Latest & Breaking News | Fox News

Seattle Seahawks make Devon Witherspoon NFL's highest-paid CB of all time, but probably not for long

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:27:39 -0400

It is an NFL business fact that when its best players agree to new contracts, they break records as well as the bank. That's the case with Seattle Seahawks cornerback Devon Witherspoon, who on Saturday became the league's highest-paid cornerback.

Witherspoon agreed to a four-year deal worth $132 million that includes more than $101 million in guarantees, according to a source. And this:

It not only makes Witherspoon the league's highest paid player at his position today but also all-time.

PATRICK MAHOMES LEAPS PAST DAK PRESCOTT AS NFL'S HIGHEST-PAID QB WITH RECORD CHIEFS EXTENSION WORTH $504.75M

Witherspoon's deal will average $33 million per season on an annual average basis which beats the $31 million per season Denzel Ward got from the Cleveland Browns last month.

That's not all.

Witherspoon, a Pro Bowl selection all three years he's been in the NFL, is getting paid to stop opposing wide receivers and quarterbacks. And this deal pays him more than many opposing wide receivers and quarterbacks.

Consider that Witherspoon's deal pays more on an annual average than Aaron Rodgers gets from the Pittsburgh Steelers on an annual average – $22 million.

It pays more than Kirk Cousins gets from the Las Vegas Raiders – $11.3 million.

And while it doesn't eclipse what Baker Mayfield ($33.3 million) gets from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, his total guarantees of $101 million are more than twice Mayfield's $50 million in total guarantees.

Witherspoon's deal is in quarterback territory and Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold can attest to that.

Darnold last season signed a deal that averages $33.5 million per season with $55 million in guarantees.

PHILADELPHIA EAGLES LOCK UP JALEN CARTER THROUGH 2031 WITH RECORD $152M CONTRACT EXTENSION

Witherspoon blew the guarantees figure away. And Witherspoon is obviously in the same neighborhood on an annual average.

The business of the NFL is thriving and these deals are proof.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

And it is not likely to stop.

Witherspoon's deal signals that another, likely bigger, contract is en route for a cornerback across the country.

The New England Patriots and cornerback Christian Gonzalez have been negotiating a new deal for months. Patriots owner Robert Kraft is on record as saying the Patriots were offering to make Gonzalez the highest paid cornerback in the NFL.

It was a race to see whether Gonzalez and the Patriots or Witherspoon and the Seahawks would agree to a contract first.

Witherspoon won that race. And you know what spoils go to the loser?

Gonzalez will now be aiming to surpass Witherspoon's contract – because for the best of the best in the NFL, the next contract is usually the biggest.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

Justice Thomas reveals this elite institution is ‘off limits’ to him: ‘That's the world we're in’

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:21:24 -0400

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas recently claimed that certain law schools and colleges were completely "off limits" for him and other conservatives to visit.

"You know, I have never been to Stanford Law School," Thomas told Peter Robinson during an on-stage discussion hosted by the Hoover Institute.

He went on to say that current conservative thought leaders, like himself, are largely unwelcome from high education institutions like Stanford Law School.

"That's the reality," Thomas said. "That's the world we're in, because there’s certain places that are just presumptively off limits. This is the way it works. And that's true. I mean, I've been to Yale Law School, but that's the way it works. And to say it isn't, is to lie."

CLARENCE THOMAS WARNS AMERICA: LIBERTY DIES WHEN WE CHOOSE COMFORT OVER COURAGE

The comments from the high court justice came amid ongoing criticism from conservative pundits that college campuses have become intolerant to right-wing ideas and that students are being indoctrinated by liberal professors.

Thomas alleged that, if not for YouTube, the ideas and works of American economist Thomas Sowell, who profoundly shaped his political views, would be lost to the younger generation of students because some people's views are "unpalatable" to the student body.

"And so what these kids are getting is all that stuff [that] is not there," Thomas said, referring to colleges. "It's just on YouTube. It's available to everybody, and they get to make up their own mind."

A Stanford spokesperson rejected Thomas' notion that the law school was "off-limits" for him to visit.

"We would be honored to host Justice Thomas at Stanford Law School," a spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "The Stanford Constitutional Law Center, directed by Professor Michael McConnell, former Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit, regularly hosts members of the judiciary on campus."

"Our students and faculty would welcome the opportunity to hear from Justice Thomas and engage with his perspectives on the Court, the Constitution, and the law," the spokesperson continued.

WATCH: CHAOS ERUPTS AS LEFTISTS INTERRUPT CONSERVATIVE GROUP'S UCLA EVENT FEATURING DHS LAWYER

But in the past couple of years, there have been multiple incidents in which a conservative speaker's visit to the school was disrupted by student protesters.

When Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan, who serves on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, visited in 2023 to give a presentation titled "Covid, Guns, and Twitter," he was met with fierce backlash from students affiliated with LGBTQ groups because of his judicial record. The student groups — OutLaw and Identity and Rights Affirmers for Trans Equality (IRATE) — repeatedly pressured the hosting organization, Federalist Society, to cancel the event or move it to Zoom.

When that failed, a group of 90 law students appeared with signs and bullhorns to protest Duncan's talk, causing major disruptions that made it impossible for Duncan to complete his presentation. Duncan requested assistance and DEI administrator Tirien Steinbach took the podium acknowledging his free speech rights, but siding with the student protesters.

"For many people here, your work has caused harm," Steinbach said to Duncan. "Is the juice worth the squeeze?"

The incident led Stanford dean Jenny Martinez and president Marc Tessier-Lavigne to issue an apology to Duncan. The school required students to participate in mandatory training and subsequently made the school's position unusually explicit: protesting Duncan was protected, but preventing an invited speaker from effectively delivering a presentation violated Stanford's disruption policy.

DHS LAWYER SAYS UCLA 'UTTERLY FAILED' TO STOP PROTEST CHAOS AT LAW SCHOOL APPEARANCE

Three years earlier, when then-Texas Solicitor General Kyle Hawkins visited the law school to host a discussion, twelve student organizations organized a walkout. The groups took issue with Hawkins' role in litigation to end Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status.

Just five minutes into Hawkins' address, more than three-quarters of the audience left.

Thomas did not point to either incident during his remarks at the Hoover Institution, nor did he say whether he had ever been invited to speak at Stanford. He did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Still, Thomas suggested that the ideological divide he sees within higher education has made engagement between conservatives and some of the nation's most prominent academic institutions increasingly difficult.

Palisades Village to re-open, marking new milestone for fire-devastated community

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:21 -0400

Nineteen months after the Pacific Palisades wildfire destroyed more than 5,000 homes and uprooted the lives of tens of thousands of residents, locals and visitors to the affluent Los Angeles Westside neighborhood are marking one of the first positive milestones.

Palisades Village, the neighborhood’s 100,000-square-foot, walkable luxury retail and restaurant enclave featuring more than 40 curated boutiques, eateries and experiences, is celebrating its reopening on Aug. 15. Festivities will range from a ribbon-cutting ceremony to shopping experiences, tastings, family-friendly activities and entertainment.

"The way we reopen is a sign throughout the city that’s suffering in so many ways that we actually are resilient," Rick Caruso said during an earlier tour of the property. "We’re on a mission to bring back this city."

PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY DRIVEN BY 'SOCIETAL REVENGE,' BEHAVIORAL ANALYST TESTIFIES IN COURT

The billionaire businessman, who is the founder and former CEO of real estate company Caruso, is considered a leading civic figure in Los Angeles. He has served on several local government commissions and established Steadfast LA, a public-private, recovery-focused partnership in the wake of the fires.

Caruso reportedly spent more than $100 million of his own money on a failed mayoral campaign against Karen Bass in 2022 and has been an outspoken critic of how she has handled the wildfire and the running of the city since.

While the Palisades Fire burned for three and a half weeks in January 2025 before being contained, Palisades Village largely survived the disaster but remained closed for extensive $100 million smoke remediation and rebuilding. The surrounding downtown commercial corridor, however, was severely impacted, with numerous local businesses and structures reduced to ashes.

SPENCER PRATT PRAISES FIERCE GOP FOE IN RARE BIPARTISAN TURN

"His complex was great, and I think it’s great that it’s reopening," one well-known Hollywood music composer who lost his home in the tragic fire and preferred to remain anonymous told Fox News Digital. "That will definitely help to just get some momentum where people will feel hopeful and that we’re getting back to normal and progressing in the right direction."

He noted the continued need for a grocery store in the immediate area. Both a Gelson's and Ralphs Fresh Fare were obliterated in last year’s blaze.

"… Houses are starting to pop up. It would definitely be nice to see in the next 12 months anything from the little restaurant that was once there, the supermarket and one of the gas stations — those basic needs that a community needs would be nice," he added.

MISTRIAL DECLARED FOR PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT WHO ALLEGEDLY FIXATED ON LUIGI MANGIONE

For his part, Caruso has stressed the importance of taking every step possible to ensure the Palisades Village revamp was clean, safe and free of toxins.

"We took everything down to the studs and rebuilt it after having environmental engineers test it," Caruso told the Hollywood Reporter.

Since 2018, Palisades Village has served as a see-and-be-seen hub for Hollywood types and locals.

Its reopening will feature both legacy and new businesses. For instance, the Netflix-run Bay Theatre will return, along with namesake fine jewelry company Jennifer Meyer Jewelry, which gained a massive celebrity following after actress Jennifer Aniston wore one of its signature pieces in the 2006 romantic comedy-drama "The Break-Up."

Approximately 60% of its original tenants will return, while others, such as Lululemon and Saint Laurent, will not. New business debuts include a New American grill run by award-winning chef and restaurateur Timothy Hollingsworth. The eatery will join Nancy Silverton’s new Italian chophouse, Spacca Tutto.

"This is one of many positive steps in this journey," Traci Park, LA City Council member for the 11th District, told Fox News Digital. Park has worked closely with Caruso and his team and has been heavily involved in the recovery efforts in the Palisades.

"We have been really excited to celebrate the return of every school, every business, every new home breaking ground across the Palisades, but I would say this may be one of the biggest developments in terms of spurring overall recovery, but specifically local business economic recovery," she said.

Jacqui Irwin, Assemblymember for District 42, who introduced Assembly Bill (AB) 2692 to help residents of a Palisades condo community who were in legal limbo after discovering that the Covenants, Conditions and Restrictions (CC&Rs) governing their property had expired shortly before the fires, called the reopening an "important milestone."

"This is about more than reopening stores and restaurants, it’s about restoring a place where neighbors can reconnect, families can gather, and a community can begin to feel whole again," Irwin told Fox News Digital. "While there is still a great deal of work ahead, this reopening reflects the resilience and determination of the Palisades business community and offers a meaningful sign of healing, hope, and moving forward together."

Corinne Verdery, CEO of Caruso, said, "Opening day will celebrate the resilience and shared determination that made this moment possible."

She called it a "meaningful milestone" and "a celebration of all that lies ahead."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Beyond business aspirations and re-creating the high-end Palisades hub, the venture is deeply personal for Caruso. Both his daughter and son lost their homes in the blaze, while he and his wife lost a family home. The shopping center’s reopening, he said, is just one chapter in the Palisades’ comeback story.

‘A Man Without Love’ singer Engelbert Humperdinck credits underwater workout for keeping him ‘alive’ at 90

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 12:00:05 -0400

At 90, Engelbert Humperdinck has an unusual workout routine he credits with keeping him "alive" and going strong.

The British singer, known as the "King of Romance," recently appeared on "The Jim Masters Show," where he shared his unconventional exercise regimen.

"I walk out in the pool all the day," he told the host. "I do all my martial art moves in the pool underwater, which makes it even more effective. … And that’s how I stay alive and keep going and keep myself as fit as possible so that the audience can see me in a respectable way."

JOAN COLLINS SHARES HER SIMPLE SECRETS TO AGING GRACEFULLY AT 93

"That's where I work out there in the pool," he said. "I do all my stuff up there, which is great."

And it appears to be working. The "Release Me" singer is still performing regularly, with concert dates scheduled into 2027 abroad. He's also preparing to release a new album, "Faithfully," on Aug. 28. The album features Humperdinck putting his own spin on songs by Journey, the Cars, KISS and Aerosmith, with several guest musicians joining him on the record.

While Humperdinck is working to keep his body young, a decades-old song is helping him reach younger audiences. His 1968 track "A Man Without Love" was featured in two episodes of Marvel Studios' "Moon Knight."

"… Since ‘Man Without Love,’ it’s triggered something off," he said. "And it’s so nice. It’s so nice to know that people are now not worried about an age. They’re worried about the music, and that’s all that counts as far as I’m concerned. But I try to stay as young as possible all the time."

While Humperdinck continues connecting with audiences through the love songs that made him famous, the lyrics have taken on a deeper meaning since his wife, Patricia, died in 2021 after living with Alzheimer's disease and contracting COVID-19. The couple married in 1964 and remained together for 57 years until her death at age 85.

"She’s the backbone. She was the backbone to my whole life, I think, because she started with me when I was nobody. … And so she was instrumental in the early years. And when I really made it in the industry and got a family, I used to have to leave home for about three months at a time. And she raised the children by herself."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

While his heartfelt ballads are now bittersweet, Humperdinck still finds joy in performing them for audiences today.

"There's no better feeling. There's no better feeling than walking on stage," he said. "I call myself a thespian of song. So when I'm singing, I act a part. It's not acting really, it's reality coming through. But I give my all and I read the lyrics a little differently now, especially since I lost my wife. And it comes out more sincere."

"I’m a ballad singer, and I love, love singing ballads," he said. "There’s nothing like a good romantic ballad to touch the heart. And it puts people together. ... I feel responsible for putting people together."

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

When the final curtain eventually falls, Humperdinck hopes those songs will continue bringing people together.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"My legacy is my music, and music is timeless," he said. "And I listen to the radio and I watch on my phone, and I see the people in the past who have had massive, massive hits, and they're still being viewed by the living. And that's just wonderful. That's the kind of legacy I want to leave behind. I want to leave a good taste in my career behind."

Rashida Tlaib rally moved after Jewish-owned Florida venue cancels event, cites 'increased security concerns'

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:40:25 -0400

Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., an outspoken critic of Israel, was set to headline a rally in South Florida boosting three progressive Democratic candidates before the Jewish-owned venue hosting the event backed out a day before.

The "Chomp the Oligarchy" rally to support two U.S. House candidates and one Senate candidate was scheduled for Friday night at The Venue in Fort Lauderdale, just four days before Florida’s primary election.

State Rep. Michael Gottlieb, a Democrat, posted Thursday morning calling the event "anti-Jew," while also accusing House candidates Elijah Manley and Oliver Larkin, along with state Rep. Angie Nixon — who is seeking the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate — of being part of an "Anti-Israel and Anti-Zionism coalition."

Gottlieb then said Tlaib "has by far the deepest record of antisemitic allegations and is being brought here to help these candidates raise funds for their campaigns."

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

Following Gottlieb's post, The Venue posted a statement Thursday night indicating that the event was canceled, citing "increased security concerns."

The statement did not mention Tlaib by name but said management pulled out after becoming aware of the "full scope" of the event and reviewing promotional materials.

"Due to the increased security concerns as well as the welfare of attendees and staff, the decision was then made that the event would not proceed at our property," the statement said. "The Venue Fort Lauderdale is Jewish-owned and operated and our values and commitment to the Jewish community are deeply important to us."

Fox News Digital reached out to The Venue for additional comment. Tlaib's representatives did not immediately return a request for comment.

DEMOCRATS SPLIT OVER TLAIB'S LEBANON MEASURE AS REPUBLICANS SEIZE ON HEZBOLLAH OMISSION

Prior to the event being canceled, The Venue reached out to Gottlieb asking him to take down his post, something he refused to do, The New York Times reported.

Cameron Driggers, a lead organizer for the rally, told the Times that the Venue reached out to the rally organizers saying it would only host the event if Tlaib was uninvited, but the organizers refused.

Manley, who has been endorsed by the Democratic Socialists of America, is facing off against Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Fla., while Larkin, a self-identified DSA member, is challenging incumbent Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla.

Nixon is running against Alexander Vindman, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel known for testifying during President Donald Trump’s first impeachment inquiry.

JEFFRIES DECLINES TO BACK WASSERMAN SCHULTZ AS BLACK LEADERS REVOLT OVER DISTRICT SWITCH

The "Chomp the Oligarchy" event's organizers said on Instagram that they "will not be silenced by racist right-wing agitators and conservative Democrats," adding that they will "keep fighting to deliver for working-class Floridians."

The rally ended up taking place at an alternate outdoor location reportedly with about 300 supporters in attendance.

In his speech, Larkin addressed the tumult surrounding the event.

"What we've seen in the last 36 hours is a mobilization campaign to try to intimidate and harass us with a campaign of Islamophobia. A campaign that seeks to excuse AIPAC's corrupting influence over our elections," Larkin said to a chorus of boos from the crowd.

DEMOCRATS SPLIT OVER TLAIB'S LEBANON MEASURE AS REPUBLICANS SEIZE ON HEZBOLLAH OMISSION

Tlaib also appeared at the rally as planned, introducing Nixon before she delivered her remarks.

Rep. Randy Fine, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital on Wednesday "it’s no coincidence" Tlaib would be appearing at an event supporting candidates seeking to defeat Jewish Democrats.

Tlaib, the first Palestinian American woman in Congress, has faced bipartisan criticism for her comments on Israel and Jewish people. The Michigan congresswoman has denied accusations of antisemitism.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Congress censured Tlaib in 2023 for her embrace of the slogan "from the river to the sea," which she says is an "aspirational call for freedom, human rights, and peaceful coexistence" from Palestinians. Many Jews view the slogan as a veiled call for genocide against Israelis.

Little League World Series sign-stealing controversy erupts for the second straight year

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:31:48 -0400

We've got big drama in the Little League World Series.

For the second year in a row, sign-stealing accusations have blown up on the internet, with the latest taking place in Friday's game between Wisconsin and Iowa.

It just means more in Williamsport!

Davenport Northwest (Iowa) defeated Whitefish Bay (Wisconsin), 7-6, in the Midwest Regional Championship game on Friday. The win sent Davenport to the Little League World Series, and sent poor Whitefish home to, presumably, start school.

But was there something nefarious at play? Let's head to the bottom of the second inning, where Iowa plated a couple runs and raised a few eyebrows along the way:

This isn't the first time the LLWS has dealt with this

"They're taking signs on second," the catcher tells his coach during a mound visit.

"Who is?" manager Kyle Fox responded.

"The second baseman."

The kids go on to tell Fox that Northwest players are tapping their leg when the sign is put down, which is pretty clear from the video. Fox ignores it, and proceeds to give his pitcher a scouting report for the next batter.

An inning later, things reached a boiling point with the bases loaded. That's when another Iowa player on second appeared to motion something with his arms right before the pitch, prompting Fox to call time from the dugout and tell the umpires exactly what was going on:

... And that was it.

No warnings. No protests. No talking to the other coach, or the other team. The umpires congregated for 15 seconds, and then went back to playing ball.

So, what are our thoughts here? The initial response, for me, would be ...

So what? Runners have been relaying signs to the hitter from second base for a century now. It's on the catcher to put down better signs. It's on the manager to figure it out.

Except, it's deemed "unsportsmanlike behavior" in Little League baseball. Rule 9.00 (d) states:

Each umpire has authority to disqualify any player, coach, manager, or substitute for objecting to decisions or for unsportsmanlike conduct or language, and to eject such disqualified person from the playing field. If an umpire disqualifies a player while a play is in progress, the disqualification shall not take effect until no further action is possible in that play.

NOTE: The local league has the option to adopt this rule application. The stealing and relaying of signs to alert the batter of pitch selection and/or location is unsportsmanlike behavior. If, in the judgment of the umpire, this behavior is occurring, the team manager and those responsible including any player(s) and/or coach(es) shall be warned after the first offense. Those responsible including any player(s), coach(es), and/or manager shall be ejected from the game for a team's subsequent offense.

So, an umpire must first give the opposing team/player/coach a warning, and if it happens again, someone is getting tossed. This happened last year in a game between Oklahoma and Texas West, when play was stopped to get an actual ruling.

Nothing happened, and things really went off the rails when play resumed:

Lordy. What a moment! After all that, the kid belts a grand slam and Oklahoma goes on to win. You can't make it up.

SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS

Anyway, sign-stealing has always been a thing. It happened when I was in Little League many moons ago. I was a catcher. From what I recall, we didn't just lay down and turn over. We mixed up the signs, and moved on with our day. It wasn't rocket science.

STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!

Put down three signs, and the second one is the sign. Something like that. It's not hard.

But, rules are also rules. And if the rule says it ain't allowed, the umpires probably shouldn't let it happen.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Thoughts? Let me know!

Jonathan Alpert: Women were told to speak up. Except about women’s sports

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:31:17 -0400

Sophie Cunningham did exactly what women have been told to do for generations: She spoke up when she thought something was unfair.

Apparently, that advice comes with an exception. Women have spent decades being told to trust their judgment, use their voices and refuse to stay quiet simply because an opinion makes someone uncomfortable. But when Cunningham said women’s sports should be for women, speaking up suddenly became the problem.

That’s what makes her story bigger than basketball. Cunningham is willing to say publicly what plenty of women are more comfortable saying privately: They can support transgender people, treat them with dignity and respect, and still believe that women’s sports should be based on biological sex. Women fought for generations to have their voices taken seriously. So why, when the subject is their own sports, are some of them afraid to use them?

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Women’s sports exist because biological differences matter in athletic competition. That’s why we have women’s teams, records, scholarships and championships in the first place. The separation wasn’t incidental. It was the point. Sports also require choices. Someone makes the roster and someone doesn’t. Someone gets the scholarship and someone doesn’t. Someone wins the medal and someone finishes second. Deciding who belongs in a competitive category necessarily affects everyone competing for those opportunities.

Cunningham isn’t standing on some obscure political fringe. More than two dozen states have enacted restrictions on transgender participation in girls’ and women’s sports. In June, the Supreme Court upheld laws in Idaho and West Virginia that allow eligibility for girls’ and women’s school sports to be based on biological sex. This isn’t some fringe position Cunningham dreamed up. It is now written into law across much of the country.

Yet when a prominent woman says essentially the same thing, the reaction can make the position seem beyond the bounds of acceptable discussion. Cunningham has faced criticism from within the WNBA, protests have followed the Indiana Fever, and the controversy has grown large enough that the league is now discussing the transgender-athlete issue. But the outrage gets the headlines.

The silence it produces matters more.

I’ve heard women talk about this privately for years. They don’t want transgender people mistreated. But when the conversation turns to sports, some hesitate. They wonder why the biological differences that justified creating a female category in the first place should suddenly stop mattering when deciding who gets to compete in it. In private, there are questions and disagreement. In public, there is often silence.

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

You don’t need to formally censor people to make them stop talking. Social pressure can do the job just fine. Watch someone get attacked, ridiculed or labeled for expressing an opinion and you learn from it. You may still believe exactly what you believed before. You just decide saying it publicly isn’t worth the trouble. That’s how self-censorship works. Nobody has to tell you to shut up. You anticipate what will happen if you speak, and you do it yourself.

Teenagers are especially good at reading these signals. They notice which opinions get approval, which draw criticism and what happens to someone who says the wrong thing. If the social cost of an unpopular view gets high enough, the question changes from "What do I actually think?" to "What am I allowed to say?" That isn’t empowerment. It’s learning to keep your mouth shut.

For generations, women were expected to accommodate others, sometimes at their own expense. Feminism challenged that. Women were told they didn’t have to stay quiet simply to keep somebody else comfortable. Yet some women now find themselves doing exactly that when the subject is women’s sports. They may believe the rules are unfair. They may have questions about biological sex and athletic competition. They may simply believe that the female category should remain based on sex. But they also know what saying so publicly can cost them. Staying quiet is easier.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The vocabulary is new. The underlying instruction is remarkably old: Stay quiet. Be agreeable. Don’t rock the boat.

Women don’t all agree about transgender athletes, and they shouldn’t have to. Women who believe inclusion should come first are entitled to make that case loudly. Women who believe biological sex should determine eligibility for the female category should be able to make theirs just as loudly. None of this excuses treating transgender people badly. They deserve dignity, respect and safety. But respect cannot require women to pretend there is no conflict here, no competing interest and no legitimate question worth asking aloud. Women have a stake in this conversation too.

Cunningham spoke up because she thought something was unfair. When people got angry, she didn’t take it back. You can disagree with her. You can argue that she’s wrong. But the reaction to women who voice these concerns helps explain why others choose silence instead. Women fought for generations to have a voice. They shouldn’t have to whisper when the subject is their own sports.

Test your pop culture: From Hollywood to the Heartland

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:30:22 -0400

The Pop Culture Quiz is your weekly test of what’s making headlines and breaking the Internet, from the Heartland to Hollywood.

This week's quiz spotlights Hollywood confessions and dramatic transformations.

Can you get all 5 questions right?

For more Entertainment articles, visit www.foxnews.com/entertainment

To try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Former Bernie Sanders operative warns radical left has 'overtaken' the Democratic Party from within

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:17:10 -0400

A former Bernie Sanders operative is sounding the alarm over what the Democratic Party has become, warning that the far left has "overtaken" the party from within.

"Part of the reason it's been overtaken is because the establishment tried really hard in 2020 to block us, and in 2019, after AOC won, they did a blacklist and that actually backfired on them, and it made the far left grow stronger," Evan Barker told "Jesse Watters Primetime."

Barker, who raised money for Democratic candidates throughout her career before deciding to vote for Trump in 2024, argued that the Democratic establishment's efforts to contain its insurgent flank ultimately backfired, pushing activists to build their own political infrastructure — from training one another to recruiting donors, including billionaires.

EX-DEM OPERATIVE DETAILS 'NEW DONOR ESTABLISHMENT' BEHIND MAMDANI-ERA PROGRESSIVES: 'NOT FROM THE GRASSROOTS'

The result, Barker argued, is a party increasingly influenced from the inside by its activist base, donors and staffers, some of whom she says are considerably further left than the politicians they work for.

"I think they've kind of been captured from all sides. They have these hyper-left-leaning donors coupled with the staff that's been radicalized and the base," she said.

Barker said she has watched that shift play out even within the movement she once joined, pointing to Sanders' positions on issues including guns and immigration.

"I've seen him kind of be dragged further and further to the left by what he views as his message bearers, people like AOC and Ilhan Omar and now Abdul El-Sayed," she added.

DEMS' LEFTWARD LURCH GETS LEGS AS EL-SAYED'S MICHIGAN SENATE VICTORY SPARKS PARTY DEBATE

Barker's warning comes as a new crop of progressive candidates and democratic socialists test its strength ahead of the midterm elections, including figures she says are carrying forward the movement that Sanders helped build.

Progressive Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, whom Barker specifically named as one of Sanders' emerging "message bearers," recently secured the Democratic nomination in a close primary against Rep. Haley Stevens.

Others have won key primaries elsewhere, including Mamdani-backed Darializa Avila Chevalier and Claire Valdez in New York.

Barker previously revealed to Fox News Digital that the Democratic Party's leftward shift prompted her decision to leave the party, sharing that she was inspired to enter politics during former President Barack Obama's 2008 campaign.

"If you look at him then, and you compare him to the modern movement of the party today, it is just night and day. They have gone left on so many critical issues, like immigration and identity politics, and defund the police and just all of these things that I did not sign up for," she said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

She added that former President Joe Biden's withdrawal from the 2024 presidential race and then-Vice President Kamala Harris' subsequent nomination made her recognize in "real time the manifestation of everything the Democrats had become."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News' Robert McGreevy contributed to this report.

Seaweed-based coating could keep strawberries fresh for days without refrigeration, study finds

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:14:02 -0400

If you’ve ever brought home a carton of fresh strawberries only to find them moldy and destined for the trash a few days later, researchers may have found a simple solution: coating the fruit in a seaweed-based liquid that could keep it fresh without refrigeration.

University of British Columbia (UBC) scientists developed the seaweed-derived coating with the goal of extending the shelf life of fresh produce and reducing food waste and reliance on energy-intensive refrigeration.

"Nearly half of all food produced in Canada is lost or wasted, costing the economy an estimated $58 billion annually," the university reported in a news release on the seaweed-coating breakthrough. "Fresh fruits and vegetables are particularly vulnerable to spoilage, losing moisture and becoming susceptible to mold and bacteria during storage and transport."

EATING 5 FRUITS AND VEGETABLES A DAY MAY NOT BE ENOUGH FOR HEART HEALTH, STUDY FINDS

According to UBC, researchers developed the "natural, biocompatible, plant-based, and consumer-friendly" coating for post-harvest preservation by combining agar, a substance derived from red seaweed; with zinc, an essential nutrient; and tannic acid, a naturally occurring plant compound found in foods and beverages such as grapes and tea.

"Applied to strawberries, grapes and apple slices, the coating extended shelf life by at least two-fold," the researchers reported in their study, published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

"The coating acts like a very thin and invisible protective barrier," Tianxi Yang, a UBC assistant professor of food science and the study's lead author, told Fox News Digital. "It helps slow moisture loss and gas exchange while also providing antibacterial and antioxidant protection, which together delay dehydration, softening, oxidation and spoilage."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The shelf life of an average carton of strawberries could be extended considerably with this coating, Yang said.

"At room temperature, uncoated strawberries showed visible spoilage within about two days, while coated strawberries remained fresh and intact for at least four days," she said. "When the coating was combined with refrigeration, we observed no spoilage for at least six days."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

The coating is designed to be essentially tasteless and preserve the produce’s natural flavor, Yang said. Initial observations suggest the coating does not noticeably change the strawberries’ smell, texture or natural appearance.

Yang added that she and fellow researchers plan to conduct comprehensive sensory studies soon.

According to the UBC release, "the coating also showed antibacterial properties and no signs of toxicity in tests using human intestinal cells." The coating has not yet been approved for commercial use.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

For consumers concerned about ingesting the coating, researchers found that most of it can be easily rinsed off under running tap water.

Further safety assessments and regulatory review would still be required before commercial use, Yang noted, but she said the results so far are encouraging.

"The technology has demonstrated promising performance and scalability in the laboratory," she said.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS

"The next steps will focus on further safety and regulatory evaluation, scale-up and commercial validation. We are also interested in connecting with potential investors and partners who can help advance the technology toward commercialization."

Ted Cruz, conservatives respond after Talarico criticizes Bible-related education in schools as 'propaganda'

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 11:00:38 -0400

Texas state representative and Democratic U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign responded after a resurfaced video of his comments on the Bible and education sparked outrage.

A clip resurfaced this week of Talarico, a Christian seminarian, speaking in a video hosted by the Center for American Progress Action Fund in 2025. In the clip, the host asked Talarico about his legislative battles with "Christian Nationalists," meaning people who consider America to be an inherently Christian nation.

The portion that went viral recently when Talarico blasted the "most insidious" legislation he fought to stop while serving in Texas government, claiming one bill required schools in the state to teach Bible stories as historical fact. He argued that this amounted to pushing "propaganda" on children and was not just bad for state schools, but for society overall.

"It was a new state curriculum that would teach Christian Bible stories as historical fact, as the only truth to our youngest students, and I mean kindergarten, first graders," he said. "These are kids who aren’t able to think for themselves yet. They haven’t formed their own worldviews."

TEXAS DEM NOMINEE JAMES TALARICO INVOKES FAITH TO DEFEND ABORTION RIGHTS, ‘THE BIBLE IS SILENT ON ABORTION'

He further warned that the alleged effort to "push propaganda, to push indoctrination on those youngest students is deeply immoral and should trouble all of us."

Sen. Ted Cruz. R-Texas, retweeted the clip, asking a brief, "Um, wut?" alongside numerous other commentators.

"The claim made by Representative Talarico is misleading," Mary Elizabeth Castle, director of government relations for Texas Values told Fox News Digital. "The curriculum he was referring to in the video from 2025 is the Bluebonnet curriculum, which was an English Language Arts curriculum adopted in the winter of 2024 that helped students understand the copious amounts of Bible references made in historical speeches and common stories like Dr. Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have a Dream’ speech."

"The references to the Bible in the Bluebonnet curriculum help students understand the thousands of everyday idioms that people use every day that have some context to Scripture," she continued.

"The Bluebonnet curriculum was defended by top religious liberty law firms like First Liberty Institute and high elected officials like Dr. Ben Carson," Castle added. "The purpose of the biblical references was to improve reading scores and reading comprehension among students. The majority of Texas parents and stakeholders testified in favor of the curriculum, which passed at the State Board of Education. A very small number of people would agree with Mr. Talarico’s sentiment and a number of school districts have purchased this curriculum."

POWERFUL LGBTQ+ GROUP'S ENDORSEMENTS COULD TANK VULNERABLE DEMS OVER RADICAL YOUTH TRANS AGENDA

First Liberty executive general counsel Hiram Sasser told Fox News Digital, "Courts across the nation have determined that the Bible has had profound influence on Western culture and is an important piece of literature and history. No education is complete without understanding the Bible and its influence, as even the ACLU recognizes. What is crazy is that Talarico is to the Left of the ACLU, which agreed in a court settlement with us that the Bible may be taught in Texas schools."

"Democrats have a funny way of defining ‘indoctrination.’ When they do it, it's ‘inclusion.’ When it opposes their ideology, it's considered government-imposed cruelty," Tim Graham, the executive editor of Media Research Center's NewsBusters, told Fox News Digital. "Talarico has clearly and repeatedly identified himself as a pusher of leftist gender ideology, which stands in dramatic contradiction to biblical teaching. So it's not shocking he doesn't want anybody discussing the Bible in the classroom."

A spokesperson for Talarico's campaign told Fox News Digital, "James is a Christian seminarian who’s dedicated his life to the teachings of Jesus Christ — fighting religious and political corruption when he sees it because there’s nothing Christ-like about powerful people using scripture to score political points. While billionaire-bought politicians like Ken Paxton attack James for his faith — he will continue encouraging Texans across the political spectrum to come together by loving their neighbors as themselves."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

In an interview with podcaster Joe Rogan, Talarico shared his personal views on the importance of the separation of church and state, even as a Christian seminarian.

"As a Christian, I think my concern is for the Muslim kid and the Jewish kid, the Hindu kid, the atheist kid who’s sitting in a classroom who now has a poster on the wall forced by the government that says, you know, your religion is inferior, or you're not welcome here," he had said. "And I just think if Jesus saw that, he would weep for those students and would demand that we love them as ourselves. And so that's why I kind of spoke out against the bill on theological grounds, not just constitutional grounds."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Talarico’s campaign has also drawn criticism over his support for raising children as transgender, though he has drawn a line regarding procedures such as gender reassignment surgeries for minors, a policy he explicitly opposed in a June interview.

Sophie Cunningham supporters rally in Indiana while displaying what makes America great

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:51:21 -0400

A large group of female activists, moms, and concerned citizens rallied again this week outside an Indiana Fever game in support of Sophie Cunningham and keeping women’s sports female. On Friday evening just outside of the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, they made their voices heard.

After traveling to Portland and Chicago, I witnessed firsthand how refreshingly normal Indiana Fever games felt both outside the arena and inside. The crowds were vocally supportive of the women, and the few men accompanying them. Many Fever fans gave the Cunningham rally crowd a thumbs up, some provided encouraging words, and others stopped to take photos with the almost life-size Sophie Cunningham poster.

It was a nice change of pace compared to the radical, profane, aggressive trans protesters they have had to face in other cities.

Shockingly to much of the WNBA and liberal media, this group isn’t just a bunch of conservatives, who completely align on all of their politics. It’s a diverse group of people that represent a beautiful mix of registered Democrats, conservatives and people from a wide range of backgrounds and communities.

It’s not some sort of MAGA coalition, which many love to claim. It’s a group that represents what America should, and used to like: Almost three dozen citizens agree that women’s sports and spaces should remain female, though disagreeing on a litany of other issues, while supporting the one female professional athlete courageously willing to stand up for what’s right.

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SEES SUPPORT SURGE AFTER STAR PUTS CAREER ON LINE FOR GIRLS SPORTS

Kara Dansky, a registered Democrat who serves on the board for Democrats for an Informed Approach to Gender, told me, "The truth of the matter is, the clear majority of registered Democrats in this country are aligned on these topics."

She went on to diagnose the problem from the top down in Washington, D.C., and across the country, saying, "The problem is that our elected officials are selling out women and girls. They’re selling out children at the altar of a cult."

When asking Dansky what she’d say to WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who put together a task force of general managers and team presidents to tackle the transgender issue the league faces, she didn’t hold back.

"There are girls watching today. There are girls that do not understand what Title IX meant in 1972 to women like you, who have benefited from Title IX. You owe these girls commitment to female only sports."

HHS OFFICIAL WARNS OF IRREVERSIBLE RISKS AS TRUMP ADMIN RESTRICTS FUNDING FOR YOUTH GENDER PROCEDURES

A group called LGB Courage Coalition also rallied outside the Fever vs. Wings game with a gigantic sign that said: "Chemical castration isn’t medicine. Save girls’ sports. Save boys’ bodies."

LGB Courage Coalition Executive Director Jamie Reid, who is a whistleblower from a pediatric gender center said, "I participated in medically transitioning kids… I [now] work to try to stop transitions and I think that it is incredibly tied up with the sports movement right now."

When asking Reid what she would tell the WNBA Commissioner and her task force from her unique perspective, she said: "At the bottom line, this is about medical evidence. There is no good medical evidence to support the medical transition of any minor. We know at that basis, we don’t have to be so wrapped up in the question of ‘What is a woman?’"

Reid reemphasized how this should not be addressed from a "WNBA values" perspective, like how the task force is said to be tackling this, but "If we address it from a medical evidence perspective… We don’t have to have these huge task forces. We just know medical transitions do not work."

Reid finished her thought with, "This is not a liberal or a right issue. This is also not a gay or straight issue. I’m a lesbian, my entire coalition is gay and lesbians… Most Americans know that [transitioning] kids is not right. This is a common sense American issue where Sophie Cunningham just said what we already knew in the Midwest."

Social media influencer Becky Weiss, who has 1.2 million followers on Instagram, told me: "I've been speaking out against the extreme LGBTQ ideology, especially targeted at children."

Weiss also had high praise for Cunningham. "I love what Sophie is doing, taking a stand for little girls, grown women in women’s sports, because they deserve to play on a fair playing field. Boys simply do not belong. It’s not controversial. It’s just literally common sense."

STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!

When discussing what she’d tell the commissioner, Golden State Valkyries forward Gabby Williams, Minnesota Lynx Head Coach Cheryl Reeve, Weiss said, "There’s no such thing as a trans child. A kid only thinks they’re trans if someone grooms them, groomed them, or indoctrinated them to believe they are trans… Men don’t belong in women’s bathrooms, in women’s sports, in women’s locker rooms. And kids certainly don’t need to have any of this in their lives."

This group, which seems to grow every game they rally, is a great example on how to agree to disagree. They find common ground on a vital issue that is affecting women and girls, and yes, boys too as Jamie Reid and her team emphasized in our conversations.

Kara Dansky even believes in aspects of White privilege. I think it’s nonsense. But we shook hands and are happy to link arms in the fight to protect women’s sports and spaces. That’s how America should be.

Let’s hope as rally organizer Amy Sousa told me that she hopes the "pressure that we put on them (WNBA), will make them stand up and do the right thing." You don’t need weeks or months, WNBA. The league is for females only. Just state the common sense that the vast majority of America affirms.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In the meantime, these women, and a few men, will continue to organize across the country, showcasing a lost art of linking arms on an important issue, while not allowing petty politics to ruin the progress they’ve made.

Former Disney star David Henrie rejected 'secular' Hollywood lifestyle after life-changing monastery visit

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:22:14 -0400

Former Disney star David Henrie is opening up about how he rejected the "secular" Hollywood lifestyle after going on a life-changing monastery visit.

Earlier this week, the "Wizards of Waverly Place" star was a guest on Raymond Arroyo's "Arroyo Grande" podcast and discussed how his friendship with fellow actor Kevin James led to him discovering his faith.

"I started changing my whole perspective on life and faith. I so craved an objective belief system. I grew up in relativistic Hollywood and, you know, a partying lifestyle, secular life, worldliness, materialism, and it left me empty," Henrie said.

"I call it the bubblegum theory of pleasure. Every time you eat a piece of bubblegum, it loses its flavor. In a few moments, you pop another one in. At the end of the day, you've gone through the whole pack, and now you just feel worse than you did when you started. That was me before I met Kevin," he continued.

HEATHER LOCKLEAR SAYS SHE LIVES 'FAR AWAY' FROM HOLLYWOOD AND STAYS OUT OF THE SOCIAL SCENE

Henrie detailed that he found God during this time, and James extended an invitation to him to visit St. Michael's Abbey in Orange County in 2012 and do his general confession.

"And I was like, 'What's that?' So, I learned about what it was, and I wrote a whole chapter book to bring to the priest there," Henrie said.

Henrie told Arroyo that he felt "so relieved" after his monastery visit with James.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"It was the monastery that changed my life," he added.

The actor tied in his first monastery visit to his documentary series, "Seeking Beauty," where he explores the deeper meaning behind the art, architecture, food, music and culture of some of Italy’s most beautiful places.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The first season debuted in January on EWTN+ and the second season is based in Spain and is in the works.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

DAVID MARCUS: Karoline Leavitt’s lasting legacy is opening the White House to indie press

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:12:17 -0400

At the end of the month, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt will end a tenure that many consider to be one of the best in the 97-year history of the office. Importantly, she will leave something behind — a vital legacy of opening the briefing room to independent media.

Leavitt handled her office with grace and dexterity, no mean feat for someone communicating for President Donald Trump, who talks more than a morning radio disc jockey. Somehow, she was never in front of his messaging, but also never far behind.

As a queen of cool, Leavitt could not be flustered. She always had an air of confidence and, dare I say, levity. Even when her occasional jocular barbs were tossed at reporters, they rarely turned into acrimony.

SCRAMBLE FOR KAROLINE LEAVITT'S REPLACEMENT ENSUES WITH JUST WEEKS UNTIL TRUMP'S SPOKESPERSON EXITS

Beyond serving as a model for future press secretaries, Leavitt’s strongest legacy will be her commitment to opening up the White House media ecosystem to small indie news outlets and even social media influencers.

Every press conference opens with a question from the "new media seat," a practice that was much maligned early on by fussy old legacy outlet reporters who rolled their eyes at these commoners gaining entry to their fancy club.

I recall a friend of mine, who was new to the briefing room, telling me of an old regular huffing and puffing and saying, "This is where I stand, you have to move!"

She did not move.

WHITE HOUSE PUSHED FOR PROTOCOL TO PRESERVE CORRESPONDENTS' CREDIBILITY AFTER TRUMP'S SECRET PLANE SWITCH

How gauche it was, having mere bloggers or TikTok personalities with this kind of access to the most powerful office in the world. But Leavitt understood that in today’s media, those voices now have as much purchase as major newspapers once did.

It was bumpy at times; the early rollout of binders with files of information on Jeffrey Epstein turned out to be more walk of shame than victory lap. But much more often, these newer outlets were bringing questions to the fore that the legacy media tend to ignore — not through negligence, but because they aren’t niche outlets.

Leavitt understands that the White House press briefing room is a two-way street. Its main function may be to get the president’s message to the people, but the press also brings the concerns of the people to the White House in the form of questions. Influencers, though merrily mocked, have a very direct relationship with their audiences.

Especially younger audiences.

I asked Andrew Kolvet, spokesperson for Turning Point USA — which has a firm focus on educating young voters — about Leavitt’s tenure, and he told me, "She has forced legacy news media to work harder to keep up while opening up multiple seats to new media voices who have had to raise their fact-checking and editorial games in a space that desperately needs it. She sparred with them all in viral exchanges that became must-watch news, even for college kids scrolling their phones."

Kolvet also couldn’t quite resist adding, "As a TPUSA alumni, she was a happy warrior just like Charlie [Kirk]."

Leavitt brought in voices such as Andy Ngo, who has been warning of the advance of Antifa activists for years, and we have seen more of these violent thugs put away — including a leader in Texas who received 100 years in prison for attacking an ICE facility.

Meanwhile, activist reporters like Nick Shirley have been given much attention from Leavitt’s comms shop. He and those like him have revealed potentially billions of dollars in fraud.

WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS WIDELY PRAISE KAROLINE LEAVITT AS SHE ANNOUNCES EXIT FROM TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The reason that opening the White House press briefing room to independent news media and content creators is Leavitt’s greatest achievement is that, in all likelihood, it will survive not just her moving on, but long after the Trump administration is gone — no matter which party takes power.

This is because, even if a Democrat wins, it will be a tough sell to start kicking out these outlets that the country has been accustomed to hearing from. Even for the left, such a move would probably be too censorious to try.

Yes, Leavitt is a gifted communicator who can be spoken of in the same breath as great press secretaries such as Tony Snow and Ari Fleischer. But ultimately, her greatest contribution is opening the door for new media, and by extension, those this new media represents.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Leavitt will be missed, but her dedication to giving every voice in the media a fair shot at the White House will stay with us for a long time to come.

Lions betting outlook for 2025: why the NFC North division title is the best play at +170

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:10:26 -0400

Last season, it was fairly easy to make an argument that the best division in the NFL was the NFC North. All of the teams in that division were able to win nine games, but the Vikings and the Lions missed the postseason. Will the Lions find a way back into the playoffs this year, or will it be another down year?

Last year

I was pretty high on the Lions going into the season last year. I didn’t expect them to take a step back, and for the first portion of the season, I think I was correct. They lost Ben Johnson to the Bears, but I still thought the team would be good with all of their weapons and their defense. The Packers beat them to start the season, and their only other loss in the first seven weeks was to the Chiefs. After the bye week, the wheels kind of fell off as they went 4-6 over their final 10 games. Only one of the final six losses was by more than one score, so perhaps there can be some positive regression coming their way this year.

DETROIT LIONS GREAT FRANK RAGNOW DETAILS HIS ABRUPT RETIREMENT, FAILED COMEBACK ATTEMPT

Offseason additions and subtractions

As mentioned, with Johnson taking over the Bears, the Lions didn’t have quite as crisp an offense, but they did add Drew Petzing this season, and that should help the offense take a step forward. The team had some changes on the offensive line, but they also did put some moves in place to address it. One change that should be interesting is that they sent away David Montgomery to the Texans. They replaced him with Isiah Pacheco, who is not quite the bruiser that Montgomery was. Aside from that, they gave an extension to a couple of guys, but nothing major.

SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS

Roster

I have to imagine that the team, looking at last year’s performance and those close games, thinks they can just make small adjustments in order to get back to the postseason. Without Montgomery, the ball should be in their star, Jahmyr Gibbs’ hands even more. Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best wide receivers in the league, and Jared Goff has hooked up with him repeatedly. With a strong offensive line, the Lions offense could be very dynamic. On defense, it probably comes down to health. Aidan Hutchinson is a great defensive end, and they have some solid linebackers. I do have concerns about the secondary, but overall they should be fine.

STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!

Betting Outlook

They have a win total of 10.5, and their schedule sets up fairly well to get those wins. I’m not sure I want to get too involved with it though. I probably would prefer to play them to win the division at +170. I think their schedule is easier than the Bears and Packers, which might mean they only need to beat out the Vikings, a team with a quarterback battle. Another interesting one is for them to have three wins after five games at +170. They faced the Saints, Bills, Jets, Panthers, and Cardinals. The Saints and Jets are at home, and I think both will be wins. I don’t know that they will beat the Bills and Panthers on the road, but they should beat Arizona. I also like St. Brown to be over 1249.5 receiving yards. He has hit that in three consecutive years.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024

Archaeologists uncover mysterious face hidden for centuries in Book of Revelation city

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:00:34 -0400

A rare, 2,500-year-old marble statue has emerged from the ruins of Sardis, an ancient city immortalized in the Book of Revelation.

The discovery, which dates to the fifth century B.C., was announced by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism earlier in August. Sardis is located in the Salihli district of Manisa, about 45 miles east of the major Turkish city of İzmir.

Pictures show excavators carefully uncovering the monumental statue, which still retained well-preserved facial features, at the archaeological site.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH SECRET CHURCH TIED TO COUNCIL OF NICAEA, CHRISTIANITY'S DEFINING MOMENT

The statue depicts a young man and measures around 7.2 feet tall.

In a translated social media post, Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy described the find as an "extraordinary discovery."

He noted that the statue was repurposed as paving along a colonnaded street during the Roman period and was positioned face-down, helping protect its features for centuries.

"The unusual details of its clothing bear traces of Lydian culture," said Ersoy.

AUTHOR DINESH D'SOUZA CHALLENGES BIBLE SKEPTICS WITH 'STARTLING' ARCHAEOLOGICAL DISCOVERIES

"The statue, which appears to be holding a fruit in its hand, provides important evidence that will contribute to our understanding of life, religious beliefs and cultural interactions in Sardis during the period."

In a translated statement, officials described the statue as having "larger-than-life dimensions [that] make it a rare example from the period."

"The young man is depicted wearing a thick himation, a thin chiton, and beneath them a distinctive garment featuring horizontal lines," the translated statement said.

"This type of clothing is not seen on comparable statues from Anatolia and Greece, highlighting the work’s local characteristics and its connection to Lydian culture."

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNEARTH ANCIENT TREASURE CACHE AT BIBLICAL CITY CONNECTED TO GENESIS

Sardis was once the capital of the ancient Lydian Kingdom before later becoming an important center of the Persian Empire, the period to which the statue dates.

The city is named as one of the seven churches in Asia Minor addressed by Jesus Christ in the Book of Revelation.

Revelation 3:1–6 begins, "To the angel of the church in Sardis write..."

The other churches included Ephesus, Pergamum, Thyatira, Smyrna, Philadelphia and Laodicea.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Ancient marble statues were often painted, and researchers plan to examine the Sardis statue for any surviving traces of pigment.

The artifact is covered in a thick layer of hardened deposits, which conservators will remove with care while protecting any remaining paint.

Specialists will also examine the surrounding soil for traces of color.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS

Once conservation and restoration are complete, the statue will be displayed at the Manisa Museum in western Turkey.

The discovery is the latest in a series of archaeological finds from ancient cities mentioned in the Book of Revelation.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Earlier this summer, an ancient mosaic was uncovered in Smyrna, an archaeological site in modern-day İzmir, Turkey.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In Ephesus, archaeologists found a Roman-era marble bathtub and a fragment of a male statue that had been reused as a paving stone.

Jeff Arcuri reveals how 'Bachelorette' wife’s cancer fight transformed his comedy — and their marriage

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:00:18 -0400

Life can be uncomfortable. Jeff Arcuri has built a career on finding the joke in uncomfortable moments.

"I think you can make anything funny. You can make awkwardness funny if you’re just honest. People respond to the honesty," the comic told Fox News Digital.

That philosophy has been shaped by nearly two decades of stand-up, but the last few years have tested it in ways Arcuri could not have scripted. As his career surged toward his first special, "Jeff Arcuri: Nice to Meet You," now streaming on Netflix, his personal life grew more complicated when his wife, "Bachelorette" alumna Katie Thurston, was diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer.

"The past two years with my wife kind of grew me up a little bit," Arcuri said. "So my comedy kind of matured, and that’s what the special is. The first half is the stuff that I found funny, and the second half is a lot of s--- that really happened to me."

LAWYER-TURNED-SOCIAL MEDIA SENSATION IS BETTING IT ALL ON GOD, LOVE AND GRIEF

Honest is funny

Rather than rely on material he had accumulated over years, Arcuri said he wanted the special to reflect the reality he was actually living.

"There’s no way I’m going to do a special not talking about what’s going on in my current life right now."

Long before Arcuri applied that philosophy to deeply personal material, it was central to the crowd work that helped him gain a following online.

He said he often prefers engaging with someone who appears reluctant to participate rather than the person eager to become part of the show.

"I want him, because now if he laughs, I win," Arcuri said. "He’s going to answer honestly, thinking it’s going to throw me off. But in reality, he’s probably going to only build it, because a truthful audience member is the most valuable, hilarious thing."

That belief in honesty created a challenge in "Nice to Meet You": telling jokes that were true to his experience without bumming out the crowd. He needed to make it safe for viewers to laugh when the subject matter became serious.

Arcuri recalled saying during the special that one of the hardest parts of his wife’s illness was getting her to laugh, "because that’s all I got."

The line was not necessarily intended as a joke, he said, and audiences at most of the tapings did not treat it like one. But one crowd laughed.

"I guess I’m that good," he jested, noting that small adjustments in delivery can make huge changes in the show. It didn't mean pretending the underlying experience was not serious.

COMEDIAN DES BISHOP ON HOW AMERICA MADE HIM FUNNIER AND HIS 'HEALTHY COLLABORATION' WITH WIFE HANNAH BERNER

That approach extended beyond the stage. Asked whether he was comfortable discussing his wife’s diagnosis, Arcuri responded plainly, "Yeah. I put it on Netflix."

He said he and Thurston have found value in talking openly about what they are experiencing rather than treating cancer as a forbidden subject. Thurston shares cancer updates on her Instagram account, which Arcuri said is followed by a lot of women going through their own experiences with illness. She tends to be very transparent about her diagnosis and treatment — perhaps too transparent.

Arcuri said he sometimes learns updates about his wife through her Instagram broadcast page. "Call me first!" he joked.

Poking fun at the situation is key to the couple's coping strategy. He recounted one of his wife's quips that made his father spit his food out.

"My wife gave me Lactaid at the dinner table because I forgot it in my hotel room ... I go 'Oh, thank you, my angel.' And she said, 'Don't call me that, I ain't dead yet!'"

Arcuri resisted describing that material as "dark comedy," since he didn't write it with that in mind. Rather, he simply wanted his act to be true to his life.

"If anything, I had to make light of something hard," he said.

WITH 10 KIDS AT HOME, COMEDIAN KOUNTRY WAYNE SAYS REAL LIFE WRITES THE JOKES

Bombing to breakthrough

Arcuri’s current ease onstage came after years in which success was far less certain.

The comic got his start in comedy around 2009 or 2010, he said, after which he spent some time telling jokes in Michigan before moving to Chicago for more stage time and then to the Big Apple, where he got the opportunity to appear on "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert."

"I did a s---ty job at that. I did a bad job."

What followed was what he described as "the most depressive comedy years of my entire life."

"I thought I was going to make it when I came here, and I just ate it for two years straight."

But booking shows on cruise ships and developing relationships with other New York comedians culminated in an audition for the famous Comedy Cellar, and performing there gave him the confidence to start posting his work online.

When the joke isn’t enough

The past two years also forced Arcuri to recognize that humor could not carry every emotional burden.

While his career took him around the world, Thurston was navigating cancer treatment. Arcuri said therapy helped him manage what it meant to support someone through that experience while handling his own fear.

"I was her person and she was my person, but also there’s a lot you go through being adjacent to somebody that’s going through that," he said.

He found himself repeatedly reassuring his wife that things would be all right.

"I’m telling her that, ‘We’re going to be OK,’" he said. "But I’m telling her that — who’s telling me that?"

Eventually, he told Thurston something he had struggled to admit.

"I’m afraid about your health and it freaks me out. And sometimes I pretend to be stronger than I am."

Arcuri said he had worried that showing that fear would change how his wife saw him.

"I was so scared she wouldn’t see me as a man if I wasn’t like, ‘It’s going to be okay.’"

Instead, she thanked him for saying it.

For a comedian whose instinct is almost always to seize the funny moment, it was another kind of honesty.

'Nice to Meet You'

For all the ways Arcuri says his comedy has matured, his instinct to find the joke has not gone anywhere. And Thurston helps him turn real life into new material.

He called her "my muse and my biggest inspiration and my biggest motivator with comedy."

Arcuri recalled walking out of the bathroom in a revealing robe when Thurston reacted by calling him "Flabio" instead of "Fabio."

"Your subconscious roasted me. You said 'Flab-io' and you didn't realize," Arcuri recalled saying to his wife.

"She was mortified. And then the next thing she said was, 'Write that down.'"

Even the title of his debut special was inspired by a real habit he hadn't planned. His manager pointed out that the comedian routinely said, "Nice to meet you," to people he called on in the crowd during his shows.

"I watched through it, and it’s like, ‘Hey, nice to meet you. I’m Jeff,’" over and over, he recalled.

"It’s also my debut special," he added. "So it’s those two things mixed in."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

After years of trying jokes, bombing, rebuilding and finally finding an audience, the title doubles as a fitting introduction to the next phase of his career.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

And if Arcuri’s philosophy holds, whatever comes next — awkward, difficult or otherwise — will probably end up in the act.

NFL preseason picks: Rams over 16.5 points and Panthers with the points against Bills

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:59:49 -0400

Well, the first set of preseason games that I bet didn’t exactly go as planned. I had one win and two losses. The losses were interesting. I was WAY off about the Packers and Steelers game, with the Packers scoring only nine points in the contest. The Cardinals and Raiders put on a show, as expected, but I missed the best of the number and lost on the over. I had 41.5 and the total hit right at 41. Looks like I am in preseason form for NFL betting as well. Let’s try to get a little back here as there are some fun games to look forward to.

Rams vs Chiefs

This would be a great game to watch if it were during the regular season. As it stands, we just have to deal with the preseason and enjoy whoever takes the field. There is very little chance that Matthew Stafford sees any work in this game, and probably doesn’t see it in almost any preseason game, with the exception of perhaps the third or fourth game. It is a bit shocking that Patrick Mahomes is even in a conversation for him to play again, but he won’t be out there either. So that leaves backups.

RAMS MAKE SURPRISE FIRST-ROUND MOVE, TAKE ALABAMA QB TY SIMPSON

Stetson Bennett and Ty Simpson will see the bulk of work, and with them battling for the backup position, I think they will both do well. Justin Fields is the new Chiefs backup, and he should be interesting with the Andy Reid offense. I’m not sure how long he will play, but I’d like to see him get a quarter of action. I’ll back the over 16.5 points for the Rams. I think they have more than enough weapons and very motivated quarterbacks.

Panthers vs. Bills

Believe it or not, this actually could’ve been a Super Bowl matchup last year. Obviously things didn’t shake out that way, but both did make the postseason. Both also suffered heartbreaking losses in the playoffs. Now they get to battle in the preseason. The Panthers are playing their second game of the preseason, while the Bills are taking in their first. This will also be the first game played in their new stadium. That really doesn’t add much other than some potential extra motivation.

In their first game, the Panthers had Haynes King throw the ball 34 times. Kenny Pickett added another 11 tosses. They ran it 22 times total. If that continues, you can expect a bit higher of a score. I can’t imagine they will look to run the ball a ton, unless they are trying to protect King. I don’t know if there is an official word on whether Bryce Young will get some action, but if he has a drive or two, that also could contribute to points.

STAY "FEARLESS" ON THE GO! TAKE TOMI LAHREN WITH YOU. DOWNLOAD THE TLIF PODCAST NOW!

The Bills have been a little more upfront with what is happening. Josh Allen will take a series or two, which is probably partially because of the new stadium. It isn’t exactly like he needs practice. Maybe they want to get him some game action with DJ Moore now that he is with the club. I don’t have much faith in Kyle Allen or Shane Buechele to lead the charge.

I’m going to take the Panthers with the points. I get that it would be a nice story for the Bills to win the game, but the reality is that the Panthers backups should be better, and more adjusted to game speed, than the Bills. Give me the Panthers with the points, and I’ll sprinkle that moneyline as well.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024

Sean Payton takes vicious shot at Falcons home crowd after humiliating first half

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:10:04 -0400

It's only preseason — and that goes for everyone.

The players. The coaches. The fans. All of it. We're all in this together. We're all kicking off the rust and getting back into playing shape together.

It's a marathon, not a sprint.

That being said, things didn't go great for the Atlanta Falcons in Friday's opener against the Denver Broncos. For starters, new QB Tua Tagovailoa was pretty 'meh.' He completed a handful of short passes to Kyle Pitts, and fumbled the second snap of the game.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

That was Tua in midseason form, by the way. Nobody loves a good fumbled snap more than him. Trust me. I had to watch it for four seasons.

Anyway, Atlanta went into the locker room trailing, 24-0, and Denver coach Sean Payton made sure to kick the entire city while it was down:

Sean Payton is in midseason form

"Yeah ... a lot of people dressed up as empty seats today, so, anyway ..."

Lordy. Brutal shot at the Atlanta faithful. Not great! A couple things ...

The Braves are home this weekend, and were playing at the exact same time as the Falcons last night. They're in the thick of a division race right now. The Falcons are not.
It's preseason. Who goes to a preseason game? Especially the first preseason game? Everyone knows if you're gonna force yourself to go to a preseason game, it's the second one. And even then, it's a big ask.

That being said, Sean Payton is very clearly in midseason form. He's ready to rock and roll this year. The Broncos were a healthy Bo Nix ankle away from going to the Super Bowl last season, and they've only reloaded for this year.

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

Payton is coming out of the gates hot and setting the tone. Judging by last night's 27-7 throttling, it appears his team is following suit.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Welcome back, NFL. Let's get this preseason over with so we can get to the real thing.

Carmen Electra reveals what she wants in a man after racy Playboy comeback

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 10:00:41 -0400

After making her Playboy comeback, Carmen Electra says she’s open to hopping back into the dating pool.

At 54, the "Baywatch" bombshell posed for the magazine three decades after her debut. The actress and model first appeared in the magazine in 1996 at age 24 and now graces the pages of its Summer 2026 issue, which is on sale now.

Posing in fishnets, Electra also answered readers' burning questions about love — but she isn't just dishing out dating advice. She's ready for a romance of her own.

MARTHA STEWART GETS CANDID ABOUT PLASTIC SURGERY, DATING AS SHE TURNS 85

"I still like a guy that's a little bit edgy, but I wouldn't mind being with a dad type," the star told Fox News Digital. "I did actually date a dad. He had a daughter. I fell in love with the daughter. And I kind of thought that was going to be the relationship. Didn't work out, but I could be with someone who has a kid or not."

The actress and model has walked down the aisle twice before. She wed former NBA star Dennis Rodman in November 1998. Rodman filed for an annulment just nine days later, though the pair reconciled before Electra ultimately filed for divorce in April 1999.

Electra gave marriage another shot with Jane's Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro, saying "I do" in 2003. The couple announced their separation in 2006, and their divorce was finalized in 2007.

CARMEN ELECTRA REVEALS HER SIMPLE RULE FOR KEEPING THE ‘SPARK ALIVE’ IN RELATIONSHIPS

Today, Electra isn't putting any limits on love.

"They don't have to be a dad," she said. "They could be a little bit younger. I don't know. I don't really know who that guy is yet. I work really hard. I make money. I'm not looking for the man with money. That's not my goal. If he wants to buy me a few gifts, that's nice. But I can take care of myself. He just has to be a good person. That's very important. And we have to like the same things."

"It's also cool when opposites attract," she noted. "Because they say if two people are too similar, one person is unnecessary. So you don't want it to be too similar, but you do want to like certain things. You want to have some things in common. But you also want to learn from each other."

Electra has long worn her heart on her sleeve — and "love" on her skin. The pinup previously told Fox News Digital she has the word tattooed on her wrist.

"I've always been about love," Electra said at the time. "I've always come from a place of love. And if we could all do that, what a wonderful place we could be in. If you really mess with me, I don't know how much love you're going to get. But I truly believe in love."

Electra said she has felt plenty of love from her social media followers, who have cheered her on through the years.

"Look, sometimes I'm trying different things on my Instagram page," she said. "Not everyone's going to love those things, and you might not get as many likes. But you turn around and boom, my fans are there."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

After making a splash in Hollywood, Electra has discovered what makes her feel most confident, and it has nothing to do with looking glamorous or having a beau. For her, it's all about being booked and busy.

"I feel the most confident when I'm working, and I've been working a lot," she said. "When I'm working, I'm really happy. It's weird; you would think that by now I'd be over it. But I'm just not. I love it. And the more I work, the more confident I feel. When I'm in love, I feel confident. But I don't have someone in my life right now. But I'm still confident because I'm working."

After returning to Playboy, Electra has a message for women who think getting older means fading into the background: Don't buy it.

LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"Don't let anyone tell you you're too old," she said. "That's a myth. You are living your own life. You're not living your life for other people. And honestly, if you're manifesting that, that's what it's going to be for you. You have to change your thought process. You have to start telling yourself every morning, 'I'm beautiful. I'm good enough. I look great. I'm pretty.' Whatever it is that you want to be, you can be that."

"At one time in my life, I was reading a lot of books about Buddhism," she reflected. "I remember one book talked about your inner child and never losing your inner child. And I've always been a bit childish. So I always thought, 'I'm not going to lose it.' I never want to lose that, and I'm not going to. And I think the people who are older than me, who are still in this business and who I think are beautiful, have a youthful spirit. And people will love you for being who you really, truly are."

New York Magazine severs ties with writer Ross Barkan, updates 67 columns following plagiarism probe

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:00:22 -0400

New York Magazine announced Friday it has severed ties with columnist Ross Barkan after launching an investigation into plagiarism allegations.

"After an independent editorial review, New York found that Ross Barkan did not adhere to our editorial standards, and we have updated 67 columns that did not include proper attribution of language, information, and/or sourcing," the publication said in a statement obtained by Semafor. "We have updated our archives to include proper attribution in all of the stories that our review found previously inadequate, noting that those updates were made, and are committed to addressing any other instances that come to light."

"Upon conclusion of the review, we have determined that we will no longer publish his column. We regret that this work did not live up to our editorial standards, and apologize to the writers whose work was not properly attributed," the magazine added.

NEW YORK MAGAZINE COLUMNIST ACCUSED OF PLAGIARISM BY FELLOW REPORTERS, TRIGGERS INTERNAL REVIEW

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Barkan wrote, "We've decided to end the column and I send all the best to New York Magazine. In the course of nearly 250 pieces, there were times I should have been more careful with citation. I'm sorry about these errors and will work to do better, more careful in the future."

Barkan also teased a new column he plans to launch in September.

Vox Media, New York Magazine's parent company, did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

OLIVIA NUZZI EXITS NY MAGAZINE FOLLOWING RFK JR. RELATIONSHIP REVELATIONS

The controversy began in May when Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell accused Barkan of lifting from his report about conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and his outlet The Daily Wire for one of his columns.

After Harwell highlighted the similarities between the two articles, New York Magazine updated its piece with an editor's note offering credit to the Washington Post, though Harwell explained he wasn't "entirely sure what happened."

COLLEGE STUDENT AT THE CENTER OF NY MAGAZINE HIT PIECE ON YOUNG CONSERVATIVES SPEAKS OUT

NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn found additional examples of what appeared to be Barkan lifting similar phrases and descriptions from The Intercept and Compact Magazine on other reports.

"The paragraphs in question are summarizing the historical background or context of the stories, with some instances containing the same 30 words in a row, or near identical passages with a word or phrase slightly tweaked," Allyn wrote.

Barkan was initially defiant in response to critics, telling Fox News Digital at the time he "did not plagiarize anyone" and "[a]ll of this is ridiculous."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News' Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.

Carly Simon seemingly takes aim at ex James Taylor on new album as she sings 'Maybe I never loved you'

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:00:21 -0400

Carly Simon appears to take aim at her ex-husband James Taylor with a five-word bombshell: "Maybe I never loved you."

The Grammy-winning singer seems to turn the wreckage of their decade-long marriage into a song on her new album, "Comes in Waves."

"Maybe I never loved you / But anyway, I thought I did," Simon sings on the album’s second track. "I married you, we had a kid / That counts for something."

‘YOU’RE SO VAIN’ SINGER CARLY SIMON SAYS PARKINSON’S AND CANCER DIAGNOSES KEPT HER FROM PUBLIC EYE

She immediately undercuts her own certainty, wondering whether she did love her former husband — and whether he ever truly loved her.

"Maybe I never loved you / Yes, and maybe I did," she sings. "And maybe you never loved me / Although God knows, you said you did."

Taylor is never identified by name.

Simon was married to the "Fire and Rain" singer from 1972 to 1983. Their relationship was rocky and remained in the public eye for decades.

"You came for me those times I hid / I’m so glad you did that," she sings. "And maybe it’s wrong to wonder how everything kind became forbidden."

The song eventually concludes with what sounds like a final attempt at closure.

"And maybe it’s best to bury whatever it was we had our fill of," she sings. "Maybe I never loved you / Maybe I always will."

Fox News Digital has reached out to both Simon and Taylor for comment.

In a 2015 interview with People, Simon said she and Taylor had not spoken in more than a decade.

"I still want to heal him, I still want to make him all right," she said. "And I love him so much."

Simon said Taylor's treatment of her had been deeply painful, but writing her memoir helped her understand something about herself and about unrequited love.

IN MEMOIR, CARLY SIMON REVEALS SHE USED 'SPANISH WITCH DOCTOR' TO HELP SAVE HER MARRIAGE

"My incredible loyalty to him, in spite of the fact that he has treated me without any regard, has been so painful to me for so long," she told the outlet. "But, through the course of writing the book, I really started to understand that I could love and not be loved. And that was the big realization for me, that it doesn’t have to be a two-way street."

The deeply personal album arrives as Simon has also been navigating significant health challenges away from the spotlight.

The "You’re So Vain" singer has Parkinson’s disease and recently had surgery for basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer.

Simon explained to People why she had largely stayed out of the public eye.

"It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly," the 83-year-old told the outlet in a statement published July 27.

"Parkinson's is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable," she continued. "Some days I'm so tired I can't get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work and feel like myself."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

Her comments offer a rare glimpse into what the legendary singer has been experiencing privately while continuing to create music.

Her latest project, "Comes in Waves," marks the end of an 18-year hiatus from releasing original music — and she's looking squarely at the past while confronting the realities of the present.

Simon and Taylor were one of music's ultimate power couples of the 1970s.

Their romance moved fast. Simon said she went to Taylor's dressing room at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1971 after seeing him perform.

"I have a wonderful history with Carnegie Hall," she said previously in a Harper’s Bazaar interview. "I met James there that same year when I went to his dressing room to say hello, and he invited himself to my home for a late-night lunch that expanded into a life together."

By the following year, they were married.

Their wedding took place on Nov. 3, 1972, in a small ceremony at Simon's New York home.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

But the marriage didn't last.

The couple separated in 1981, and their divorce was finalized in 1983. They share two children, Sally Taylor and Ben Taylor.

Behind the scenes, their marriage was unraveling as Taylor struggled with drug addiction. Both Simon and Taylor have acknowledged infidelity during their marriage.

Simon later described their relationship in her 2015 memoir, "Boys in the Trees," as "far from the idyllic one that the general public reads about."

She had an even harsher description of their relationship.

"Our love became bipolar, switching from love to hate, lust to loathing, and back again, sometimes within a day," Simon wrote.

Taylor has also acknowledged how deeply his addiction damaged his relationships.

"You could fall in love, but if one of the people is addicted, it’s not going to work," he told Parade. "The whole person is simply not available."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Chiefs heiress Gracie Hunt reveals why she lifts heavy weights — and doesn’t count calories

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 09:00:13 -0400

Kansas City Chiefs heiress Gracie Hunt recently opened up about her health philosophy on "The Riley Gaines Show," revealing that heavy strength training and a simple approach to nutrition keep her energized and confident.

Speaking on a recent episode of the podcast, the former Miss Kansas USA and marathon runner dispelled misconceptions around women's fitness — specifically the belief that lifting heavy weights leads to a bulky physique.

"There's so much misconception out there that if you lift weights, you're going to be bulky and big," Hunt told host and women's sports advocate Riley Gaines. "That is not how it works."

KAI TRUMP REVEALS DIET AND NUTRITION SECRETS THAT CREATED SIX-PACK ABS POST-SURGERY

Hunt said that over the past three years, her routine has changed significantly, as she stepped back from long-distance running to focus more on heavy strength training.

"When you have enough muscle, you can sustain a healthy diet with lots of variety," the former pageant queen noted, adding that building muscle eliminates the need to track every calorie or macronutrient.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Instead of relying on meal tracking, Hunt said she applies a sort of litmus test to determine whether a food fits into her clean-eating lifestyle.

"If I was a farmer, could I grow this or make this?" she asks herself. "If I don't know how to make it, maybe I shouldn't eat it."

Hunt's passion for physical fitness began early in life, she told Gaines. Originally, she planned to go into competitive soccer, but her athletic trajectory changed after she suffered multiple concussions. The injuries forced her to pivot away from soccer into pageantry, marathons and strength training.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Reflecting on her shift away from competitive team sports, the football heiress emphasized how physical activity shaped her self-image and mental resilience.

"Sports empower women," Hunt said. "They teach you how to be healthy and also to not attach health and wellness to how you look and to vanity. It's more about, 'Am I healthy? How can I perform?'"

She said she believes that physical strength fosters body confidence, regardless of societal standards.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

"I'm strong. So even if I don't look like what society idolizes as beauty, I'm confident in my skin because I know I'm strong."

For women seeking a healthy, strength-focused routine, Hunt recommends building workouts around consistent weightlifting, balanced with high-intensity interval training (HIIT) and a favorite form of cardio, whether that's hiking, walking or trail running.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Above all, physical fitness should be viewed as a long-term lifestyle aimed at overall well-being, not just a quick goal to hit, according to Hunt.

"Fitness isn't about reaching a certain aesthetic and calling it a day — it's about pursuing a life where you can be your best for everyone else around you," she said. "Find something that you love and can do for life."

Spain stocks African enclave Ceuta with boosted security as Morocco monitors calls for second border rush

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:56:25 -0400

Spain and Morocco have beefed up security on both sides of the border in Spain's African enclave Ceuta as renewed calls circulate social media for Moroccan migrants to rush the border a second time after an initial mass migration event in July overwhelmed the city.

Soldiers patrolled the city's commercial and government buildings Friday while an enhanced police presence could be seen on Ceuta's main avenues, Reuters reported.

On the Moroccan side, security personnel dressed in all-black patrolled the beaches of Fnideq, one of the most prominent launching points from which migrants illegally entered Ceuta on July 30 as part of a mass migration event that saw over 70,000 people rush into Ceuta from Morocco.

The strengthened security followed calls on social media for Moroccans to again rush into Ceuta, and into Spain's other African enclave, Melilia, on Saturday.

FIREBRAND REP UNLOADS ON SOCIALIST PRIME MINISTER AS 'HORDES OF MILITARY AGED MEN' SWARM EUROPEAN COUNTRY

"The Ministry of the Interior has detected, during the last few days, the circulation of anonymous publications and messages on certain social networks inciting the organization of attempts at collective and illegal crossing to the cities of Ceuta and Melilla, practices which carry serious risks to the safety of people and aim to instrumentalize migration issues in acts of incitement, which are criminalized by law," Morocco's Ministry of the Interior said in a statement posted to the country's state-affiliated news website MAP.

Morocco arrested multiple people who circulated the inciting statements, Interior Ministry spokesperson Rachid El Khalfi said.

The Interior Ministry also called on Spain to continue working to return the remaining Moroccan migrants in Ceuta back to the North African country.

TRUMP PUTS ASYLUM LAWYERS ‘ON NOTICE’ WITH NEW FRONT IN WAR ON FRAUD

Of the more than 72,000 migrants who rushed the border, the vast majority have returned to Morocco, according to statements from Spain and Ceuta's government. About 5,000 remain, Spain's Interior Minister Fernando Grande-Marlaska told reporters Friday.

Spanish officials have been screening the remaining migrants and have processed roughly 500 asylum seekers' cases, rejecting the vast majority of them, Reuters reported.

Spain has also installed floating barriers in the waters where migrants had previously swam across.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

At least 96 people died during the mass migration event.

Fox News Digital contacted the governments of Spain, Morocco and Ceuta for further comment.

Reuters contributed to this report.

Virginia State University shooting: At least 5 injured, one critically

Sat, 15 Aug 2026 07:41:38 -0400

At least five people were shot at Virginia State University (VSU) on Saturday morning and one remains in critical condition, according to the university and VSU Police.

"Officers responded to the 3300 block of Boisseau Street at approximately 1:28 a.m. and discovered five individuals suffering from gunshot wounds outside VSU residence halls," a university official told Fox News Digital.

"All five were transported to area hospitals. One individual is currently in critical condition. The remaining four sustained non-life-threatening injuries," the official also shared.

VSU police earlier revealed that the shooting occurred near the school's Quad Annexes student housing complex.

STUDENT PERPETRATES DEADLY SHOOTING AT THAILAND HIGH SCHOOL, AUTHORITIES SAY

"A shooting occurred in the area of the Quad Annexes involving multiple victims, who were transported to area hospitals," VSU Police wrote in a statement posted to X.

"Police are on scene and request that you avoid the area," the statement read.

The university said earlier on X that the shooting involved "multiple suspects." No arrests have been announced.

The campus initially went into lockdown, but the lockdown has now been lifted, according to the university official.

VSU Police said on X that the lockdown was lifted and "normal access to campus may resume."

The shooting occurred on the same day that resident halls opened to returning students on Friday for the school's summer 2026 semester, according to the school's calendar. Classes for the semester will begin on Monday.

"A significant law enforcement presence remains on campus," a university official told Fox News Digital.

SEVERAL PEOPLE DEAD, INCLUDING SUSPECT, IN RURAL MICHIGAN MULTI-SCENE SHOOTING: POLICE

Rozia A. Henson Jr., a Democratic member of the Virginia House of Delegates, shared a message on social media praying for the victims and their families.

"Virginia State University is my alma mater. Waking up to this news is heartbreaking. My prayers are with everyone affected this morning, with their families, and with the entire Trojan family. VSU, we are with you," Henson Jr. posted on X.

An investigation into the shooting, led by Chesterfield County Police with assistance from VSU Police, ATF, and the Hanover County Sheriff's Office, is ongoing, a university official told Fox News Digital.

The university is asking anyone with information to contact Chesterfield County Police at 804-748-1251, Crime Solvers at 804-748-0660, or VSU Police at 804-524-5411.

VSU, a state-supported HBCU, is located in Ettrick, Virginia — about 25 miles south of Richmond.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

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