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Docs expose horrific strangling, kidnapping charges against anti-ICE lawyer championed by Dems

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:30:40 -0400

An immigration lawyer representing two illegal immigrants who were involved in a recent fatal ICE shooting in Houston has prior domestic abuse and kidnapping charges, documents reveal.

Hugo Balderas-Ibarra, a private practice attorney in Texas, represents two of the three passengers who were in a van when Lorenzo Salgado Araujo was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent last week.

At a press conference after the shooting, Balderas-Ibarra ripped the agency, demanding an immediate release of his clients and accusing ICE agents of lying about the shooting and of "racial profiling." He said that his clients "will forever be physically and emotionally scarred by this killing," adding, "None of these families will ever be whole again."

However, a Harris County District Court charging document obtained by Fox News reveals that Balderas-Ibarra is currently out on a $20,000 bond on a felony assault family violence by impeding breathing charge stemming from a 2024 incident.

ICE SAYS OFFICER SHOT AND KILLED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT WHO TRIED TO RAM HIM WITH CAR IN HOUSTON

The document states that the alleged assault took place in 2024 when the victim and Balderas had a dating relationship. According to the victim, they got into an argument the day she was set to take a flight over something she had seen on his phone. This caused her to pack all her belongings, which Balderas-Ibarra found and took. The woman took an Uber to the airport.

While Balderas-Ibarra agreed to bring her luggage to the airport, once there, the document says he "threw her luggage on the ground," and when she went to pick it up, he "grabbed her by her neck with his left hand." She told investigators that he held her thus for several seconds, and when he noticed people getting close to them, he "squeezed harder and twisted her throat."

She said she was unable to breathe during the strangulation and felt dizzy and disoriented. Afterwards, she said she had nausea, a headache and felt faint. The document states that photos taken by authorities after the incident show redness and swelling on the woman’s neck.

After this incident, Balderas-Ibarra was charged with felony assault family violence – impeding breathing.

ICE AGENTS INSTRUCTED TO END MOST VEHICLE STOPS IN MAJOR POLICY SHIFT

Further, a Harris County bond motion shows that at the time of the strangling incident, Balderas-Ibarra was already on bail for a separate domestic violence charge, kidnapping and false imprisonment in Seminole County, Florida.

Fox News Digital reached out to Balderas-Ibarra’s office for comment.

According to the website for the State Bar of Texas, Balderas-Ibarra is eligible to practice law in the state with a "probationary license."

He spoke at a press conference on the ICE shooting last Friday alongside Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, Rep. Sylvia Garcia, D-Texas, and Harris County District Attorney Sean Teare, who is also a Democrat.

Salgado Araujo, a Mexican citizen who authorities said was in the country illegally, was shot and killed in Houston after ICE said he tried to ram an ICE officer with his vehicle during a traffic stop. Araujo was struck and taken to a hospital, where he later died.

At the press conference, Balderas-Ibarra said that ICE’s accounts of the shooting have "varied" and that his clients’ versions of the events are "extremely different from what ICE agents are saying or what the agency is saying."

MAINE ICE SHOOTING VICTIM WAS NOT TARGET OF ARREST WARRANT, SEN. KING’S OFFICE SAYS AFTER EARLIER DHS ACCOUNT

"All three of my clients reiterated that at no point was there ever an agent standing in front of the vehicle, nor was an agent ever placed in the line of danger. That is simply false. And I believe my clients are telling the truth," said Balderas-Ibarra.

He demanded ICE release his clients to ensure they are not deported, which he said would preserve the "integrity" of the investigations into the shooting.

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"I am calling for drastic changes to the way ICE conducts their immigration enforcement," he said, adding, "This is not immigration enforcement. This is racial profiling."

Fox News Digital also reached out to the offices of Green, Garcia and Teare for comment.

You shouldn’t need a permit to pray in your own home — the Supreme Court should agree

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:54 -0400

A zoning technicality is being used to lock Americans out of court when the government chills their First Amendment rights. The Supreme Court should put a stop to it.

When the government threatens you for exercising a constitutional right, can it force you to run a bureaucratic gauntlet before a federal court will even hear your case? On June 30, 2026, the Supreme Court agreed to answer that question in its next term in Grand v. City of University Heights. It should answer no.

A prayer group and a cease-and-desist letter

ARKANSAS TAKES HOME TOP RANKING FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AFTER GOV SANDERS EXPANDS KEY PROTECTIONS

Daniel Grand is an Orthodox Jew in University Heights, Ohio. His faith calls him to pray with a minyan, a quorum of ten men, and forbids driving on the Sabbath. This makes attending a distant synagogue impractical. So, he invited a dozen neighbors to pray at his home, but someone complained. Days later, on January 21, 2021, the city of University Heights sent Grand a cease-and-desist letter. The city told Grand he’d have to get a special use permit to use his home as "a place of religious assembly." If he didn’t get the permit and continued to host a minyan, he could be cited for code violations and fined. All this while his neighbors were free to host friends to watch a ball game, play poker, or socialize.

Grand cancelled his next prayer meeting and applied for the permit through University Heights’ zoning process. Yet that process was hostile as it was Kafkaesque. Grand was heckled at a zoning board hearing, with one neighbor voicing fear that the neighborhood would "be labeled as Jewish." And that special use permit? Grand learned that if he obtained the required permit, it would change his home to a "house of worship" under the zoning code. That meant Grand could pray there, but he couldn’t sleep there since it would no longer be considered a residence. Grand abandoned the permit process and instead filed a civil rights lawsuit to protect his First Amendment right to pray in his own home.

When Grand sued under the First Amendment and the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA), the courts never reached the merits. A unanimous Sixth Circuit panel threw the case out as unripe. Because Grand withdrew his permit application, a "final decision" had not been reached. And under the 1985 takings case Williamson County Planning v. Hamilton Bank, a land-use claim isn’t ripe until government officials reach a final decision through the prescribed administrative process. The Sixth Circuit took a rule about property takings and used it to shut the courthouse door on a First Amendment claim.

MORNING GLORY: THE SUPREME COURT OFFICIALLY CLOSES THE BOOKS ON ANOTHER TERM

The finality rule makes sense in a takings case because the injury depends on the administrative process. You don’t know if a regulation took too much of your property’s value until you know how far it reaches. But a First Amendment case is different. Grand was injured the moment he received that cease-and-desist letter. He read the threat by the city. He didn’t pray. He cancelled his minyan. As the Supreme Court held in Susan B. Anthony List v. Driehaus, a credible threat of enforcement is itself an actionable injury. Making Grand exhaust a zoning process does nothing to sharpen an injury that has already occurred.

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The Sixth Circuit handed the government a nefarious playbook. Any city that wants to shut down a house of worship, a bookstore, or an unpopular meeting can order it stopped, demand a permit, and then hide behind its bureaucratic boards and hearings to lock the courthouse door. The split among the circuits only makes it worse: the same coercion is reviewable in one part of the country and untouchable in another, so your right to pray in your own home depends on your zip code.

The principle Grand is standing for is… grand. The Constitution does not make Americans ask permission before they gather and pray in their own home. When an official demands a permit to pray, we should be able to walk into court right away. We should not have to first accede to the unconstitutional permit request by subjecting ourselves to a zoning process. The finality rule belongs in takings law. It has no business locking the courthouse door to First Amendment claims. When the Court hears argument this fall, it should say so plainly.

SEN. BLUMENTHAL, REP. TAKANO: Congress can fund veterans’ care without taking benefits from disabled heroes

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:24 -0400

This week, the House will vote on the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act. This legislation includes nearly 60 bills, including several bipartisan priorities that we have authored and fought to advance as the top Democrats on the Senate and House Veterans’ Affairs Committees — most notably the Major Richard Star Act. Unfortunately, Republicans have chosen a partisan path to advance this legislation, and we have a serious problem with how they are proposing to pay for it.

To cover the costs of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, Republicans want to slash benefits for disabled veterans. This reduction would come in the form of devastating cuts for millions of veterans currently eligible to receive disability benefits for tinnitus and sleep apnea.

The Republican insistence on offsetting new investments in veterans is both absurd and cruel. The cost of war includes the human cost of caring for our veterans. We make a promise to care for these men and women after their service, and a great nation keeps its promises.

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Frustratingly, the Republicans’ insistence on using this funding mechanism, known as an offset, is applied inconsistently and selectively. For instance, they spent $3.4 trillion to deliver tax breaks for the ultra-wealthy in the One Big Beautiful Bill last summer, with no regard to offsetting those costs. Despite this reality, Republicans claim the only viable path forward for the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act is enacting unprecedented cuts to disabled veterans’ benefits.

We are here to say that is simply not true. Those cuts are not acceptable to congressional Democrats or to the growing list of veterans service organizations and stakeholders who have publicly and forcefully opposed them. In fact, 46 Senate Democrats recently communicated their opposition to this offset in a letter to VA Secretary Collins — a clear and public affirmation that the Republican proposal does not have the support it needs to clear the Senate.

While we do not believe an offset is appropriate or necessary, we are willing to compromise with our Republican colleagues to advance critical bipartisan legislation that should not be delayed any longer. There is nearly $100 billion for the Department of Defense that remains unobligated and unspent from H.R. 1, a law enacted more than a year ago. A small portion of those funds could easily be redirected to cover the human costs of war reflected in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act.

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS HAVE LOTS OF IDEAS, BUT HOW ARE WE SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR THEM?

H.R. 1 also lowered the tax rate for the richest Americans from 39.6% to 37%. Restoring that rate to 39.6% only for the top 0.1% of all income earners — those making over $25 million — would generate enough revenue to cover the costs of the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act. Both proposals would be widely supported by the American people and would allow us to avoid a partisan and contentious debate that divides the veterans community by pitting veterans against veterans.

We, and our Democratic colleagues, are ready to find a solution. We want to see many of the priorities in the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act signed into law. We want to get the Major Richard Star Act across the finish line. But we cannot accept a Republican "take it or leave it" approach — or the false narrative that cutting veterans’ benefits is the only way to get the job done.

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There are other viable ways to pay for this legislation, and Republican leaders must come to the table and engage in a meaningful bipartisan process. The longer they pursue their current partisan path, the less time we have to identify a workable solution to enact the Major Richard Star Act and the other bipartisan priorities in this package.

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The Veterans’ Affairs Committees have long been among the most bipartisan committees in Congress. We worked together to enact the PACT Act — the largest expansion of health care and benefits for veterans exposed to toxic substances in generations — without cutting benefits for other veterans. We can achieve something similarly historic again if we follow that same bipartisan approach today.

Veterans deserve meaningful results from a grateful nation — not empty promises. And they should never be handed an invoice when the costs of war come due.

Democrat Mark Takano represents California's 39th Congressional District in the United States House of Representatives.

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JOHN YOO: Barrett and Kagan’s safety plea exposes the left’s war on the Supreme Court

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 05:00:06 -0400

"Maybe I lack imagination, but I didn’t expect that performing this service was going to put me in the position of explaining to my children what a bulletproof vest was and why I had to wear one," Justice Amy Coney Barrett told Congress on Monday.

Justice Barrett was explaining in vivid terms why the Supreme Court had requested an additional $14.6 million, as part of its $228 million budget request, for enhanced security.

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Her fellow witness, Justice Elena Kagan, observed that threats against the Supreme Court had risen 38% this year. Justice Barrett herself had suffered a "swatting" attack earlier this year, in which someone falsely reported an armed shooter at her house. More alarmingly, an assassin attempted to kill Justice Brett Kavanaugh after the 2022 leak of the court’s Dobbs opinion, which overturned Roe v. Wade and its creation of a constitutional right to abortion.

While the justices are often willing to write hundreds of pages setting out their opinions on constitutional law, they left unanswered the question of why threats have risen so sharply.

The answer seems clear. Left-wing activists and leaders have waged war against the court. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., for example, warned Justices Kavanaugh and Neil Gorsuch against overruling Roe. He appeared on the front steps of the Supreme Court and threatened that they would "pay the price" and "won’t know what hit [them]."

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Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., has attempted to raise ethical doubts about the justices because they allegedly accepted gifts from wealthy benefactors.

Virtually all the major leaders of the Democratic Party agree with the idea of packing the Supreme Court because they disagree with its decisions. Former Vice President Kamala Harris declared in May that Democrats should consider expanding the court with liberals and punishing conservatives. "This is a moment where there are no bad ideas," the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate said on a podcast.

These attacks stem from the left’s larger attack on the Supreme Court as an agent of the Trump administration. Schumer, for example, often criticizes what he dubs "the MAGA Supreme Court" for transforming government agencies into "members-only clubs for his golf buddies and cronies." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries decries "the corrupt conservative majority on the Supreme Court appointed by Donald Trump" for taking "a blowtorch" to civil rights laws.

MORNING GLORY: THE SUPREME COURT OFFICIALLY CLOSES THE BOOKS ON ANOTHER TERM

But the Supreme Court term that just ended demonstrates — yet again — that the court does not decide cases with an eye to partisan winners and losers. President Trump lost on several of his signature policies: in Learning Resources, the court struck down the White House’s universal tariffs as beyond the delegation of international economic power; in Barbara, a 6-3 majority affirmed birthright citizenship over a Trump executive order; in Cook, the justices blocked Trump’s removal of a governor on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System.

Trump only prevailed when his positions aligned with the Roberts court’s long-term agenda. In Slaughter, Trump won the power to fire the heads of administrative agencies, but the justices had been steadily expanding the president’s removal power for the last 15 years. In RNC, the court struck down more limits on the ability of parties to spend campaign funds in coordination with candidates, but only because the justices have steadily treated campaign funding as speech. In Callais, the Trump administration won the end of the use of race in congressional redistricting, but only because the Roberts court has steadily ended the government’s ability to use race in making decisions.

The court does not think in terms of Republicans and Democrats. It instead fights over much deeper differences between conservatives and progressives on constitutional interpretation.

The conservative justices generally believe that the court should interpret the Constitution based on the original understanding of its ratifiers; the liberal justices would allow contemporary ideals — whether political, economic or philosophic — to govern as well. These are the types of disputes appropriate to the Supreme Court, and to allow it to interpret and apply the Constitution free from political influence, the Framers gave federal judges lifetime tenure with undiminished pay.

But to make short-term political gains, the left would sacrifice the independence of the courts. Manipulating the size of the court in response to its decisions is just an attempt to dictate the desired outcomes to the justices.

Threats against them are merely another political tool to pressure the court to change its ways. These threats, encouraged by the heated rhetoric of Democratic leaders, along with court-packing, are themselves of a piece with the broader progressive attack on constitutional structure.

Democrats also want to abolish the Senate filibuster, which bolsters the constitutional structure by slowing legislative speed and enhancing deliberation and bargaining, so that the Senate will more closely resemble the House; add the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico as states, unbalancing the Senate; and enact nationwide voting legislation, thereby undermining federalism.

Progressives believe that they hold the keys to an enlightened socialist utopia. Because they are convinced that they know the only true political ends of society, they will not allow the structural limits on mob democracy, imposed by the Framers, to stand in their way.

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If the court will not permit the Constitution to be used to impose liberal theories of rights nationwide, progressives are happy to do away with the court’s independence. If the Senate will filibuster a wealth tax, then expand the Senate with blue states. If the president follows a restrictionist immigration agenda, then do away with the Electoral College, too.

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Progressives, however, err in their attacks on the Framers’ restraints on pure democracy, embodied in a Supreme Court that interprets a written Constitution. If the last 10 years should have taught them anything, it is that they do not have the permanent support of the majority of the American people. When a majority of Americans support a president and Congress who will narrow or reverse the favored rights of progressives — witness the birthright citizenship case — they will be fortunate that an independent Supreme Court will hear their pleas. But that would require progressives to weigh the long-term benefits of a written Constitution against short-term partisan gains.

That may be hoping for far too much.

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Illegal immigrant sentenced after fiery California semitruck crash killed 3

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 02:45:18 -0400

A 21-year-old Indian national who federal authorities said was in the U.S. illegally was sentenced Tuesday to four years and eight months in prison for causing a fiery Southern California crash that killed three people last year.

Jashanpreet Singh pleaded guilty to three felony counts of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence stemming from the October 2025 crash, according to NBC Los Angeles.

Authorities said Singh was driving a semitruck that plowed into slow-moving traffic on Interstate 10 in San Bernardino County, killing three people and injuring several others.

DEADLY ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT TRUCK CRASH EXPOSED FAILURES ON THE ROAD AND AT THE BORDER: KEY SENATOR

Fox News Digital previously reported that Singh is an illegal immigrant from India who crossed the southern border in 2022 and was released into the United States by the Biden administration.

According to federal sources, Singh was first encountered by Border Patrol agents in California's El Centro Sector in March 2022 and released pending an immigration hearing.

The crash, which was captured on dashcam video, showed Singh never applying the brakes before slamming into traffic, according to investigators.

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Singh obtained a California commercial driver's license in June 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.

In September, federal officials warned California they had uncovered compliance issues involving commercial driver's licenses and directed the state to make corrections, including pausing the issuance of new licenses to non-citizens and reviewing existing licenses to ensure they complied with federal requirements.

Anyone who did not meet the criteria was supposed to have their license revoked.

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Federal officials said Singh should have been disqualified under an emergency Department of Transportation policy. California officials said Singh’s CDL eligibility was based on federally approved employment authorization documents, while federal transportation officials said he should have been disqualified under new emergency rules. However, on Oct. 15, after he turned 21, a restriction on his commercial driver's license was removed.

Just six days later, authorities said Singh was driving the semitruck involved in the deadly crash.

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Toxicology testing later confirmed Singh was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner, Jasmine Baehr and Michael Ruiz, along with Fox News' Bill Melugin, contributed to this report.

American League stars outshine National League in 96th MLB All-Star game

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 00:25:03 -0400

The 2026 MLB All-Star Game arrived in Philadelphia with the feel of a 250th birthday bash for the United States, complete with plenty of red, white and blue and a roster full of stars who had earned their stripes.

But Citizens Bank Park, long known as a hitter-friendly backdrop, produced fewer fireworks than expected as the American League shut out the National League 4-0 in the 96th Midsummer Classic.

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Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease struck out the side in the first inning, setting the tone for a dominant AL pitching performance as 10 relievers helped finish a three-hitter in Tuesday night’s shutout of the NL.

New York Yankees outfielder Cody Bellinger hit a two-run single and Ben Rice followed with an RBI single in the first against Cristopher Sánchez of the host Philadelphia Phillies.

Chicago White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas added an eighth-inning home run off the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Wrobleski, who was pitching on his 26th birthday, for the game’s only extra-base hit. The AL won for the 18th time in 23 games and holds a 49-45-2 advantage overall.

Singles by Juan Soto in the fourth, Pete Crow-Armstrong in the eighth and Otto Lopez in the ninth were the only hits by the NL, which failed to advance a runner past first.

Pitchers combined for 27 strikeouts, 15 by AL hurlers.

MLB ALL-STAR GAME SCARE AS RAYS SLUGGER JUNIOR CAMINERO EXITS AFTER TAKING 98 MPH FASTBALL TO HAND

Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber, last year’s hero in the first-ever swing-off tiebreaker, led off for the NL. Schwarber replaced designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who skipped the showcase to undergo a knee procedure ahead of the season’s second half.

Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene and two New York Yankees, first baseman Ben Rice and Bellinger, gained American League starting spots because of injuries.

Tampa Bay Rays' Junior Caminero was hit on the outside of his left hand by a 97.6 mph sinker from St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O’Brien in the third inning and immediately left the game. The 23-year-old, fourth in the major leagues with 28 home runs, stayed down for a few moments before he popped up and ran straight into the clubhouse. X-rays were negative.

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Players across the majors will have the day off Wednesday before the Phillies host the New York Mets on Thursday. Action across the rest of the league resumes Friday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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ICE officer hailed as hero after saving driver injured in Missouri crash

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 23:53:36 -0400

An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer in Missouri is being praised by the Department of Homeland Security after stopping to provide lifesaving medical care to a driver injured in a serious crash, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Tuesday.

DHS praised ICE officer Curtland Sawyer for helping save the motorist's life after witnessing the collision while driving home.

According to DHS, Sawyer, who is assigned to ICE's St. Louis sub-office, was driving home on July 11 when he saw a vehicle collide with a tractor-trailer outside of Festus, Missouri.

SEE IT: ICE AGENTS PAUSE ARREST OPERATION TO SAVE WOMAN IN ROLLOVER CRASH

DHS said Sawyer rushed to the scene and provided lifesaving medical care, including applying a tourniquet to the driver's arm to stop life-threatening bleeding.

Sawyer remained with the injured driver until emergency medical technicians arrived to provide further treatment, DHS said.

"ICE law enforcement officer Curtland Sawyer immediately delivered lifesaving medical care to a driver who was involved in a serious collision with a tractor-trailer in Missouri. Officer Sawyer is a hero," DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis said in a statement.

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"Our officers are the best of the best," she continued. "When they see someone in need, they don’t hesitate to spring to action to help. If you see an ICE law enforcement officer, thank them for their service to our nation."

Sawyer's actions are the latest in a series of rescues highlighted by DHS in recent weeks.

Last month, an ICE officer jumped into a Florida swimming pool to rescue a 6-year-old child before performing lifesaving CPR, according to DHS.

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In a separate incident last month, ICE officers in Milwaukee rescued a woman trapped inside her overturned vehicle after another driver allegedly ran a red light and caused a crash, DHS said.

Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

MLB features incredible tribute to baseball history, America 250 during 2026 All-Star Game

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 23:10:18 -0400

The Major League Baseball All-Star Game is supposed to be a showcase for the best of what the sport has to offer.

Superstars on the same team. Young, up-and-coming prospects given the biggest national stage to introduce themselves to a broader audience. An opportunity for players to showcase their personalities in a sport that often tends toward stoicism.

The 2026 game isn't your typical All-Star Game, however. And MLB, to their credit, made sure to include a reminder that baseball is more than just your typical sport.

It's America's pastime.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR DURING THE 2026 MLB ALL-STAR GAME AT CITIZENS BANK PARK IN PHILADELPHIA

In a fitting tribute to baseball history, and American history, the game and broadcast paused for a five-minute interlude narrated by JK Simmons and set to Ray Charles' indelible performance of "America the Beautiful."

Featuring nostalgic throwbacks to some of baseball's biggest moments, along with fathers and sons playing catch, kids riding bikes to the local ballfield and iconic stadiums, the video culminated with then-President George W. Bush's ceremonial first pitch at Yankee Stadium following the Sept. 11 attacks.

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Those same kids ride their bikes onto the Citizens Bank Park field to fireworks, in a scene reminiscent of "The Sandlot." Even the players participated, some with sparklers around the dugout, or talking to the kids on the field. The finale then featured an incredible firework show from the stadium roof, to raucous applause from the sold-out crowd.

That's exactly what baseball is. That's what America is. That's baseball at its best: a tribute to the tradition, nostalgia and timeless consistency of the national pastime.

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Major League Baseball doesn't always get it right, but when they do, they do. It's impossible to watch that video without, as the now-legendary "Moneyball" line says, being "romantic about baseball." Because baseball is romantic. Three outs. Nine in the field. Pitcher against hitter. Walk-offs, diving catches, big strikeouts and the drama of a ninth inning one-run game. Nothing compares to baseball, or as this tribute demonstrates, America either.

England captain Harry Kane shoots down World Cup rift rumors between star Jude Bellingham, coach Thomas Tuchel

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:40:30 -0400

England captain Harry Kane dismissed any drama surrounding coach Thomas Tuchel's comments after teammate Jude Bellingham took issue with the manager's critique of England's "sloppy" 2-1 win over Norway.

Kane snuffed out the noise.

Speaking ahead of Wednesday's blockbuster World Cup semifinal against Argentina in Atlanta, Kane blasted reports of unrest inside England's camp, accusing the media of trying to tear the Three Lions apart.

HOW TO WATCH ENGLAND VS ARGENTINA: LIVE STREAM THE 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP SEMIFINALS

"When you are playing a game like that and to be asked a question five minutes after the final whistle, and he didn't really know what had been said, what do you want Jude to say?" Kane responded (via BBC Sport).

England's grueling 2-1 extra-time quarterfinal win over Norway came in punishing Miami heat on Saturday.

Bellingham was the hero, scoring England's two goals, including the dramatic 93rd-minute winner.

WATCH ENGLAND VS ARGENTINA LIVE

Moments after the final whistle, Tuchel delivered a brutally negative assessment to TV cameras.

"The result is fantastic. We're in the last four... but not happy with the performance, in every sense," Tuchel complained on the pitch.

"Sloppy, lot of technical mistakes, not fast enough... We were lucky today."

Bellingham, the 23-year-old phenom, barked back.

"Yeah, well, whatever," he said. "Maybe he doesn't know what it's like to play in those kind of conditions against Erling Haaland, Odegaard ... That's not an easy team to play against."

The exchange was tabloid gold, but Kane stood firmly by his teammate, accusing the media of trying to manufacture a divide. "I think it's easy to try and create this division," Kane explained. "It seems like an English mentality, an English thing to do at these major tournaments, but it's the complete opposite."

Rather than turning on Tuchel for the public critique, Kane praised the manager's intensity.

"He wears his heart on his sleeve and people appreciate that," Kane noted. "When he talks, it is never scripted. That is what makes him who he is. When it just comes naturally, you believe in that."

"The group is where we are because of our complete togetherness, not just the players, the coach and the staff," Kane added. "Things sometimes get made out to be more than they are."

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England will now look to silence the noise on the pitch when it faces Argentina for a spot in the World Cup final.

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MLB All-Star Game scare as Rays slugger Junior Caminero exits after taking 98 mph fastball to hand

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:24:16 -0400

The Midsummer Classic is supposed to be a celebration of baseball, but things took a frightening turn for the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night when their star left the field in pain.

Tampa Bay third baseman Junior Caminero got drilled in the left hand with a 98 mph fastball from St. Louis Cardinals closer Riley O'Brien.

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Caminero ran straight to the AL dugout and was forced out of the game. The 23-year-old crumpled to the ground, clutching his left hand before walking off with trainers. He was replaced on the base paths by pinch-runner Miguel Vargas.

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Fortunately for Tampa Bay, X-rays on Caminero's left hand came back negative.

Fox play-by-play announcer Joe Davis summed it up: "Everybody's worst nightmare in an exhibition is that anything like this happens."

Caminero came into the All-Star break with 28 home runs, tied for fourth in the majors, while helping power the Rays to the top of the AL East.

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Caminero avoided the worst, but the Midsummer Classic came a lot closer to disaster than anyone wanted.

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

Bank robbery suspect allegedly steals kitten, asks employee to hold it before demanding cash

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 22:13:46 -0400

Not every accomplice gets a say in the matter.

A Maryland man allegedly stole a 3-month-old kitten from a pet store, carried her into a nearby bank and asked an employee to hold the animal moments before handing a teller a note demanding cash, according to police and a local cat rescue.

The kitten, named Magnolia, was found unharmed after Prince George's County police arrested the suspect.

Beltsville Community Cats later joked on Facebook that her brief "life of crime" was over.

FLORIDA MEN INDICTED IN ARMED HOME INVASION WHERE SUSPECT POSED AS UTILITY WORKER, 13-YEAR-OLD ZIP-TIED: DOJ

The 3-month-old kitten, described by Beltsville Community Cats as a "true purr machine," is still looking for a forever home after her unlikely brush with an attempted bank robbery.

Security camera video obtained by NBC Washington shows a man wearing a light-colored T-shirt and black beanie entering Pet Supplies Plus on Baltimore Avenue before running out seconds later carrying the black-and-white tuxedo kitten.

Witnesses told the outlet the man ran directly to the nearby PNC Bank in the same shopping center.

Stephanie Stullich, with Beltsville Community Cats rescue, said she received a frantic phone call around 10:30 a.m. from pet store employees reporting Magnolia had been taken from the adoption area.

CALIFORNIA SUSPECT'S ALLEGED $30K METH STASH SEIZED AFTER HE LEFT BACKPACK IN RIDESHARE: POLICE

"I immediately saw all of these police cars, and I thought, 'Wow, that's a heck of a response for a stolen cat,'" Stullich told NBC Washington. "But then I realized they all were going down to the bank."

According to Stullich, police officers later told her the suspect walked into the bank holding Magnolia before asking an employee, "Can you hold this?" He then allegedly handed a teller a note demanding cash.

Prince George's County police confirmed they took a man into custody at the bank.

BRAZEN PICKPOCKETS PREY ON VULNERABLE TOURISTS AS VACATION ISLAND IS SWARMED BY MILLIONS

Pet Supplies Plus manager Aaron Kurkowski told NBC Washington the suspect had visited the store nearly every day for the past couple of weeks and routinely headed straight for Magnolia.

"He just went right to her and ran right on out," Kurkowski said.

The rescue later posted on Facebook that Magnolia was recovered safely after the rescue said she bonded with the bank manager during the ordeal.

"The robbery was unsuccessful, the suspect was arrested, and Magnolia was found safe and sound," the organization wrote.

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The rescue said Magnolia remains available for adoption and describes the 3-month-old tuxedo kitten as affectionate and playful, adding that she loves cuddles, adventures and following her people around. Because she's so social and energetic, the group recommends she be adopted into a home with another young, playful cat or alongside one of its other cats.

"She's looking for a law-abiding citizen with a lot of love in their heart," Stullich told NBC Washington.

Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy discuss their thoughts on legacy ahead of The Open: 'we're all going to die'

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:55:06 -0400

There's nothing like the final major of the golf calendar to turn some of the world's best players into philosophers. Especially when that final major is The Open Championship at Royal Birkdale, where an extremely dried out course is expected to lead to firm fairways and tougher conditions.

Heading into this week's tournament, the defending Champion Golfer of the Year is world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has had a bit of a rocky season by his extremely high standards, including a surprising missed cut at the Genesis Scottish Open last week. But before Scheffler won last year's tournament at Royal Portrush, he famously said "What is the point of it all?" when discussing what winning and on-course success means to win.

Well, something about the UK must make Scheffler a bit introspective, because he's at it again this year. When asked about those comments and whether he plays for his legacy or history, Scheffler couldn't resist cracking a bit of a "morbid" joke about it.

'I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO': SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER GOES AFTER HIS CADDIE DURING RARE MELTDOWN AT THE MEMORIAL

"To be completely honest, not really. I don’t really play, like, for a place in history," he said. "I’m not playing for anything like that because, this is going to sound a little morbid, at the end of the day, I’m going to live my life, and it’s going to end. When it ends, I’m going somewhere else, and I’m not going to be here anymore.

"Is that going to be a quote after last year’s ‘What’s the point’? (That) this year (it will be) ‘we’re all going to die’?" he added with a smile.

Yes, Scottie, that is absolutely going go to be this year's quote.

RORY MCILROY DETAILS THE DIFFERENCE IN EMOTIONS FOLLOWING EACH OF HIS CONSECUTIVE MASTERS WINS

Rory McIlroy had some similar sentiments when asked about his thoughts on legacy and what he hopes people will think of him.

"I don't really care," he said. "I would like to think that the people that love and care about me think a certain way of me, but yeah, I'll be long gone. I'll be dead. I don't think I'll be seeing what people say about me. I'll be six feet under. I don't think I'll be a ghost. I don't think I'll be, you know, like...yeah, I don't care."

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The two best players in the world talking about death ahead of a major championship tournament. Just what we all expected. And to be fair, they're both right. Legacy and history are for others to determine, and worrying about it during tournaments could impact their ability to lock in from shot to shot. Golfers in particular have to be able to flush their last shot and move on to the next. Worrying about their spot in history doesn't lend itself to that mentality.

Jordan Spieth won The Open by three shots at -12 in 2017, the last time the tournament was held at Royal Birkdale, though scores may be even lower this coming weekend. Yes, the course is firm, and will force players to make difficult choices, but conditions are expected to be mild with temperatures in the mid-to-upper 60's, no rain, and mostly light winds.

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Though at the end of the day, what difference does it make, cause we're all going to die anyway?

Moderate San Francisco mayor's 'political machine' indicates the city's shift to the center: report

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:30:55 -0400

San Francisco voters are continuing to embrace the political center, signaling a vibe shift in a city long defined by its ultra-progressive policies.

According to a recent report from Politico, Mayor Daniel Lurie and his moderate allies have successfully constructed a powerful centrist political apparatus that is resonating with residents weary of the city's "pandemic-era decline."

"A key piece of the effort to advance Lurie’s political and policy agenda is Believe in SF, a nonprofit advocacy group that has quietly established itself as one of the most deeppocketed forces in San Francisco. Its PAC, one of several entities that make up the group’s operation, just raised nearly $1.8 million to back Lurie’s favored candidates and ballot measures in the city’s June primary," Politico reported on Monday, calling it his "political machine."

BILLIONARE TOM STEYER ENDS CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR CAMPAIGN AFTER FALLING SHORT IN JUNGLE PRIMARY

"The results were decisive: two of Lurie’s moderate allies on the board of supervisors, Alan Wong and Stephen Sherrill, won competitive races by wide margins. And voters overwhelmingly rejected a union-led ballot measure — fervently opposed by Lurie — that would have raised taxes on large corporations with ‘overpaid CEOs.'"

Central to this shift is a massive influx of moderate campaign spending aimed at locking progressives out of power. Groups like Neighbors for a Better San Francisco, a business- and tech-backed advocacy organization, have poured millions of dollars into local contests to keep the city on a centrist course.

The moderate streak has consolidated Lurie's grip on local governance. Recent polling data from the San Francisco Chronicle reveals he enjoys a 74% approval rating, driven by voter optimism over downtown revitalization and cleaner neighborhoods.

Lurie, a moderate Democrat and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, was elected in 2024 after soundly defeating incumbent London Breed. His victory capped off a multi-year voter revolt against lenient policies on crime, retail theft, drug markets and homelessness that critics argue caused a severe quality-of-life crisis. The political transformation even caught the eye of President Donald Trump, who praised the city’s efforts to turn its trajectory around.

The political fallout for the city's left wing has been decisive. In recent supervisor elections, moderate candidates successfully flipped key seats, securing lopsided wins over progressive incumbents.

LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS’ AFFORDABILITY SCAM COLLAPSES IN STATES THEY ACTUALLY RUN

"It’s a winning streak that speaks to Lurie’s current grip on San Francisco politics, as he enjoys a sky-high approval rating of 74 percent, as well as the city’s pivot to the political center in recent years," Politico reported.

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

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Cowboys pass rusher Charles Snowden suspended 3 games by NFL after DUI plea

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:33:47 -0400

Dallas Cowboys outside linebacker Charles Snowden was suspended for the first three games of the 2026 NFL season, the league’s transactional wire said Tuesday.

An NFL spokesperson confirmed to Fox News Digital he was suspended due to a DUI arrest from 2024, which was recently settled after Snowden accepted a plea agreement.

Snowden will miss the Cowboys' season opener on the road against the New York Giants, their home opener against the Washington Commanders and another home game against the Baltimore Ravens.

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Snowden is still allowed to take part in the Cowboys’ preseason, which includes three preseason contests. The suspension will take effect after NFL rosters reach 53 men.

Snowden, 28, reached a plea agreement to resolve a 2024 DUI arrest in January.

EX-NFL PRO BOWLER MARCELLUS WILEY ARRESTED, CHARGED WITH DOMESTIC BATTERY DURING FOURTH OF JULY

Snowden pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor DUI charge and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine and attend coroner’s and DUI courses as part of the agreement.

As a result of the plea agreement, Snowden’s charge will be reduced to reckless driving if he completes the specified orders.

Snowden signed with the Cowboys this offseason as a free agent following a tryout after he was invited for minicamp.

Snowden was an undrafted free agent out of Virginia who signed with the Chicago Bears in 2021. He appeared in just two games and did not play during the 2022 or 2023 regular seasons.

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Snowden played for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024 and 2025. His best season came last year when he racked up three sacks, 28 combined tackles, five tackles for loss and one interception across 15 games (nine starts).

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Seattle residents say they are in 'survival mode,' selling homes as high prices squeeze middle class

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 21:00:26 -0400

Even a family with ties to one of America's biggest tech companies says it can no longer make the numbers work.

Faced with rising costs for groceries, gas, insurance and housing, a Seattle-area family is selling its home and downsizing as inflation continues to strain household budgets.

"The last year has definitely been an absolute tightening up of what we’re spending on," Liesl Gatcheco told The Seattle Times in an article by business reporter Jessica Fu published Tuesday.

"It’s very stressful," Gatcheco said. "I feel like I’ve been living emotionally in survival mode."

LIZ PEEK: DEMOCRATS’ AFFORDABILITY SCAM COLLAPSES IN STATES THEY ACTUALLY RUN

Fu wrote that inflation in the Seattle area "remained high" in June and continued to outpace the rest of the country. Consumer prices in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue region rose 4.5% over the past year, down from 4.9% in April but still higher than the U.S. inflation rate of 3.5%.

Gatcheco is a self-employed esthetician, whose income "has gone down as fewer clients make bookings," according to The Seattle Times.

Her husband works at Microsoft.

FURY ERUPTS AS US BRAND FIRES 1,600 EMPLOYEES AFTER SECURING THOUSANDS OF FOREIGN WORKER VISAS

"That used to mean stability and even upward mobility," Fu wrote. "Now, he’s constantly worried about layoffs. Just last week, the company cut 4,800 workers in its Xbox division and sales teams; in 2025, it laid off 15,000 employees. This year, the tech giant also offered voluntary buyouts to 7% U.S.-based employees."

Gatcheco said, "Working in tech used to be a sure thing, and it’s absolutely not anymore."

Gatcheco and her husband, who have twins, said they are selling their home in Crown Hill, a neighborhood in the city of Seattle, where her sister also lives with them in their downstairs unit, to downsize and "take control."

STEVE MOORE: POLITICIANS ARE BLAMING THE WRONG VILLAIN FOR AMERICA’S RISING FOOD PRICES

Dusty Wilson, a math teacher at Highline College in Des Moines, about 20 minutes from Seattle, said he and his wife, Charlene, drive less and use light rail because gas has gotten so expensive.

"We were always just drivers, and then gas hit $6 a gallon," Wilson said.

Fu also reported that costs of food at restaurants have risen 6.2% over the year ending in June.

"Expenses that used to be ordinary, like takeout and dining out, have started to feel more like indulgences, even for people who never anticipated having to scale back," Fu wrote.

Veronica Brown, 36, who works in tech, told Fu, "I’m not hurting for money in any way."

However, Fu wrote that Brown said she no longer orders takeout after the total cost of her usual pad thai exceeded $40 once taxes, fees and a tip were added. She previously ordered delivery once or twice a month.

Brown said she is concerned about being able to make bigger purchases, like buying a house.

"Our money doesn’t go as far," Brown told Fu.

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A spokesperson for Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson told Fox News Digital that "Fu's story illustrates why affordability and inequality remain among the most urgent challenges facing Seattle and why it is a priority for this administration. Mayor Katie Wilson is fighting for housing, childcare, and good jobs while expanding access to public benefits for Seattle residents."

The spokesperson continued by highlighting that, over the past six months, Wilson's office has "transmitted legislation to ban certain "junk fees" that landlords, particularly large ones, charge renters, reducing unexpected renter fees, accelerated construction of new shelters to help bring people indoors and help them shift to long-term housing," and "released the Seattle Transit Measure Proposal offering a low-cost way to bring people more and better of the cheapest option available, public transit for the next 10 years."

Her office also noted it has "proposed strengthening access to public libraries by delivering more physical and e-books and keeping facilities safe, clean, and well maintained through the Seattle Library Levy, transmitted legislation for universal school meals, including both breakfast and lunch, so that students don’t have learn while hungry" and "supported City Council modifying eligibility for the City’s utility discount program qualifying more low-income residents and seniors.

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"We look forward to the next six months and pulling together with our neighbors, families, immigrant, and workers to tackle challenges and keep Seattle a place everyone can call home."

Social media reacts to Jennifer Hudson and Patti Labelle's performances at MLB All-Star Game

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:57:47 -0400

Jennifer Hudson's agent might need a raise because they booked her one heck of a week of singin' gigs, and it started with a stirring rendition of "God Bless America" at the MLB All-Star Game in Philadelphia.

The singer and talk show host is from Chicago, but again, that agent put in some work and got her hooked up with this gig in Philly.

And, man, did she ever bring down the house.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR DURING THE 2026 MLB ALL-STAR GAME AT CITIZENS BANK PARK IN PHILADELPHIA

"God Bless America" is not new to MLB All-Star Games, but it's especially cool to hear it sung in Philadelphia, a little over a week removed from the nation's 250th birthday.

Plus, right across the parking lot from Citizens Bank Park over at Xfinity Mobile Arena, the Philadelphia Flyers like to dust that tune off for big games.

But man, Hudson really leaned into that one and gave it everything she had, and social media certainly took notice.

THIS 'AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL' RENDITION BEFORE THE FRANCE VS PARAGUAY MATCH WILL GIVE YOU GOOSEBUMPS

That's a heck of a tune-up for when Hudson is part of the FIFA World Cup Final ceremony.

Of course, someone had to handle "Star-Spangled Banner" duties, and this year, that honor, fittingly, went to a Philadelphia native.

Patti LaBelle, the Godmother of Soul.

How's that for a one-two punch of patriotism before the Midsummer Classic?!

Throw in that giant replica of the Declaration of Independence all the starters got to sign, and I don't think you could do any better for America's 250th.

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After that, I can't think of anything better for the fans in attendance to do than to kick back and watch some baseball.

Well, maybe get a brewski from the Liberty Bell too.

Multiple rescued from pontoon boat near Alcatraz as search continues for missing persons

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 20:33:31 -0400

One person is dead, three people remain missing and 16 others were rescued Tuesday after a pontoon boat capsized near Alcatraz Island off the coast of San Francisco, authorities said.

San Francisco Fire Chief Dean Crispin said during a news conference that 19 people were aboard the vessel. Authorities later updated the passenger count to 20 and said three people remained missing. Thirteen survivors made it safely to shore, while three others were transported to a hospital.

One of the people pulled from the water received CPR and was later pronounced dead, Crispin said.

Crispin described the vessel as a three-deck pontoon boat that was roughly 600 yards from Alcatraz Island when the boat capsized.

'WONDERFUL' CA NURSE AND MOTHER VANISHES AFTER GOING TO CASINO; CAR FOUND ABANDONED AT MOUNTAIN PARK: FAMILY

Crispin said the San Francisco Fire Department initially responded to a report of a vessel fire around 3:35 p.m., but crews instead found a capsized boat. He later said there was no evidence of a fire.

Authorities, including the U.S. Coast Guard, have 11 vessels, divers and helicopters searching for the two missing people, Crispin said.

"It's a very active scene," he said, adding that the search would likely continue into the evening.

Fire Lt. Mariano Elias later told Fox News Digital that search operations would continue overnight and into Wednesday morning.

SEARCH UNDERWAY FOR AUSTRALIAN WOMAN WHO VANISHED AFTER SENDING MESSAGE ABOUT GOING FOR A HIKE NEAR LAS VEGAS

Crispin described the boat as a recreational vessel.

The San Francisco Police Department's marine unit found the vessel capsized and mostly submerged, with fuel leaking into the water and the engine still running, Crispin said. One person was found in the water, while the remaining occupants were found inside the top compartment of the vessel and were rescued.

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This is a developing story; check back for updates.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Man fleeing ICE officers in Florida is struck and killed by tractor-trailer, police say

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:58:16 -0400

A man fleeing federal immigration authorities and other federal agents was struck and killed by a tractor-trailer on Tuesday, authorities said.

The unidentified 28-year-old Mexican citizen was among four people in a vehicle that was stopped in a gas station parking lot just before 6:45 a.m. in St. Augustine, Florida, the Department of Homeland Security told Fox News Digital.

All four occupants fled on foot during an encounter with agents from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). One ran across a busy road, was struck by an oncoming semitruck and was pronounced dead.

ICE AGENTS INSTRUCTED TO END MOST VEHICLE STOPS IN MAJOR POLICY SHIFT

"The pedestrian was struck by the tractor-trailer in the right lane and sustained fatal injuries on scene," the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) said.

The 64-year-old truck driver stopped immediately and tried to render aid to the man, the agency said. FHP is investigating the traffic fatality.

MAINE ICE SHOOTING VICTIM WAS NOT TARGET OF ARREST WARRANT, SEN. KING’S OFFICE SAYS AFTER EARLIER DHS ACCOUNT

Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for comment.

The death is the third in about a week involving people fleeing or encountering ICE agents. In Texas, a man was shot and killed after DHS said he tried to ram agents with his vehicle.

In Maine, another man was shot and killed while inside a vehicle.

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Hours after the incident Tuesday, the Trump administration instructed ICE agents to temporarily halt most vehicle stops nationwide, marking a major policy shift.

Far-left podcaster Jennifer Welch calls homeschooling 'trickle down stupidity,' a 'huge problem'

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:55:46 -0400

Co-hosts Jennifer Welch and Angie Sullivan of the far-left "I've Had It" podcast condemned homeschooling as "weird as f---" and the "worst" idea during their show on Tuesday.

Their comments were in response to a caller to the show complaining about "morons attempting to homeschool their children" when they "probably shouldn't have even had children to start with."

Sullivan quickly seized on the caller's comments, remarking that she worries about "people in Bible study" homeschooling their kids.

BLUE STATE BILL TARGETS HOMESCHOOLERS IN LATEST GOVERNMENT POWER GRAB

"I just think homeschooling is a bad idea, from soup to nuts," Sullivan said. "I don’t care if you’re a nuclear physicist. I think it’s just f---ing weird as f--- that you want your kids around you all day, every day and all night. And just the socialization.

"For me personally, it was that I would have gotten up on my hands and knees and strapped them to my back and crawled to get them to school every day just to get them where I wasn't," she continued. "So, I don't trust somebody that wants to be with their kids 24/7. I think a lot of dumb people do it because it's just easier. and that's a concern."

Welch accused parents who choose to homeschool of attempting to "project a script onto their kids" and claimed they were incapable of critical thinking.

"This is trickle-down stupidity. This is MAGA on steroids. This is MAHA. This is tradwife. This is unvaxxed and unjacked and all that s---. This is the worst, worst, worst," Welch said.

BRAZIL PARENTS FACE PRISON SENTENCE FOR HOMESCHOOLING AFTER COURT ACCUSES THEM OF 'INTELLECTUAL NEGLECT'

The far-left podcaster argued that homeschooling was part of America's "fundamental crazy Christian problem," suggesting it was essentially child abuse.

"I think it's a huge problem," Welch said. "I cannot stand these people, but, again, it's a pretty big red flag when somebody tells you, when you're like, 'What's their deal? They seem kind of awful,' [and they say] 'I was homeschooled.' You're like, 'Yeah.' I just think it's such a selfish thing for parents to do.

"I honestly ... I'm just gonna say this. I think it's selfish for parents to push a religion on a child and make them believe just one before they're old enough to hear about all of them or none of them and decide for themselves. I think it's all child abuse, honestly."

HOMESCHOOLING RATES SURGE ACROSS THE COUNTRY IN THE WAKE OF COVID: REPORT

In a comment to Fox News Digital, American Culture Project senior fellow and education policy advocate Corey DeAngelis remarked that sending children to government schools for a majority of their childhoods was the real "weird" position.

"It's not weird to love your children and want them around. It’s weird to outsource them to strangers employed by the government while pretending it’s for their own good. The government school system is filled with documented abuse, bullying, fights, drugs, gangs, violence and relentless socialist indoctrination. That’s the 'socialization' these hosts are defending," DeAngelis said.

"Homeschooling isn’t some radical new experiment," he continued. "Parents teaching their own children at home is how human beings learned for thousands of years. The real experiment is the factory-model government schooling system that only exists because of 19th-century Prussian militarism and 20th-century progressive social engineering.

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"And that experiment has failed millions of kids," he added. "The podcast comments reveal more about the hosts’ contempt for family and parental authority than they do about homeschooling.

"Parents choosing to raise and educate their own children isn’t 'MAGA on steroids' or 'trickle-down stupidity.' It’s the most natural thing in the world."

Man who allegedly sent racial insult to Aces' Chelsea Gray is fired from job at Hilton, company says

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:53:48 -0400

Hilton Grand Vacations announced Tuesday that it has fired an employee who allegedly sent a racial insult to Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray.

"The person responsible for posting this information is no longer with the company," Hilton Grand Vacations said in its statement. "His behavior was in violation of multiple company policies and does not reflect our company's values in any way."

Gray posted a screenshot of an alleged Instagram direct message she received after her loss to Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever on Sunday.

HOST CLAIMS WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT CANCELED INTERVIEW AS CAITLIN CLARK CONTROVERSY MOUNTS

The screenshot contained an alleged racial slur against Gray, and included the user's profile name and photo.

"People act like we just make this s--- up. And the audacity to tell us as athletes to 'shut up and dribble,'" Gray wrote under the screenshot.

The Fever defeated the Aces 109-75, as Clark had 12 points with seven rebounds and six assists. The Fever guard continued to work her way back to a full-time role after suffering a back injury on June 24.

SUSPENDED ALYSSA THOMAS RECEIVES SUPPORT FROM TEAMMATE & COACH AFTER CHEAP SHOT ON CAITLIN CLARK

The game against the Aces came amid heightened tension among WNBA fans and players which followed the incident where Clark was punched in the throat by Alyssa Thomas during a June 24 game between the Fever and Phoenix Mercury.

The incident and subsequent discourse has resurfaced contentious racial debates surrounding Clark's presence as the preeminent player in the WNBA. Thomas and her teammates previously revealed they also received racial insults and threats after the throat punch.

Last week, 11 Republican lawmakers wrote a letter to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert alleging Clark faces racially motivated hostility and expressing concern that the "physical hostility" and "violence" she faces may also be racially motivated.

"Clark has been hip-checked, poked in the eye, and struck in the throat during games. These incidents go far beyond routine physical play, yet the WNBA and its officiating have too often failed to address these unacceptable incidents and hold players accountable," the letter states.

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Engelbert then allegedly canceled an interview on "The Dan Patrick Show" late last week, Patrick claimed on Friday's show, due to guidance from the league's public relations team.

California suspect's alleged $30K meth stash seized after he left backpack in rideshare: police

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:53:46 -0400

A California man's alleged drug haul was foiled after he accidentally left behind a backpack containing a massive stash of suspected methamphetamine in a rideshare vehicle, officials said in a news release.

The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) said authorities recovered roughly three-quarters of a pound of suspected meth after the rideshare driver contacted officers Sunday afternoon.

The drugs have an estimated street value of more than $30,000, according to treatment directory Recovered, which cites typical prices of up to $100 per gram.

BORDER OFFICERS CRACK OPEN CABBAGE SHIPMENT HIDING MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR SECRET AT TEXAS BORDER

"A suspect's rideshare trip took an unexpected turn after he left behind a bag containing more than 300 grams of methamphetamine," SFPD said.

The incident unfolded near the Tenderloin neighborhood, one of San Francisco's most notorious areas plagued by open-air drug activity, homelessness and violent crime.

Police identified the suspect as 41-year-old Sacramento resident Jessie Ottman-Combs.

NEWSOM BLASTED BY SHERIFF IN HIS OWN BACKYARD OVER CALIFORNIA CRIME AS VICTIMS CRY FOUL

Authorities said they quickly located Ottman-Combs after working with the rideshare driver to arrange for the backpack to be returned to its owner, ultimately leading officers to a motel where he was staying.

During a search of the motel room, officers reportedly recovered two cellphones, two tablets and drug paraphernalia.

Police seized all the items, along with the suspected methamphetamine found in the rideshare vehicle, as evidence.

Authorities recovered 355.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine.

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Ottman-Combs was booked into the San Francisco County Jail on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transportation or sale of methamphetamine.

The investigation remains active, police said.

Trump threatens to expand strikes on Iran, says power plants are next to go: 'Hit them hard'

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:51:18 -0400

President Donald Trump threatened Tuesday to expand military strikes and continue to hit Iran "very hard" until it returns to the negotiating table, lamenting that every time a deal is made, Tehran breaks its promise.

"We're going to hit them very hard tonight," he said in an exclusive interview with Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst. "We're going to hit them hard tomorrow night. We're gonna hit them really hard the night after."

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has conducted consecutive strikes near the Strait of Hormuz over the past several days, and Trump said the operations will continue until he determines it is "enough."

TRUMP SAYS US WILL STRIKE IRAN 'VERY HARD' AGAIN TODAY

"Next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power plants," the president warned. "Next week comes the bridges. We're gonna knock out all their power plants. We're going to knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate."

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President Trump made the comments after he walked back plans to charge a 20% toll on all vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz. Instead, Middle Eastern nations will make "massive" investment and trade deals with the United States, Trump said.

"I was going to charge a fee, but instead they'd rather spend a lot of money in the United States, which frankly is better because I don't like the idea of a fee," he said in the interview aired on "Special Report."

US CLAWS BACK KEY CONCESSION TO IRAN AFTER FRESH ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL SHIPS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ

The U.S. also reimposed its naval blockade on Iranian ports in the strait at Trump’s order.

Trump, who said U.S. representatives recently spoke with Iranian negotiators, expressed frustration over what he described as Iran’s tendency to break promises and warned the country will face severe consequences if it fails to reach an agreement.

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"They want to make a deal. But every time they make a deal, they break it," the president said.

TRUMP WARNS IRAN'S 'CLOCK IS TICKING': MOVE 'FAST' OR 'THERE WON'T BE ANYTHING LEFT'

"You better make a deal. You're not going to have anybody left. We're being very careful with the civilian population, as you know, but I said, 'You better make a deal you're going to not have anything left.'"

Trump said his military objectives in Iran, including keeping the Strait of Hormuz open, have been achieved despite traffic through the waterway being down roughly 90% from normal levels Monday.

"I think they're completed now, honestly," the president said. "If we left right now, it would take them 20 years to rebuild what they have."

Yingst asked Trump about new activity at a nuclear site outside Tehran previously hit by U.S. strikes. Trump dismissed it as not a main concern.

"We can hit that one very easily. You know, it only takes a matter of minutes for us to do it and do major damage. Major damage," he said. "And when they know it's coming, they disappear."

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The president touted "tremendous progress" in degrading Iran’s military capabilities while admitting Tehran still retains some ability to fight, comparing the country to a boxer.

"They've been degraded to a very low level," Trump said. "And they have fight. You know? It's like a great boxer. You think you have him beat, and then, all of a sudden, he comes back, and he gives you a shot. They have some fight left, but they don't have much."

74-year-old becomes Florida's oldest inmate executed after 1982 killing of teen

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 14:19:11 -0400

A 74-year-old man was executed in Florida on Tuesday, making him the oldest inmate executed in Florida's modern history.

Dennis Sochor was pronounced dead at 6:16 p.m. after a three-drug injection at Florida State Prison near Starke, according to the Florida Department of Corrections. He was found guilty of first-degree murder and kidnapping after 18-year-old Patricia Gifford refused to have sex with him on Jan. 1, 1982.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday, without comment, denied Sochor's request for a stay of execution and rejected his petition for review, allowing the execution to move forward as scheduled.

Sochor was strapped to a gurney with an IV in his arm when the curtain to the death chamber went up at execution time.

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He apologized several times to the Gifford family, saying he was "deeply sorry" for his crime, a spokesman for Gov. Ron DeSantis' office said, according to The Associated Press. He also thanked his loved ones for their support over the years and commended his spirit to Jesus Christ.

Sochor declined a last meal and met with one visitor and a spiritual advisor before his execution, according to the outlet.

Sochor was with his brother when he met Gifford as she was celebrating on New Year's Day at a bar in the Fort Lauderdale area, according to Fox 13.

The group talked through the night, but Gifford left with Sochor and his brother to get breakfast. Sochor drove his truck to a secluded area and asked Gifford if she wanted to have sex, and she refused. Sochor then attacked the teenager, according to investigators.

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Sochor was arrested in 1986 on unrelated charges and extradited to Florida, where he confessed to choking Gifford and disposing of her body.

His brother told authorities Sochor was responsible for Gifford's disappearance, and her body was never found.

In 1987, a jury convicted Sochor of first-degree murder and kidnapping, and he was sentenced to death.

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While Sochor was the oldest inmate in Florida's modern history to be executed, an 80-year-old prisoner is scheduled to be executed later in July. Another 74-year-old inmate only a week younger than Sochor at the time of execution was put to death last month.

Sochor's execution was the 10th in Florida so far this year.

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In 2025, 19 people were put to death in Florida, setting a record for the most executions in one year in the Sunshine State. Before last year, Florida's record for executions in a year since the death penalty was restored in 1976 was eight in 1984 and 2014.

Florida also executed more people last year than any other state, with Alabama, Texas and South Carolina tied for the second-most with five each. Across the U.S., 47 people were executed in 2025.

Fox News' Bill Mears and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Country singer RaeLynn files for divorce from Army veteran husband after decade-long marriage

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:40:13 -0400

RaeLynn revealed this week that she filed for divorce from her husband of more than 10 years.

"After much thought and prayer, I have made the difficult decision to file for divorce," the 32-year-old country singer wrote on social media Tuesday.

"As a working mom, I am committed to giving my daughter the love, stability, and support she will need while we navigate this next chapter together. I am grateful for the love and encouragement of my family, friends, and fans, and I respectfully ask for privacy as we move forward with grace and compassion."

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The couple share one daughter, Daisy Rae, who is 4 years old.

The singer spoke to Fox News in 2017, calling her husband "selfless" for his military service.

"I’m just so proud of him," she said at the time.

The pair met at church in 2012 and later reconnected at a wedding before marrying in 2016.

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Davis is a former financial advisor and an Army veteran.

The "God Made Girls" singer has written several songs about her husband, including "Camo," "Diamonds" and "Lonely Call."

"I wrote ‘Diamonds’ after we got engaged, and the hook of the song is a diamond is just a diamond until you put it on the right left hand," she told Fox News in 2017, shortly after Davis had returned from basic training.

"It’s one of my favorite songs to sing because I love to honor my husband."

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She filed for divorce in Nashville June 8, citing irreconcilable differences, according to People magazine.

RaeLynn has shared several photos of her daughter this summer, including one of the two of them dancing to her duet with Rhett Akins, "We’re American Made."

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She and her daughter danced in the video while twinning in patriotic clothing as her daughter clutched a Woody doll from "Toy Story."

In the video, RaeLynn wore blue cowgirl boots with red stars, and Daisy Rae sported a red checkered jumper, red cowgirl boots and American flag bows in her hair.

In 2016, RaeLynn told Taste of Country she wrote her song "Love Triangle" about her parents’ divorce.

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"Anybody that I've ever talked to that comes as a child of divorce like me, there's a part of you that's scared, but there's also a part of you that knows that you don't ever want to repeat those mistakes," she told the outlet soon after her marriage.

"I will never ever put my kid through that, and I never want to go through that, because I saw how much it hurt my mom and how much it hurt my dad.

"I look at marriage in a totally different way. I feel like our generation kind of looks at it as a disposable thing, but it's not. It's a commitment. When I made that commitment, I made it for life, and I'm gonna stick to it."

Legends Justin Verlander and Kate Upton make one last All-Star Game red carpet appearance

Tue, 14 Jul 2026 19:22:14 -0400

This is it. In all likelihood, Tuesday in Philadelphia is the last time that legends Justin Verlander and Kate Upton will walk the MLB All-Star Red Carpet.

At least as a member of an MLB roster. Verlander, the All-Star Game "Legend Pick," is calling it a career at the end of the season.

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The future Hall of Famer threw cold water on the idea of making a comeback while on the red carpet. He was asked about his retirement and what it would take to keep him from calling it quits.

He replied, "I don't know if there's much you can do at this point."

Verlander, 43, then added that his teammate Tarik Skubal has been telling him that all the best come back. This prompted a comment about him training and popping up at the trade deadline ready to be signed next year.

"Sure. Here we are at the All-Star Break and I can't get healthy and pitch...," he said of the idea. "But hopefully, I get healthy in the second half, you know? You know that's what I'm trying to do."

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The reality is that baseball is a young man's game. At 43, Verlander knows that's the case. He's focusing on getting healthy in the second half and riding off into the sunset.

The game of baseball and the red carpets that come with success are for a new generation. They're for the likes of Paul Skenes and Livvy Dunne.

They're for Brandon Marsh and his mom, sister and girlfriend. And the game and the red carpets are for guys like Corbin Carroll and his girlfriend Emma Broyles.

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But that doesn’t mean we don't deserve one last red carpet appearance from Justin Verlander and Kate Upton. They've earned it and so have we.

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Cue the music as we thank them by taking a look back at some of their past All-Star Game Red Carpet appearances. What a run.

We'll see them in Cooperstown in a few years.