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Experts reveal how to avoid deadly Legionnaires' disease as NYC outbreak kills 5

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:53:45 -0400

As New York City continues to investigate an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has claimed multiple lives and sickened dozens of people, doctors say there are ways people can reduce the risk of exposure.

As of July 21, there have been five deaths and 82 diagnoses linked to the Upper East Side outbreak, according to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. Eight patients remain hospitalized.

Health officials said no new cases had been reported in the previous six days, suggesting the source of exposure has likely been eliminated, although the investigation remains ongoing.

NYC LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE OUTBREAK KILLS FOURTH VICTIM, 76 CASES REPORTED

Legionnaires’ disease is a serious type of pneumonia that is typically spread by tiny water droplets containing Legionella bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sources of exposure

Common sources of infection include contaminated building water systems, such as cooling towers (large structures that remove heat from water used in building cooling systems), hot tubs or plumbing. Cases have also been reported on cruise ships and in spas. It is not generally spread from person to person, per the CDC.

"We get infected when it gets aerosolized in the water droplets, usually, and we breathe those droplets in," "Dr. Dana Mordue, associate professor of pathology, microbiology and immunology at New York Medical College, told Fox News Digital.

NYC HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN CENTRAL PARK VISITORS AFTER LEGIONNAIRES’ OUTBREAK GROWS ON UPPER EAST SIDE

"You can also get infected if you have water that's been contaminated and you aspirate it and swallow it into your lungs, but most often you get it from air droplets that are contaminated from various types of water sources."

Although it is possible to contract Legionnaires’ in the home, outbreaks are almost always linked to exposure to water droplets coming from a water system in a "commercial-type building," according to Mordue.

"The good news is you usually don't get it from the types of cooling systems that we have in our cars or our homes — but if you don't clean your humidifiers, technically any water source can get contaminated with Legionella."

Symptoms and treatment

The most widespread symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches, per the CDC. Some people may also experience diarrhea, nausea and confusion.

Symptoms typically begin 2 to 14 days after exposure to the bacteria, although they can appear later. The illness often requires treatment with antibiotics.

"The mortality rate is not particularly high for this disease if you are immune-competent and young and healthy," said Mordue.

Risk is higher for older adults, smokers and people with compromised immune systems — "a lot of the same risk factors you might see for COVID," the doctor noted.

Ways to prevent spread

The CDC shares the following measures to prevent the spread of Legionnaires’ disease.

Maintain building water systems. Comprehensive water management programs can prevent Legionella bacteria from growing in cooling towers, plumbing systems, hot tubs and other building water systems. The CDC estimates that nearly nine in 10 outbreaks could have been prevented with more effective water management.
Clean and disinfect cooling towers. These structures should be routinely cleaned, monitored and disinfected to control bacteria growth, health officials recommend.
Prevent stagnant water. Maintaining proper water flow and flushing any pipes that are infrequently used can help prevent Legionella from multiplying.
Maintain proper water temperature and disinfectant levels. As Legionella is known to grow best in warm water (about 77°F to 113°F), maintaining appropriate temperatures and adequate disinfectant levels helps limit bacterial growth, the CDC says.

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For anyone who may have been exposed and develops symptoms, it is important to seek immediate medical care, doctors say. Early diagnosis and antibiotic treatment can reduce the risk of severe illness.

"If you have certain risk factors, particularly advanced age, get help as quickly as you can," Mordue advised.

Cole Hauser admits Taylor Sheridan's absence from writers' room created 'challenges' on 'Dutton Ranch'

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:53:10 -0400

Cole Hauser is giving fans a glimpse behind the scenes of "Dutton Ranch" — and it wasn't all smooth riding.

The actor, who reprises his fan-favorite role as Rip Wheeler in the "Yellowstone" spin-off, acknowledged the cast faced an uphill battle after franchise creator Taylor Sheridan stepped away from the show's writers' room during the spin-off’s first season.

"There were challenges, you know?" Hauser told Film Inside NYC. "Not having Taylor [Sheridan] there, for us to really kind of be able to work with these new writers, these new directors, these people... Everything had changed."

ED HARRIS SAYS HE WAS READY TO LEAVE DUTTON RANCH AFTER FEELING MISLED ABOUT HIS ROLE

"The only… normality that we had whatsoever was Carter [played by Finn Little], Christina [director Alexandra Voros] … Kelly and myself," he added.

"Dutton Ranch," which wrapped its first season earlier this month, marked the first series in the "Yellowstone" universe not to be written by Sheridan.

While the franchise creator remained on board as an executive producer, day-to-day creative duties shifted to showrunner Chad Feehan and an entirely new writing staff.

For Hauser, the transition wasn't seamless.

"I enjoy a challenge, it certainly was a challenge," he said. "We worked our a--es off this year... And I don't think a lot of the outside noise or the thought of, like, 'What's the weight of the show?' was really apparent to me at the time."

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Rather than dwell on the expectations surrounding one of television's biggest franchises, Hauser said the cast focused on finding its footing with an unfamiliar creative team.

The actor pointed out that the experience ultimately strengthened the cast.

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"It was about putting my head down and working my a-- off with… what I had around me. The writers that we had, the new writers that we had, that we had to figure out on our feet how to really perform and tell a story. So, I'm proud of what we accomplished, and I look forward to doing it again."

Hauser's comments come after speculation surrounding the show's creative direction.

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The franchise faced scrutiny following blunt comments from co-star Ed Harris, who said he was disappointed by how his character, Everett McKinney, was handled during Season 1.

Speaking to Variety, Harris said, "Midway through this first season, I was ready to say, 'Get me the f--- out of here,' to tell you the truth... I didn't feel I was being used... I felt a little bit misled."

Harris claimed he signed on believing Everett would be one of the show's central characters, but felt that promise never materialized.

"Prior to signing on for it, I talked quite a bit about what the season was and what my character was going to do. That I was one of the four main characters. And that wasn't really the case," Harris said, adding that he also was disappointed a scene in which his character sang was ultimately cut from the final edit.

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The Oscar-nominated actor said producers have assured him his role will expand when production resumes.

"We don't start [Season 2] until February," Harris said. "And I'm being told that my character will have a little bit more to do. It just was a little frustrating, to tell you the truth."

Trump gives emotional tribute to fallen Army Lt Tyler Feehan after flying grieving family on Air Force One

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:36:48 -0400

President Donald Trump paid an emotional tribute to fallen Army 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan during an event Wednesday at Wheeler High School in Marietta, Georgia, revealing he invited the slain soldier's grieving family aboard Air Force One.

The family was in the crowd after Trump met with them earlier in the day at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.

Trump traveled to Georgia after attending the dignified transfer ceremony of four U.S. service members killed in Jordan, including Feehan, and the president met Feehan's parents, Shari and Stephen, and his uncle David.

Speaking to the crowd, Trump recounted learning the family was also headed to Georgia after the ceremony.

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"I said, 'If you want, I'll give you a ride on Air Force One,'" Trump told the audience. "Today they were on Air Force One, and it's quite nice, I must say."

Trump said the family was "heartbroken" but grateful for the gesture.

"They couldn't believe it," he said. "They live minutes away. We're here today."

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Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii, was among four U.S. service members killed in Jordan while supporting a U.S. mission. He was assigned to the 2nd Battalion, 55th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, was also among those killed. U.S. Central Command announced the deaths Saturday.

Trump said he reviews biographies of fallen service members before each dignified transfer and described Feehan as an exceptional young officer with a promising future.

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"Lieutenant Tyler Feehan ... he was a person that was going all the way," Trump said. "He was going to be a general. He would have been a general very quickly. He was heading in that path."

Trump then thanked Feehan's family, whom he said he got to know during the flight from Dover to Georgia aboard Air Force One.

"But I just want to thank Tyler's mother, Shari; his father, Stephen; and his uncle David. Great people. I got to know them a little bit on the plane and standing there and watching this site," he said.

Calling dignified transfers the most difficult responsibility of the presidency, Trump said he would never forget the family.

"I think it's the toughest thing I do," Trump said. "But to Shari and Stephen and David, we will carry Tyler's memory in our hearts forever. I just want to thank you. It's an honor to have you here today."

The audience responded with sustained applause before Trump addressed Feehan's mother directly.

"Shari, he's looking down right here," Trump said. "He's so proud right now."

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Trump visited Georgia on Wednesday to tout his administration's Trump Accounts initiative, saying the program would help families build long-term savings for their children as part of what he described as America's "Golden Age."

Manhunt underway after masked gunman allegedly shoots NYC cab driver in face during overnight robbery

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:36:40 -0400

Police in New York City are searching for a masked gunman who allegedly shot a 21-year-old cab driver in the face during an overnight armed robbery in Brooklyn.

According to a New York Police Department (NYPD) statement obtained by Fox 5 New York, the incident happened around 4 a.m. Saturday when the suspect targeted a TLC-licensed livery cab, a vehicle typically used for pre-arranged rides rather than street hails.

Authorities said the suspect entered the vehicle and allegedly threatened the driver, demanding money and the keys to the cab.

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The suspect then opened fire as the driver attempted to exit the vehicle, striking him in the face.

"The victim proceeded to exit the vehicle when the unidentified individual discharged a firearm striking the 21-year-old male victim in the face," police said.

The suspect fled the scene on foot after stealing "an unknown amount of currency," police said.

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Authorities noted that the suspect did not take anything else from the vehicle.

Police received reports of the incident at approximately 4:15 a.m.

Emergency Medical Services responded and transported the victim to a local hospital in stable condition. The NYPD also described the shooting as non-fatal.

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Authorities are asking for the public’s help identifying the suspect, who was last seen wearing blue shorts, a black sweatshirt, a black surgical mask and black shoes while carrying a black backpack.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the NYPD Crime Stoppers Hotline at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). Spanish speakers can call 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). Tips can also be submitted through the NYPD Crime Stoppers website or on X @NYPDTips.

Ford agenda carries $18B price tag, Lombardo campaign report estimates

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 06:00:47 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo’s campaign estimates that Democratic rival Aaron Ford’s policy agenda would generate $18.1 billion in government and private-sector costs — burdening residents over four years — including nearly $8 billion in projected Nevada state spending — calculations Ford’s campaign sharply disputes.

The Lombardo campaign report assigns estimated costs to 76 Ford proposals, combining projected Nevada spending with costs it says would be borne by businesses and the federal government that ultimately fall to the taxpayers and the public. Ford’s campaign argues the analysis invents implementation plans Ford never proposed and misclassifies some federal and private costs as consequences of his platform.

The analysis projects $7.93 billion in direct state spending over a four-year term. Lombardo’s campaign argues Nevada could not absorb spending on that scale without higher taxes, new fees or cuts elsewhere, while Ford’s campaign says many of the projected expenses would not require new state appropriations.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, University of Nevada, Reno professor Mark Pingle backed the report's findings, saying, "Based on a review of Aaron Ford's policy proposals, an estimated cost of $18 billion is a reasonable assessment."

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"The bottom line is simple: these proposals would require a record-breaking increase in spending. Before moving forward with a plan this expensive, Nevadans deserve clear answers about how it would be paid for, who would bear the cost, and what it would mean for the state's long-term financial stability. Regardless of political party, $18 billion in new spending deserves careful review and an explanation of how it would be paid for."

Because Nevada has no personal income tax, significant new recurring state spending would likely require additional revenue from other taxes or fees, reductions in other spending, or some combination of the two.

Ford's healthcare agenda, according to the report, carries the largest price tag at an estimated $4.25 billion for proposals addressing medical debt and predatory healthcare practices, including $3.5 billion for a proposal to cancel medical debt.

The report estimates an extra $1.76 billion would be needed to expand healthcare affordability and access through Medicaid protections, workforce expansion and preventive care.

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Ford's K-12 education plan is estimated to cost $3.68 billion alone, including raising Nevada's per-pupil funding to the national average, expanding pre-K, providing universal school meals, and increasing pay for teachers and support staff, the report projects.

The report estimates households would receive $17.88 billion in savings and other benefits while businesses, the state and the federal government would bear nearly the same amount in costs.

Overall, according to the report, Ford's platform would cost roughly $4.9 billion for education, $4.8 billion for housing, more than $6 billion for healthcare, about $1.5 billion for energy and nearly $900 million for economic development.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Ford campaign spokesperson Prerna Jagadeesh said, "General Ford won’t be lectured by a governor who proposed a budget with a $335 million unconstitutional deficit and twice broke his pledge to never raise taxes."

Jagadeesh continued, "The Lombardo campaign is embarrassing themselves and insulting the intelligence of voters by pushing this fraudulent report. The report lies about Attorney General Ford’s policies and assigns fake costs to programs that won’t cost the state a penny and will actually save taxpayers money, and incorrectly attributes costs to the state. Lombardo’s campaign rushed out this incredibly sloppy report in a desperate attempt to divert attention from a viral video of Lombardo abusing his position of power to evade consequences for breaking the law. Nevadans already know Lombardo has spent the last four years raising costs on working families and is offering no solutions to the problems they’re facing."

The Ford campaign specifically disputes several of the report's largest assumptions, arguing Lombardo's team assigned costs to implementation measures Ford never proposed. Among other examples, the campaign says the report wrongly assumes Ford would spend hundreds of millions expanding the state’s Battle Born health plans and partially replacing federal Medicaid reductions. Ford’s campaign says his platform instead calls for outreach surrounding the existing Battle Born program and federal advocacy to prevent or reverse Medicaid cuts, not new state appropriations to backfill them.

The Ford campaign also showed Fox News Digital its own fiscal analysis, arguing the platform could be implemented without raising taxes and with substantially lower direct state costs than those projected by Lombardo's campaign.

Asked about Ford's contention that the report assigns costs to implementation measures not contained in his platform, the Lombardo campaign said it estimated what it would actually take to fulfill Ford's campaign promises, arguing that regulatory changes, enforcement initiatives and expanded benefits all require staffing, oversight or funding even when those costs are not explicitly identified by the campaign.

Former Republican Nevada state Sen. Ben Kieckhefer, who previously served as chief of staff to Lombardo, told Fox News Digital that Ford's proposals would require significant tax increases, saying the level of spending "is simply not sustainable for Nevada."

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"There is no realistic way to absorb costs of that scale without significant tax increases," he said. "Regardless of political party, proposals of this magnitude deserve serious scrutiny because Nevadans expect responsible budgeting, fiscal discipline, and a clear explanation of how these promises would actually be paid for."

Nevada Democratic lawmaker Daniele Monroe-Moreno, chair of the Assembly Ways and Means Committee, told Fox News Digital the Lombardo report "uses fake math to lie about Attorney General Ford’s policy positions" and said Ford's platform consists of "common-sense policies that will save Nevadans money at very little to no cost to the state."

The attorney general has also faced mounting questions over his spending during his tenure.

In March, state records reviewed by Fox News Digital found Ford racked up more than $410,000 in travel costs since taking office in 2019, and also reported he spent more than 400 days outside Nevada. A spokesperson for the attorney general's office said the trips were tied to Ford's official duties and campaign activities and were permitted under Nevada law.

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Ford is currently under investigation by the Nevada Commission on Ethics over allegations he accepted improper gifts or benefits and used his office to improperly benefit himself, according to documents obtained by local outlets.

Lombardo is seeking a second term and will face Ford in November in one of the most closely watched gubernatorial races of the midterm elections.

Journalists demand White House Correspondents' Association 'speak truth to power' in new dinner with Trump

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:21:48 -0400

More than 500 journalists called on the White House Correspondents' Association to "forcefully stand up" to President Donald Trump on Tuesday ahead of its rescheduled dinner.

"Our message to the White House Correspondents' Association is now more urgent: forcefully stand up for freedom of the press in front of the President, publicly defend the journalists he attacks, and vow to resist his administration’s concerted effort to undermine the First Amendment," a letter, organized by former ABC News correspondent Lisa Stark and former executive producer Ian Cameron, said.

The journalists stated that since the original White House Correspondents' Dinner, the Trump administration has only become more "egregious" in its attacks against the press and encouraged members at the event to publicly condemn the president, who will be in attendance.

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"We believe it is hypocritical to celebrate the First Amendment in front of the man who relentlessly attacks it. We urge the WHCA to condemn the administration’s actions from the podium and pledge to fight all attempts by his administration to undermine this core pillar of a functioning democracy," the letter read.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the WHCA appeared to stand by its plans to host Trump while still honoring the press.

"The White House Correspondents’ Dinner exists because the First Amendment matters most when it’s under pressure. As we continue to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, our choice to gather as journalists, newsmakers and the president in the same room is a reminder of what a free press means to this country — and why it must endure. Not for the media or the president, but for the people who depend on it," the statement read.

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The letter resembled a similar one put out by more than 200 journalists, including former CBS News anchor Dan Rather, in April urging that the dinner "cannot be business as usual."

"We, the undersigned, call upon the White House Correspondents' Association to use the occasion of the White House Correspondents' Dinner, to forcefully demonstrate opposition to President Trump’s efforts to trample freedom of the press," the open letter read.

"The dinner has long served as a symbol of the vital and irreplaceable role of a free press in American democracy and a celebration of the First Amendment and the journalists who uphold it. President Trump's systematic, sustained, and unprecedented attacks on the free press ... render his presence at such an event a profound contradiction of its purpose."

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES EVENT BEING RESCHEDULED AFTER SHOOTING

The original White House Correspondents' Dinner ended abruptly April 25 at the Washington Hilton when an armed suspect attempted to storm the event in what authorities say was an assassination attempt against Trump. The event was then rescheduled for July 24 at the Waldorf Astoria.

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This year's White House Correspondents' Dinner is the first time Trump has attended the annual event as president after previously skipping it throughout his first term. He previously attended the dinner as a private citizen in 2011.

Sports media rushes to cast Ryan Clark as victim while portraying ESPN as the villain

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:18:29 -0400

Within hours of Ryan Clark’s dismissal, many of the biggest names in sports media had already reached the same conclusion: Clark was the victim and ESPN was the villain.

Stephen A. Smith said he confronted ESPN executives over the decision and called Clark "arguably the best NFL analyst in America." Emmanuel Acho accused the network of handling the situation in a "cowardly" and "wildly disrespectful" manner.

RYAN CLARK BECAME A HEADACHE FOR ESPN

Sarah Spain described Clark as "another incredibly smart, thoughtful, nuanced talent let go," while Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio declared that Clark took "the high road" after "ESPN took the low road."

Jemele Hill went even further.

Hill suggested Clark had "a hater," perhaps multiple haters, inside ESPN. She attacked OutKick as a "disgusting" right-wing "rag" and theorized that someone within the network intentionally leaked Clark’s dismissal to OutKick in order to create a conservative media narrative against him. She offered no evidence for that claim.

But the fact that Clark’s dismissal leaked so widely and so quickly raises a question that his defenders have mostly avoided: How many enemies had he made inside ESPN?

Much of the criticism centered on the fact that Clark was informed during a live edition of NFL Live. The assumption was that ESPN knowingly allowed a longtime employee to begin the show before abruptly firing him during a break.

I don’t think that’s what happened.

I think ESPN planned to inform Clark later and simply failed to anticipate that news of his dismissal would leak first. Once OutKick contacted the network with a confirmed story, ESPN realized it had lost control of the timeline and had to tell Clark before he learned about it publicly.

That’s not cruelty. It’s poor planning.

My colleague Bobby Burack and I developed separate lines of reporting that the network was preparing to part ways with Clark. Four sources confirmed the information. Despite concerns that alerting ESPN could jeopardize the story, I contacted the network’s communications department at 4 p.m. and asked ESPN to confirm or deny the report before our publication deadline.

ESPN asked us to wait until 5:45 p.m. while it was "trying to chase this down." We declined but told the network we would add anything it provided before that time. It's reasonable that ESPN wanted more time to inform Clark before the news became public.

At 4:49 p.m., ESPN unexpectedly told us we could "stick to" our original timeline. Fourteen minutes later, Andrew Marchand published a brief report in The Athletic. OutKick’s more detailed story followed one minute after that.

The most logical explanation is that ESPN believed it still had time to manage Clark’s exit quietly. Once OutKick informed the network that four sources had already confirmed the decision, executives were forced to accelerate a conversation they apparently had not planned to have during NFL Live.

ESPN’s mistake was not deciding to embarrass Clark on live television. It was failing to anticipate that the information would leak before the network was ready to tell him.

That raises a more uncomfortable question than the ones Clark’s defenders have been asking: Why were so many people inside or around ESPN willing to talk about his dismissal?

Hill may be correct that Clark had "haters" inside the company.

What she never seriously considered, or chose to ignore, is how he might have acquired them.

How Ryan Clark made enemies inside ESPN

I worked at ESPN for years and spent time in rooms with Clark. He appeared on several shows I produced. The thing I remember most clearly is how uncomfortable he could make those rooms.

Clark often carried himself as though he were the smartest person present, and he made sure everyone knew it. That dynamic was especially difficult for producers and other employees beneath him in ESPN’s hierarchy. There was little room to challenge him or offer feedback that amounted to anything other than telling him he was great.

I distinctly remember one NFL season when talent, producers and other ESPN employees gathered on Sunday afternoons to watch the games in a large conference room. There were usually 25 or 30 people there. The mood was light. Chris Berman often sat near the front and cracked jokes throughout the afternoon.

Clark joined the group one Sunday and sat in the back with his arms folded. Several times, someone offered an opinion about a game and Clark scoffed. Eventually, most people stopped talking. I left and watched the games from a control room because he had completely ruined the experience for me.

How dare anyone offer an opinion when the world’s greatest NFL analyst was available to explain what everyone else was apparently too stupid to understand?

That was one afternoon years ago. It does not prove why ESPN fired Clark, nor does it mean every person who worked with him had the same experience.

It does, however, make the speed of the leak less surprising to me.

People rarely risk their relationships with a company to leak sensitive personnel news about a universally beloved colleague.

Clark's defenders largely presented his dismissal as though it happened in a vacuum.

It didn't.

Clark was forced to apologize after making inaccurate claims on ESPN about the investigation into former LSU receiver Kyren Lacy’s role in a fatal crash. He presented claims from Lacy’s attorney as established fact and accused law enforcement of wrongdoing before Louisiana State Police released additional evidence that contradicted key parts of the story Clark told viewers.

He later acknowledged that he had failed to provide complete and accurate information.

Clark also admitted on ESPN that he had argued in favor of Bryce Young over C.J. Stroud despite privately believing Stroud was the superior quarterback. His explanation was that Young needed someone to support him publicly.

That’s a remarkable admission from an analyst whose job is supposed to be giving viewers his honest evaluation.

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Then there was Clark’s public feud with Robert Griffin III, during which he suggested Griffin was not qualified to discuss Black women because he is married to a White woman. The dispute became deeply personal and reportedly frustrated people inside ESPN. This led to another Clark apology.

Then there was Clark’s on-air confrontation with Peter Schrager that became another viral controversy. Clark later apologized (again), but the exchange likely contributed to concerns among network executives.

Plus, Clark’s difficult relationship with ESPN management was hardly limited to interpersonal friction.

His 2024 contract negotiations became a public spectacle. Clark allowed his deal to expire, posted videos about his status and openly applied pressure to the network while seeking a substantial raise. ESPN eventually brought him back on a deal reportedly worth around $2 million per year, but the process was contentious.

ESPN executives do not enjoy being publicly cornered during contract negotiations, particularly by employees using their own platforms to rally outside pressure against the company.

My belief is that Clark’s 2024 extension was always going to be his final contract with ESPN. The network may have decided that keeping him temporarily was preferable to another public fight at the time, while also concluding it had no desire to negotiate with him again.

That would help explain why ESPN was willing to move on despite his high salary and recent extension. The decision may not have been prompted by one argument, one apology or one uncomfortable television segment. It may have been the culmination of a relationship that had already run its course.

Essentially, Clark’s tenure had become more complicated than his defenders acknowledged.

Spain praised him as "thoughtful" and "nuanced" without mentioning the multiple inaccurate claims that forced him to apologize on national television. Hill assumed the existence of internal enemies proved something nefarious without examining Clark’s own role in creating friction. Smith emphasized Clark’s talent, which was never really in dispute.

Acho offered perhaps the most exaggerated defense, claiming Clark helped build NFL Live into the "juggernaut it is today."

Acho pointed to the show’s Sports Emmy victories as evidence. But awards demonstrate that people within the television industry and the Hollywood elites like a program. They do not necessarily demonstrate that the public at large enjoys a show.

The available audience data show that NFL Live drew larger audiences before Clark became one of the faces of the program than it has in recent years. ESPN reported that the show averaged 688,000 viewers during a comparable early-season period in 2013 and 624,000 in 2012. It averaged roughly 486,000 in 2015, 492,000 in 2016, 449,000 in 2021 and 440,000 in 2025.

That doesn't mean Clark hurt NFL Live. It does make the claim that he "built" a show that debuted in 1998 into a modern ratings juggernaut impossible to support.

The argument becomes even more amusing when compared with Acho’s commentary about Caitlin Clark. He has argued that the WNBA would be better off without her, even though she has driven enormous gains in television audiences, attendance and general interest.

By Acho’s standard, Caitlin Clark has a much stronger claim to having "built" the modern WNBA than Ryan Clark does to having built NFL Live.

Apparently, the meaning of the word depends on which Clark is receiving the credit.

By the time ESPN reached this week’s layoffs, Clark was an expensive employee who had publicly pressured the company during his previous contract negotiation, accumulated enemies inside the building and repeatedly created controversies outside it.

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The sports media narrative was that ESPN betrayed Ryan Clark.

OutKick's reporting suggested something different.

ESPN didn’t lose control of the story because OutKick uncovered some closely guarded secret. It lost control because too many people already knew.

And too many people were willing to talk.

That doesn’t happen by accident.

William Shatner and daughter Melanie reveal they battled Stage 4 cancer at the same time

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:09:16 -0400

William Shatner and his 61-year-old daughter revealed this week that the two of them battled cancer at the same time several years ago.

Melanie Shatner Gretsch first discovered her cancer four years ago when she woke up in the middle of the night and felt a little lump on her breast she thought might be a bug bite.

She told People magazine she decided to have it checked out despite a mammogram not finding anything just five months earlier.

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Although the technician didn’t find anything during a scan the next day, "something pushed me back and said, ‘No, have her recheck it.’ She put the wand exactly where I put my finger and under her breath said, ‘Now, I would have missed that.’"

She was diagnosed with HER2-positive breast cancer that had spread to lymph nodes in her chest.

Shatner said his daughter was "very conscious of the importance of her life for herself and for her family. I was devastated."

Gretsch is a mother to two daughters she shares with husband Joel Gretsch.

Gretsch said her father told her not to worry about the medical costs and to send him the bills.

"Then you made me laugh so hard when I was still going to the doctor a year later," she added. "You said, ‘You’ve got to get well. We’re going to be in the poorhouse.’"

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For the next 18 months, her life was filled with multiple rounds of chemo, 30 radiation treatments and a double mastectomy.

"Chemo was the most physically draining, and the radiation I found so emotionally draining," she admitted.

Just as she was nearing the end of her treatments, a lump appeared on her dad’s cheek.

He said a family doctor told him it was just a blocked salivary gland that was nothing to worry about, but a doctor friend whose advice he asked while they were horseback riding advised him to get it removed.

CAMERON MATHISON SAYS NOTICING SUBTLE BODY CHANGES ‘SAVED MY LIFE’ AFTER CANCER DIAGNOSIS

"He placed his hands on my cheeks, and he said with love in his voice, ‘You better get this out,’" Shatner explained.

In June 2023, Shatner was diagnosed with Stage 4 malignant melanoma that had spread to his lungs and brain.

"I remember vividly thinking, ‘I don’t have the strength to take care of myself and lose my father at the same time,’" Gretsch admitted.

Shatner was more upbeat.

"They said, ‘You got cancer. If you came in later, you would have been dead.’ See? That’s my life. I think the universe is taking care of me."

The 95-year-old had the tumor removed and underwent two years of immunotherapy.

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"He wouldn’t stop his life," his daughter told People magazine. "He kept working and moving forward. Whenever he was home, Joel and I would bring dinner to him and watch movies, just always made sure that he’s not alone."

Shatner added, "We got the perfect doctors for her cancer and my cancer."

The "Star Trek" actor, who was the oldest man in space when he went up in a Blue Origin rocket, has stayed busy with two new books and two records, all expected to come out next year.

"I’m healthier now than I’ve been in years," Shatner said. "The brain is like a muscle. It feeds on activity."

Near the end of 2024, both were declared cancer free.

"It was the third time in my life I had heard him cry," Gretsch admitted of telling him her cancer was gone.

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Shatner said the experience has given him a new perspective on life.

"I’m thinking of the miracle of a hummingbird, and of my dog taking a ball and my children," he said. "I’m aware of the magic of it all."

Fox News Poll: Voters want major change amid economic and political discontent

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 18:00:03 -0400

Several findings in the latest Fox News Poll show voters are unhappy and want major change, which bodes well for Democrats in November: President Donald Trump’s job approval remains near a record low, more Democrats are motivated to vote, Republicans join Democrats and independents in rating the economy negatively, and 4 in 10 voters want "dramatic" or "revolutionary" change. Plus, more view the GOP as tied to elites than the Democratic Party.

Voters say Democrats can better handle income inequality (+22 points), healthcare (+21), inflation (+10), the economy (+9), and foreign policy (+7). Republicans hold the advantage on crime (+7 points), while government spending (Democrats +3) and national security (R +2) are more evenly divided. On immigration, the GOP had an 8-point edge in April. Now, Democrats are preferred by one point.

FOX NEWS POLL: AN EARLY LOOK AT THE GEORGIA SENATE RACE

More Democrats (68%) say they are extremely motivated to vote in November than Republicans (57%) by an 11-point margin. By a 25-point spread, more MAGA Republicans (66%) are extremely motivated than non-MAGA Republicans (41%).

FOX NEWS POLL: A CLOSE SENATE CONTEST IS BREWING IN IOWA

If the election were today, 53% of voters would back the Democratic candidate in their House district and 46% the Republican. That 7-point edge is just outside the poll’s margin of error. Democrats were up by 5 points in April. Notably, 53% is the highest percentage either party has received on the generic House ballot in Fox News polling since 1996.

When looking only at counties where the 2024 presidential vote was close — Trump and former Vice President Kamala Harris within 10 points — the Democratic candidate leads by 59-41%.

"Although these data look promising for the Democrats, some of their support is in less-contested districts, padding their national totals without adding House seats," says Republican pollster Daron Shaw, who conducts Fox News polls with Democrat Chris Anderson. "The best estimates I’ve seen suggest the GOP could retain the House even if the Democrats win the national vote by 2-3 points, but if Democrats win by 6-7 points, they probably take the House."

The Democratic advantage comes amid weak ratings for Trump and continued economic pessimism. Trump’s job approval stands at 39%, unchanged for the third month in a row and one point above his low of 38% in October 2017. Approval of Trump is a touch lower than former President Barack Obama’s at the same point in his second term (42% in July 2014).

Trump received net-negative ratings for handling immigration (42% approve, 57% disapprove), Iran (34-66%), the economy (33-67%), and inflation (27-73%).

Three-quarters rate the economy negatively, about the same for the past six months.

Another three quarters say inflation has caused them financial hardship, including 34% who say "serious" hardship, up from 26% last year.

Fifty-four percent expect the economy to worsen in the coming year; only Republicans express optimism (71%), while Democrats (75%) and independents (64%) expect it to worsen.

Dissatisfaction extends beyond individual figures to both political parties and the broader economic system.

"Democrats and Republicans have a surprisingly broad array of shared beliefs about politics today," says Shaw. "Both think elected officials answer to the elites, both think the system is rigged, both want to see new blood in office, both feel betrayed by their party, both disapprove of their members in Congress, and both want a mandatory retirement age for Congress."

Some 70% say the Republican Party is closely tied to elite interests, while 55% say the same about the Democratic Party. The 15-point gap reflects more Democrats and independents saying the GOP is tied to elites, yet even Republicans are equally likely to describe both parties as close to elites.

There’s disillusionment in both parties. Many Democrats (48%) and Republicans (41%) say they feel betrayed by their party, and for both it is primarily for selling out to special interests.

Perceptions that the political system favors elites are reshaping views of the economy as well. The number who accept income inequality because "that’s how our economy works" has fallen 16 points compared to 2014 (from 62% to 46%), while the share who want government action has more than doubled (from 13% to 30%).

At the same time, an increasing number, 65%, think the country’s system is rigged in favor of the wealthy (up 9 points compared to 2019).

By 2-to-1, voters say it is more important to elect new people than keep those with experience.

Overall, 19% say they want revolutionary change in the nation’s government, while many others want substantial (38%) or dramatic (23%) change.

Almost twice as many Democrats (52%) as Republicans (28%) want dramatic or revolutionary change.

Nearly 7 in 10 voters disapprove of both Democrats and Republicans in Congress.

Some 32% of Republicans disapprove of their party’s lawmakers, while 39% of Democrats disapprove of theirs. More than 8 in 10 independents disapprove of both.

Fully 85% support a mandatory retirement age for members of Congress, up 20 points since 2002.

Of those in favor of setting a cap, 80% think it should be before age 75, with 61% selecting a cutoff between 65 and 74 — a boundary supported by more than half of every generation.

Poll-pourri

Just 50% of voters have a positive view of capitalism, down from a high of 57% in 2019. For socialism, it’s 30% favorable, up from 27% last year but below the 32% who said the same in 2021. The Democratic Socialists of America are viewed positively by 31%.

By an 11-point margin, more Democrats have a favorable opinion of socialism (52%) than capitalism (41%), while by a 50-point margin, more Republicans have a positive view of capitalism (61%) than socialism (11%).

Forty-five percent of voters have a favorable view of Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., That makes him more popular than Vice President JD Vance (41% favorable), Trump (38%), and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., (35%). Each is viewed more unfavorably than favorably. Voters under 30 and those ages 65+ are equally likely to view Sanders positively (48% and 46% respectively). For AOC, more voters 65+ (41%) have a favorable view than young voters (33%), and three times as many of those under 30 say they’ve never heard of her (30% vs. 9%).

Overall, 44% have a favorable view of Israel, down from 58% a decade ago. Positive ratings are lower today among Democrats (by 14 points), Republicans (-12), and independents (-21). Voters ages 65 and over (56%) are twice as likely to view Israel favorably as those under 30 (27%).

CLICK HERE FOR CROSSTABS AND TOPLINE

Conducted July 17–20, 2026, under the direction of Beacon Research (D) and Shaw & Company Research (R), this Fox News survey includes interviews with a sample of 1,003 registered voters randomly selected from a national voter file. Respondents spoke with live interviewers on landlines (70) and cellphones (681) or completed the survey online after receiving a text (252). Results based on the full sample have a margin of sampling error of ±3 percentage points. The survey includes an oversample of 200 voters aged 18–29, bringing the sample size for that subgroup to 350 (±5). Sampling error for results among subgroups is higher. In addition to sampling errors, question wording and order can influence results. Weights are generally applied to age, race, education, and area variables to ensure the demographics are representative of the registered voter population. Sources for developing weight targets include the most recent American Community Survey, Fox News Voter Analysis, and voter file data.

Fox News’ Victoria Balara contributed to this report.

Migrant allegedly kills 3 apartment building staffers over parking lot contract dispute

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:59:06 -0400

An African migrant upset over being unable to cancel his monthly $65 parking garage contract allegedly shot and killed three property managers at his Minnesota apartment building over the dispute, authorities said.

Tsegaab Ademassu Binessu, 30, was charged with three counts of second-degree murder with intent following the alleged slayings Monday of Nansi G. Fuentes Zambrano, 25, Dena M. Silcox, 56, and 43-year-old Adam J. Wilwerding at the St. Paul complex, court documents state.

The rampage began after Binessu, from Ethiopia, called the apartment building staffers to cancel his $65 monthly parking contract because he had sold his car. He was told he could not do so after recently renewing the agreement.

Despite being told the contract could not be canceled, Binessu said he would be going to the management office in person, prosecutors said.

EXCLUSIVE: DHS SEEKS CUSTODY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER TRUMP DEPORTATION, BIDEN RELEASE

Once there, he allegedly opened fire, killing all three victims. Police later found 21, 9 mm shell casings in the leasing office.

Shortly after the shooting, a man called the police stating that he had been Binessu's roommate since 2018. He said Binessu, who had aspirations of joining the U.S. Navy, called him and confessed to the triple murder, adding that he was walking to the police station.

Binessu worked as a trucker but quit two months ago, the roommate told authorities, and had planned on enlisting in the military. He sold his car the same day as the shooting, police said.

The roommate said he spoke with Binessu, who allegedly said he "argued with apartment management and ended up killing three people."

FAMILY SHATTERED AFTER 3-TIME DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT ALLEGEDLY BLEW THROUGH STOP SIGN, ROILING HOUSE RACE

Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators captured Binessu talking with Silcox and Wilwerding.

At some point, Binessu allegedly pulled up his shirt, grabbed his gun from his waistband, pointed the weapon at Wilwerding, who put his hands in front of his body, and shot him three times.

Binessu then fired three more times as Wilwerding fell to the floor, court documents said.

Silcox screamed and covered her ears when Binessu allegedly shot Wilwerding, saying, "No, no — no, no, no."

Binessu is then accused of shooting Silcox five times in rapid succession, according to court documents. As she wheeled her chair away from the desk, Binessu allegedly shot her a sixth time.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION PLANS NEW ICE HOLDING FACILITY NEAR LOUISIANA DEPORTATION FLIGHT HUB

Binessu stalked around the office and said, "Motherf------ b----," court documents said. He then moved toward a hallway out of the camera's view, where a woman's screams could be heard followed by four more gunshots.

Prosecutors said Binessu was arrested while driving Fuentes Zambrano's car, which contained what appeared to be newly purchased camping gear, according to the charges. Inside the vehicle, authorities found his U.S. passport, Social Security card, an empty handgun magazine and his gun permit.

During an interview with investigators, Binessu allegedly voiced frustration with the "prolonged immigration process" and not being able to bring his wife and children to the United States for seven years, which he said contributed to his divorce and separation from his children.

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"Binessu believes he was treated unfairly because he is Black and an immigrant," the documents said. "Binessu repeatedly said he has lost everything he cared about: his wife, his children, his business, his peace of mind. Binessu said life without his family no longer made sense."

He remains in police custody.

Spanish soccer players got a bizarre reward for winning the World Cup that'll probably spoil in a week or two

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:57:26 -0400

The great thing about winning a major tournament like the World Cup isn't just the trophy itself; it's all the other stuff that comes with it.

Prize money, endorsements, the adulation of millions across your nation.

And, in the case of two Spanish soccer players, the win has scored them a metric assload of tomatoes.

SPAIN BEATS ARGENTINA TO WIN 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP BEHIND FERRAN TORRES' EXTRA-TIME GOAL

Midfielders Fabian Ruiz and Gavi both hail from the city of Los Palacios y Villafranca, which has a tradition of rewarding champions with tomatoes.

According to UPI, the province that the city is in, Seville, is known for tomato production, but it doesn't just give out a commemorative tomato on a plaque. Instead, the two champs had to hop on scales at an event at a town hall, because each of them was being rewarded with their weight in tomatoes.

Ruiz left with 187 pounds of the fruit (I know, I think it should be a vegetable too, but you have to trust the science) while Gavi's supply is a little smaller at 151 pounds.

I'm torn on this one. I like the idea of towns, states, cities and provinces rewarding people with their weight in whatever their greatest export is.

This is mainly because under these rules, if I did anything good enough, I'd have a lot of Lebanon bologna (how many pounds is not important, just know that it would be plenty).

But, on the other hand, aren't like 130 pounds of those tomatoes just going to go bad?

WORLD CUP HERO FERRAN TORRES DOUBLES DOWN AFTER CRITICISM, POSTS PICTURE WEARING 'MAKE SPAIN GREAT AGAIN' HAT

And where do you store them? I know it's the thought that counts, but if someone said to you, "Hey, here's 200 pounds of tomatoes, champ," you'd be like, "I guess I can keep some of them in the guest bathroom tub..."

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You have to just give them away. That happened to me with a giant case of Tastykakes that I once happened to receive (long story). Everyone who came by my house for anything left with a box of Butterscotch Krimpets.

Nonetheless, it's a cool tradition, and I think there is going to be a lot of pan con tomate (which is delicious) in Ruiz and Gavi's future.

ICE urges North Carolina to keep illegal immigrant charged in triple-fatal hit-and-run behind bars

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:48:37 -0400

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is asking authorities in North Carolina to keep an illegal immigrant charged in a deadly hit-and-run that killed three people behind bars.

Javiel Pena Sola, a Salvadoran citizen, allegedly struck and killed three people traveling in a vehicle on July 18 in Salisbury before he fled the scene. He was found with the help of a police K-9, ICE said.

Two victims were pronounced dead at the scene, while a third was airlifted to a hospital where they later died.

MAN CHARGED IN CRASH THAT KILLED MOTHER AND TWO YOUNG SONS HAS ICE DETAINER, PRIOR DWI CONVICTIONS

"I heard people screaming ... and they pulled the man out; and as they pulled him out, he started screaming," witness Quindel Woods told WSOC-TV.

Sola's vehicle was later found in a creek. He is charged with three counts of hit-and-run involving serious injury or death.

ICE has lodged a detainer with local authorities to keep him in custody.

EXCLUSIVE: DHS SEEKS CUSTODY OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER TRUMP DEPORTATION, BIDEN RELEASE

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said Sola was arrested in 2016 but was released. She said he entered the United States through Arizona in April 2022.

"Although ICE had arrested him in 2016, the Obama Administration RELEASED him into American communities," she said. "These deaths were 100% preventable. Open borders and sanctuary policies have deadly consequences."

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Sola's criminal history includes prior convictions for reckless endangerment, failure to stop after an accident involving damage to an attended vehicle, and driving without a license in Maryland in July 2015, as well as an arrest for escaping from custody.

After his arrest in Maryland on charges of escaping from custody, law enforcement officials in Baltimore honored an ICE detainer and turned him over to federal agents in March 2016. He was then released by the Obama administration two months later, ICE said.

The best back-to-school deals of 2026: Laptops, backpacks, dorm essentials and more

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 14:20:17 -0400

Back-to-school shopping doesn't have to break the bank. Save on classroom and dorm room essentials, from HP laptops for up to $200 off to dry-erase markers for just $9. Whether a student in your life is starting elementary school or heading off to college, these deals can help you check every item off your list.

Editors' picks

Best overall backpack: JanSport backpack
Best laptop: HP Stream 14-inch laptop
Best dorm purchase: Mesh shower caddy
Best lunch box: Bentgo lunch box and bag set
Best value buy under $25: Crayola markers, crayons and colored pencils set
Best teacher pick: Expo dry-erase markers

For elementary school

Young students need basic school supplies like backpacks, water bottles and creative materials.

Bentgo kids water bottle: $16.99 (15% off)
Transparent rulers, seven-count: $5.99 (25% off)
Ticonderoga No. 2 yellow pencils, 30-count: $4.99 (23% off)
Crayola colored pencils, 36-count: $6.49 (19% off)

JanSport backpack: $28.17 (30% off)

Original price: $40

A highly reliable JanSport backpack can last for years with proper care. This Amazon No. 1 best seller has a spacious inner pocket and multiple smaller pockets throughout, offering plenty of room for a lunch box and elementary school essentials. At the moment, select patterns are up to 29% off.

Bentgo leakproof lunch box: $22.99 (30% off)

Original price: $32.99

This Bentgo lunchbox has separate compartments for sandwiches, chips and other snacks — a smart choice for kids who don't want different foods to touch. The leakproof design prevents backpack spills, and the tray safely heats up in the microwave for warm meals.

For middle and high school

As students move into middle and high school, they'll need more storage space and upgraded tech for class.

LockerMate locker storage kit: $14.89 (22% off)
Large pencil case: $7.99 (20% off)
Owala FreeSip stainless steel water bottle: $23.99 (20% off)
TI-30XIIS scientific calculator: $13.99 (18% off)

adidas school laptop backpack: $27 (40% off)

Original price: $45

An adidas backpack offers extra room for larger books and extracurricular needs. Plus, Its black color also makes it a versatile choice for elementary and middle school students. A spacious main compartment offers three zippered pockets, and the large mesh side pockets accommodate water bottles.

HP Stream 14-inch laptop: $298.99 (40% off)

Original price: $499

If you need a budget-friendly laptop for your child, the HP Stream is currently $200 off, bringing the price to just below $300. This lightweight option comes with a glare-free display and Windows 11. Enjoy one year of Microsoft 365 Office Suite so your student can get up and running right out of the box.

For college

Stock up on dorm essentials for a more comfortable college experience.

Power strip tower: $26.26 (25% off)
Keurig K-Mini: $76 (24% off)
Laundry backpack: $13.59 (20% off)
Twin XL 3-inch memory foam mattress topper: $99.99 (17% off)

Mesh shower caddy: $8.54 (47% off)

Original price: $15.99

A shower caddy is a college staple that lets students carry all their toiletries to the bathroom. Smaller pockets surround the large inner compartment, giving them plenty of room for shampoo, brushes, hair dryers and makeup.

Mini fridge: $139.98 (18% off)

Original price: $169.99

This mini fridge saves your college student from making back-and-forth trips between the dorm and dining hall. It holds plenty of drinks and leftovers, and Amazon sold more than 5,000 of these mini fridges in the past month alone.

Apple iPad Air: $789.99 (7% off)

Original price: $849

The Apple iPad Air costs more than other tablets, but its speedy M4 chip helps streamline schoolwork and everyday tasks. The ultra-compact design and $60 discount also make it a smart pick for any college student.

For teachers

Stock up on these bulk supplies and organization must-haves.

Paper Mate felt tip pens, 12-count: $9.79 (51% off)
Colorful classroom organization bins: $23.99 (40% off)
Post-it super sticky notes, 15 pads: $9.26 (38% off)
Color-coded filing folders, 10-pack: $18.69 (15% off)

Expo dry-erase markers, 12-count: $4.99 (64% off)

Original price: $13.99

For just $5, you can grab a set of 12 dry-erase markers in an assortment of colors — enough to last all year. The vibrant colors stand out from across the classroom, and the 64% discount is the biggest on our list.

For more deals, visit www.foxnews.com/deals

Elmer's glue sticks, 30-count: $4.06 (59% off)

Original price: $9.97

If you teach kids, you know that Elmer's glue sticks are a commodity. They go on purple and dry clear, so your students always know where they're gluing. Grab a 30-pack for the school year for just $4.

If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get these items sent to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.

Nick Saban has the best solution for fixing the problems with college football scheduling

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:41:00 -0400

Almost everyone acknowledges that college football is at a turning point. Whether it be name, image and likeness, issues with paying players directly, expansion of the College Football Playoff, conferences breaking off from the NCAA, or debates over strength of schedule.

All these issues have had a significant impact on where the sport currently is and where it's going. Some in good ways, some in bad.

One of the most unequivocally bad outcomes? Teams decreasing the quality of their schedules because it's easier to win more games and make the College Football Playoff. Look no further than the collapse of the USC-Notre Dame rivalry game for the foreseeable future.

FLORIDA STATE-GEORGIA SERIES CANCELLATION IS OMINOUS SIGN FOR FUTURE OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Both sides "accidentally" benefit from the game's cancellation. One less top-15 opponent, one more likely win to sell to the College Football Playoff selection committee. And therein lies the problem; because making the playoff is viewed as the most important goal by coaches, fans, and athletic directors, the incentives are tilted in that direction. Which is how we've gotten where we are: many Power 4 teams setting up easy non-conference schedules.

Well, the best head coach in the sport's history, Nick Saban, has a solution. Just man up and play big opponents all season.

"I actually think we should play 12 games against the Power 5," Saban said on Wednesday, per On3's Brett McMurphy. "That's it. Because it's a business and people want to see those games."

NICK SABAN URGES SENATE TO PASS LEGISLATION TO FIX COLLEGE SPORTS, BUT COACHING CONTRACTS GLOSSED OVER

How refreshing is that? Yes. College football is a business. People want to see their favorite teams play other big teams, because the games are more exciting, interesting, and meaningful. Who would argue with seeing more games between the Big Ten and the SEC? Well, SEC coaches who enjoy complaining about non-conference schedules and ensure their teams never leave the central time zone, cough Missouri.

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Or the ACC and Big Ten? Or Big 12 and SEC? Obviously that would mean more losses, but if the playoff is headed for 24 teams anyway, so what?

As an example, here's the week one schedule for some big name teams:

Ohio State-Ball State
Missouri-Arkansas Pine-Bluff
Illinois-UAB
Utah-Idaho
Oklahoma-UTEP
Texas-Texas State
Texas A&M-Missouri State
Michigan-Western Michigan
Florida-Florida Atlantic
USC-Fresno State

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Then there's Ole Miss-Louisville, Florida State-SMU, Cal-UCLA, Washington-Washington State, and Wisconsin-Notre Dame. Games of the year? No. But more exciting and interesting than a parade of G5 teams? Absolutely. You want ratings, and attendance? Prioritize better games.

And therein lies the brilliance of Saban's solution. Just play better games, trust your team, and let the chips fall where they may. It'll never happen, but it should.

Spanberger's ICE rollback to blame for toddler killing, Virginia 'hotbed' of illegal immigrant crime: DHS

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:39:34 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security blasted Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger after a red county’s cooperation with the agency led to swift justice for an illegal immigrant accused of killing a child.

DHS accused Spanberger of creating a "hotbed" for illegal immigrant violence with her day one order rescinding former Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s 287(g) agreement, which cut cooperative ties between ICE and Virginia State Police, fish and game wardens and state corrections officials, after the latest gruesome incident.

Mexican national Raul Genesis Ortiz Moran is accused of sexually assaulting a toddler in rural Louisa County, halfway between Richmond and Charlottesville.

"This horrific tragedy was completely avoidable because this illegal alien should have never been in our country. Governor Spanberger’s sanctuary policies have made Virginia a hotbed for illegal alien crime," Assistant DHS Secretary Lauren Bis exclusively told Fox News Digital.

DEM GOVERNOR IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER TESTING LIMITS OF AUTHORITY WITH MAJOR MOVE AGAINST ICE

The girl’s mother rushed the injured 2-year-old to a sheriff’s office in neighboring Goochland County, where deputies attempted to resuscitate the child, who ultimately died.

Goochland and Louisa authorities cooperated directly with ICE, who quickly took Ortiz Moran into federal custody, Fox News Digital has learned.

"This monster sexually assaulted and murdered a 2-year-old girl in Virginia," Bis said.

DHS UNLOADS ON 'SANCTUARY CALAMITY' VIRGINIA AFTER ILLEGAL ALIEN ACCUSED OF HEINOUS CRIME RELEASED: 'SICKO'

"Thanks to the cooperation of our local law enforcement partners, this killer is off the streets and will face justice for his crimes."

In response, a spokesperson for Spanberger said the Democrat "strongly believes violent criminals who are in the United States illegally should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and deported.

"Under Governor Spanberger’s leadership, the Virginia Department of Corrections continues the long-standing practice of notifying ICE when individuals born outside of the United States are in state custody. Virginia state law enforcement agencies also continue to participate in task forces and interagency cooperation with federal agencies."

The spokesperson added Spanberger strives to protect Virginia's children.

Ortiz Moran was arrested on charges of murder and aggravated sexual battery. The mother, who brought the girl to police from her home near Gum Spring, is reportedly the suspect’s girlfriend.

Louisa County Sheriff Donald Lowe called the incident an "unimaginable tragedy" in a statement, adding his deputies will "thoroughly investigate" the case.

Lowe told Richmond’s ABC affiliate he was afraid Ortiz Moran was "going to bolt," so his office called ICE.

Goochland County Sheriff Steve Creasy told the outlet he is proud of the deputies who attempted to save the child and pledged to assist other authorities as needed.

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DHS reiterated that Ortiz Moran’s case is only the latest in several violent or troubling incidents involving illegal immigrants in Virginia since Spanberger took office in January.

Officials noted ICE lodged a detainer for El Salvadoran national Juan Arevalo Mendez in June after he was arrested on rape and abduction charges in Fairfax County.

Another case involved Mexican illegal immigrant Samuel Flores de Dios in Fredericksburg, who was sentenced to 30 years in prison on CSAM charges involving the production of child sexual abuse material.

Other illegal immigrants either detained or subject to detainers by ICE have been charged with indecent exposure, abduction of a person with intent to defile, carjacking, assault, robbery and more.

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Most of the cases ICE listed occurred in Democrat-controlled jurisdictions like Fairfax County, Prince William County, Loudoun County and the independent city of Newport News.

DHS said the recent cases have increased pressure on Spanberger and Democratic commonwealth's attorneys to cooperate with ICE as some Virginia jurisdictions also face congressional scrutiny.

'Godzilla vs. Kong' actress Kaylee Hottle cause of death revealed

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:34:41 -0400

A cause of death for "Godzilla vs. Kong" star Kaylee Hottle was released Wednesday, one day after the deaf actress was killed in a fatal car collision.

Hottle, 18, died from "multiple blunt force injuries," the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner confirmed to Fox News Digital. Her manner of death was ruled an accident.

Multiple agencies responded to a fatal single-vehicle collision Tuesday before 3 a.m. in Ijamsville, Maryland, the Frederick County Sheriff's Office confirmed to Fox News Digital. Hottle was identified as one of three people traveling in the vehicle.

'GODZILLA VS. KONG' ACTRESS KAYLEE HOTTLE DEAD AT 18

"Hottle was transported from the scene to an area trauma center, where she was later pronounced deceased," officials said in a statement.

"The preliminary investigation revealed that a 1995 Honda Accord, operated by a 19-year-old Frederick man, traveled off the right side of the two-lane roadway and struck a culvert."

OSCAR-WINNER BRENDA FRICKER, 'PIGEON LADY' FROM 'HOME ALONE 2,' DEAD AT 81

Sheriffs confirmed "excessive speed" was believed to be a "contributing factor in the collision."

"In addition to the driver, two passengers were in the vehicle at the time of the collision," the department said. "The driver was transported to a local hospital with injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening. One passenger declined medical treatment at the scene."

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The department noted that the crash remained under investigation and pleaded for any possible witnesses to contact sheriffs with information.

Her father, Joshua Hottle, shared an emotional video on social media shortly after her death.

"Kaylee’s mom and four siblings are crushed," her father signed in ASL. "They are together at home, grieving. I am on my way to Maryland to bring Kaylee’s body back home."

He signed that his daughter's heart stopped before she arrived at the hospital from the collision.

"Very grateful for the 18 years we had together — and wish we had more," he signed.

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In addition, Joshua noted that he reached out to the 19-year-old driver.

"I have forgiven you," he wrote. "Don't let this incident ruin the rest of your life."

Born into a multigenerational deaf family, Hottle quickly became a rising talent and an advocate for greater representation in entertainment.

Before landing her first feature film role, she appeared in commercials and advocacy projects promoting deaf awareness.

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Hottle portrayed Jia in "Godzilla vs. Kong" and the sequel, "Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire," an orphaned girl who forms a bond with Kong and communicates with the monster by using sign language.

Hottle also appeared in one 2021 television episode of "Magnum P.I." and was scheduled to appear in the upcoming thriller "What Doesn't Kill Us."

Ryan Clark made it too difficult for ESPN to justify keeping him after years of controversy

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:25:28 -0400

ESPN parting ways with Ryan Clark should not come as much of a surprise. The decision was fairly obvious.

We don't say that to dance on his proverbial grave. There's a difference between celebrating someone's downfall and acknowledging that the network made the right decision.

ESPN had plenty of reasons to cut Clark. It had hardly any reason to keep him. Let's go through them.

EXCLUSIVE: COLIN COWHERD EXPLAINS WHY HE STUCK TO SPORTS AS ESPN BECAME 'RUDDERLESS' DURING TRUMP'S PRESIDENCY

Reasons to cut him: Clark made around $2 million per year, roughly four times what the average NFL analyst earns. He was unpopular with much of the audience. He had a strained reputation with staffers and a mixed one among on-air colleagues. Over the past year alone, he generated a string of negative headlines for ESPN, including shaming Robert Griffin III for marrying a White woman and making dubious claims about police officers involved in what was ultimately ruled a suicide. He also created both on- and off-air tension by belittling Peter Schrager, around whom ESPN is now building a new television show, because Schrager never played football. Clark also had a habit of injecting race into discussions where it simply didn't belong.

Reasons to keep him:

There weren't any.

ESPN did not make more money because Ryan Clark was on television. He wasn't boosting viewership. In fact, sources inside ESPN say there was even a slight, albeit not dramatic, dip in quarter-hour ratings during his appearances on NFL-specific programming.

Even if one believed Clark was a better NFL analyst than some of his peers, he would have had to be significantly better to offset that lengthy list of negatives.

This isn't a Ryan Clark-specific phenomenon. Very few people in sports media provide a quantifiable net positive.

Pat McAfee does. Michael Wilbon and Tony Kornheiser do. Colin Cowherd does. Stephen A. Smith did for many years, though his star has undeniably faded over the past nine months.

Others create value by elevating the people around them. Rece Davis, Ernie Johnson, Laura Rutledge and Mike Greenberg each fit that description.

A select group also matters because they consistently break news. Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport and Brian Windhorst belong in that category. (Tom Pelissero, whom ESPN mistakenly let go this week, belonged there as well.)

Then there are the elite game analysts and play-by-play voices. Joe Buck and Troy Aikman are ESPN's two most valuable on-air talents by a wide margin. Mike Breen and Kirk Herbstreit are top five.

Then there is everyone else.

EXCLUSIVE: ESPN TO PART WAYS WITH CAM NEWTON AS PART OF TALENT LAYOFFS THAT ALSO INCLUDED RYAN CLARK

As large as their egos may be, the overwhelming majority of people at ESPN — or any major television network — are simply filling airtime. They are interchangeable. There is no meaningful financial difference between having one analyst versus another.

That's not to say these analysts and reporters aren't good at their jobs. Many are. It's simply that their value above replacement is essentially nonexistent. The same is true across corporate America. The gap between good and indispensable is significant.

The difference is that most working Americans understand they're replaceable. Apparently, many former ESPN personalities did not.

Put simply, Ryan Clark wasn't good enough to shame people for marrying White women, create unnecessary drama on and off the air, and repeatedly make factually dubious statements about law enforcement and politics. He didn't provide enough value to justify the baggage.

And contrary to what Jemele Hill and Emmanuel Acho have argued, Clark was never a central reason for NFL Live's recent success. He was a rotational contributor.

The same principle applies elsewhere.

Elle Duncan wasn't valuable enough to turn ESPN programming into a platform for protesting political legislation or discussing abortion. Bomani Jones failed far too many times to justify the inflammatory remarks he routinely made. Mark Jones wasn't nearly talented enough to falsely accuse police officers of trying to kill him. David Dennis Jr. isn't important enough to repeatedly embarrass the network with racial idolatry and his commentary about Caitlin Clark. Cam Newton wasn't valuable enough to offset the buffoonery and his disparagement of women with children.

There's now a narrative that ESPN is abandoning "woke" programming because people politically aligned with OutKick are gaining influence inside the company following the latest layoffs. That framing lacks important context.

Sure, there are employees at ESPN who agree with OutKick. There are also plenty who don't. That's true of virtually every major media company.

Despite what some media reporters have claimed, ESPN's recent layoffs do not signal a shift toward conservative politics and White commentators. ESPN is trying to eliminate headaches, as in people who create unnecessary controversy, internal friction and negative publicity. It has nothing to do with political preference.

There was a time when that was not true. Former ESPN head John Skipper proudly platformed people with no experience covering sports, but who were willing to talk about race, politics, and talk down to the average sports fan. Current ESPN CEO Jimmy Pitaro took a similar approach in the aftermath of George Floyd's death in 2020 amid pressure from parent company Disney.

Today, ESPN truly just wants to cover sports. Of course, there are still many more people it must weed out to accomplish that mission. David Dennis Jr., Ogwumike, Monica McNutt, Holly Rowe, and Nicole Briscoe are among them.

According to multiple sources inside the company, ESPN's preferred direction is straightforward: elevate people who enjoy sports, stick to sports, and entertainingly talk about sports. It sounds so obvious. Yet fewer personalities consistently fit that description than one might think.

Sources say ESPN is high on the following personalities moving forward: Pat McAfee, Peter Schrager, Laura Rutledge, Josh Pate, Will Compton, Taylor Lewan, Mina Kimes, Jason McCourty, Ian Rapoport, Stacey Dales, Malika Andrews, Kyle Brandt and Kendrick Perkins.

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Personally, I wouldn't put every name on that list in the category of moderate voices who avoid unnecessary political or racial detours. Several have histories that suggest otherwise. ESPN apparently sees it differently, at least for now.

Regardless, the company reached the right conclusion on Ryan Clark. He had become far more trouble than he was worth. The network is better off without him. He had made it too difficult to justify employing him.

Some quick-hitting thoughts on ESPN's layoffs:

1) I've seen speculation from Rob Parker and others that Cam Newton's interview with Jason Whitlock — during which he discussed Stephen A. Smith's fraudulent claims in his memoir — played a role in his ousting. The theory is that Smith was so upset Newton appeared with Whitlock that he pushed ESPN to remove him.

I don't buy it.

For one, Smith doesn't have that kind of power. He wanted ESPN to keep Ryan Clark, Shannon Sharpe and Michael Irvin. The network parted ways with all three. My understanding is that ESPN simply concluded Newton was overpaid for someone who contributed to "First Take" just twice a week.

Further, many of ESPN's top decision-makers agree with Whitlock about Stephen A.

2) ESPN essentially runs unchallenged when it comes to NBA breaking news. Since Adrian Wojnarowski's retirement, Shams Charania has had no real competition.

The network could have built that same kind of advantage in the NFL. Instead, it laid off Tom Pelissero this week. That was a mistake.

On X, Underdog NFL cites nearly every major NFL scoop within seconds of it being reported. Three insiders consistently break the biggest stories: Adam Schefter, Ian Rapoport and Pelissero. Pelissero may not have the following of Schefter or Rapoport, but he breaks just as much news. He's also an excellent guest host on The Rich Eisen Show.

Wherever he lands, Pelissero is going to take scoops away from ESPN. CBS, Fox, NBC, Amazon, Netflix and The Athletic should all look to hire him.

3) Look for ESPN to announce a new 2 p.m. show in the coming week with Peter Schrager as the host.

‘Revenge of the normies’: Halo veteran-turned-candidate pitches outsider revolt in Nevada swing district

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:19:44 -0400

Marty O'Donnell spent decades creating some of the most iconic music in video game history. Now, the Halo composer is devoting his creative energies to an entirely different type of project: a conservative upset in one of America's most competitive swing districts.

Speaking with Fox News Digital at Freedom Fest in Las Vegas, the Nevada Republican candidate explained how he plans to bring his real-world business experience and innovation to a Washington perennially clogged with career politicians.

GAMING-WORLD VETERAN WHO RIPPED ‘WOKE’ CULTURE SCORES TRUMP-BACKED BATTLEGROUND PRIMARY WIN

"How did being a composer prepare me to run for Congress? Well, frankly, I don't think it does. But I don't think anything prepares anybody to run for Congress. What I'm tired of…people who have their entire career in politics. They have never made anything, they don't really know anything, and we don't need more people like that.

"I've had an entire career creating stuff, shipping stuff, working with other teams, leading teams, making businesses, making deals. That's what I think prepares me for Congress."

O'Donnell puts basic kitchen-table economics at the foundation of his outsider bid for Nevada's third district:

"I really believe that it's time to get back to a place where one good job is enough…enough to raise a family, buy a home, get your kids a good education, take a vacation. That is the way I grew up. That's the America I grew up in. And there's no reason why that shouldn't be able to come back."

He has a fighting shot, but in a district long represented by 4-term Democrat Susie Lee, he needs to hone his appeal to political independents:

"The independent part of Nevada, and especially the district I'm in, CD3, is huge.

"The left has gone so far left that the only thing that we need to be able to present to the people who are in the middle is that we believe in common sense solutions. We believe in common sense. Not nonsense.

‘HALO’ VIDEO GAME MUSIC COMPOSER AIMS TO REARRANGE WASHINGTON

"You know, transing your kids, boys in girls' sports, having open borders, the ever-growing federal government and fraud, that all has to stop and I think people are ready for that, and I think the independents are ready for that."

With a business background and a common sense approach, O'Donnell argues that his mainstream appeal will carry him through in the Las Vegas suburbs.

"Well Las Vegas is a town that has grown up being all about hospitality and casinos and hotels and entertainment, but it's also becoming a high-tech place.

"I think the business community here, especially in the district I'm from, which is on the northwest side of Las Vegas, is ready to just explode. Summerlin area, there are all sorts of business opportunities there. And it's unique because it's a diverse community. We have a huge Asian population, Hispanic, people who have retired, people who work in hospitality and are part of unions.

"But these people are, are family people and family people are what I consider to be normal people and I think this midterm could be the revenge of the normies. I think normal people are going to come out and say they've had enough with the crazies."

O'Donnell strongly supports Donald Trump's foreign policy and is not adverse to military action to topple the longstanding communist regime in Havana:

"I am absolutely ready for Cuba to have the same fate that Venezuela had. The people of Cuba have been suppressed almost my entire lifetime. It's time for Cuba to be free again. The people of Cuba deserve to be free. Fidel Castro died a long time ago.

"There are so many smart, successful people from Cuba, especially in Florida, Marco being one of them, of course. And it's time. We don't necessarily need to do a military intervention, but if that's what needs to happen, I would be all for it because, I think the administration knows what needs to happen in Cuba, and I'm looking forward to a free Cuba over the next year."

Finally, O'Donnell pledges to hold the line on spending and not fall victim to the establishment GOP drift to big government spending:

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"My plan is to take the ring of power and throw it into the fires of Mount Doom. That's a little shout-out to my nerd friends. Listen, the government is too big. There was a point where President Clinton said 'the era of big government is over.' Obviously, he didn't mean it, but it appeals to people still to this day.

"There's so much fraud, there's so much waste in big government. How is it not time for the government to balance its budget, to cut... 10 percent, at least, of every program it has and go after all the fraud and waste that is just rampant? We cannot continue to spend like drunken sailors. We can't continue to increase the budgets and tax the people. It's just unacceptable."

Homan blasts Dem hypocrisy on deportations, recalls past when 'Obama gave me an award' for enforcing border

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:06:18 -0400

Border czar Tom Homan argued on Tuesday’s episode of "The Katie Miller Podcast" that commonsense border security was hailed during past administrations but is demonized by current Democrats.

Podcaster Katie Miller, the wife of White House deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller, asked Homan, "Why do you think American society has moved to saying that deportations are a bad thing when, 20 years ago, even Democrats were for them. And you were able to do your job so much more easily, deport tons of people without so much as, you know, anyone caring?"

"I really think it has to do with our president and the hatred for this president," Homan replied. "They didn't want to see this president succeed. And I truly believe that because I actually got an award from President Obama for removing the record number of illegal aliens. President Obama gave me an award because we removed 409,000 people that year.

"What's turned the tide is the false rhetoric, hateful rhetoric by the media, you know, about the inhumane policies of the Trump administration," he continued. "That's why I'm out there every day saying, ‘Wait a minute now, inhumanity?’

DEM REP SETH MOULTON SAYS PARTY HAS NO IMMIGRATION PLAN, IS ONLY ‘OPPOSITION TO TRUMP’

"Let's talk about Joe Biden for a minute," Homan began. "When he opened the border up, over 4,000 aliens died making that journey. Historic record. Quarter million Americans died from fentanyl that came across the open border. Historic record. Don't talk about humanity. He was killing Americans and aliens at record numbers. President Trump has illegal immigration down 96%. Which means 96% less people are coming."

Under Trump’s administration, he asked, "How many women aren't being raped by the cartels? How many pounds of fentanyl isn't getting in the country? How many known suspected terrorists [aren’t] coming to the country. Securing the border is the most humane thing you can do."

Miller noted how hard it is for the typical working mom to look past the rhetoric of deportations and realize how normal and acceptable this work was in the past.

"You were able to go and deport these families, remove them together. You were able to do these deportations, and largely society thought that was a good thing," she said. "You had Harry Reid on the Senate floor back in the '90s saying that birthright citizenship was an insane concept. Why is it that society has moved so far?"

Homan replied that, among the many reasons, "I think the media has moved people far to the left because of their false reporting. I think the colleges — I speak from my own experience with one of my sons — that they move people to the far left. Look, I read the press releases every day. Ninety-eight percent of it's negative, right? They misstate what we're actually doing."

HOUSE REPUBLICANS MOVE TO MAKE TRUMP'S BORDER POLICIES PERMANENT

He went on to argue that the media and various politicians have normalized noncompliance with ICE to the point it encourages violent clashes.

"But between the media and members of Congress who will spew lies about ICE, if anybody's terrorizing immigrant communities, it’s representatives of Congress who say that ‘ICE are fascists. They're the Nazis. They're the secret police,’ which is why I think some of the recent tragedies have happened," Homan said.

"People think it's OK not to comply with ICE now because they're hearing over and over again they're not a real law enforcement agency. So, you can impede, you can interfere, you don't have to comply with them," Homan warned.

"I said yesterday — I took a lot of hate from the left — the recent shootings, as tragic as they were, if they simply would have complied with federal law enforcement agencies on the road stops, they probably wouldn't be dead.

"I don't think they deserve to die, but if they would have simply complied with law enforcement, tragedy can be avoided."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

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"The Katie Miller Podcast" can be found on YouTube here.

Johnson scores major win as House GOP advances Trump’s top election priority

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 17:00:43 -0400

Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan to bypass Democratic opposition on a key election integrity bill took a major step forward in the House of Representatives on Wednesday.

It’s a major victory for Johnson, R-La., who had to overcome a wall of left-wing opposition and threats of a rebellion within his own GOP ranks.

House Republicans are working to move the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act as part of a larger $95 billion budget bill that, if successful, would completely sideline Democrats to implement election reforms sought by President Donald Trump.

They’re using a mechanism called budget reconciliation, which allows the party in power to pass sweeping fiscal policy by lowering the Senate’s threshold for advancement from 60 votes to a simple majority. In exchange, however, the legislation is subject to intense scrutiny under a strict set of guidelines about what actually counts as true fiscal policy.

The bill up for consideration on Wednesday was just the first House-wide step in passing a reconciliation package, which is adopting a framework with spending instructions for relevant committees who will then cobble individual portions together into a massive piece of legislation. Both the House and Senate must pass identical versions before it goes to the president’s desk.

All but three members of the House Republican Conference supported the measure: Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and Kevin Kiley, I-Calif., voted against it.

The framework was adopted in a narrow 216 to 214 vote, with all Democrats opposed.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: HOUSE'S FINAL SPRINT PUTS SAVE AMERICA ACT AND IRAN FUNDING IN PLAY

It comes after fiscal hawks warned for days that they are uneasy with the lack of budget cuts in the framework to offset the $95 billion in new spending.

Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, said he was leaning in support but still undecided.

"People wonder why the so-called 3AM caucus exists and why we hold our votes to the last minute to put pressure on Republicans in Congress to deliver? It’s because they revert to the mean — which is spending, amnesty, unlimited immigration and political show votes. I want FULL SAVE. I want this unpaid-for spending to be paid for in the 4th reconciliation bill. I want clarity on our war mission while we are backfilling munitions," he told Fox News Digital.

TOP TRUMP OFFICIAL MAKES NEW SAVE ACT CASE TO REPUBLICANS BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., had told reporters, "I just wanted to let them know if you're doing a whip count right now, I wouldn't put me in the yes column…I'm not 100% convinced that the SAVE language is going to be held solid through the Senate. In fact, I would bet against it. I just, I don't have any confidence that the Senate will keep that language tight."

Both voted in favor of adopting the framework, however.

With just a razor-thin majority, Johnson could lose no more than than two Republicans to still pass anything on partisan lines.

The budget plans for for $73 billion aimed at the U.S. war with Iran, $12 billion for aid to American farmers, and $10 billion for states to implement election integrity measures in the SAVE America Act — namely federal voter ID rules and a proof of citizenship mandate to register to vote.

Democrats and some Republicans have been wary about funding the Iran war without additional oversight from Congress. And Democrats in both the House and Senate have been vehemently opposed to the SAVE America Act, calling it tantamount to voter suppression.

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But Republicans have near-uniformly argued that it is aimed at enhancing confidence in American elections.

Trump posted on Truth Social on Tuesday, "Thank you to all of the House Republicans who are supporting the first step towards getting as much of THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, as possible, in the Budget Bill, and to our Great Speaker, Mike Johnson. I am asking all House Republicans to VOTE YES on this very important Budget Resolution. I am watching the vote very closely, and hope Republicans can UNIFY to secure Elections against all forms of Foreign Country Interference, and Illegal Alien voting."

Dozens of House Democrats reject bill fusing congressional stock ban with federal voter ID

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:53:25 -0400

A vote on legislation to curb lawmakers' ability to profit from the stock market as well as implementing federal voter ID measures divided House Democrats on Wednesday afternoon.

The two measures were combined in a single legislative package after months of debate in the House of Representatives on both issues. While unrelated, both voter ID and banning congressional stock trading have received overwhelming support in multiple public polls.

A whopping 198 House Democrats, including their top leaders, voted against the bills. Just 13 members of their caucus voted with Republicans to pass the measure 231 to 198.

Despite bipartisan negotiations, particularly on banning members of Congress from trading stocks, a significant number of Democrats still opposed the final package — though it passed.

EX-HOUSE DEM WHO RIPPED CONGRESSIONAL STOCK TRADING BAN AS 'BULLS---' CHANGES HER TUNE IN COMEBACK BID

Rep. Zach Nunn, R-Iowa, one of the key supporters of banning lawmakers from the stock market, argued the two issues "go hand in hand."

"One, the overwhelming majority of Americans want this. Two, it's something that we can get passed this week that gets it into the president's hands before the August return-to-district [period]," Nunn told Fox News Digital.

He said of Democrats' criticism, "Only in Washington can you have two wins for 90% of Americans, and Democrats will say that's one win too many."

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

Meanwhile, Rep. Stephanie Bice, R-Okla., told Fox News Digital of the stock trading ban specifically, "The American people deserve to know their elected officials are serving the public, not their own financial interests. Members of Congress should be held to the highest standards of transparency and accountability, and this legislation is an important step toward restoring trust in Congress."

Not all Republicans are on board, however. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., accused his fellow GOP lawmakers of trying to dissuade Democrats from supporting the bill by attaching the voter ID requirement.

"We are voting on a stock trading ban for members of Congress… BUT Republicans added voter-ID in the legislation. Not to get Dems to vote for voter-ID, but to get them to vote against the stock trading ban, so they can use it in the Nov. election," Massie wrote on X. "If we really wanted to ban stock trading for members of Congress, we would offer stand alone legislation and could get a large bipartisan majority, and the bill would have a chance of passing on the Senate."

SEN MARK WARNER CALLED OUT IN ABC INTERVIEW FOR INACCURATE VOTER ID CLAIMS

An August 2025 poll from the Pew Research Center showed that 83% of U.S. respondents favored "requiring all voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote."

But Democrats have argued this week that the voter ID portion goes too far, and the stock trading ban portion does not go far enough.

"I've said repeatedly, House Democrats strongly support a stock trading ban for members of Congress. We also support a ban on the president, the vice president and federal judicial officers from trading individual stock as well. But none of that is before us today," Rep. Joe Morelle, D-N.Y., the top Democrat on the committee charged with elections oversight, said during debate on the bill Monday.

"Rather, this bill is a crude combination of two completely unrelated bills, the so-called Stop Insider Trading Act and the Voter ID Act, the latter of which is already a crude reformulation of at least three other failed Republican voter suppression proposals."

Democrats are criticizing the voter ID portion for its requirement of identification extending to mail-in voting, which they have argued is a route to suppress Americans' ability to cast ballots that way.

Left-wing lawmakers have attacked the stock trading bill because it does not require members of Congress to sell their existing stocks but rather bans them from buying more stock in the future.

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Lawmakers must also go through a public disclosure process before selling that existing stock.

While it extends the ban on buying new stocks to lawmakers and their families, it effectively allows them to retain a blind trust. Democrats have also complained that it does not extend to the executive branch, namely, President Donald Trump and his family.

Chaos erupts as House passes $1.15T defense bill with Israel provision: 'Stop stoking Jew hatred'

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:48:31 -0400

The House passed its $1.15 trillion annual defense policy bill Wednesday after a bipartisan revolt over a provision expanding U.S.-Israel defense technology cooperation.

The fiscal year 2027 National Defense Authorization Act passed 216-212, with Republicans largely supporting and Democrats mostly opposing the measure.

The annual bill, which sets Pentagon policy and typically draws broad bipartisan support, received only six Democratic votes as much of the caucus objected to Section 219 and Republican-backed amendments restricting transgender care and easing access to personal guns on military bases.

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Opposition came from a coalition of progressive Democrats and Republican skeptics of U.S. support for Israel, who accused congressional leaders of shielding the provision from scrutiny after lawmakers were denied a separate vote to remove it.

The fight erupted as support for Israel has weakened among House Democrats and some "America First" Republicans during the war in Gaza and the widening conflict with Iran. Just one week earlier, 103 Democrats joined Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., in voting to block $3.3 billion in U.S. aid to Israel.

For opponents, Section 219 would move the relationship in the opposite direction by embedding U.S.-Israel cooperation more deeply inside the Pentagon’s weapons-development and acquisition system. The provision would direct the war secretary to designate a Pentagon "executive agent" to coordinate and accelerate bilateral defense research, testing and industrial cooperation.

Critics argued that structure would make the relationship harder for future administrations or Congresses to unwind and could shift parts of the partnership away from highly visible aid votes into less visible technology, procurement and production arrangements. Supporters said it would coordinate longstanding programs and give the United States faster access to Israeli defense technology.

THE US-ISRAEL STRATEGIC ALLIANCE – PARTNERSHIP, NOT CHARITY

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., urged lawmakers to reject the entire defense bill, arguing that the provision would "merge parts of our military with the IDF," referring to the Israel Defense Forces.

"This amendment is an existential threat to American sovereignty and democracy," Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X prior to the vote, referring to Section 219. "Every member of Congress must vote NO."

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., shot back on X, "Good grief, you are either obtuse or intentionally lying. We are not merging our military with the IDF. As we do with many of our allies, we enter into cooperative agreements, share intelligence, develop technology and ammunitions, and conduct military exercises together. Stop stoking Jew hatred and do better."

Massie similarly opposed both the rule governing debate and the final bill after Republican leaders denied a floor vote on his bipartisan amendment to strike the provision.

"We should not merge our military tech and supply chain with Israel’s," Massie said on X.

Beyond creating the executive agent, Section 219 would direct the Pentagon to identify jointly developed or Israeli-origin technologies that could be used in U.S. weapons programs and promote joint ventures, licensing agreements and U.S.-based production partnerships with Israeli companies.

Before final passage, the House adopted two amendments from Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla. One removed four uses of the word "integration," while the other extended annual reports to Congress for as long as the executive agent remains in place. The original reporting requirement would have ended in 2030.

The amendments left the initiative’s central structure and cooperative programs intact, falling short of opponents’ demand that Section 219 be removed entirely.

SEN JOHN FETTERMAN PLEDGES TO BE 'LAST MAN STANDING' IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN SUPPORT OF ISRAEL

Massie’s amendment was backed by Democratic Reps. Ro Khanna of California, Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, Jesús "Chuy" García of Illinois and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan.

Section 219 would not combine the countries’ command structures, place U.S. troops under Israeli authority or give Israel control over U.S. military operations. The United States and Israel also already cooperate extensively on defense technology, including the Iron Dome, Arrow and David’s Sling missile-defense systems, counter-drone technology and anti-tunnel capabilities.

The provision’s principal change would be to place a designated Pentagon executive agent in charge of coordinating and expanding those efforts across the War Department.

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, R-Ala., said the provision would improve oversight and efficiency by assigning responsibility for existing initiatives to a single official.

"In no way does it give away command and control of our military operations, personnel or equipment," Rogers said last month.

Critics argued that the executive agent structure would give U.S.-Israel projects a privileged path through the Pentagon and further entrench Israeli technology and companies in the American defense supply chain.

The fight threatened the broad coalition traditionally needed to pass the NDAA, one of the few major bills Congress has routinely approved with bipartisan support. Democratic opposition was also fueled by Republican amendments restricting gender-affirming medical care for troops and military dependents and transgender participation in sports at Defense Department schools.

The House voted 219-208 Tuesday to prohibit Tricare from covering certain gender-transition procedures and treatments, with five Democrats supporting the amendment and one Republican opposing it.

Lawmakers separately voted 221-203 to prohibit transgender girls from participating in girls sports at War Department schools.

The House rejected a separate attempt by Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., to codify President Donald Trump’s executive order barring transgender troops from serving in the military. That amendment failed 217-212 after four Republicans joined every Democrat in opposition.

Lawmakers also narrowly approved an amendment making it easier for qualified service members and civilian War Department employees to receive permission to carry personal guns on military installations. The measure passed 215-214.

An amendment that would have largely prohibited Ukraine security assistance failed, though 76 Republicans supported it. The proposal would have preserved funding only for security at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv.

The underlying NDAA would authorize roughly $1.15 trillion for national defense, including pay raises ranging from 5% to 7% for service members, expanded weapons and munitions production and new investments in missile defense, autonomous systems, hypersonics and other emerging technologies.

The bill would also formally change the Department of Defense’s name to the Department of War, deeming references to the defense secretary and department in federal law to mean the secretary and Department of War.

The NDAA sets defense policy and authorizes spending levels but does not provide the money itself. Congress must separately pass defense appropriations legislation to fund the programs and priorities included in the measure.

Consideration of the legislation had been delayed for three weeks by a separate Republican fight over the SAVE America Act, Trump-backed election legislation requiring documentary proof of citizenship to register to vote and identification to cast a ballot in federal elections.

The House approved the election measure in February, but it stalled in the Senate, where Republicans lacked the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster.

Republican leaders revived the legislation through a procedure directing the House clerk to combine it with the NDAA after passage but before sending the package to the Senate. That approach allowed the House to vote on the defense and election measures separately before transmitting them as one bill.

The plan initially collapsed June 30 when 13 Republicans joined Democrats in voting against the procedural rule. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., and other holdouts later relented after Speaker Mike Johnson promised to attach the election legislation to appropriations bills and other must-pass measures.

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The combined defense and election package faces an uncertain future in the Senate, where Democrats blocked consideration of their chamber’s NDAA last week in protest of the Trump administration’s war with Iran.

The debate also comes as the Pentagon seeks additional money to cover the conflict and replenish U.S. weapons stockpiles. The White House has requested an $87.6 billion supplemental package, including $67.1 billion for defense needs, while House Republicans are considering additional military and intelligence funding through a party-line reconciliation package.

AOC surges past Buttigieg, leaves Harris in the dust in key 2028 battleground poll

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:47:05 -0400

Progressive firebrand Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has surged to the front of the prospective 2028 Democratic presidential field in New Hampshire, edging former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and leaving former Vice President Kamala Harris far behind in a new poll.

Ocasio-Cortez drew 22% support among likely Democratic primary voters in the University of New Hampshire Granite State Poll released Wednesday, one point ahead of Buttigieg and 17 points ahead of Harris.

Ocasio-Cortez gained seven points since the February survey, while Harris and California Gov. Gavin Newsom lost ground — another sign of the four-term New York lawmaker’s growing strength among Democratic voters in the early presidential battleground and of her overall burgeoning popularity and standing in the party.

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Ocasio-Cortez has been coy about her 2028 plans and careful not to rule out either a White House run in the race to succeed term-limited President Donald Trump, or a bid for the Senate against longtime Democratic Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer, who is up for re-election in two years. When asked about a run for higher office, Ocasio-Cortez recently said her goal is to "change the country."

Buttigieg, a moderate who as the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana, came in second in the 2020 New Hampshire presidential primary, has crisscrossed the country in support of fellow Democrats the past year as speculation builds around a possible 2028 run.

"Nearly half of socialists and one-third of progressives support Ocasio-Cortez, while pluralities of liberals and moderates support Buttigieg," Andrew Smith, the director of the University of New Hampshire Survey Center, said.

KAMALA HARRIS' TRAVELS AND COMMENTS CLEARLY POINT TO A 2028 RUN

Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona, a retired astronaut, stood in third place in the poll, at 9%, with the term-limited Newsom a point back. The California governor's support dropped seven points since the February survey.

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, the 2016 and 2020 runner-up in the Democratic presidential primaries, stood at 6%. The 84-year-old Sanders, asked about another White House run, said last month, "I suspect that's not going to happen." He jokingly added, "I know I look like I'm 30. I am not."

Meanwhile, Harris, the party's 2024 nominee after she replaced then-President Joe Biden, who dropped out less than four months before the election following a disastrous debate against Trump, grabbed only 5% support in the new poll, down from 10% in February.

While the former vice president's numbers in the latest New Hampshire survey are nothing to brag about, she tops an average of the most recent national polls in the hypothetical race for the 2028 Democratic nomination. Surveys in the early stages of a presidential cycle are often heavily influenced by the name recognition of the potential candidates.

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Everyone else in the large field of potential contenders tested in the New Hampshire poll registered at 2% or less.

New Hampshire held the first-in-the-nation presidential primary for a century, before Democrats upended their nominating calendar in the 2024 cycle, moving South Carolina to the lead-off position. The Democratic National Committee's (DNC) Rules and Bylaws panel is likely on Friday to unveil a new calendar for the 2028 cycle, which would be voted on at the DNC's summer meeting in Austin, Texas, next month.

Republicans have not altered their calendar, keeping the Iowa caucuses as their lead-off state, followed by New Hampshire.

In the race for the GOP presidential nomination, 36% of likely Republican primary voters in New Hampshire said they would support Vice President JD Vance, with Secretary of State Marco Rubio at 26%.

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Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, who ran for the nomination in 2016 and is mulling another bid, stood at 8% in the survey, along with former ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who was the runner-up to Trump in 2024.

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Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who also bid for the nomination in 2024, grabbed 6% support, with everyone else tested at 4% or less.

France records more than 5,700 excess deaths during historic early summer heat wave

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:30:45 -0400

France has recorded more than 5,700 excess deaths during its historic summer heat wave, marking the country's deadliest heat-related toll in more than two decades, Public Health France announced Wednesday.

Between June 17 and July 2, the agency expected 15,910 deaths but instead recorded 21,674. The difference — 5,764 excess deaths — was 36% higher than what would have been expected.

During the heat wave, temperatures climbed well above 104 degrees Fahrenheit in many parts of the country, Public Health France said.

"This unprecedented event, characterized by its early onset, intensity and duration, exposed almost the entire population to extreme heat during a period that was still largely dedicated to school and work activities," the agency said.

EUROPE'S FIRES REVEAL DEADLY MIX OF RECORD HEAT, HUMAN ERROR, ARSON AND LAND MISMANAGEMENT

Deaths from all causes increased across hospitals, private homes and nursing homes during the heat wave.

The agency's analysis included people ages 15 and older, with mortality increasing beginning at age 45. Adults 75 and older accounted for roughly two-thirds of the provisional death toll, representing at least 3,719 excess deaths.

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The Paris region was hit hardest, recording 1,999 excess deaths, more than 80% above what would have been expected without the heat wave, according to the agency.

Public Health France said 2026 recorded the country's highest excess mortality linked to a heat wave since 2003. The National Institute of Health and Medical Research estimated that roughly 15,000 more people died compared to the usual mortality for that time of year.

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This year, the hottest days occurred on June 24 and June 25, when the national average temperature reached 86 degrees Fahrenheit. Peak temperatures also climbed above 104 degrees in many areas.

More than half of the excess deaths — about 56% — occurred during or immediately after the most intense stretch of the heat wave between June 25 and June 27.

Officials also said more than 10,000 excess deaths were reported across Europe during the peak of the heat wave, though the preliminary figures are expected to be updated in the coming weeks.

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According to The Associated Press, funeral directors in Paris said they were inundated by the surge in bodies awaiting burial or cremation, with some mortuaries reaching capacity and turning down new arrivals.

Health officials noted that the excess mortality estimate includes deaths from all causes that occurred during the heat wave. The figures remain provisional and will continue to be refined in the coming weeks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Pete Golding drops unfiltered truth on 'Ex' Lane Kiffin, and NCAA tampering: 'What have we created?'

Wed, 22 Jul 2026 16:35:45 -0400

TAMPA, FL - Pete Golding took the stage on Wednesday at SEC Media Days and was clearly prepared to give his opinion about the current state of college football, along with the obvious questions about Lane Kiffin.

If you know the Ole Miss head coach, none of this should come as a surprise, given his lack of filter regarding life, or just about anything else.

Florida coach brings laughs, no filter and Lane Kiffin comparison rebuttal to first SEC media days

Obviously, one of the main questions some in the room were prepared to quiz Golding on was his relationship with former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin. But unless you've been sleeping under a rock for the past few months, his feelings toward his former boss are pretty well known.

Yes, they are still friends, but that doesn’t mean they agree on everything, which would include Kiffin's exit for LSU. And yes, they still communicate on what is seemingly a daily basis, though Golding does go a few days without responding to Kiffin if he's in the mood to mess with him just a bit.

But, the story regarding the Ole Miss versus LSU showdown in Oxford this coming season is more geared towards the players and fans of each school. For the coaches, sure they'd thoroughly enjoy beating each other on the field, but it's not as if either of them came out in a rough spot following the chaos last December.

LANE KIFFIN CAN'T STOP TALKING ABOUT OLE MISS, EVEN WHILE EXPLAINING WHY HE CHOSE LSU OVER FLORIDA

"I get this everywhere we go...Lane and I are good," Golding mentioned. "I did not know coach Kiffin prior to taking the Ole Miss job. I think everybody just assumes Alabama, Alabama (assistant roles) when coach Kiffin was (there). I didn’t come to Ole Miss because of Kiffin, I came to Ole Miss to raise three kids. Our relationship grew over those three years.

"I'm very appreciative of how he treated me and my family, and learned a lot from him. I have no ill-will towards Coach Kiffin. He texts me on a regular basis, and there are certain things we'll talk about, and certain things we don't talk about. He's very competitive like I'm very competitive.."

Things worked out for everyone, including real estate deal for Golding

While there is still a lot of obvious frustration between the Ole Miss athletic department and Lane Kiffin, things seemed to work out just fine for Pete Golding.

Sure, I'd imagine he did not want to be thrust into the spotlight that late in the 2025 season, right before the playoff was set to begin. But, Pete Golding was also hellbent on staying in Oxford, no matter if it was him being given the keys to Ole Miss, or staying on as an assistant coach.

Heck, Golding actually ended up buying one of Lane Kiffin's houses in the Oxford area over the past six months.

"There's always going to be history, it's the ex, right?," Golding joked about Kiffin.

On Wednesday, as the questions continued to be asked about the relationship between Kiffin and Golding, the Rebels coach had a different mindset on how some of the issues played out to end the 2025 regular season.

"I tell a lot of people this. I probably shouldn’t, but I don't care: In 2021, if you said you can look in 2025 and you're about to be 11-1 and go to the playoff. Would you take it if you're coach was leaving? Hell yea, you would. Everybody won from it, it's ok. Every place is not for everybody.

"I'd be the first one to tell you I told him it would be dumb if he were to leave, I wanted him to stay. That was a selfish decision because I love being the DC where I was at. He decided it was better for him and his family. We play him like every other SEC team. We're gonna spot the ball and play."

Pete Golding is sick of discussing tampering issue with Clemson

When Dabo Swinney decided to go scorched-earth on Ole Miss for alleged tampering with LB Luke Fornelli, this opened up a can of worms that the Rebels head coach has now taken an interesting approach with.

Pete Golding makes it known he has tampering receipts, while also admitting Kiffin texts him way too much

Officials in Oxford have made it known to the NCAA that they are prepared to turn in other programs for tampering if the organization decides to impose penalties on Ole Miss for talking with Luke Fornelli while he was technically a part of the Clemson football team (for a week).

In terms of how Pete Golding feels, the Rebels coach had a pretty sensical answer when asked for his thoughts on tampering.

"You're a reporter right? Would you quit your job before interviewing for another job or being offered another job?," Golding asked rhetorically. "Right, nobody would. We have a portal you can go in with a 'Do Not Contact' tag. I'm gonna quit my job, where I'm getting paid and I'm gonna go in saying I need a new job, which nobody can call me to interview.

"Like, what have we created? So, we've created it along with representation for these players that it's their responsibility to get them paid well. By design, it's put a lot of people in bad positions."

While I don't think many people will argue with Pete Golding about the illogical things that the NCAA has created, I find it hard to imagine Dabo Swinney is going to agree.

But, in terms of acting as though colleges are acting above-board when it comes to recruiting, the Ole Miss head coach saved the most reasonable context of his rant for the end of his answer.

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"Let's not act like recruiting in college football for the past 100 years is the most moral thing. What are we talking about?"

He's not wrong. Let's see how much the NCAA agrees.