Latest & Breaking News | Fox News

Gunman kills 6 at youth welfare facility in suspected child custody dispute: reports

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:42:36 -0400

A suspect is in custody after six people were shot and killed Monday at a youth welfare facility in northern Germany, officials said.

The shooting happened around midday in Stade, a town of about 50,000 people near Hamburg. Authorities said the victims — four women and two men — all worked at the youth center or affiliated organizations. Five were pronounced dead at the scene, while a sixth died later at a hospital, according to The Associated Press, citing authorities.

Several others were wounded in the shooting, which may have been tied to a child custody dispute, the outlet reported.

2 PEOPLE ARE KILLED IN A KNIFE ATTACK IN GERMANY; SCHOLZ SAYS THERE MUST BE CONSEQUENCES

Police said the shooting happened at a facility on Dankersstrasse that houses pregnant women and young mothers with children, according to The Associated Press.

The suspect, a 45-year-old man, had an appointment at the facility earlier in the day before the shooting unfolded around midday. His 3-month-old daughter and the child’s mother were safe, Reuters reported.

The suspected gunman was arrested. Police said two others were also subject to police measures on suspicion of involvement but did not provide additional details, according to The Associated Press.

CHILDREN AMONG 6 WOUNDED IN MARYLAND MASS SHOOTING AS DETECTIVES WORK TO DETERMINE WHAT OCCURRED

German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he was "deeply shocked" by the violence at a place meant to protect women and children.

"The horrific act of violence in Stade claimed the lives of six people today. I am deeply shaken by the extent of the violence in a place that is meant to provide protection," Steinmeier said.

"My condolences go to the families of the dead and injured, who must endure so much pain. My thanks go to all first responders and doctors."

SUSPECT 'NEUTRALIZED' AFTER MONTREAL SHOOTING LEAVES AT LEAST 2 DEAD INCLUDING OFFICER

Police warned people to avoid the area after the shooting but later said there was no danger to the public. Investigators were still collecting evidence Monday evening, Reuters reported.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Mass shootings in Germany are rare.

Earlier this year, a car plowed into a pedestrian zone in Leipzig, Germany, killing two people and leaving several others seriously injured.

Stade Police could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.

'Pod Save America' hosts call socialist wins a 'warning sign' for Dems, slam 'moronic' far-left views

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:30:05 -0400

Co-hosts of the "Pod Save America" podcast spoke about the shockwaves in the Democratic Party after multiple democratic socialist candidates won their primaries in New York and warned that some of their views range from "moronic to abhorrent."

Democratic socialist candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier was one of three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani who won shocking primary victories in New York last week. Her history of controversial far-left rhetoric and policies has caused a wave of outrage among more traditional Democratic figures, such as strategist James Carville, who said, "There’s just some sh-- that I can’t be in the same tent with" as he proposed a formal schism and declared, "And I'm not in that f---ing political party."

"Pod Save America" host Jon Favreau, a former Obama speechwriter, played a clip of Carville's condemnation, as well as reactions from other Democrats, and turned to co-host Dan Pfeiffer for his thoughts.

"No one should dismiss this," Pfeiffer said of the incumbents who lost their seats to far-left challengers.

AOC ISSUES WARNING TO HER FELLOW DEMOCRATIC INCUMBENTS IN THE WAKE OF SOCIALISTS WINNING BIG IN NYC

"I think the thing we should take away is, like so much else that's happening in this country, when progressives beat establishment candidates — in the Second District of Maine, in the California race where Randy Villegas won, Graham Platner forcing Janet Mills out of the race — like, there's a giant warning sign for the Democratic establishment here," he said. "Where the support of people like Schumer or even Hakeem Jeffries is certainly not an asset in your campaign. It may be a detriment."

He continued by suggesting, "It is very clear that the groups on the left — Justice Democrats, Democratic Socialists of America, Our Revolution — are out organizing, out fundraising, outworking, outmaneuvering the traditional party institutions. That is happening. They have captured the energy. They're being more creative. They're being more strategic. They're being more aggressive."

This, he said, is a bellwether on multiple levels for the party and its base.

"And if you are someone in the Democratic establishment, you should be deeply concerned about what this says about where the party is, what the standing of the party is, what the ability of the party infrastructure is to actually win elections. So this is a big deal."

JAMES CARVILLE SAYS SOCIALIST DEMOCRAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THE PARTY, CALLS HER VIEWS 'A BRIDGE TOO FAR'

However, he noted that New York is an overwhelmingly liberal area, and is not entirely representative of the entire country, and even there, moderate candidates can win in certain districts.

"Really here, the panic is over Darializa Avila Chevalier. And I will just say she might be the most left-wing candidate to ever win a Democratic primary in our lifetime," Favreau suggested.

While he said that he may have some room to forgive old tweets, there are some controversies of hers that are beyond the pale.

"Here's where I have a problem," Favreau said. "She has not apologized for attending an anti-Israel rally on October 8, 2023 — a rally that was condemned by Zohran Mamdani, AOC, and Brad Lander, who actually left the DSA because it promoted that rally — where attendees chanted that Hamas's resistance was justified the day after October 7, the day after they slaughtered a thousand Israelis. And to this day, she still defends attending that rally."

"The other problem I have – she sat for an interview with the New York editorial board last week where she said she's against all deportations," he continued. "She's for open borders because, quote, 'Bordering is a very modern construct, actually.’"

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"The borders are in our hearts and our minds," Favreau joked, before continuing, "She wants to abolish prisons and refused to say, when asked — she got four different chances on this — refused to say that a convicted murderer should be sentenced to any jail time at all."

"Now maybe she turns over a new leaf in Congress and her voting record doesn't match some of these more extreme positions. I hope so. But I think the reason I bring this up is because when Democrats get questions about this, I think the answer is easy and important to give, which is that she currently holds a range of views that go from moronic to abhorrent," the host said. "And not only do those views not align with most Democrats in the country — nearly all Democrats in the country, all elected Democrats actually, most elected Democratic Socialists — but I don't even think they align with a lot of the people who probably voted for her."

Fox News Digital reached out to Avila Chevalier's campaign but did not receive an immediate reply.

Trump unloads after Supreme Court upholds late mail-in ballots in Mississippi

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:22:13 -0400

President Donald Trump on Monday blasted a Supreme Court opinion upholding a Mississippi law that allows mail-in ballots received up to five days after Election Day to be counted.

The ruling in Watson v. RNC pitted Trump against some of the justices he appointed and dealt a blow to his push for stricter election rules by upholding Mississippi's practice of counting late-arriving mail-in ballots. The decision also prompted a rebuke from one of the Republican senators Trump singled out in a scathing response, after the senator noted he already supports legislation requiring ballots to be received by Election Day.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a Trump nominee, rebuked Republicans’ arguments in the case, writing that as long as Election Day is the statutorily required date on which a vote is submitted and that "election-day statutes do not set a deadline for ballot receipt."

Trump fired back hours later on Truth Social, calling the case a "tremendous loss" for voters’ rights and saying the ruling means Congress must moot it immediately by passing the SAVE America Act.

SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY

The bill, led by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, in the House and Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in the Senate, would require nationwide voter ID and essentially ban no-excuse mail-in balloting.

"It is more important than ever to pass the SAVE America Act," he said.

TRUMP'S SAVE AMERICA ACT SHOWS SIGNS OF LIFE IN THE SENATE DESPITE REPUBLICAN REVOLT

"There is no excuse for a politician, or otherwise, to be against the above three requirements," he said, citing voter-ID, proof-of-citizenship, and only distributing mail-in ballots to military members, the sick and disabled and those voters traveling away from their home precinct on Election Day.

"There is only one reason to oppose — cheating," he said, adding that the House approved the SAVE Act in three different iterations.

"In a time when there is a powerful Communist movement taking place in our country, one more dangerous than World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor, or Sept. 11, all Dumocrats (sic) and our five Republican Senate Hold Outs, Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins, Thom Tillis, Bill Cassidy, and Mitch McConnell must vote to save our country."

WATCH: HAWLEY FUMES AFTER 4 GOP SENATORS HELP SINK TRUMP-BACKED VOTER ID LAW

Fox News Digital reached out to Senate leaders John Thune, R-S.D., and Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., as well as each of the senators Trump mentioned.

Cassidy incredulously replied that the president may need to fact-check his missive, as the Louisiana Republican is a co-sponsor of the SAVE Act.

"I don’t know which staffer misled you, but thank you for your attention to this matter," Cassidy said, mimicking Trump’s signature statement-closer.

Trump and Cassidy have sparred in other respects, but the two appear in agreement on the bill’s contents. However, Cassidy added that it is "irresponsible" to postpone a now-paused Housing bill signing until the SAVE Act is passed because people deserve "relief… for the high cost of housing."

SIGN UP TO GET THE POLITICS NEWSLETTER

Thune’s office declined further comment, while McConnell’s acknowledged receipt and said the former majority leader would share any comment if he has one in the interim.

While Trump grouped all Democrats in opposition, one maverick member of the minority has signaled he would support a pared-down version that would require voter ID.

"If the GOP wants real reform over a show vote––put out a clean, standalone bill and I’m AYE," Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman said in a recent statement.

"Keep it basic: PHOTO ID to vote. Stop turning this into a Christmas list and attacking vote-by-mail."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

If the Senate were to approve the House-passed version of the SAVE Act, it could upend or at least moot parts of the Supreme Court’s Watson decision.

Calls for the SAVE America Act’s passage mounted in the weeks before the decision as critics pointed to California’s ballot tabulation process after actor Spencer Pratt was overtaken by socialist Councilwoman Nithya Raman, D-Los Feliz, and eliminated from the runoff. Critics also cited the slow pace at which Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton were declared general election candidates for governor after a crowded primary.

Cristiano Ronaldo's fiancée Georgina Rodriguez puts a few in the back of the net at the beach in Miami

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 17:18:22 -0400

When Georgina Rodriguez shoots she scores. The 32-year-old mother and future wife of Cristiano Ronaldo doesn't play around, and she doesn't hesitate. When she sees the net she goes for it.

Prior to her fiancé stepping foot on the field for his sixth World Cup, she was getting the scoring started with some news of her own. She landed a new campaign with the Italian brand Calzedonia.

Rodriguez got herself on the scoreboard in a bikini as the newest "Calzedonia girl." The campaign had her modeling the swimwear on billboards in different locations around the world.

WORLD CUP SUPERSTAR IVANA KNOLL INVADES AT&T STADIUM TO TURN HEADS AND SUPPORT CROATIA

That highlight reel was only the beginning. You haven't been paying attention if you thought she was going to travel to Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for a 0-0 World Cup game between Colombia and Portugal this past weekend and not find a beach.

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

On Sunday, Rodriguez and a few of her friends were spotted on the beach by the paparazzi (see those pictures here) making the most of their stop in Miami.

On Monday, she put a few in the back of the net on Instagram with her own content from the trip to the beach.

SIDELINE REPORTER ELEONORA INCARDONA PUTTING FINISHING TOUCHES ON BEACH VACATION BEFORE COVERING THE WORLD CUP

If you ask me, bikinis and the beach are how you make the most of a few days off in Miami, especially when you have a trip north on the schedule.

Portugal isn't playing again until they take on Croatia on Thursday. That game is set to take place at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada.

OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

You don't have to tell Georgina Rodriguez that. This isn't amateur hour at the World Cup. She's a veteran. She wouldn't have made it a decade in a relationship with one of the most recognizable soccer players on the planet if she wasn't.

You don't reach more than 74 million Instagram followers with poor planning.

Upgrade your routine with 40% off Laifen hair dryers and electric toothbrushes

Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:31:59 -0400

Personal care and beauty tech brand Laifen is offering discounts on some of its most popular products. Right now, shoppers can save 40% on SE 2 hair dryers and electric toothbrushes by using code PDBESTDEAL at checkout. The sale ends on July 2, so take advantage of these savings now.

Laifen SE 2 hair dryer: $89.99 (40% off)

Original price: $149.99

Small upgrades can make a big difference in your daily routine. Laifen's SE 2 hair dryer, now $100 off during this 40% off sale, uses a high-speed motor to dry hair quickly and a Temperature Cycling Mode to help regulate heat while styling. With two magnetic attachments included, it's designed to make everyday hair care easier to manage and maintain.

Laifen SE Lite hair dryer: $71.99 (40% off)

Original price: $119.99

From busy mornings to travel days, the right tools can make daily routines run more smoothly. The Laifen SE Lite hair dryer combines a lightweight, travel-friendly design with adjustable airflow settings that work for different hair types and styling needs. Whether you're getting ready at home or packing for a trip, it's built to make styling convenient and effective without taking up too much extra space in your bag.

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

Laifen Wave electric toothbrush: $53.99 (40% off)

Original price: $89.99

Elevating your daily routine can be as simple as upgrading your toothbrush. The Laifen Wave electric toothbrush, also 40% off, offers customizable brushing through the Laifen app, with settings designed to align with your specific brushing preferences and cleaning goals. The battery also lasts for up to 50 days on a single charge and recharges fully in just three hours.

For even more discounts, shop Laifen's Prime Day deals on shavers, hair dryers, toothbrushes and other personal care products. Use the code PDBESTDEAL for 40% off these items at checkout.

Collin Gosselin sends cryptic signal to mom Kate after claims she's 'spiraling' over his upcoming memoir

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:57:14 -0400

Collin Gosselin sent a thinly-veiled message to his mother weeks after announcing his upcoming memoir about growing up on reality television.

Collin, 22, shared a New York Post headline about Kate, 51, on his Instagram stories over the weekend, which read, "Kate Gosselin 'spiraling' ahead of estranged son Collin's bombshell memoir: 'She knows it's about to hit the fan.'"

He blurred out his mother's face, and shared a comment from a follower that said, "What's done in darkness will always come to light," according to People magazine.

Kate, 51, is reportedly "spiraling" over what her estranged son may reveal in his memoir, "In the Shadow of Eight: Surviving the Reality of My Childhood."

KATE GOSSELIN ADMITS TO UNHEALTHY COPING MECHANISMS AFTER HER KIDS LEFT FOR COLLEGE

"Kate had no idea this book was in the works," a source told Daily Mail before acknowledging that "Collin hasn’t spoken to his mother since she abandoned him in an institution as a young child."

"She didn’t expect any of this to ever come out. Now she’s spiraling because she knows it’s about to hit the fan."

"Jon & Kate Plus 8" aired on TLC from 2007-09, when the former couple divorced. One year later, the show was rebranded as "Kate Plus 8," which ran until 2017.

KATE GOSSELIN BUDGETS CHRISTMAS FOR 8 KIDS 'TO THE PENNY' AFTER LOSING REALITY TV FORTUNE

Collin was allegedly diagnosed with a behavioral disorder and, at 12-years-old, Kate sent him to the Fairmount Behavioral Health System — a psychiatric hospital located in Philadelphia.

"I was not able, with my own resources here, to meet his needs," Kate said during an episode of "Kate Plus 8." Meanwhile, "Kate Plus 8" continued to air with the seven other children. Jon claimed he didn't know that Collin had been sent to a behavioral institute until he was eating lunch with the kids one day and Collin was absent.

At the time, Kate had full custody of the children and insisted she didn't have to tell her estranged husband where Collin was because of a court order.

KATE GOSSELIN'S CHILDREN WON'T BE HOME FOR THANKSGIVING THIS YEAR

While Kate has allegedly told people that there are "zero facts" surrounding Collin's claims, he reportedly has "the evidence to back everything up."

"Kate can’t stop this book from coming out but I have no doubt she wishes she could," the insider said.

Collin's sextuplet siblings — Aaden, Alexis, Hannah, Joel and Leah — and twin sisters Cara and Madelyn, were also reportedly blindsided by the memoir.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

The siblings allegedly don't "really know the truth of what happened to him" aside from what their mother relayed, the source said.

Kate's representatives did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

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

Earlier this month, Collin revealed his tell-all was set for an October release, and featured an image from his childhood with his mother covering his mouth with her hand.

"For a long time, I wasn’t sure I’d ever tell this story. Growing up, millions of people watched my life on television," he wrote.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"People felt like they knew me. They knew my family. They watched me grow up. But there was so much they never saw. For years, I kept those experiences to myself. Some because I was afraid. Some because I didn’t think anyone would believe me. And some because I just wasn’t ready."

Collin added, "Writing this book forced me to revisit some of the hardest moments of my life, but it also gave me something I’ve been searching for for a long time: my voice. This isn’t the story people think they know. It’s the story I’ve lived."

New York Times blames 'misogyny,' fans for 'Supergirl' flop after disastrous opening weekend

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:43:14 -0400

It's a predictable tale as old as time. Make bad product, blame customers when product fails.

That pattern may be most consistently used in Hollywood and the entertainment industry, where creative talent, studio executives, and actors refuse to take responsibility for its own obvious mistakes. It's become a time-honored tradition in the movie business, increasingly so in the last few years as studios and directors push more politically-motivated content into theaters. Or inject politics into a film's press and media campaign, often with little purpose other than to satisfy their own narcissism.

The latest example? "Supergirl."

AFTER QUESTIONABLE REMARKS FROM STAR MILLY ALCOCK, NEW TRACKING SHOWS 'SUPERGIRL' ON TRACK FOR $200M LOSS

"Supergirl" represents the second entry in the DC Studios universe under new creative lead James Gunn, and was given a massive promotional and media campaign to boost ticket sales. Star Milly Alcock had full length profiles in Vanity Fair and Variety. Warner Bros. launched a $100 million tie-in with big name brands. Original hopes were that the film would make $60-$70 million domestically in its opening weekend, with similar numbers internationally.

With the official numbers now in, it made...$37 million domestically. And as a result the studio now stands to lose hundreds of millions of dollars, considering the massive production and advertising costs.

It's a gigantic financial loss, critics and audiences have given it mediocre to poor reviews, and given the busy summer movie season, it's possible that the film fails to reach $100 million at the US box office. In short, it's a financial and creative disaster. So who's to blame?

It'd be easy to assume that Gunn would take some of the blame; after all, he's the new head of DC, and as such, all creative decisions go through him. Maybe the Warner Bros. Studio executives, who greenlit the movie and sign off on the film's cast, plot, and direction. There's the writer, an inexperienced former actress who had just one 2018 short film on her resume.

Then there's Alcock, who made a series of bizarre, off-putting comments about men in the lead-up to release.

"It definitely made me aware that simply existing as a woman in that space is something that people comment on," she told Vanity Fair in an interview a few months before release. "We have become very comfortable having this weird ownership of women’s bodies. I can’t really stop them. I can only be myself."

"I didn’t even say ‘men’ — I said ‘people!’" she then said in a follow-up interview with Variety. "And they got so angry. I was like, ‘You’re proving my point. You’re proving my point!’"

She added that criticism was coming from Dads or Christians.

"And it’s from a lot of people whose profiles have no photo, who are burner accounts," Alcock said. "Or someone’s name and then ‘Dad of four, Christian,’ which is hilarious to me."

Then, in the days leading up to release, answered a question from Queerly Radio that she thought it was "beautiful" that the film didn't center around a man.

When asked whether she had "explored" her character's supposed "queerness" in preparing for the role, she answered, "It wasn't, but in honor of 'Pride month,' as I'm getting all these questions...I don't know. I think that what makes this film beautiful is that it's not centered around a man, it's not centered around love at all. I don't really know. I don't know. I don't know. She probably goes both ways."

A reasonable person might assume that those comments, which have little to do with the mission of selling the movie to potential ticket buyers, would shoulder some of the blame for the film's failure. But in the postmortem of the opening weekend disaster, it's clear that reasonable people did not work on this movie.

'SUPERGIRL' OPENS WELL BELOW EXPECTATIONS AFTER MILLY ALCOCK'S COMMENTS, GUARANTEEING HUGE LOSS FOR HOLLYWOOD

In a new interview with The New York Times, Co-CEO of DC Studios Peter Safran acknowledged that the film was a disappointment, "While Supergirl didn’t meet our box office expectations, it’s just one component of a broader, long-term strategy at DC Studios that we remain confident in," he explained.

Warner Bros. executives also addressed the justifiable annoyance with Alcock's remarks, not by admitting that they were ill-advised and unnecessary, but by...blaming fans for being upset about it.

They "were surprised by both the ferocity of the backlash and its reach, believing the culture had evolved past that sort of campaign," the story reads.

And moviegoers believed that actors and creative types in Hollywood had "evolved" past the Rachel Zegler, "Snow White" model of divisive, poorly considered remarks while promoting a big budget film.

The Times also blamed the "largely male" fanbase for their "misogyny."

"Female-led superhero movies have been rejected almost uniformly over the past five years or so, perhaps reflecting a resurgent misogyny among the core fan base, which is largely male," it says.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

This is the prototypical response from modern Hollywood and their media partners. Nothing is their fault. It's not Alcock's fault for making the promotional campaign about her insecurity, it's not Gunn's fault for hiring an inexperienced writer, nor is it the director and creative talent's fault for making a bad movie. It's all the fans who dare to get upset when the star of a movie makes intentionally divisive comments and says a film is better because it doesn't center on men. That's "misogyny," according to the New York Times.

And it's why the industry and their supporters are struggling. Hire better actors and actresses who don't immediately turn millions of potential customers off. Make better movies that focus on quality storytelling, even if the writer doesn't check the desired demographic box. Accept that there's a limited audience for the "girl boss" archetype. Early data showed that roughly 59% of "Supergirl" moviegoers were men. Apparently "misogyny" is now women avoiding movies they aren't interested in.

OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

This isn't rocket science. But even the most concepts are simply too much for the entertainment industry to handle these days. That's on them, not fans.

Grizzlies trade Ja Morant to Trail Blazers, ending tumultuous tenure in Memphis: report

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:42:17 -0400

Ja Morant's roller-coaster tenure with the Memphis Grizzlies has reportedly come to an end.

The Grizzlies, who took Morant second overall in the 2019 NBA Draft, have traded the two-time All-Star point guard to the Portland Trail Blazers, according to ESPN.

Portland is sending Jerami Grant and Kris Murray in exchange for Morant.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Morant has two years remaining on his five-year, $197.23 million rookie max extension he’s currently playing under.

Now, he joins a Trail Blazers team that already has veteran guard Damian Lillard in place, as the sixth overall pick by Portland returned home last year. However, Lillard never played in a game as he was recovering from a torn Achilles he suffered in the Milwaukee Bucks’ playoffs series against the Indiana Pacers.

MALIK BEASLEY INDICTED ON FEDERAL CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY FIXING HIW OWN NBA PERFORMANCES FOR BETTORS

After trading Desmond Bane almost one year ago to the date, the Grizzlies now move on from Morant, a player that had a red-hot start to his NBA career as the Rookie of the Year during the 2019-20 campaign, while also winning Most Improved Player in 2021-22. His explosive scoring and clutch shooting abilities were on display, as Memphis saw a player it could build around for years to come.

But Morant’s off-the-court troubles made national headlines, beginning in Sept. 2022 when he was named a defendant in a lawsuit filed where the plaintiff accused him of punching a 17-year-old male during a pickup game at his home earlier that year. A judge determined in 2025 that Morant was acting in self-defense, which he claimed to responding authorities on the matter, and the case was dismissed.

Morant’s biggest legal issues began in March 2023 after he was investigated for flashing a gun in a strip club during an Instagram live stream. The NBA would suspend him eight games.

"Morant wielded the firearm while knowing that he was being recorded and that the recording was being live streamed on Instagram Live, despite having made commitments to the NBA and public statements that he would not repeat the conduct for which he was previously disciplined," the league said in a statement at the time.

Morant also released a statement, apologizing for his actions.

"I want to apologize to the NBA, the Grizzlies, my teammates and the city of Memphis. To Adam Silver, Zach Kleiman and Robert Pera – who gave me the opportunity to be a professional athlete and have supported me – I'm sorry for the harm I've done. To the kids who look up to me, I'm sorry for failing you as a role model. I promise I'm going to be better. To all of my sponsors, I'm going to be a better representation of our brands. And to all of my fans, I'm going to make it up to you, I promise," his statement read.

But just two months later, Morant was hit with a 25-game suspension for "conduct detrimental to the league," following an investigation into a second incident where he appeared to flash a gun again on social media.

The suspension was in effect for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 campaign.

"The potential for other young people to emulate Ja’s conduct is particularly concerning," Silver said in a statement. "Under these circumstances, we believe a suspension of 25 games is appropriate and makes clear that engaging in reckless and irresponsible behavior with guns will not be tolerated.

"For Ja, basketball needs to take a back seat at this time. Prior to his return to play, he will be required to formulate and fulfill a program with the league that directly addresses the circumstances that led him to repeat this destructive behavior."

Morant gets a fresh start now after coming off a season where he only played 20 games because of an elbow injury. The Grizzlies announced on March 24 that he would miss the remainder of the year, finishing with 19.5 points, 3.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists averaged across those contests.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

For his seven years in Memphis, Morant averaged 22.4 points, 7.4 assists and 4.6 rebounds, while shooting 46.6% from the field over 327 games.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Rare tick-borne virus turns deadly fast as US cases reach record high, experts warn

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:40:04 -0400

A rare and potentially fatal tick-borne illness currently spreading across the United States can be traced back to a 1958 case involving a young boy on a farm.

The disease, known as Powassan virus, was named for the Ontario town near where it was first discovered.

At the time of his death, Lincoln Byers, a 4-year-old living in Canada, had a condition that medical professionals could not explain, the Boston Globe reported.

DEADLY ‘FOX TAPEWORM’ LINKED TO LETHAL DISEASE DETECTED IN WEST COAST WILDLIFE

Years later, researchers discovered a tick harboring the same virus on a dead squirrel, finally providing an answer to the tragedy, but foreshadowing a growing public health challenge.

While once considered an obscure medical anomaly, Powassan virus cases have reached historic highs in the U.S., data show.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 76 Americans were diagnosed with the virus in 2025, the highest annual total on record. Previously, the U.S. averaged just seven to eight diagnoses each year.

The virus is primarily transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected woodchuck tick or deer tick. Like other tick-borne illnesses, Powassan is most prevalent from late spring through mid-fall, when tick populations peak and outdoor activity increases.

Public health experts warn that the virus's transmission speed makes it uniquely dangerous.

TICK BITE ER VISITS HIT HIGHEST SEASONAL LEVEL IN YEARS AS DOCTORS WARN OF DISEASE SURGE

"One of the most dangerous aspects is its rapid transmission," Dr. Jorge P. Parada, a medical advisor at the National Pest Management Association in Chicago, told Fox News Digital.

"Powassan can be transmitted in as little as 15 minutes after the infected tick bites, while Lyme disease usually requires a 36- to 48-hour attachment time for transmission."

Parada noted that while Powassan remains rare compared to Lyme disease, it poses clinical concern.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, confirmed that the virus transmits significantly faster than Lyme disease. He noted that Powassan carries an incubation period of one to four weeks before symptoms manifest.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Initial symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting and weakness, though some infected individuals remain asymptomatic, according to the CDC.

The virus can progress to severe neurological complications, including encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and meningitis (inflammation of the spinal cord membranes).

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

In severe cases, patients may experience confusion, loss of coordination, difficulty speaking and seizures, per the CDC.

Approximately 10% of Powassan cases involving severe neurological disease are fatal, and many survivors experience long-term neurological issues.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

There are currently no specific medications or vaccines to treat or prevent Powassan virus; clinical care is limited to supportive therapy, such as intravenous fluids and respiratory support.

While anyone can develop severe illness, those at the highest risk include children, older adults and immunocompromised individuals, experts caution.

WATCH: Bill Maher says Vance interview critics wouldn’t be happy unless he ‘punched him in the nose’

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:39:23 -0400

Liberal comedian Bill Maher dismissed backlash that he went too easy on Vice President JD Vance during their recent interview, arguing that critics wouldn’t have been satisfied unless the conversation had ended in a physical altercation.

"They would never be happy unless JD Vance walked out and I punched him in the nose," Maher told Fox News Digital. "That’s the only thing that would satisfy certain people."

He continued, "I don’t play that game. I like to actually talk to people."

BILL MAHER'S DIRE MIDTERM ELECTION WARNING TO DEMS AFTER 'REALLY CRAZY' SOCIALISTS WIN PRIMARIES

Maher faced criticism after Friday's episode of "Real Time with Bill Maher" interviewing Vance as some argued he failed to challenge the vice president aggressively enough on political issues.

"For someone who spends every Friday night railing against the Trump administration, he treated its vice president with kid gloves," an article in Variety claimed.

The two discussed the rise of socialism in the Democratic Party after three far-left progressive candidates won in New York’s primary elections last week. They spoke on how that impacts the trajectory of both sides of the aisle heading into November’s midterms, with Maher even admitting his vote could flip Republican with the direction the Democratic Party has moved toward.

BILL MAHER TELLS JD VANCE DEMOCRATIC RADICALISM ON ISRAEL AND SOCIALISM COULD PUT HIS VOTE 'IN PLAY'

Maher walked the red carpet at the Kennedy Center Sunday night as he accepted the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, where he spoke to reporters about his conversation with Vance.

The comedian, whose political commentary has often put him at odds with Trump and other Republicans, said his opinion of the vice president didn’t change after his interview, as he "talks to these guys all the time," referring to politicians and Republicans. He shared that his conversations with Republicans usually go well.

"Everybody's a monster till you talk to them," he said in reference to his interviews with Republicans.

He continued, "Are there things we're never going to agree on? Yeah."

BILL MAHER CALLS OUT TRUMP'S 'BULLS---' TRUTH SOCIAL POST ATTACKING HIM

Maher pressed Vance during the interview on the Trump administration’s refusal to concede to losing the 2020 election, claiming it was "rigged" by fraudulent voting, interference and censorship in the election against former President Joe Biden.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

But Maher still commended Vance for coming on his show, sharing with Fox News Digital on Sunday that despite their disagreements, conversations with politicians like Vance don’t typically turn "hateful."

"They're happy warriors," he said in regards to Vance and other Republicans he has interviewed. "You hit them with three really, really hard-hitting things that say ‘you can't keep doing it,’ and they just answer it," Maher said. "They evade it. But they don't hold it against you. It doesn't turn hateful."

Pelosi institute launching at Berkeley after former speaker leaves Congress

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:30:18 -0400

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will lend her name to a new institute at the University of California, Berkeley after retiring from Congress, with the school announcing Monday it has already raised $35 million toward a $50 million goal for the center, which will focus on representative democracy and public leadership.

The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy, or NPI, opening in January 2027 when Pelosi is set to leave Congress, will serve as a hub for research, teaching and civic engagement, according to the university. The institute will also allow Pelosi, the first Californian elected speaker of the House, to co-teach a course on Congress.

According to UC Berkeley, a university known as a bastion of progressive activism, the institute will focus on four areas: strengthening American democracy, addressing major social, economic and environmental challenges, promoting human and civil rights, and "ensuring political leadership that represents the full spectrum of perspectives and backgrounds in California and the country."

DEMOCRATS’ MIDTERM PUSH CLOUDED BY INFIGHTING OVER PARTY KEEPING 2024 AUTOPSY UNDER WRAPS

The university said locating the institute at UC Berkeley will make its programs accessible to a diverse student body, including many first-generation and low-income students, while giving future public leaders opportunities typically associated with Ivy League schools.

"The work of democracy is never finished, and securing its future is our greatest calling," Pelosi said in a statement. "UC Berkeley has a long, proud history of challenging the status quo and producing leaders who run toward the greatest challenges of our time. I am honored to partner with this exceptional community of scholars and students so we can equip the next generation with the tools they need to strengthen our democratic institutions and forge a future that serves the public good."

In a statement, Rich Lyons, chancellor of UC Berkeley, said that the purpose of the institute "will be defined and strengthened by Berkeley’s ability to bring together world-class faculty and extraordinary students and by our commitment, as the country’s preeminent public university, to advancing the greater good."

OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER'S $470M SAFETY NET UNDER SCRUTINY AS SUBCONTRACTORS SAY THEY'RE OWED MILLIONS

"We intend to do more than simply study democracy; we are building this institute to strengthen it," he added.

Fox News Digital reached out to UC Berkeley for further comment.

Pelosi, 86, served two four-year stints as the first, and to date, only female Speaker of the House. Her first was from 2007 to 2011, spanning the end and beginning of the Bush and Obama administrations, and her second was from 2019 to 2023.

California state Sen. Scott Wiener and Pelosi-endorsed San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, both Democrats, are now fighting to claim her deep-blue district. A video of Wiener being screamed at and chased out of a trans rights event by anti-Israel figures in San Francisco went viral over the weekend.

PELOSI DISTANCES HERSELF FROM ALLY SWALWELL AMID SEXUAL MISCONDUCT ALLEGATIONS

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Alito blasts latest SCOTUS ballot ruling as invitation to ‘voter fraud’ risks

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:29:41 -0400

Justice Samuel Alito cautioned on Monday that the Supreme Court’s decision to allow ballots received after Election Day to be counted could lead large sections of the public to view elections as illegitimate.

While Alito had legal concerns with the majority’s ruling, arguing that they misinterpreted when the "electorate’s choice" occurs, he closed his dissent by issuing a practical warning. Allowing late-arriving ballots to determine the outcomes of elections long after Election Day will, according to Alito, severely damage the trust Americans place in their electoral system.

"Not only is today’s decision inconsistent with statutory text, legal context, historical practice, and precedent; it also threatens to produce lamentable consequences," he wrote. "The majority’s holding spawns a slurry of troubling election-law questions and risks further undermining Americans’ confidence in election integrity."

SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY

Alito went on to describe a hypothetical scenario where the outcome of a presidential election hinges on a single state that allows late-arriving mail ballots to be counted. In the scenario described by the justice, one candidate leads by 15,000 votes on election night only for the opposing candidate to slowly gain votes and, a few days before electors are scheduled to vote, pull ahead by just under 100 votes.

"If the apparent winner the morning after the election ends up losing due to late arriving ballots, charges of a rigged election could explode," Justice Brett Kavanaugh also noted during the case’s oral arguments.

Alito didn’t simply claim that the ruling could affect how people view elections; he argued that it could open the door for fraud.

SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY

"Today’s decision leaves open opportunities for voter fraud that may further undermine Americans’ faith in the integrity of this country’s elections. Diverse sources have recognized that mail-in ballots increase the potential for fraud," Alito continued. "In 2005, a committee chaired by former President Jimmy Carter and former Secretary of State James Baker found that absentee voting was ‘the largest source of potential voter fraud’ in American elections."

While instances of voter fraud carried out using mail-in ballots have been recorded, there is no evidence that widespread fraud occurred in the 2020 or 2024 presidential elections.

Democrats, meanwhile, argue that allowing states to process ballots that are postmarked by Election Day but arrive afterward, is essential to ensuring that all eligible voters have a say in who governs them.

SUPREME COURT RULES ON MAIL-IN BALLOTS RECEIVED AFTER ELECTION DAY

"I’m relieved the Supreme Court is not interfering with Washington’s mail-in ballot system," Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., wrote on X. "If you work a shift job, have young kids, or live out in the woods, you can’t just knock off for the day to go stand in line at a polling place. For decades, Washington’s secure vote by mail system has made it easy for these folks to participate in democracy and make their voice heard."

The majority, however, did not address whether allowing late ballots to be counted was good policy, stating that such a consideration is outside the scope of what the court has authority to rule on.

"Finally, plaintiffs assert that requiring ballots to be received by Election Day protects election integrity and increases voter confidence in election results," Justice Amy Coney Barrett wrote. "As we have said time and again, however, policy arguments are properly directed to legislatures, not courts."

Trump says he will 'continue the fight' after Supreme Court declines to review Carroll abuse verdict

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:27:08 -0400

President Donald Trump appeared surprised after the U.S. Supreme Court said it would not hear his appeal of a $5 million verdict that found he sexually abused writer E. Jean Carroll and later defamed her.

The high court declined to take up the case, leaving the $5 million judgment in place. In 2023, a jury found Trump liable for sexually abusing Carroll in 1996 inside a Bergdorf Goodman dressing room, awarding her $5 million. In 2024, another jury awarded Carroll $83.3 million in a separate defamation case over Trump’s denials and attacks after she accused him.

The justices did not provide an explanation for Monday's decision.

"Surprisingly, the Supreme Court declined to ‘review’ a Fake Case brought against me by a woman I never met (Decades old celebrity photo line, standing with her husband, does not count!)," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "I will continue the fight against this Weaponization and Lawfare Case against me, including the ridiculous claim of Defamation, with all of my power and strength."

TRUMP REQUESTS E JEAN CARROLL $83M JUDGMENT STAY FOR PENDING SUPREME COURT ACTION ON PRESIDENTIAL IMMUNITY

"This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for," he added, "and should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be!"

Trump’s attorneys argued that the trial judge violated federal evidence rules by admitting the infamous Access Hollywood tape — in which Trump is heard bragging about grabbing women by their genitals — and by allowing the jury to hear from two other women who accused Trump of sexual assault, allegations he denies.

Carroll's lawyers countered that the women’s testimony was relevant because the allegations were highly similar, and they noted that Judge Lewis Kaplan’s evidentiary decisions aligned with legal precedents across the country.

FEDERAL APPEALS COURT UPHOLDS $83.3M E. JEAN CARROLL JUDGMENT AGAINST TRUMP

"Today’s Supreme Court decision affirms once and for all the jury’s unanimous verdict that President Donald J. Trump sexually assaulted and defamed E. Jean Carroll. His multiple efforts to appeal that verdict have all failed, and today’s ruling ends his quest to avoid accountability for his actions," said Roberta Kaplan, Carroll's attorney.

In a separate statement, Trump's legal team stated: "The American People stand with President Trump as they demand an immediate end to all of the Witch Hunts, including the Democrat-funded travesty of the Carroll Hoaxes. President Trump will keep winning against Liberal Lawfare, as he continues to focus on his mission to Make America Great Again."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In his Truth Social post, Trump also accused New York state lawmakers of explicitly targeting him.

"New York State created a Law, for an instant speck of time, going back many decades, in order to wrongfully ‘nab’ me," he wrote. "It was tailor-made, and this Injustice cannot be allowed to stand!"

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Anthony Rizzo calls out Jazz Chisholm's 'immaturity' after ejection during Yankees' Fenway Park sweep

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:21:07 -0400

A former New York Yankees teammate of Jazz Chisholm Jr. doesn’t like how the star second baseman conducted himself in what led to an ejection in Sunday night’s loss to the Boston Red Sox.

The Yankees were swept out of Fenway Park in four games in a weekend to forget, and that frustration came to a head when Chisholm argued a third-strike call by home plate umpire Adam Hamari.

Chisholm, who tossed his helmet in the heated exchange, was thrown out of the game despite efforts from his manager, Aaron Boone, and first-base coach Dan Fiorito to diffuse the infielder’s rage.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Anthony Rizzo, who used to play right next to Chisholm at first base in pinstripes, was on the NBC/Peacock broadcast on Sunday night, where he leaned into his behavior.

"You just have to be smarter there," Rizzo stated. "Jazz is such a big part of this offense and they need to get him going and to get ejected there. …it shows a little bit of immaturity there."

MLB SUSPENDS YANKEES' JAZZ CHISHOLM JR. ONE GAME FOR SOCIAL MEDIA OUTBURST AFTER EJECTION

The Yankees have now dropped seven of their last 10 ballgames, hitting a skid fans are used to midway through the season as summer begins. New York has had trouble staying consistent in the summer across recent seasons, and though they’re still very much in playoff contention, it’s a skid that Rizzo said players like Chisholm need to recognize.

"The team’s scuffling, they need him in the lineup, and now he puts [Anthony] Volpe in a tough position coming in completely cold," Rizzo added.

To make matters worse, Chishom didn’t stay in the clubhouse after the 5-4 extra-inning loss to the Red Sox, leaving before reporters could be allowed in. Instead of facing the music, the reporters will have to ask another time.

However, Chisholm hasn’t shied away from sharing his feelings no matter the topic since entering the league with the Miami Marlins. He was traded to the Yankees before the MLB deadline in 2024, where he’s been ever since.

But it’s a free agent year for the second baseman, who stated before the 2026 campaign that his goal was a 50-50 season like Shohei Ohtani accomplished. Ohtani, though, is the only player in MLB history to accomplish that feat. Chisholm, who set a career-high with 31 homers in 2025, has just 12 this year with 24 stolen bases.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Chisholm is slashing .223/.306/.399 with a .706 OPS, which would be his lowest mark of his career if the season ended today (excluding the 21 games he played with Miami in 2020).

The Yankees also remain without three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge, who continues to rehab a stress fracture in his rib. There is no timetable for his return.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Savannah Guthrie was 'surprised and dismayed' by doubts she would return to 'Today' after mom's disappearance

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 16:00:14 -0400

NBC’s "Today" anchor Savannah Guthrie was reportedly upset by rumors that she wouldn't return to work after her mother's disappearance.

Nancy Guthrie went missing on Feb. 1, prompting a nationwide search that took Savannah Guthrie away from "Today" for more than two months amid a desperate search that has come up empty.

When her mother went missing, Guthrie reportedly "barely thought about work or how she might eventually handle her return" until she caught wind that some of her peers doubted whether she would return to NBC’s flagship morning show.

"When the media newsletter Status reported, just two weeks after Nancy’s likely kidnapping, that ‘a majority of TV veterans’ interviewed ‘expressed doubts’ that Guthrie would ever go back to Today, she was surprised and dismayed," New York Magazine’s Irin Carmon wrote for the publication’s Vulture entertainment vertical.

EMAILER IN NANCY GUTHRIE CASE CLAIMS TO POSSESS VIDEO OF 'MAIN GUY' WITH SAVANNAH GUTHRIE'S MOTHER

"As the case dragged on without resolution, the question became harder to avoid," Carmon continued. "According to the source close to her, Guthrie worried about her ability to hold it together on air and whether the dark cloud around the story could somehow harm the show."

Proving doubters wrong, Guthrie returned to air 64 days after the shocking disappearance. On her first day back, the "Today" anchor donned yellow in support of her mother while sitting next to Craig Melvin, who wore a yellow tie and ribbon pin to match.

Guthrie acknowledged prayers and letters from fans and declared it was "good to be home," but largely stuck to business as usual and never mentioned her mother by name during the show.

"It was ‘Savannah’s idea,’ a senior staffer told me, that they would all say as little as possible about her absence. A person close to the show said everyone acknowledged that ‘most viewers were not tuning in to have a séance about her missing mom,’" Carmon wrote.

"Melvin patted her hand and said, ‘It is good to have you back at home,’ but the anchors kept it brisk," he continued. She didn’t cry until about an hour and a half in, when she and other hosts greeted well-wishers on the plaza."

NBC News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE BREAKS DOWN OVER POSSIBILITY HER MOM WAS TARGETED BECAUSE OF HER FAME, APOLOGIZES TO FAMILY

Nancy Guthrie is believed to have been taken from her home against her will and was last seen when her son-in-law dropped her off at home around 10 p.m. the night before she went missing.

A masked man who appeared on Nancy Guthrie’s Nest doorbell camera around the time authorities said she was taken is described as being of average height and build and carrying a black Ozark Trail backpack. He appeared to be armed with a handgun.

A person purporting to have direct knowledge of the abduction claims to have video evidence and that there were two kidnappers directly involved, according to TMZ founder Harvey Levin, who received the message.

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE SAYS FAMILY IN 'AGONY' IN FIRST INTERVIEW SINCE MOTHER NANCY'S DISAPPEARANCE

Levin revealed the latest email in a series of messages he said he's received since the early days of the case, from someone claiming to know what happened to Nancy Guthrie.

Authorities have not publicly confirmed the legitimacy of the first two notes that have been deemed possibly authentic — or the TMZ emails, and sources close to the investigation appear split when it comes to the legitimacy.

Anyone with information on Guthrie's case is asked to dial 1-800-CALL-FBI. There is a combined reward of more than $1.2 million for information that cracks the case. Tips can be provided anonymously to Tucson's Crime Stoppers affiliate, 88-Crime, at 1-520-882-7463.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

Gabriel Martinelli's 96th-minute goal rescues Brazil from Japan upset in World Cup Round of 32

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:55:19 -0400

Soccer isn't played with the same strict clock as most other sports, but Brazil came about as close to a buzzer-beater as the sport allows.

After a beautiful passing display from the five-time World Cup champions, Gabriel Martinelli found the back of the net in the 96th minute to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over Japan.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE

Brazil entered Monday's Round of 32 match against Japan as heavy favorites to advance, but it was the Japanese who struck first. Kaishu Sano scored for Japan, a team that finished second in Group F after drawing the Netherlands and Sweden and beating Tunisia 4-0, so this was hardly an overmatched opponent despite the massive difference in World Cup history.

CANADA SCORES IN 92ND MINUTE TO EARN FIRST WORLD CUP KNOCKOUT STAGE VICTORY OVER SOUTH AFRICA

The goal came from a Brazil mistake near midfield. Sano picked off a misplaced pass, carried the ball himself and ripped a right-footed shot from just outside the box past Alisson to give Japan a shocking lead in the 29th minute.

Brazil controlled the action in the second half and it felt like an equalizer was imminent. That turned out to be the case, as Casemiro tied the game on a header from inside the box just over ten minutes into the second half.

Casemiro nearly tied it two minutes earlier, but he didn’t waste his next chance. Gabriel Magalhães sent a ball into the box, and Casemiro put his header just out of the reach of Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to finally break through.

Brazil nearly took the lead almost immediately. Vinícius Júnior, who has been one of the stars of the tournament for Brazil, got loose on the left side of the box in the 58th minute, but Suzuki got enough of the shot to send it off the far post.

OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

Gabriel Martinelli, who came on in the second half, eventually delivered the moment Brazil spent almost the entire match chasing. He received the ball inside the left channel, took a touch and calmly sent a low shot off the far post.

Brazil continued to control play throughout the second half, but just couldn't get the go-ahead goal into the net. That changed at the very end, when Brazil got the goal it needed to advance to the Round of 16.

Brazil now awaits the winner of Ivory Coast-Norway for its Round of 16 opponent. Japan, meanwhile, still couldn’t find its first World Cup knockout-stage victory, but it made the five-time champions sweat until the final seconds.

Iowa Dem who touted 'strong work ethic' misses more than half of her House votes

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:41:01 -0400

Lindsay James, a state legislator and Democratic candidate for Congress in Iowa, missed over half of her votes in the state’s House of Representatives this past year, records show.

In 2026, James missed 177 of 342 votes, according to the legislature’s records, accounting for 51.7% of the whole.

The absences clash with assurances James made about how her campaign might impact her legislative duties and has opened her up to Republican-led criticisms that she has prioritized her potential role instead of the one she has now.

"Lindsay James promised Iowans that campaigning wouldn’t distract her from the job she was elected to do. That didn’t last long," Emily Tuttle, a spokesperson for the National Republican Congressional Committee, said.

DEM REP MIKIE SHERRILL SKIPS 145 HOUSE VOTES AS NJ GOVERNOR'S RACE HEATS UP

"James chose her own political ambitions over showing up for work, proving that when given the choice between serving constituents and serving herself, she puts herself first," Tuttle continued.

James’ campaign said that she has a track record of representing constituents well.

"Lindsay has always fought for Iowa families, taking on corporate greed and predatory landlords and writing the bill to cap the cost of insulin," Jackson Smith, a spokesperson for the campaign, said in a statement to Fox.

"While Lindsay listens to and works for the Iowans making impossible economic choices caused by Joe Mitchell and his Washington allies, Mitchell has been using his campaign cash to party with Washington insiders and will be a rubber stamp for the policies raising Iowa families’ costs," Smith said, referring to Joe Mitchell, a former state representative and a Republican candidate for the seat.

At the outset of her campaign, James told viewers in an interview that she would continue to prioritize her work in the House of Representatives despite intentions to campaign "full-time."

"Full-time campaigning and, of course, fulfilling my important work in the Iowa legislature," James said when asked whether she would also continue working as a minister.

"You know me, I have a pretty strong work ethic at the capitol, early, very late, providing for my constituents. That will never stop. That’s just who I am and how I’m wired," James said.

Even so, James, who first joined the Iowa House in 2019, has missed several key votes in the chamber.

LAKEN RILEY ACT ROILS NJ GOVERNOR’S RACE AS 2 DEMS SKIP ROLL: ‘THE MORE SOMEONE CAMPAIGNS THE LESS THEY VOTE'

Instead of voting on a bill to limit screen time for students in schools, she held a campaign event in Cedar Rapids on April 20, roughly two hours from Des Moines.

Just ten days later, James also missed a vote on whether to make animal torture a felony on April 30 to host a meet-and-greet at a brewery in Decorah, Iowa.

In a third case, she also skipped the chamber’s consideration of whether to lower property taxes in order to host another candidate activity in Dubuque — a three-hour drive from the capitol.

James recently won a Democratic primary earlier this month as she wages a campaign to fill the seat currently held by Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa.

SWALWELL'S 'I SHOULD BE WORKING' GYM, POOL VIDEOS RESURFACE AS DEM RIVAL HAMMERS HIS MISSED HOUSE VOTES

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Hinson, who has represented the district since 2021, announced she would not seek reelection as she pursues a Senate seat to replace outgoing Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa.

Adult actress Madison Ivy crashed a Lakers private dinner 'this might be the greatest moment of my whole life'

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:39:45 -0400

Madison Ivy says she and a friend of hers once found themselves at a Los Angeles Lakers private dinner in the backroom of a steakhouse in LA.

The 37-year-old adult actress, whose real name is Clorissa Briggs, told the story during a recent appearance on the Holly Randall Unfiltered podcast. The night out for the two friends started innocently enough.

Madison and her unnamed friend had dinner at BOA Steakhouse, sprinkled some "magical fungi" on dessert as they liked to do, and noticed a table of beautiful girls who were being escorted to the back by security two at a time.

MAGIC JOHNSON FACES RIDICULE FOR LOS ANGELES MAYORAL ENDORSEMENT

As the "magical fungi" kicks in, she decides it's time to find out what is going on in the back of this steakhouse. She convinces her friend to join her and the two of them head for the door in the back.

"I was confident as all hell... walk straight up to that door with those two security guards, look at both of them, and they just opened the door," Madison said.

That's when the two friends found out that the private room was occupied by the Kobe Bryant-era Lakers and the "lovely ladies" who had been taken back there by security.

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

They try to lie low and sneak into the back of the room. Unfortunately, that plan didn’t work. One of the players was familiar with Madison's work and recognized her.

"If we just go stand in the background, no one is even going to notice us," she said. "One of the players, I won't name who out of respect, came right up to me and go, 'Madison Ivy, you look just like Jessica Rabbit tonight.'"

OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

First a member of the Lakers is familiar with her work, then he's handing out Jessica Rabbit compliments. No wonder she's not naming any names out of respect. It was a moment she's never going to forget.

"I just almost hit the floor," Madison continued. "Because I was such a fan, and I was just like, 'this might be the greatest moment of my whole life.'"

Another of the Lakers ended up hanging out with her friend, and he called her for months after that. It was overall a great night for Madison Ivy, her friend, and probably Kobe and company.

Sophie Cunningham fires shots at scornful WNBA girls as jersey sales surge, Fenway proposal & Rockies Gianna!

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:35:32 -0400

Final Monday of June. We're here. We're in it. We've got less than 48 hours left, and then the 'ol calendar gets a big flip.

Feels like we were just talking about Memorial Day, and now we're a few days away from the big 2-5-0. The Fourth of July always feels like the last hurrah for the first part of the year, right? The rest of the month is quiet.

August is really quiet.

And then, the second half of the season cranks up the heat. Football. More football. Labor Day-Halloween-Thanksgiving-Christmas. Playoff baseball.

We go from 0 to 100 real quick. I've always said the second half of the year is when we thrive as a country. But I don't want to get ahead of ourselves.

This is a big week. July is a big month. This is a big birthday for this great country, even though I'm sure the Libs will try to ruin it.

Not on my watch! Let's roll.

Welcome to a Monday Nightcaps — the one where Sophie Cunningham shoots a message to the WNBA haters as the Fever take a week off. What a run for our girl. What a star.

What else? I've got the best #content you may have missed from a loaded weekend, an unfathomable Fenway Park proposal, and how about the GOLF this weekend?

Viktor Hovland beat Scottie in a playoff this morning, and it was electric. How did Scottie miss that putt?!

OK, grab you a waffle iron for National Waffle Iron Day, and settle in for a Monday 'Cap!

Sophie's stock continues to rise

I'm not the biggest fan of waffles, but I will say, hotel waffles are elite. I don't know how they do it, but they somehow make them taste 100 times better than they actually are.

In the grand scheme of things, waffles are waaaaaaaaay down the list of breakfast foods. Frankly, they don't even crack the Mount Rushmore:

Pancakes (IHOP and Cracker Barrel and then everyone else)
French toast (Remember when IHOP invented stuffed french toast back in the day? Gamechanger)
Smoked salmon bagel (Capers are one of the most underrated delicacies in the world)
Crepes (The versatility is off the charts with this one)

And that concludes the breakfast portion of our Monday class. You're welcome!

OK, let's get this thing moving with Sophie Cunningham giving the haters the finger(s) as the Fever take the week off:

Swing and a miss!

For those who missed it over the weekend, Sophie went on her podcast and absolutely torched the rudderless WNBA. Just stuffed them into a locker. It was a bloodbath.

Some fun quotes:

"You see the videos of literally kneeing and cheapshotting [Clark] in the throat... they're definitely targeting her and the league and the refs do nothing to protect her."
"None of our team saw it happen because I promise you if we would have seen that happen, we would have had her back."
"Unfortunately, this type of [expletive] happens every single game to her and the league and the refs do absolutely nothing about it."
"I couldn't help myself. I could not. She was losing her s--- and all I was doing was literally pointing."

Incredible. In case you're wondering, Sophie is currently climbing the charts in terms of popularity ... rapidly. A quick check of the WNBA's Fanatics website shows her jersey at the top with a "Most Popular" label slapped under it.

We don't have actual numbers because the WNBA doesn't provide those (neither does Fanatics), but her No. 8 jersey is currently No. 1 on the site. No idea if that's in chronological order or not, but regardless, she's on the move:

Look out, world. Sophie's coming. And for only a measly $100! Plus, "FREE Jersey Assurance," whatever that means.

The First Lady is making me buy a $700 sectional couch on Facebook Marketplace tomorrow, so I'll have to skip this one for now. And, perhaps, take out a second mortgage. Awesome.

OK, let's get to the best #content from a big weekend. First up? Ever swing and miss at a ball that drills you in the chest?

Reader mail, Caitlin and Gianna!

What a weekend. How about my Red Sox sweeping the Yankees? You wanna see an absolutely incredible stat?

Try this one for size:

The Yanks are now 1-18 in their last 19 June games at Fenway Park. How is that even possible? Can we somehow blame Pride Month?

This Red Sox team is so hilariously bad, which makes last night's walkoff — and this weekend's sweep — even funnier. This version of the Red Sox have no business sweeping anyone. Amazing.

Perhaps we should've known this was bound to happen when we saw THIS take place last night:

Lordy. Yankees fans getting engaged at Fenway? What's happening here? Could you IMAGINE if the tables were turned and Sox fans tried that at Yankee Stadium? No shot. None. Zero.

Treason.

OK, a couple quickies on the way out. First? We've gotten a couple emails this morning about our coverage of Caitlin Clark.

EUROPEAN WORLD CUP INSTAGRAM INFLUENCERS CAN STAY AFTER BACKING THE BLUE, CAITLIN ATTACKED & A STEAK RACK!

From Mike S:

I get that it’s June and it’s too early to start breaking down every game on the football schedule this September, but Jesus, we seem to do a lot of WNBA in this newsletter and for the life of me I can’t understand which of your readers are so enthralled with it that they pay that much attention to it? I literally scroll past everything that either has the words "WNBA" or the image of a female basketball player in it. Completely irrelevant to what I’m assuming is 90% or more of your base of readers. Am I wrong?

Yes, you are wrong. I see the numbers. I see the charts and the analytics and the fancy graphs. I see the engagement time. Joe is off this week, so I'll go ahead and echo what I'm sure he'd say ...

The Google algo drives the content, and you guys drive the content. If you aren't clicking on something, we're gonna stop writing about it. If people aren't searching for it, we're gonna stop writing about it.

Neither of those things are true when it comes to Caitlin Clark. Not the WNBA.

Caitlin Clark.

And yes, it's June. What in the world are we supposed to be covering right now? The World Cup? I've seen the numbers on that one, and, trust me, our readers are far more interested in Caitlin Clark getting mugged on a basketball court than they are with anything that happens on the pitch. I promise.

COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS FLUFF THEIR POMPOMS, SIMONE BILES STUFFS A TROLL IN A LOCKER & TARTAN ARMY HITS MIAMI

What else? You want meaningless summer baseball? Which NFL player got arrested today? NBA and NHL Draft talk? The cupboard ain't exactly full on June 29, yet we have to keep the lights on until football season. That's just the truth.

So, this is where we are. We've got 61 days till TCU and UNC face off in Ireland. Hang on just a bit longer. I promise, we're almost there.

OK, that's it for today. Good start to the week. I've got nothing really revolutionary to close us out on, so here's Rockies in-game host Gianna Girardi celebrating the halfway point of the MLB season.

See? Baseball!

See you Wednesday.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

OutKick Nightcaps is a daily column set to run Monday through Friday at 4 p.m. (roughly, we’re not robots).

Are waffles overrated? Email me at Zach.Dean@OutKick.com.

Let's have an honest conversation about Caitlin Clark, racism, and media cowardice| Bobby Burack

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:12:03 -0400

Three years into her WNBA career, most people still can't have an honest conversation about Caitlin Clark. So we're going to have one right now.

Clark emerged as a phenomenon during her junior season at Iowa. Very few people had a negative word to say about her. That changed during the NCAA tournament when LSU forward Angel Reese taunted Clark with the "You can't see me" gesture, the celebration Clark had made famous throughout her college career.

Reese's taunt drew criticism online. Notably, Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy called her a "classless piece of s---."

From that moment forward, a new narrative took hold, one that stated Reese received more backlash than Clark for the gesture because she is Black. At this point, Clark was no longer just the sport's biggest star. She became a symbol in a broader cultural argument about race.

The argument, of course, ignored an obvious distinction. The "You can't see me" taunt, popularized by John Cena, had become Clark's signature. Reese intentionally stole it and waved it directly in Clark's face. In wrestling, that would be viewed as classic heel behavior. Context mattered.

But as you will soon read, facts matter very little in the commentary surrounding Caitlin Clark, much of which is fueled by a loathsome combination of race idolatry, jealousy, and territorialism.

CAITLIN CLARK BEING 'WHITE GIRL FROM THE MIDDLE OF AMERICA' HELPED CONNECT WITH YOUNG FANS, ESPN PUNDIT SAYS

As Clark's popularity grew during her rookie season, critics increasingly attributed it to "whiteness" rather than talent, charisma, or style of play. Commentators such as Jemele Hill argued that Clark's appeal was inseparable from her being a straight White woman in a league made up primarily of Black and lesbian players.

"We would all be very naive if we didn't say race and her sexuality played a role in her popularity," Hill told the Los Angeles Times in 2024.

There is no clear evidence that Clark's popularity is tied to her race or sexual orientation. That argument would deserve more consideration if America consistently elevated White athletes above more accomplished Black athletes. However, that is not the case.

The biggest stars in American sports over the past three decades are Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, LeBron James, Steph Curry, Kobe Bryant, Serena Williams, Patrick Mahomes and Floyd Mayweather. That is not exactly the profile of a sports culture searching for the next great White hope.

What these athletes have in common is greatness, personality and aura. Clark is no different from Jordan, Curry, Williams, or Mahomes in that regard.

"But A'ja Wilson is a better player," critics often respond.

Indeed. Nikola Jokić has also been the best basketball player in the world over the past decade, yet he isn't among the NBA's most popular players. Personality and aura are just as important to stardom as greatness.

Still, the narrative surrounding Clark spread through sports media and WNBA locker rooms, locker rooms made up mostly of Black women.

It's not difficult to understand where that leads. As society has proven, there are consequences for telling an entire demographic that the success of their white counterparts comes at their direct expense. The concept is inherently Marxian.

It's also an effective form of brainwashing. Unsurprisingly, Clark entered the WNBA as a target of various Black players.

CAITLIN CLARK HARD CONTACT TIMELINE: WNBA'S GROWING HISTORY OF BRUTAL HITS AGAINST THE FACE OF THE SPORT

Chennedy Carter delivered a blindside hip check, then later shared a social media post encouraging someone to "hurt" Clark next time.

DiJonai Carrington poked Clark in the eye during a playoff game and later posted online about Clark's supposed privilege.

Angel Reese committed several hard fouls against Clark and posted a TikTok mocking her as a "white girl afraid to catch the fade."

Even then, the WNBA media acted as if Clark was responsible for the animus.

New York Times reporters asked Clark twice whether she had an obligation to speak on behalf of black women in the league. ESPN commentator David Dennis Jr. argued Clark has a "moral obligation," as a White woman, to defend Black women, even if they were the ones hard-fouling her.

Eventually, Clark acknowledged her own "white privilege" in an interview with Time, presumably while wearing a black eye.

"I want to say I've earned every single thing, but as a white person, there is privilege."

Think about how unusual that moment was. The league's biggest star felt compelled to acknowledge racial privilege while repeatedly on the receiving end of hard fouls from opponents of a different race.

CHINEY OGWUMIKE'S DEFENSE OF ALYSSA THOMAS REINFORCED EVERYTHING CRITICS SAY ABOUT THE WNBA MEDIA

During her second season, it wasn't clear whether that hostility remained. Clark played in just 13 games because of various injuries.

This season removed any doubt.

Last week, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas drove her fist into Clark's neck. Officials did not call a foul. Thomas was suspended one game afterward. The play was dangerous, unnecessary, and nowhere close to a legitimate basketball play.

Yet parts of the media immediately shifted toward minimizing what viewers had plainly watched.

In one of the more embarrassing segments in the history of sports talk, ESPN analyst Chiney Ogwumike defended Thomas Sunday evening, arguing that Thomas simply plays aggressively, Clark embellishes contact, and the play only appears egregious when slowed down frame by frame.

Ogwumike's credibility on this subject is already questionable. Last year, she amplified a false accusation that Clark fans directed "monkey noises" toward Angel Reese, an allegation the WNBA later said it could not substantiate.

OutKick requested comment from Ogwumike and Hannah Storm, who hosted the segment. Neither responded.

Elsewhere, Jemele Hill argued that the outrage over Thomas' hit reflected hostility toward Black women.

"So much of this Caitlin Clark discourse is absolutely rooted in hatred or dislike of Black women. The language is the tell. People suggesting Alyssa Thomas should be arrested, describing fouls against CC as 'assault' and 'abuse,' and even this absurd notion that she should just pack up and leave the WNBA to 'humble' them … all points back to this weird fixation people have with wanting to see Black women put in their place and punished," Hill posted on Threads.

Note: People use the word "assault" because driving a fist into someone's neck is, by definition, closer to assault than a basketball play. If the other players simply fouled Clark, no such words would be necessary.

Another note: Jemele Hill accused OutKick of making the story about race last week. She then immediately followed by making the story about race herself, claiming the discourse is "rooted in hatred or dislike of Black women."

Has anyone outside of Lisa Leslie in the WNBA TV media sphere defended Clark? Or at least discussed how that wasn’t a basketball play? Put any blame on Thomas at all? Just seems like everyone is finding ways to make that play seem normal or making Thomas a victim. Seems odd. Like we all see the video. We’ve all watched ball, former NFL player Geoff Schwartz observed.

Not odd. Calculated.

The narrative states that if you support Clark, you are doing so because she is White and the other players are Black. Thus, very few people are going to defend Clark at the risk of someone labeling them a "racist" or a "sellout."

But such fear tactics should never hinder the objective truth. And the truth is as follows:

• Caitlin Clark transcended women's basketball into the mainstream.

• Black players and commentators are convinced she has done so only because she is a straight White woman.

• Those players resent Clark because of that belief.

• The majority of the media is too afraid to say so.

LA TIMES COLUMNIST BILL PLASCHKE CALLS CAITLIN CLARK 'OAFISH' AND 'SPOILED' IN LENGTHY TAKEDOWN COLUMN

To be clear, Clark is no angel. She complains too often. She flops more than a star player should, although Shai Gilgeous-Alexander might argue otherwise.

And all of that is fair to say. It's part of her story. However, the idea that she and her White fans are the problem is not factual.

The truth is that Black players and media are uncomfortable with Clark's stardom. They don't like it. They don't believe she fits the preferred culture of the WNBA.

Considering that Clark is also the first major White American sports star to emerge after 2020. This gives Black players and commentators a sense of freedom, and even encouragement, to discriminate against her on the grounds of racial justification.

The WNBA had an opportunity to establish itself as one of the major sports leagues in America. Behind Clark, the league could have showcased and grown other stars around her, including many black players.

Instead, the league as a whole crumbled under the spotlight, often omitting Clark from posters and promotional material simply to signal its virtue.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The last three seasons have demonstrated that the WNBA is not ready for the moment. The race idolatry among players, coaches, referees and much of the media runs too deep. They would rather remain niche, unprofitable and irrelevant than reach new heights on the back of a White girl from Iowa.

There are likely many things I have written in this piece that will bother people. That's fine. The truth is often uncomfortable and inconvenient. In the case of Caitlin Clark, that's why so few people are willing to state the truth.

Embattled Maine Democrat deadlocked with Collins despite controversies in key Senate race, new poll shows

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:10:38 -0400

Graham Platner, the populist Democratic Senate nominee in Maine, is in a virtual dead heat in a crucial Senate showdown with longtime Republican Sen. Susan Collins, according to a new poll.

Platner, the embattled candidate who has been facing a slew of controversies, stands at 49% support among likely voters questioned in a New York Times/Portland Press Herald/Siena poll released on Monday, with Collins at 47%, and 3% of respondents undecided or refusing to answer. Platner's two-point edge is within the survey's sampling error, meaning the contest is virtually tied.

Collins, a moderate Republican who at times votes against President Donald Trump's agenda, is running for a sixth six-year term in the Senate.

The high-profile and likely combustible and expensive race is among a handful that will determine if the GOP holds onto its slim Senate majority in November's midterm elections. Republicans currently control the chamber 53-47 and flipping the Senate seat in left-leaning Maine is a key part of the Democrats' path to retake the majority.

GAME ON IN KEY SENATE RACE AS PLATNER CAPTURES DEMOCRATIC NOMINATION

Platner, a military combat veteran and oyster farmer who is backed by progressive champions Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Rep. Ro Khanna of California, earlier this month easily defeated two longshot rivals in Maine's Democratic Senate primary.

Platner, who advocates an economically populist agenda as he takes aim at corporate influences and advocates for the working class, also topped two-term Democratic Gov. Janet Mills in the primary. The governor's name remained on the ballot even though Mills, who had been backed by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and the Senate Democrats' campaign arm, suspended her bid this spring after significantly trailing Platner in fundraising and polling.

Platner's victory also came as he was facing one of the roughest stretches of his bid for the U.S. Senate.

He was playing defense the past couple of months amid multiple controversies. They included inflammatory online comments made on Reddit, a well-publicized and now covered-up tattoo on his chest that resembled a Nazi symbol, recent reports that he exchanged sexually explicit messages with several women while married, and allegations from ex-girlfriends of a history of rape fantasies, heavy drinking and violent episodes. Platner has called the allegations of violence untrue.

THE TEN RACES THAT WILL DETERMINE THE SENATE'S MAJORITY

A day before the primary, a former high-level staffer from the Platner campaign wrote in the Washington Post that Platner "is not someone who would be good for Maine or for the country."

The mounting controversies grabbed plenty of attention and triggered some Democrats in the nation's capital to question whether Platner was damaged goods, but didn't stop him from riding a populist wave to capture the nomination. More than 9 in 10 Platner supporters questioned in the poll said they had heard about his controversies but that their vote for him was based on where he stands on the issues.

Platner, who has acknowledged his battle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from his three tours of duty in the war in Iraq with the Marines and one tour with the Army National Guard in Afghanistan, apologized for his controversial Reddit posts after some of them made headlines last fall soon after he launched his Senate campaign.

And Platner has said he got the skull and crossbones tattoo in 2007 while drinking with fellow Marines stationed in Croatia. He said that he covered up the tattoo with a new design after learning last year that it resembled a Nazi symbol. But allegations from an ex-girlfriend raise questions about Platner's timeline regarding knowledge of the tattoo.

In his primary night victory speech, Platner emphasized that he's a changed man.

"If you believe, as I do, that we can change our politics and change our country, then you must also believe that people can change," Platner told the crowd. "And the reason I believe that is because I have lived it. And the reason that I have lived it is because of my wife."

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

The new poll, conducted June 19-26, suggests Platner is having some difficulty winning over some voters who want the Democrats to take back power in Congress.

Fifty-four percent of respondents said they'd like to see the Democrats win back the Senate majority in the midterms, five points higher than the 49% who are supporting Platner. And Collins is capturing 10% of voters who prefer the Democrats control the Senate.

The poll also indicates that a majority of Maine voters don't believe Platner has "good character" or the "right kind of moral values" and nearly half say he's too extreme.

By contrast, more than 6 in 10 say Collins has "good character" and the "right kind of moral values" and only a third said she was too extreme for Maine.

Meanwhile, some Democratic respondents worried that the 41-year-old Platner, who has never held elective office, would be "too inexperienced."

But there are also warning signs for Collins.

A majority questioned said they thought the senator would be too supportive of Trump and even some of her own supporters worry that the 73-year-old Collins is too old to be an effective senator.

The senator voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial, in 2021, soon after the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. And early last year she opposed the confirmation of now-Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.

But she is also remembered for her 2018 vote to confirm Justice Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, which eventually helped the court's conservative majority overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling that had legalized abortion nationwide.

Beating Collins won't be easy.

Six years ago, public opinion polls indicated the senator was headed to defeat, but Collins defied expectations and won re-election by topping then-Democratic state House Speaker Sara Gideon by nine points.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The new survey is the latest to indicate Platner with a slight edge over Collins, although a Pine Tree Poll conducted by the University of New Hampshire late last month suggested Platner held a nine-point lead.

Spotlighting the new poll, the Platner campaign wrote in a social media post that "Susan Collins has the billionaires. The lobbyists. The Super PACs. The Washington establishment. But we have Maine."

50 Cent mocks Jussie Smollett's Harlem Pride performance as fans slam his comeback attempt

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:07:07 -0400

50 Cent isn't holding back when it comes to Jussie Smollett's return to the stage years after an alleged hate crime hoax.

On Sunday, the 50-year-old rapper — who has been enthralled in a heated rivalry with Smollett over their respective television shows for years — took to social media to poke fun at Smollett's performance.

In an Instagram post, the executive producer of the "Power" franchise — who previously mocked Smollett for referring to himself as the "gay Tupac" in 2019 — shared a video of the "Empire" star performing at Harlem Pride’s "17 Shades of Pride" celebration over the weekend.

"See I told you 'POWER' was the s---, but No you want to watch 'Empire.' Now look this its all your fault. LOL," he wrote alongside a video of Smollett's performance.

JUSSIE SMOLLETT'S TV RETURN IS ATTEMPT TO CHANGE 'AMERICA'S GIANT SCAM ARTIST' LABEL: EXPERT

While "Power" and "Empire" premiered around the same time and both centered on wealthy Black families in New York, the two series were quite different. However, 50 Cent frequently fueled the fan rivalry by trolling "Empire" on social media and insisting that "Power" was the superior show. He leaned into that rivalry even more during Smollett's 2019 controversy, using the moment to take repeated jabs at both the actor and "Empire."

While some openly criticized Smollett's singing and "sad" attempt at a comeback over the weekend, others were quick to come to his defense — including "Queer Eye" star Karamo Brown.

"I was at this PRIDE event and Jussie killed it. F---k off for using one clip from the entire 30 min show to try bring someone down!" Brown commented on 50's post.

"People make mistakes but life doesn’t have to end! Let him work man," one user wrote on X.

"He looks healthy, like he's been working out and keeping up with his skin regiment," another added. "I pray over these years, he has also gotten the spiritual & mental healing he needed as well. Cheers to better days!"

Others weren't as receptive.

"Glad he ain’t hurt no more but he’s out here hurting our ears," one user wrote on X.

"Have we forgiven him yet?" another wrote.

"He was thinking this moment is gonna fix everything. Nope," one user added.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a representative for Smollett said, "Given the complexities of his own personal life, 50 Cent might be better served tending to matters closer to home rather than taking public shots at Jussie."

JUSSIE SMOLLETT CONVICTION OVERTURNED BY ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT

Smollett originally reported to Chicago Police he was the victim of a racist and homophobic attack by two men wearing ski masks in January 2019. He was convicted in 2021 of staging the hate crime, but his conviction was overturned in November 2024.

After reaching a settlement with the City of Chicago in 2025, Smollett agreed to make a $50,000 charitable donation to have a lawsuit against him dismissed.

JUSSIE SMOLLETT DONATES $50,000 TO CHARITY IN CHICAGO SETTLEMENT, MAINTAINS HIS INNOCENCE

In a lengthy statement to Fox News Digital at the time, Smollett said, "Over six years ago, after it was reported I had been jumped, city officials in Chicago set out to convince the public that I willfully set an assault against myself. This false narrative has left a stain on my character that will not soon disappear. These officials wanted my money and wanted my confession for something I did not do."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

"Today, it should be clear. … They have received neither. The decision to settle the civil lawsuit was not the most difficult one to make. After repeatedly refusing to pay the city, I was presented with an opportunity to make a charitable donation in exchange for the case being dismissed."

In April 2019, the City of Chicago filed a lawsuit against Smollett in an attempt to recoup the costs of police investigating the alleged attack. The actor told Fox News Digital "despite what happened there politically," he still has a place in his heart for the city.

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

"Therefore, making a donation to benefit Chicago communities that are too often neglected by those in power will always be something I support," he said. "I've made a $50,000 donation to Building Brighter Futures (BBF) Center for the Arts, a local nonprofit doing incredible work nurturing self-expression, creativity and exploration of the arts for Chicago youth. This organization was of my choosing, and I'm comforted that there will be at least one winner from this experience."

Smollett said that even though the criminal charges were overturned, and the civil case has been dismissed, "I'm aware that it will not change everyone's mind about me or the attack I experienced. However, despite arduous and expensive attempts to punish me, I am innocent both in the eyes of God and of our criminal justice system."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"I will continue creating my art, fighting passionately for causes I hold dear and defending my integrity and family name with the truth," he concluded.

Smollett's return to the stage came during a busy Pride weekend in New York City, which also saw thousands of people—including New York City congressional candidate Brad Lander—take part in the NYC Pride Parade.

Fox News Digital's Lauryn Overhultz, Tracy Wright and Emily Trainham contributed to this post.

Obama takes new swipe at Founding Fathers ahead of America’s 250th birthday: 'Deep flaw'

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:04:30 -0400

Former President Barack Obama took aim at the Founding Fathers ahead of America’s 250th anniversary, saying they held a "deep flaw" for their ties to slavery despite being "geniuses."

"I think sometimes we get confused in thinking that these two stories are separate. They're intertwined, right? Which is why it's possible for me to be a great admirer of George Washington, and also acknowledge he was a slaveholder," said Obama in an interview Sunday with MSNOW.

The 44th president's appearance comes as most Americans prepare to celebrate the nation's 250th birthday on Saturday with patriotic events across the country, while Obama is using the milestone to deliver a more cautionary message about the state of American democracy.

OBAMA KNOCKS FOUNDERS AT PRESIDENTIAL CENTER DEBUT BEFORE AMERICA’S 250TH: ‘FELL TERRIBLY SHORT’

"That does not negate [Washington’s] greatness, it simply acknowledges that there's a profound deep flaw in these Founding Fathers who were also geniuses and gave us these tools," Obama said.

"It’s that we're this mixed bag, we've got contradictions. And embody the country's contradictions," he added.

OBAMA KNOCKS FOUNDERS AT PRESIDENTIAL CENTER DEBUT BEFORE AMERICA’S 250TH: ‘FELL TERRIBLY SHORT’

Obama has been making many media appearances leading up to and following the opening of his presidential center in Chicago earlier this month. The expansive center includes a museum, library branch, community programming and is intended as a legacy project tied to Obama’s political roots on Chicago’s South Side.

OBAMA KNOCKS FOUNDERS AT PRESIDENTIAL CENTER DEBUT BEFORE AMERICA’S 250TH: ‘FELL TERRIBLY SHORT’

During the center's opening ceremony, which attracted former presidents and Hollywood elites, Obama took a swipe at the founders.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"The success of this experiment was never a given," Obama said in his speech, referring to the nation's founding.

"In forming our union, the founders fell terribly short of the Declaration's promise, leaving slavery intact, allowing states to restrict the franchise to white men who owned property. But in drafting a Constitution and a Bill of Rights, they did have the foresight, the genius, to provide us with a framework that allows each generation to make our union more perfect," he added.

Fox News Digital reached out to Obama's office for additional comment on Monday.

During Obama’s early political rise, researchers found that some of his White ancestors had owned slaves in the U.S., a discovery that has resurfaced periodically in political discourse, including in 2019 comments by then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

"While a relative owned slaves, another fought for the Union in the Civil War," then-Obama spokesman Bill Burton confirmed to the Associated Press in 2007 of the future president's family history.

MS NOW host accuses Democratic senator of gaslighting after he dodged on socialist's posts

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 15:00:33 -0400

MS NOW host Mika Brzezinski unloaded on Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., on Monday and accused him of gaslighting after the liberal senator dodged questions about New York Democratic congressional nominee Darializa Avila Chevalier and her controversial statements.

Murphy told "Meet the Press" guest host Ryan Nobles on Sunday that he wasn't "super familiar" with the race but sought a broader exchange of ideas within the party after he was confronted with a campaign ad highlighting Avila Chevalier's history of controversial social media posts, which have since been deleted, including her disdain for former President Joe Biden, where she went so far as calling him a "rapist."

"This is going to be an interesting issue, actually, for candidates on both sides of the aisle, because they’re now many of them are old enough to have past tweets and ridiculous statements, and voters are going to have to decide what the line is. What’s the dealbreaker in this case?" Brzezinski asked.

"I think it’s pretty clear. Some of these statements are complete dealbreakers, and it’s not hard to say," she continued. "It’s just not hard to say. And one of the most frustrating thing about Trump’s first presidency and his second, and folks who chose to vote for Trump the first time and then vote for him a second time, and then act shocked about the cruelty of the mass deportations, or to act shocked about the tariffs, or to say, 'well, I haven’t been watching the news. I don’t know about that one.'"

CHRIS MURPHY DODGES QUESTIONS ABOUT DEM SOCIALIST'S CONTROVERSIAL REMARKS WHILE PUSHING PARTY'S 'BIG TENT'

"That is like the most gaslighting experience one can ever, ever see throughout this entire political cycle or cycles because pretending you haven’t seen it is impossible — it’s an out," Brzezinski added.

She then called out Democrats like Murphy for doing the same thing.

"And now to see a Democrat doing it — and I like, we both love Chris Murphy, we think he’s a great guy and serves our country. But don’t gaslight people!" she added. "I mean, this story is out there."

Her co-host and husband, Joe Scarborough, criticized Murphy over his response on X.

Scarborough wrote on X that Democrats should call out "crazy."

"Memo to Democrats: Call out crazy even when it’s on your side—especially when it’s on your side. Voters will reward you for being better than Republicans," he wrote. Scarborough then pointed to an X post highlighting her controversial statements.

Avila Chevalier, 32, a longtime community organizer who led the anti-Israel protests at Columbia University, slammed the United States, the Democratic Party, private property, police, borders and called to nationalize large swaths of the private sector in the now-deleted posts from 2018 to 2022.

In a 2021 repost, Avila Chevalier said that abolishing borders, prisons and police is "possible, necessary, and the only moral way forward," and later echoed posts that said "all deportation is wrong" and, "Yes, literally abolish the border," according to a CNN report.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

"This country is a f-----g disgrace," she said in a post.

"I forgot to get napkins so I just wiped my hand on the American flag behind me," she reportedly said in yet another.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Fox News' Peter D'Abrosca contributed to this report.

Heel Turn: The fall of Rhodes, Will Ospreay's loyalties, King Oba and more from pro wresetling

Mon, 29 Jun 2026 14:51:06 -0400

It was a weekend to celebrate Sami Zayn.

Zayn, after more than a decade on the WWE main roster, finally won a world title when he pinned Cody Rhodes during their triple-threat match with Gunther at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia. Zayn didn’t need any shenanigans or distractions from the outside. He pinned the "American Nightmare" and prompted a massive frenzy in Riyadh.

The triumph of Zayn now begs the question of what Rhodes does from here.

COMPLETE PRO WRESTLING COVERAGE ON FOX NEWS DIGITAL

Busted Open pointed out that it had been a while since Rhodes lost without distractions or interference.

It just underscores the reign Rhodes has had over the WWE since he returned to the company at WrestleMania 38.

It’s been a strange 10 months or so for Rhodes. He defeated John Cena last August to regain the Undisputed WWE Championship. He dropped the title to Drew McInyre in January and then won it back nearly two months later. He held the title through WrestleMania 42 when he defeated Randy Orton in Night 1. He took the liberty of booking the Night of Champions triple threat himself to leave no doubt as to who the best WWE star is.

Perhaps, a little shortsighted. Zayn is on top of the mountain and Rhodes is left stunned looking up at one of the men he counted out the most.

Zayn spoke to Fox News Digital before he won the championship at Night of Champions. He said he believed the win could be a "cultural moment."

"I think it’s kinda one of those things that would kinda be hard to process. I truly don’t know. I don’t know how the fans would react," he said. "I hope they would enjoy it but you never know because my character right now is a little polarizing – I truly don’t know. But I don’t know. I think there’s a lot of like cultural and historical kind of significance that would kinda maybe hit me after the fact.

"From a sentimental point of view, for sure, I think it would be kind of awesome. I think it would be a big cultural moment, actually. I don’t think about it. I kind of dismiss it a lot at this point because we come to Saudi a lot. A lot has been made of the fact that I’m Arab or I’m Muslim or whatever. But growing up, that was not the case. It was not like this was a common thing or something that you could ever even dream. I couldn’t have dreamt that this would happen. So, yeah, that would be a pretty big deal I think."

As Zayn begins the culture change, Rhodes’ biggest fans will look to see where he goes from here.

Will Ospreay – officially a Death Rider?

Will Ospreay came away with the victory over Swerve Strickland in the Owen Hart Foundation Men’s Tournament on Sunday night at Forbidden Door. He will earn a title shot against the AEW world champion at All In.

As the pro wrestling world celebrates Ospreay’s opportunity at All In, the looming shadow of The Death Riders grew substantially. Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, Daniel Garcia, Pac, Yuta Wheeler and Marina Shafir were in Ospreay’s corner as he put away Strickland. They celebrated with him and Alex Windsor in the ring.

While it seemed like Ospreay kept The Death Riders at an arm’s distance, an alliance appeared to form for real. He used Moxley’s moves to beat Strickland. Moxley and Castagnoli put him on their shoulders. Those who were skeptical of Ospreay, clapped for him.

Ospreay and Windsor walked back up the ramp while The Death Riders exited through the crowd. Whatever develops next is going to be really interesting. Will either side be able to trust each other with two months before All In.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

King Oba’s reign

Oba Femi defeated Jey Uso to win the King of the Ring Tournament. He earned a shot at a world title of his choosing because he won.

Femi was defiant as he was interviewed in the ring following his victory.

"It feels so good to go from ‘The Ruler’ to being the king," Femi said in his post-match promo. "Jey Uso did not understand what he was up against tonight. He thought he was just fighting one man. You might be able to beat one man but you can’t beat fate and you can’t beat destiny and most importantly, you can’t beat me.

"I am the ruler, the destroyer, the bringer of war, the mountain that you cannot climb, the mountain that you cannot conquer, the one-of-one, the beast slayer, the one, the chosen one, the king of the ring, Oba Femi!"

The bigger question is how Femi will be booked moving forward. He will likely turn his attention to Roman Reigns, the world heavyweight champion who has cast his dominion over the Raw roster. It would be the best way to go for Femi.

But, there’s a beast of a shadow looming behind him.

Femi’s rivalry with Brock Lesnar is not over just yet. Lesnar didn’t interfere in Femi’s match against Uso. Pro wrestling fans likely hope that the final match will take place at SummerSlam. It would be an incredible end if that’s the case.

It would also beg the question of whether Femi does two matches at SummerSlam. Could he handle Lesnar and Reigns in one weekend? What about in one day? Femi has a rocket strapped to his back, that’s for sure.

Jonathan Gresham talks PRODUCE

Pro wrestling star Jonathan Gresham talked to Fox News Digital about his latest endeavor in the sport. Gresham and Abe will participate in a new wrestling series presented by Orange Crush. The event is called "PRODUCE Volume 1: The Octopus." It will take place at Pioneer Works in Brooklyn, New York, at 8 p.m. ET.

He’s also listed as a co-producer for the event.

"The one thing I think – attention to detail and consistency over time," Gresham told Fox News Digital when asked what fans can expect from the event. "I think that’s something that is missing in modern wrestling and that’s something that’s something Adam and I talk about quite a bit."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Title changes at TNA Slammiversary

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) saw several championships change hands at Slammiversary. Nic Nemeth won the TNA World Championship, Xia Brookside won the TNA Knockouts Championship, Rosemary and Allie captured the TNA Knockouts Tag Team Championship and The Hardys captured the TNA World Tag Team Championship.

Plus, there was a major announcement of a new title coming to the roster. TNA announced the formation of the Knockouts TV Championship, which would be defended exclusively on "Impact."

TNA's Slammiversary show was extremely solid given the discourse about the company over the last week. The next few big events could become must-watch shows.

News and notes from the pro wrestling world last week:

WWE announced a double show on Aug. 30. NXT Heatwave and Lucha Libre AAA will take place at the Bert Ogden Arena in Edinburg, Texas. Tickets go on sale for all on July 8.
Uhaa Nation debuted at Slammiversary as part of Mustafa Ali's open challenge for the TNA International Championship. However, Ali was able to fend Nation and Rich Swann off in a triple-threat match.
Kendal Grey became the new NXT women's champion at The Great American Bash. She defeated Lola Vice to win the title.
A new WWE ID champion was crowned. Max Abrams defeated Chazz "Starboy" Hall.
Nikkita Lyons defeated Wendy Choo to become the new WWE Evolve women’s champion.
Major League Wrestling announced during "MLW Fusion" it was in the midst of a "contract dispute" with Bishop Dyer – one half of the tag team champions.

National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) announced it will air "Powerrr" on Tubi.
WWE star Nattie Neidhart is returning to the National Wrestling Alliance for NWA 78 on July 25.
Trevor Murdoch was thought to have been retiring from pro wrestling after an illustrious career. But he swerved everyone and called the fans "idiots." He mocked everyone for thinking that he would retire. He dubbed himself "King Trevor Murdoch I."