him with the news or when the calls were made.

"In fact, I'd gotten two calls from different agencies, not state agencies, suggesting he'd passed," said Beshear, who has served as governor since December 2019.

Fox News Digital reached out to Beshear and McConnell's offices for comment.

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After nearly a month of being hospitalized, McConnell's office released a lengthy statement on July 12 saying he was being treated for a fall he suffered in June. A picture of him in a hospital bed alongside his wife was also released.

Prior to the announcement, there was speculation about what had happened to McConnell, given that his office did not reveal why he was in the hospital for weeks.

Emergency dispatch audio from June 14, the day McConnell was hospitalized, revealed he was "unconscious" and may have suffered a heart attack.

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"My doctors have confirmed that I didn’t break any bones or suffer a concussion," McConnell said in the statement last weekend. "I didn’t have a heart attack or a stroke. I don’t have any tumors or hemorrhages."

Two days before the longtime GOP leader shared more about his condition, Beshear posted on social media demanding that McConnell be more transparent.

"I publicly and privately urged the last administration to address the public’s concerns with the former president’s health," Beshear wrote, seemingly a reference to former President Joe Biden. "I’m calling on Sen. McConnell to do the same and provide voters an update on his own health."

Beshear ended the post by urging McConnell to "end the crazy speculation" and "just tell us what's going on."

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On July 8, Beshear also wrote a letter to the 84-year-old lawmaker requesting that he "fully update Kentuckians regarding the current status of your health."

McConnell's doctor said he "developed pneumonia" early in his hospitalization but "responded rapidly to antibiotic treatment."

McConnell said he intends to return to the Senate, but his office has given no timeline on when he'll be able to do so.

Cash payments are not 'ruled out' as California county officials push reparations for Black locals

Sat, 18 Jul 2026 13:00:03 -0400

Officials in Alameda County, California, have green-lit a sweeping reparations action plan and are not ruling out cash payments, a member of the Board of Supervisors told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted 5-0 on June 30 to accept the comprehensive reparations action plan after more than two years of research and community engagement. Designed to address decades of systemic discrimination against Black residents, the framework takes an institutional reform approach rather than focusing primarily on direct individual cash payouts.

Supervisor Nate Miley, who represents District Four and was a leading force on the reparations initiative, told Fox News Digital that while the board’s immediate aim is policy reform, they are not completely ruling out cash payments down the line.

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"We haven't ruled it out. It's one of the items in the action plan. It's not the only item," Miley told Fox News Digital.

"I think if it were the only item, or if it was a priority item, it might be more challenging," Miley said. "But I do think there's some low-hanging fruit — some immediate things we can do, and some things we're already doing. And then there might be the more challenging things. A cash payment might be one of those more challenging things."

Instead of immediately writing checks, the Alameda County Reparations Commission's plan outlines major structural overhauls. These focus on expanding affordable housing, supporting Black economic development, increasing investments in education and healthcare, and enacting criminal justice reforms.

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The board also approved the creation of a permanent standing committee to oversee implementation to ensure these recommendations are not neglected.

"The committee now has an action plan. It's in our ballpark," Miley said, looking ahead to the board’s next steps. "We need to take it up and deal with it."

Miley identified criminal justice reform, housing, and education as three of the top issues Alameda County needs to prioritize.

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"Clearly, economic opportunity is another important factor," Miley told Fox News Digital. "It's hard to balance those four and say which is more prominent, but I do think all four of those are significant."

"I see reparations as a path, an opportunity," he added. "I wouldn't say it's a panacea, but I do believe it's definitely a part of the equation that could help African Americans."

While the county-level plan focuses on policy over payouts, local leaders are already testing the waters of direct compensation.

Alameda County recently partnered with the nearby City of Hayward to establish the Russell City Redress Fund. Initially seeded with $900,000, the fund has grown to $1.3 million. It is designed to provide direct payments to survivors and descendants of Russell City, a multi-racial unincorporated community that was seized via eminent domain and bulldozed by local authorities in the 1950s and 1960s for industrial redevelopment.

These localized efforts come amid a broader national debate over racial redress. Most notably, the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, made headlines as the first U.S. city to distribute reparations—providing $25,000 housing grants to eligible Black residents to address historic housing discrimination.

However, Evanston's program is currently facing a high-profile legal challenge. The initiative hit a major hurdle in June when the U.S. Department of Justice intervened in a federal class-action lawsuit, arguing that Evanston’s race-based criteria violate the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution.

For local leaders like Miley, the legal and logistical hurdles surrounding direct payouts reinforce why policy-driven reform is a more viable starting point.

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"And once again, that's why a cash payment isn't necessarily always the objective," Miley said to Fox News Digital.

"The objective is: How do we get people to have housing? How do we get people to be economically stable? How do you deal with criminal justice reform? A cash payment doesn't always mean that those things will occur. We have to change policies, and we have to change programs. I think that's where we need to invest our resources."