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Enes Kanter Freedom speaks out on WNBA ejection and more top headlines

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:01:35 -0400

Good morning and welcome to Fox News’ morning newsletter, Fox News First. And here's what you need to know to start your day ...

TOP 3

1. Enes Kanter Freedom speaks out on WNBA ejection

2. Trump prepares to tighten economic screws on Iran

3. Nevada brush fire surges past 13,000 acres near Reno

MAJOR HEADLINES

HISTORIC RACE — Trump waves green flag to start historic Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington. Continue reading …

WHO REMEMBERS THEM? — Lindsay Clancy supporters rally for her as critics question where kids' advocates are. Continue reading …

SELFLESS ACT — Dad of five paralyzed after diving into ocean to save child from rip current. Continue reading …

RISKY BUSINESS — Mom of four hid a racy double life for years until everything came crashing down. Continue reading …

TOO EASY — Harrison Butker's 69-yard kick raises ugly questions about the NFL's rule changes. Continue reading …

POLITICS

MONEY TALKS — AI boom's massive power, water demands become flashpoint in Texas Senate showdown. Continue reading …

MONEY MACHINE — Thune-aligned groups unleash historic war chest to defend Senate majority. Continue reading …

GARDEN STATE GAMBIT — House district with Trump's Bedminster golf course could decide fate of Congress. Continue reading …

CLASS DISMISSED — McMahon sounds alarm over teachers accused of sexual misconduct staying in schools. Continue reading …

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MEDIA

GETTING 'TOUGHER' — Trump quips 'only consequential presidents get shot' in wild Cohen sit-down. Continue reading …

BLUNT REBUKE — Border czar fires back at Dem who warned agents would 'terrorize' Black Americans. Continue reading …

GOSPEL TRUTH — 'Office' actor praises Dem candidate's faith as 'achingly close to Jesus' Christianity'. Continue reading …

ACCUSED — Kim Zolciak's 15-year-old son charged with sexual battery in Georgia. Continue reading …

OPINION

FLEETING SUMMERS — I have eight kids. Why the 'back-to-school' mom memes break my heart. Continue reading …

WITNESS DUTY — 9/11 is becoming history. My generation must make sure America never forgets. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

RUFF RECALL — Pet owners warned as popular meals face potentially serious safety risk. Continue reading …

THROWBACK THRILLS — Disneyland fans beg for return of beloved '60s attraction that shuttered years ago. Continue reading …

DEFYING GRAVITY — MLB outfielder goes full Spider-Man, makes baseball's catch of the year with unreal grab. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on presidential portrayals and summer sips. Take the quiz here …

LISTEN

Tune in as Congressman Ryan Mackenzie breaks down the midterms, which are less than 100 days away. Check it out.

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What’s it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…

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Driven by progressive doomism, liberals are having fewer babies than conservative families

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:00:55 -0400

America’s political divide is extending into the nursery, as data shows conservatives are having more children than liberals.

The Atlantic, citing research from the Institute for Family Studies (IFS), reported that self-identified conservatives have an average of 1.4 children, compared to 1.09 for liberals. It’s a gap IFS researchers said remained even after controlling for other variables, such as sex, religion, race, income, age, marital status and education.

"Having children — particularly lots of children — has become a bit right-coded, as the kids say. Americans and Europeans who identify as leftist or liberal tend to have fewer children than those who identify as conservative or right-leaning," Atlantic staff writer Olga Khazan wrote in her article, "Another Big Difference Between Liberals and Conservatives."

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The Trump administration has positioned itself as pro-family, with prominent members, including Vice President JD Vance, urging the country to have more babies.

The administration has also proposed financial incentives aimed at raising the birthrate, including a $5,000 "baby bonus" for mothers giving birth, while Trump signed an executive order expanding access to in vitro fertilization (IVF).

Khazan argues that research shows that the birthrate divide between parties may have more to do with lifestyle choices and different priorities between the two groups. She argues that conservatives are more likely to view family as vital to a fulfilled life, while liberals may place greater emphasis on higher education, creative pursuits or career success.

"In one recent Pew Research Center poll, for instance, Republicans were more likely than Democrats to say that having children was ‘highly important’ for living a fulfilling life, and in another, Democrats were more likely than Republicans to say that creative activities were ‘one of the most important things’ to them," Khazan said.

"Democrats, then, may be less willing to choose parenthood when it competes as a priority with career, friendships, travel, and other pursuits," she added.

The article also suggested that liberal anxiety extends beyond daily stress to include systemic worries over climate change, reproductive healthcare access and therapy-driven fears of repeating family trauma.

TRUMP BEAT BACK ANTI-FAMILY TAXES IN 2025. HERE’S WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN NEXT

The Institute for Family Studies research also found that liberals report significantly higher levels of concern about parenting and their mental health.

Ken Burchfiel, an IFS research fellow who worked on the study, told Fox News Digital that where Democrats live could also help explain the difference.

"We found that partisan differences in parenting attitudes held up even when controlling for age, sex, race, household income, relationship status, education, religion, and parental status. That means that these differences aren't merely a result of diverging faith preferences or income gaps," Burchfiel said.

"The question remains, then: what is driving this change? My hypothesis is that Democrats' tendency to live in more urban areas may help explain these gaps. If you live in a small apartment in a major city, you probably are more likely to see parenting as very stressful and difficult; after all, raising a child is more expensive and complicated in the heart of an urban area than in the suburbs," he added.

Burchfiel also suggested that adults in major urban centers may have fewer daily opportunities to interact with parents and children, potentially leaving them less confident about starting families of their own.

AMERICA’S BABY BUST MAY BE LINKED TO THE IPHONE, STUDY SAYS

"As a result, you might feel less confident about your own ability to be a parent. Such opportunities might continue to decline now that major cities are experiencing a drop in the numbers of children," Burchfiel added.

Overall, the number of births in the United States and the general fertility rate have decreased, according to the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics.

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A CDC report shows that provisional U.S. births decreased by 1% from 2024 to 2025.

'Perfect' workout formula can take just 10 minutes a day, Hilaria Baldwin says

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:00:54 -0400

Being motivated to work out is one thing, but staying committed to a routine is what yields results, experts say.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, certified yoga and fitness instructor Hilaria Baldwin shared her tips for building an effective exercise routine – and sticking to it.

"One of the most important things about exercise is consistency," said the mother of seven. "For many of us, life gets in the way – we are parents and we work and all the chaos comes in, so bite-sized movements are really important."

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Baldwin revealed that her "perfect" workout routine trifecta always includes cardio, strength training and stretching, even if it’s just 10 minutes per day.

For lasting consistency, a fitness routine should fit naturally into one’s lifestyle and schedule, Baldwin said. She recommends setting aside kid-free, work-free blocks of time for movement and self-care.

Baldwin said she makes time for a daily run as her cardio, which she said helps "work out her lungs." She also incorporates stretching and strength training, which might include physically picking up her kids or toning with weights.

She has also started exercising with her children as a way to blend family time with physical activity.

DOCTORS SAY 8 FORGOTTEN HABITS COULD HELP FIGHT STRESS, OBESITY AND CHRONIC DISEASE

The instructor emphasized consistency without overcommitment, noting that doing too much, too soon can lead to burnout.

"If something's overwhelming, we're not going to do it," Baldwin said. "Ultimately, we are going to be creatures of habit … we are going do what we feel like needs to get done – but starting to think of a workout more like brushing our teeth is really important."

"People are not moving their bodies enough and then we get sick," she went on. "So, the question is, can we do a little bit to prevent that? And obviously not everything can be prevented, but we know that we should move our bodies most days."

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Baldwin advised against "biting off more than you can chew." For example, instead of running three miles as a response to being frustrated about your fitness goals, try running for just 10 minutes – or run for just two minutes at a time and take walking breaks.

"Doing something is better than thinking about it and doing nothing," she added.

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The fitness instructor also suggested making exercise a family commitment, helping to reinforce that movement and self-care are priorities.

"As moms, we [often] put ourselves last," she said. "Everybody says put your oxygen mask on first, but we don't do that."

"I think showing our children that we are human and we are worth taking care of is really important – not just for our relationship with them, but how they will treat themselves when they're older."

When life gets busy, she said, it’s easy to make excuses for not working out. Baldwin admitted that on most days, especially in the summer heat, she has "zero interest" in going for a run.

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"But I know that I'm not going to regret it," she said. "It’s just about creating the habit and saying, ‘Okay, I'm going to do this, and it's going to be 30 minutes, and I might hate it, but I’m going to be happy to do it.’"

Baldwin added, "Showing up is the hardest thing. Once you do it and you create a commitment, it completely changes everything."

'Love yourself'

Baldwin encouraged the public, especially women, to tap into how "special and unique each person’s body is."

"Start loving yourself and loving your body, no matter what outside opinions you feel like people are directing at you," she said. "Feel capable and feel strong and that you're worth investing in."

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Baldwin shared that she herself has struggled "tremendously" with this in her own life. "That is one of the reasons that I show up – to tell my body, ‘I love you, you're worth it.’"

She continued, "Nobody has ever existed who is exactly like you, and no one will ever be exactly like you again. So please live every single day cherishing your body, your unique self, and let's have fun and move together."

Ten Commandments belong in Texas schools and the Supreme Court can protect them

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:00:23 -0400

The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to decide if the Ten Commandments can be posted in Texas public schools.

In the coming months, the justices will decide whether or not to review a decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit which found that the posting the Ten Commandments in schools is not only constitutional, but also consistent with America’s historical understanding of religion’s role in public life.

Documents and history are not banned in this country because they are religious or have religious content. Are students allowed to read the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s "Letter from Birmingham Jail"? Of course, they are.

TEXAS BOARD OF EDUCATION APPROVES REQUIRED READING LIST WITH BIBLE PASSAGES FOR 5 MILLION STUDENTS

Banning parts of our religious history and heritage is not an act of compliance with the First Amendment. It is hostility to religion and a religious cleansing, foreign to our Constitution. The First Amendment forbids the government from establishing an official state religion — something akin to the Church of England, where the state controlled doctrine, compelled worship and punished dissenters.

The Fifth Circuit’s ruling made clear that such "establishments" historically involved acts of coercion such as mandatory church attendance or legal penalties for noncompliance. Displaying a religious text on a classroom wall bears no resemblance to such practices.

SUPREME COURT SHOWDOWN LOOMS OVER ST MICHAEL STATUE BLOCKED FROM PUBLIC SAFETY BUILDING

The Ten Commandments are a foundational moral, literary and historical text. Their influence on Western legal traditions is widely acknowledged, even by critics. The Commandments articulate basic ethical principles such as prohibitions against murder, theft and perjury that underpin modern legal systems. Displaying them in classrooms is simply a recognition of their historical and cultural significance.

A quality education must include instruction on the religious and historical heritage of our country. Without it, students cannot understand the founding rationale of our nation, nor its system of laws.

JUDGE ORDERS WASHINGTON SCHOOL DISTRICT TO LOOSEN LIMITS ON OFF-CAMPUS BIBLE CLUB FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS

Critics argue that posting the Ten Commandments amounts to coercion, especially for impressionable students. But this claim does not withstand scrutiny. The Texas law at issue requires only that a poster be displayed. It does not mandate prayer, belief or participation in any religious activity. Students are not asked to recite the Commandments, affirm their truth or even engage with them at all. In other words, exposure is not indoctrination.

This distinction is crucial. Public education inevitably exposes students to a wide range of historical, philosophical, and, yes, religious ideas. The Constitution does not demand that schools become religion-free zones; rather, it protects against government coercion in matters of faith. As the Fifth Circuit notes, "the mere presence of religious language in a school display is [not] ipso facto religious coercion." If it were, many longstanding features of American public life, from the national motto "In God We Trust" to references to a "Creator" in the Declaration of Independence, would be constitutionally suspect.

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The legal foundation for the Fifth Circuit’s conclusion rests heavily on First Liberty Institute’s victory in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, which fundamentally reshaped Establishment Clause jurisprudence. As the Fifth Circuit explains, Kennedy abandoned the long-criticized "Lemon test" and replaced it with an approach rooted in "historical practices and understandings."

Under this framework, courts no longer ask whether a government action has a secular purpose, but whether it resembles the kinds of coercive religious establishments the Founders sought to prohibit. This shift is decisive: because a classroom display imposes no religious exercise, no punishment for dissent and no government control over belief, it falls far outside the historical definition of an "establishment of religion." In short, Kennedy clarifies that the Constitution protects against coercion, not mere exposure to religious ideas, history and heritage.

RARE AMERICAN BIBLE AND FOUNDERS’ LETTERS TRACE FAITH’S ROLE IN BIRTH OF THE NATION

The Founders themselves did not envision a strict separation of religion from public education. As Judge James Ho quoted President George Washington in his concurrence, they believed that "religion and morality are indispensable supports" of a free society. Far from excluding religion, early American institutions often incorporated it as a source of moral guidance and civic virtue.

Just consider the U.S. Supreme Court building where the Ten Commandments are displayed both on the outer façade of the courthouse, as well as the internal courtroom itself. Do the justices need to sandblast those images from the court?

Removing all the references to the Biblical Decalogue built into the architecture of government buildings throughout Washington, D.C., would require jackhammers, chisels and high-powered sand blasters.

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Allowing such displays respects both the Constitution and the nation’s heritage. It’s also good education. It acknowledges the role that religious ideas have played in shaping American law and culture, without compelling anyone to adopt those beliefs. In a pluralistic society, exposure to diverse perspectives, including religious ones, is not a threat to freedom, it is a reflection of it.

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Rather than fearing the presence of the Ten Commandments in classrooms, the plaintiffs should recognize it for what it is: a modest, constitutionally sound acknowledgment of the moral and historical foundations that continue to influence our society today.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM KELLY SHACKELFORD 

Dem House candidate's 2013 arrest resurfaces in pivotal race for control of Congress

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 07:00:00 -0400

A far-left candidate running for the House of Representatives in Michigan was arrested for resisting police during a 2013 protest.

William Lawrence, co-founder of the progressive Sunrise Movement, is challenging Rep. Tom Barrett, R-Mich., in one of the most closely-watched elections in the country. With so few congressional seats still expected to be up in the air, a victory there could be decisive for whichever party wins control in November.

Fox News Digital obtained documents that show Lawrence was among a group of people arrested in 2013 during a demonstration against the Enbridge Line 5 pipeline, a 645-mile piece of infrastructure running crude oil and natural gas between Wisconsin and Ontario — with Michigan in between.

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He and others chained themselves to machinery in protest of the pipeline, which helps the U.S. meet critical energy needs but has also been a subject of pushback by environmental groups and indigenous tribes whose land the pipeline partially runs through.

The defendants were charged with trespassing, as well as resisting and obstructing a police officer. The documents stated that Lawrence and three others had to be cut off of the equipment but were then arrested without incident.

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Lawrence himself previously posted on X, "Defund the Police!" in May 2020. A tweet the following month called to defund the Lansing, Michigan, police, specifically.

He told Fox News Digital in a statement this weekend, "I don't support defunding the police. I follow the lead of first responders and gun violence prevention advocates I have met with here in the district, who support increased funding for youth programs, mental health resources, and community violence intervention, working in collaboration with law enforcement."

His campaign also pointed out the conviction was expunged under Michigan state law.

He's also since addressed the arrest himself on Instagram. He said in a video earlier this year that he "took a stand" against energy company Enbridge, adding, "Was it righteous? Absolutely. Was it wise? Perhaps not."

"The fact is, they were back operating that afternoon, while my collaborators and I faced legal consequences for years," he said. "I wouldn't advise you do what I did, but my conviction remains, and you can always count on me to fight for pure Michigan and our water."

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While Lawrence was backed by progressive groups in his primary election, he has since said he's left the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) as his general race begins to heat up.

But it did not stop House Republicans' campaign arm, the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC), from tying him to the far-left.

"Socialist felon William Lawrence is a radical far-left liberal who puts his extreme climate agenda ahead of common sense and the priorities of hardworking Michiganders. Lawrence’s extreme agenda makes one thing clear: he is far too radical for Mid-Michigan and can’t be trusted to put Michigan families first," NRCC spokesman Zach Bannon said.

Republicans are facing an uphill battle to keep control of the House this year, with the party in power traditionally facing significant losses during the midterms. But the far-left insurgency that's gripped the Democratic Party has given the right new hope that they could buck historic political trends.

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Lawrence's upstart primary campaign saw him defeat establishment-backed candidates Matt Maasdam and Bridget Brink, the latter of whom formerly served as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.

Thune-aligned groups unleash historic war chest to defend Senate majority: 'Winning message'

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:00:34 -0400

The Senate Leadership Fund (SLF), a top GOP campaign group aligned with Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., announced that it and other allies have raised over $500 million ahead of the 2026 U.S. Senate elections, setting new records as they look to defend a Republican majority in the upcoming midterms.

Despite a historical precedent that sets long odds for the president’s party in the midterms, Republicans have built a war chest in recent months to put Democrats on the defensive in the House and Senate.

"Thanks to Leader John Thune and our generous investors, Senate Leadership Fund and its affiliated groups have raised more resources than any other Senate effort in history," SLF Executive Director Alex Latcham said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

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"However, we cannot slow down as Chuck Schumer and Radical Democrats seek to take our nation back to open borders, rampant crime and crushing inflation."

It's those elements the group hopes to put front and center.

In many of their materials, SLF looks to pin Democrats over their opposition to many pieces of President Donald Trump’s legislative agenda and past support for far-left policies.

Across races in Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan and North Carolina, they are using ad campaigns to highlight elements like violence caused by soft-on-crime policies, opposition to wage hikes for veterans and past scandals that have followed some of the Democratic candidates.

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"Logan was a casualty of an agenda," one featured interviewee said, recounting how his daughter had been killed by Alexander Dickey, a repeat criminal who had faced nearly 40 criminal charges.

In another ad, SLF reminded voters in Iowa how Josh Turek, a Senate hopeful who had won gold for the U.S. in the Paralympic Games, had missed over 50% of his votes while running his campaign.

"We expect our lawmakers to show up, yet liberal politician Josh Turek missed 58% of his votes in the Iowa legislature — votes to help veterans and fund schools, yet still collected his full taxpayer-funded paycheck," the ad states.

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Latcham said he anticipates SLF’s layered strategy of messaging — and the resources needed to bring that message to voters — combined with the GOP’s candidate strengths will deliver wins in November.

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"With incredible candidates, a winning message and record funding, we are confident that Senate Republicans will maintain their majority this November and continue to deliver for the American people," Latcham said.

Andrew feels ‘abandoned’ by royal family, rejects King Charles’ invitation over outcast fears: experts

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:00:33 -0400

Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor reportedly feels "abandoned" by his family as his royal exile deepens.

British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital that friends are reportedly checking in regularly on the former Duke of York and "he's certainly not hiding away" from them.

"Rather than spending the summer at Balmoral hidden away with the rest of the family, Andrew seems to be opting for time abroad with friends," she said. "Allegedly, he feels abandoned by certain family members."

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British royal expert Hilary Fordwich echoed Chard's sentiments, citing her sources.

"Andrew isn't important anymore," said Fordwich. "No one is very concerned about how he's feeling. However, it's important to ensure he doesn't cause any more damage to the monarchy."

WATCH: FORMER PRINCE ANDREW REMAINS IN DENIAL OVER EPSTEIN SCANDAL: AUTHOR

A friend of the ex-royal's told The Sun that "Andrew feels he's been abandoned" and "he feels like he is no longer part of the family."

"He was invited but has got no great desire to be at Balmoral as he has nothing to gain and would be treated as an outcast," the unnamed friend told the outlet. "What's the point, he feels, of going all the way there for a much-needed holiday and being treated as an elephant in the room?"

Andrew stepped away from royal duties in 2019 following a widely criticized BBC "Newsnight" interview in which he attempted to explain his friendship with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

In 2022, he was stripped of his military titles and patronages by his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, as he faced Epstein survivor Virginia Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit against him. Andrew and Giuffre settled out of court for an undisclosed sum that year.

Giuffre died in April 2025.

In October 2025, King Charles III stripped his younger brother's royal titles as Andrew faced renewed scrutiny over his ties to Epstein. The scrutiny intensified following the publication of Giuffre's posthumous memoir and the release of documents detailing Andrew's relationship with Epstein.

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Buckingham Palace also served Andrew formal notice to surrender the lease on his longtime residence, Royal Lodge. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, was expected to make separate living arrangements.

On Feb. 19, Andrew was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over an allegation that he shared confidential information with Epstein during his time as a U.K. trade envoy. He was released after being held for 11 hours in police custody. The investigation remains ongoing.

Andrew has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in connection with Epstein and the allegations against him.

"Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor obviously is feeling the contempt and distancing from other senior members of the royal family," royal broadcaster Ian Pelham Turner told Fox News Digital.

"So his mental health will become more prevalent. Some of his favorite activities, like riding and shooting, may have been curtailed. The ongoing police investigation is a continuous worry for him. And still, his soulmate and former wife is being distant."

"Andrew is confined to a lonely existence," Turner continued. "Allegedly, he watches a TV channel which shows planes landing as one of his new methods of relaxation."

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Andrew's friend told The Sun that the disgraced ex-duke rejected the king's invitation to Balmoral Castle because he feared he would be treated as an "outcast."

Every summer, the royal family gathers at Balmoral to spend time together privately. About 30 family members are expected to join the king for the traditional gathering this year. The Sun reported that the king is not believed to have seen Andrew this year, despite at times staying only a mile away from him.

"Why would Andrew reject an olive branch from his brother?" said Turner. "There's a mixture of anger at what happened to him, a disdain for Charles, which he may see as a weak man, and, no doubt, arrogance with his belief that he can do what he wants without punitive measures taken against him. Also add to the tension with Prince William. Andrew is boxed in."

"There will never be any public restoration for Andrew at all, not now with King Charles and certainly not when Prince William ascends to the throne," said Fordwich.

"If Andrew did decline an invitation from the king, it might just be Andrew’s classic self-concern that he’d feel too awkward knowing he wasn’t wanted by the extended family at large. The only family member, I believe, who had visited Andrew was Prince Edward."

The Sun reported that Andrew’s ex-wife and their two daughters have "avoided" his new home, Marsh Farm, where he’s "lonely."

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Even as Andrew becomes increasingly isolated from royal life, one royal privilege reportedly remains intact.

The Daily Mail reported that Andrew remains on a confidential government list of royal family members with funeral plans prepared in advance. The arrangements are known as "bridge plans," with plans for senior royals named after bridges in the U.K.

When Queen Elizabeth II died in 2022, "Operation London Bridge" went into action. The plan for her husband, Prince Philip, was known as "Operation Forth Bridge" when he died in 2021.

The plans are kept confidential until the royal dies, People magazine reported. According to the Daily Mail, Andrew's funeral service is expected to be held at St. George's Chapel before he is laid to rest at the Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore in Windsor.

Retired Rear Admiral Chris Parry, who captained HMS Fearless, told the Daily Mail that he believes the Royal Navy would provide volunteers to serve as pallbearers at Andrew's funeral. Andrew served in the Royal Navy from 1979 to 2001.

"... He had a Falklands medal, and you can't take that away from him, and he deserves the credit for that," said Parry. "... If somebody said to me, 'Would you do it?' I'd do it."

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Spencer Kuvin, an attorney who represented nine of Epstein's victims, told the outlet that "taxpayers should not ever be funding a funeral for a private individual."

"No public money should be used to benefit him during death," he said. "It’s an embarrassment to the Crown."

Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace for comment.

Baker busts common sourdough myth that keeps busy Americans out of the kitchen

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:00:09 -0400

A loaf of sourdough can take three days to make. That doesn't mean you'll spend three days making it.

That's the distinction Kate Freebairn wants busy would-be bread bakers to understand.

Freebairn, a sourdough recipe developer and food blogger in rural Western Australia, says one of the biggest barriers keeping beginners away from sourdough is the perception that making it will take over their lives.

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"I think that people think that sourdough is really difficult and that it takes a lot of time, but really, even though a loaf of sourdough might take three days to complete, the actual time that you'll have your hands in the dough might only be an hour," Freebairn told Fox News Digital.

Her debut cookbook, "Easy Sourdough on Any Schedule," is built around fitting bread baking into everyday life rather than fitting life around bread baking.

For someone working a typical weekday, Freebairn suggests feeding the starter before bed, mixing the dough over morning coffee and tending to it while the kids are having breakfast. The dough can ferment while its baker is at work, then be shaped and refrigerated that evening.

The next morning, "you can wake up, pop the oven on, make your coffee and bake a fresh loaf of sourdough," Freebairn said. "So, the actual time that you have your hands in the dough is very minimal."

Freebairn also points to potential health benefits as another reason to choose sourdough.

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Because it is naturally fermented, she said, "the microbes in the sourdough starter, they're already doing some of the digestion for you," adding that sourdough "tends to not spike your blood sugar" and "has lots of prebiotics, which are really good for gut health."

Her favorite benefit, however, is simpler.

"Probably the best thing is it really does taste better," she said.

Beginners don't need a kitchen full of specialized equipment, either. Freebairn said an old pickle jar can hold a starter, and an ordinary bowl can substitute for a proofing basket. Her own Dutch oven isn't an expensive status piece.

"I literally still to this day use a $30 Dutch oven I bought from Aldi," she said.

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Perhaps the bigger investment is patience. Freebairn recommends beginners expect their earliest loaves to be imperfect and says it may take five to 10 attempts to start getting the hang of the process.

"There's a lesson in every loaf," she said.

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It's advice that captures her approach to sourdough: Start with what you have, fit it around the life you're already living and don't worry if the first loaf isn't perfect.

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"Easy Sourdough on Any Schedule" hits bookshelves in September.

AI's massive appetite for power, water ignites fight in high-stakes Texas Senate race

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 06:00:05 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: There’s an ugly political fight brewing in the Lone Star State over data centers, and both candidates running for Senate are racing each other to unveil their plans to slow the AI boom in Texas.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is rolling out his own plan to address what has become a political pressure point in Texas politics during this midterm cycle: how to add guardrails to the explosion of data centers across the state as voters’ concerns rise about skyrocketing power and water costs.

The four-point plan, first obtained by Fox News Digital, details steps at the federal and state levels on the issue and comes in the waning weeks of a closely watched contest for power in the Senate between Paxton and state Sen. James Talarico, the Democratic nominee.

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"There’s no doubt in my mind that the United States will beat the Chinese Communist Party in the AI race," Paxton said in a statement. "This plan will ensure that happens while putting Texas First, protecting our culture and land, and safeguarding our families and communities. My plan will also work to ensure that data centers are not utilized to power AI platforms that endanger our children."

His plan comes after Talarico, who has used the issue of data centers as a political cudgel against Paxton, convened bipartisan roundtables and hit the Republican nominee for taking in nearly $500,000 in campaign donations to a variety of political action committees (PACs) that support him.

"Ken Paxton took nearly half a million dollars from data center companies and has ignored Texans in Hood County who asked him to help block a data center development in their community," Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Fox News Digital.

"While Ken Paxton funnels data center money into his campaign, James is fighting to hold data centers accountable. Texans can’t afford a Senator who’s bought by big data center companies," he continued. "Texans can’t afford Ken Paxton’s corruption."

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He’s also not scot-free from receiving data center-adjacent money, either.

Talarico’s political operation, through his Lone Star Rising PAC, has received about $10 million from LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman, an advocate for data centers who has argued about the value that they present in the AI arms race against China.

"While James Talarico and his campaign infrastructure accept millions of dollars from data center-affiliated donors and put their interests first, I will lead with Texans at the forefront. That’s exactly why I am proud to release my 4-Point Plan that will put Texans First and protect our communities," Paxton said.

The first three pillars of Paxton’s plan address actions against data centers at the federal level.

They would see Paxton author two bills in the Senate to prevent Chinese technology from powering data centers or being used in American infrastructure and creating criminal liabilities for data center companies if the centers empower AI chatbots that undermine children's safety.

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He would also join as a co-sponsor on the DATA Act, a bill from Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., that would create a new federal category for data centers to produce their own independent power away from preexisting power grids.

Talarico’s offering would repeal state tax exemptions for data centers, mandate that data centers cover 100% of grid connection costs, and require closed-loop water recycling systems. It would also give local governments the power to veto project developments.

Paxton similarly wants to undo sales tax exemptions for data centers, something he notably supported over a decade ago while in the state legislature.

Back in 2013, when he was serving as a freshman state senator in the Texas Legislature, Paxton voted in favor of 100% sales tax exemptions for data centers, which passed on a nearly unanimous vote out of the state Senate.

While that exemption required a hefty ground-floor investment of $200 million and employment requirements to receive, it also sparked the present-day boom in data centers.

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Meanwhile, at the state level, Paxton would also push Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s new directive unveiled earlier this month to effectively freeze the data center explosion.

Abbott touted earlier this week that his directive has so far halted roughly 1,800 data center projects in the Lone Star State. It requires data centers to disclose how much power they’re using and whether they will produce independent power, their water consumption, financial incentives they’ve received, a plan to lower the impact on local communities and documented ownership of the center.

"These guidelines are now the universally applied standard in Texas," Abbott said on X.

I have eight kids. Here's why the 'back-to-school' mom memes break my heart

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 05:00:37 -0400

Summer is the best season. My kids have no school commitments and our time is spent getting together with friends, doing weekend trips, camping, going to the lake, and enjoying the time we have with each other. My oldest is already in college, so I know the feeling of time slipping through my fingers as my kids get older and create lives of their own. Time with my husband and eight children is my most precious gift and while back-to-school season is exciting, it’s certainly bittersweet.

The joy of watching my kids grow into the next stage of life is balanced out by the feeling that most of August is the Sunday before school starts.

Raising kids is hard, and it’s okay to feel a little relief when structure returns. But I think we should be thoughtful about the message our children receive in the way we celebrate.

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Scrolling through social media this time of year brings meme after meme of parents, usually moms, who are thrilled the school year is starting because it’s time to ship their kids off to someone else five days a week. The photos of moms in robes on their doorstep holding a glass of wine are everywhere.

Kids notice when we seem overly eager to send them away. They remember whether we treated their presence as a burden or a gift. They hear how their parents are elated about sending them elsewhere for hours every day. Kids are much more perceptive than we give them credit for. Even if all of the back-to-school jubilation is in jest, deep down they know they are of some undue burden to their parents.

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Conflicting emotions are common and parents shouldn’t beat themselves up over them. A study of 2,000 parents over the summer revealed 57% were happy about their kids returning to school but also felt guilty about it. Yet a different study showed 67% of parents thought summer break was too long.

I get that parents need a break, especially from the endless snack requests and demands of kids over the summer. No parent should be shamed for taking care of themselves in order to be a better parent for their kids. Yet that’s not what back-to-school season has become. It’s become a time when parents can thrillingly announce to the world that they are so happy to dump their kids at school and make them someone else’s problem.

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In a culture that has so devalued the family and children, this isn’t a surprise but it is disheartening. I used to think these kinds of posts were funny until I really thought about it. We only have so much time with our kids until they move out, go to school, and have lives of their own. I’m proud to watch my kids begin a new school year. I’m excited for what they’ll learn and who they’ll become. But I’m also sad to see summer end because I love having them home. I love the memories, the slow mornings, the time together, and the little moments that pass far too quickly.

Parenting is hard and no one could ever be prepared for it, no matter how many books they read or other parents they talk to. We have so much responsibility on our plates that it can easily be overwhelming. Humans will make decisions based on their priorities — that’s what it all comes down to. Faith, marriage, kids, work, and hobbies all vie for the top spot, and we have to make hard decisions every day, but if those priorities are in order, it will be much easier to choose the right thing.

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I’m not suggesting every parent homeschool or drop everything to spend 24 hours a day catering to their kids. I’m saying that our children are incredible gifts, and we should not be so anxious to shove them out the door and on the school bus for eight hours a day for nine or ten months of the year. Get involved in your kid’s school. Coach their rec team. Invite their friends for a movie night or ice cream or pizza-making party at your house. Go on a hike with your kids and their friends. Be present. Put your phone down. Ask questions. Say ‘yes’ more.

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We only have one life. Our kids are only young once and they see everything. I make plenty of mistakes as a mom, but valuing the time I have with them is one mistake I try the hardest to avoid.

So yes, celebrate back-to-school season. Just make sure your kids know they are loved, wanted, and deeply missed when they’re away.

9/11 is becoming history. My generation must make sure America never forgets

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 05:00:20 -0400

I was 9 years old, in my second week of middle school, 25 miles from Lower Manhattan when the world changed.

I remember being gathered on the carpeted floor of our homeroom when the principal’s aide delivered a note to our teacher. She read it to us with a perplexed look on her face, unaware that the plane she described as having been involved in a tragic accident had passed just a few miles from our school along the Hudson River only minutes earlier.

We’d soon learn this was no accident.

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We were too young to understand the magnitude of what was happening, but old enough to know something was terribly wrong. For millennials, September 11, 2001, was the moment that divided our lives into "before" and "after."

There is an innocence in the photographs and memories from before 9/11 that is hard to explain. The people and the streets look the same, but everything feels different because we know what they did not yet know was about to happen.

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And in the weeks and months after that tragic day, everything changed. We remember the anthrax scares, the new airport security measures, and the fear that another attack could happen at any moment.

But we should remember something else, too: the extraordinary sense of unity that followed. For a kid growing up just outside New York City, the shared sense of patriotism and American flags seemingly everywhere is impossible to forget. In those days, before social media became a force for division and politics consumed so much of our national conversation, Americans seemed determined to stand together.

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I still vividly remember watching President George W. Bush’s first pitch before Game 3 of the World Series at Yankee Stadium a little over a month after the attacks. In a city still grieving, our leader in a bulletproof vest humming a strike right down the middle felt like a small but powerful sign that America was still standing, too.

But 25 years later, September 11 is becoming history rather than memory. For a younger generation, it is increasingly just a chapter in a textbook — or worse, fodder for internet conspiracy theories, memes and jokes.

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We cannot let that happen.

As the last generation to have firsthand memories of September 11, it is incumbent on us to remind younger Americans of the extraordinary things ordinary Americans did when confronted with the unimaginable that fateful day.

If you’ve visited any of the three September 11 memorial sites — the National September 11 Memorial & Museum in New York, the Pentagon Memorial or the Flight 93 National Memorial in Shanksville, Pa. — you understand why remembrance matters.

Nearly 3,000 people died that day. They were parents, children, spouses, friends, firefighters, police officers, office workers and travelers.

Innocent people who had simply shown up for a normal day at work were suddenly forced to make horrific decisions that no person should ever have to make.

And for countless others, the consequences of that day never ended. First responders and others exposed to the toxic air at Ground Zero have spent the decades since battling cancers, respiratory illnesses and other health problems tied to September 11.

There is no shortage of stories from that day. Some are harrowing stories of survival. Others are stories of heroism and extraordinary courage.

There was Betty Ong, the American Airlines flight attendant who helped authorities understand that Flight 11 had been hijacked. There were the passengers of Flight 93, who fought back against their hijackers and prevented the plane from reaching Washington.

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There were Stanley Praimnath and Brian Clark, strangers who miraculously helped one another escape the impact zone of South Tower after it was struck. And there was Rick Rescorla, the Morgan Stanley security chief who evacuated thousands from the South Tower before returning inside to help others and never making it out himself.

We were the children who watched the towers fall and the teenagers who grew up in the shadow of the two wars that followed. We are now the parents, teachers, and citizens responsible for explaining to the next generation why September 11 mattered.

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We need to tell them about the first responders who ran toward danger while everyone else ran away, the passengers who refused to surrender, and the strangers who helped strangers.

And we need to tell them why we must never let it happen again.

Four ways to make sure your will protects your family and avoids added grief

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 05:00:15 -0400

There is no worse feeling in life than when a loved one passes away. And when that individual has not communicated his or her wishes or shared key information, that can add a burden of time, money and stress to loved ones’ grief.

As August is National Make a Will Month, here are four suggestions to help you make sure you have your will made and updated in a manner that will help your loved ones sort through your estate and continue your legacy in the best manner possible.

Make your will today!

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When it comes to estate planning, having a will is important. Having one that is done properly is more important. There are online services that can help you, but I recommend meeting with a local estate planning attorney.

Not only will a professional make sure that your wishes are accounted for properly, but they will understand state-specific requirements and regulations.

Moreover, many estate planning attorneys can help with more than just the legal aspects of estate planning; they can also help or find you someone to help with tax planning and any related entities, such as trusts, to make sure your assets are passed down in the most tax-efficient manner.

Explore making gifts and other plans now

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As you meet with an estate planning professional or your accountant, you can explore making gifts to loved ones today. This may bring you more satisfaction, so that you can see your loved ones benefit from what you plan to leave them instead of waiting until you are gone.

In 2026, you can gift $19,000 individually ($38,000 for married couples) per person, tax-free for the year. Again, consult a professional for assistance to make sure you are crossing all your "t’s" and dotting your "is" regarding any gifting.

Also, if you have family members who can handle the discussion, dividing up possessions, whether passed now or later, as a family can help minimize fighting among family members down the road.

Moreover, many in the younger generations aren’t interested in the same physical mementos as those who are older. If you have a china set or a collection of statues that hasn’t been used in years, and nobody in the family wants them, you can explore making plans for disposal now – whether that means selling or donating the items. This can generate extra cash, tax deductions or even find a home with someone who you know will enjoy them.

As a bonus, it will create less "cleanup" down the road for loved ones.

Make your will findable

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One of the biggest issues I have seen with those who have wills is that their loved ones can’t find it (or don’t know which is the most recent copy). Preparing your wishes and information but not making them accessible to your loved ones defeats the purpose.

Put your will, along with other key information (like a listing of your financial accounts and advisors or a key to your safe deposit box) and any personal wishes in a legacy and wishes planning kit. You can use one like the kit I created after my father’s passing, Future File, or you can make your own if you prefer.

Whichever route you go, make sure your family members either have access to your kit and its contents now or know how to access it and can do so in case of an emergency or if you pass.

Review your will regularly

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A friend of mine’s mother was gravely ill and told my friend about her will. When my friend had an estate planning attorney review it, it turned out that it did not reflect what her mother’s current wishes were; rather, it contained some changes other family members had suggested many years ago that her mother had forgotten about.

If this hadn’t been reviewed, her mother would not have left her assets to her grandchildren, but rather to distant cousins.

That underscores why it is important to review your will regularly and make any updates if circumstances change over the years.

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Additionally, if you have financial accounts, retirement plans or policies, such as insurance policies, that have beneficiaries, make sure that those are up to date, accurate and match your wishes. Beneficiary designations supersede wills, and so beneficiaries will receive the payments, even if they differ from your will. Check this on a regular basis as you review and update your will.

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Saving your loved ones dozens of hours of time, giving them peace of mind and reducing uncertainty and even infighting during a very difficult time are the best things that you can leave behind as part of your legacy. That only happens with the proper planning today.

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Trump's Bedminster turf could make or break his last two years in the White House

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 04:00:08 -0400

WASHINGTON, N.J. — Washington, D.C., is undoubtedly the center of gravity in American politics, but another Washington over 100 miles away could help decide the fate of Congress for the latter half of President Donald Trump's term.

It's a small town in New Jersey where Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., urged GOP supporters to help get Rep. Tom Kean Jr., R-N.J., re-elected to the House in November. Kean is seeking a third term representing the Garden State's 7th Congressional District, which is notably home to Trump's Bedminster golf course where he spends a significant amount of time.

"We consider this a top three race, not just a top 10. That's how important it is to us. It has a target on its back," Johnson told the room at Hawke Point Golf Club, Fox News Digital heard. "They're investing tons of money to try to take [Kean] down, but they are not going to be successful."

The district happens to be one of the most critical battlegrounds in the country this year. Trump narrowly won the area by two points in 2024, though it flipped for Democrat Gov. Mikie Sherrill by the same margin in 2025.

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Democrats are now betting they have a real opportunity to score another victory in November by sending former Navy helicopter pilot Rebecca Bennett to the House. And with such a small number of House seats still considered politically neutral, it could prove decisive for which party controls the House next year.

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If Republicans win, that means enacting Trump's agenda for another two years. Johnson told Fox News Digital the GOP has "aggressive" plans to tackle government waste and excessive spending. But if Democrats win the district — and potentially the House — Trump's goals could grind to a halt.

Kean, for his part, told Fox News Digital that he's confident he can win again.

"I've been a really effective legislator who's brought things back to the district, who's listened to my constituents on their needs and their concerns, in contrast to my opponent, who has really been a very abject partisan," Kean said on the sidelines of his event.

"She's actually stopped going to church because there are Republicans [there]. So when you think about that contrast — a person can't even go to religious services with people of the other party — she'll never work across the aisle. She'll be always in the far-left corner of whoever is in her caucus and whoever is in her leadership. And that's not what this district needs."

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Bennett spokesperson Carly Jones hit back at Kean's accusation, "Rebecca is an active member of her local church and talks openly on the campaign trail about her faith, which inspired her to serve her country in uniform and run for office. She is proudly building a coalition of Democrats, Independents and Republicans to flip this seat in November."

Kean noted he's seen legislative success under both the Biden and Trump administrations, and his bipartisan efforts were on display — by what was not on display. The congressman's name appeared throughout the event, but without mention of "GOP" or "Republican." A sign outside the door only said "Tom Kean for Congress."

Conventional wisdom dictates that the party in power faces significant losses in Congress during the midterms. Critics of whoever is president generally turn out in droves to vote for the other side, in this case, Democrats.

Kean noted that he's had legislation signed into law by former President Joe Biden, but also insisted he backed Trump "fully."

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"He's done great things for this country and will continue to do great things for this country. He has been a very effective leader," Kean said of the current president.

And Johnson deployed a pinch-hitter to help gin up enthusiasm on Friday: All-Star professional baseball player Mark Teixeira, who posed for photos with excited attendees. Teixeira is running his own campaign for Congress and is likely to win a safe red seat in Texas.

Republican leaders are also seizing on the far-left insurgency that's toppled establishment Democrats in recent months as evidence that they should not get control of the House.

"It's very effective because people see what's happening. This isn't campaign rhetoric. They give us new illustrations every day," Johnson told Fox News Digital in an interview. "It's a challenge to the very foundational principles of America, and that is increasingly what the Democrat Party represents... The Marxist-communist element is taking over that party, sadly, and it's really alarming for our country."

Kean was notably absent from the campaign trail and the halls of Congress from March through June this year, with few knowing the circumstances until the congressman publicly admitted he was being treated for depression. Upon his return, he introduced legislation aimed at making it easier for people to pay for mental healthcare.

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Bennett did not criticize the reason for his absence but has previously accused him of continuing to trade stocks during that time. She similarly told Fox News Digital in a written statement that Kean made millions from the stock market.

"I spent 15 years serving our country in the military, and I felt called to serve once again because I can’t sit on the sidelines while Washington corruption, rising costs, and devastating healthcare cuts crush New Jersey families. Congressman Tom Kean Jr. has failed to show up for our community while trading more than $3 million worth of stocks during his time in office," she told Fox News Digital.

Linda McMahon vows crackdown on teachers sexually harassing students: 'Must end'

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 02:55:08 -0400

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon on Sunday said the federal government is committed to "cracking down" on sexual misconduct involving teachers, staff and other adults in positions of authority in schools across the country.

In an interview, McMahon denounced what she described as school districts reassigning, rather than firing, teachers accused of misconduct involving students.

"And it’s not part of their record or anything, so we have really been cracking down on that as well," she said during an appearance on CNN's "State of the Union."

McMahon, citing a 2004 Education Department literature review, said about one in 10 eighth- through 11th-grade students reported sexual misconduct by an educator. The review used a broad definition that included physical, verbal and visual conduct; the department cautioned that sexual misconduct should not be equated with the narrower legal definition of sexual abuse.

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California officials at the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing did not revoke the licenses of at least 67 educators after school districts determined they committed sexual misconduct against students from 2019 through 2025, according to ProPublica and KQED.

At least 14 of those educators were later hired by other school districts and at least 12 of those were still working in education as of May, according to the reports.

Separately, the Department of Education in May opened a Title IX investigation into the Los Angeles Unified School District.

"Our schools must protect America’s children. Parents should never have to wonder whether their kids’ school employs and protects sexual predators," McMahon said in a previous statement. "Schools that receive federal funding have a duty to protect students, report sexual misconduct honestly, and follow the law."

The department said it was investigating an agreement with the United Teachers of Los Angeles that it said appeared to require teachers credibly accused of certain misconduct to be reassigned, rather than terminated or immediately removed from student-facing roles, while officials investigated allegations they engaged in conduct including having a sexual or romantic relationship with a student, creating child pornography or failing to report suspected child abuse.

LAUSD and UTLA disputed the department’s characterization, saying reassignment means an employee is sent home and kept away from students while an investigation proceeds, not transferred to another classroom or school. They said termination remains possible when allegations are substantiated.

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McMahon said in the letter that schools that fail to comply with federal requirements under Title IX and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act risk enforcement action, including the potential termination of applicable federal assistance, pledging a nationwide effort to "crack down" on sexual misconduct by adults in positions of authority.

"Make no mistake, the Department will fully enforce federal law and employ every resource at its disposal to protect children from sexual predators," she wrote at the time. "Those schools that allow sexual misconduct to occur risk the termination of applicable federal assistance provided by the federal government."

"This epidemic of nationwide sexual abuse in our schools must end," McMahon added.

Enes Kanter Freedom opens up on confrontation with Natasha Cloud that led to ejection, WNBA pursuit

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:10:58 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: Former NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom said Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud made a vulgar remark toward him and repeatedly cursed before security removed him from Sunday night’s game against the Indiana Fever.

Freedom, who was sitting near the baseline at Wintrust Arena, said the confrontation began after he celebrated a 3-pointer by Fever guard Sophie Cunningham.

"Sophie Cunningham shot a three, and I put my hands up to celebrate," Freedom said. "Literally, a couple possessions later, Natasha came back and started screaming and yelling and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’

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"And I was like, ‘I am not trying to sleep with her. I’m just here to protect women and support her.’ And then, obviously, after that she started yapping, and she started to walk towards me, and literally I just got up, and then I was like, ‘I’m just here to protect women, and that’s all.’"

Video of the incident showed Cloud walking toward Freedom, yelling and pointing at him late in the third quarter. Freedom stood, extended his arms and took a step onto the court as security and Sky players moved between them.

Freedom said Cloud then began using profanity in front of young fans.

"She started to yell. She started to use some very heavy language. She started to actually cuss, and I was very shocked that there were a lot of kids and that there were a lot of teenagers at that game," Freedom said.

"I just cannot believe that she was just cussing and using those F-bombs in front of all these kids. I’m sure she’s loved in Chicago and many kids are idolizing her and stuff, but that’s not how a WNBA athlete should react."

The confrontation came with 1:22 remaining in the third quarter, after Cloud scored inside and celebrated with teammate Aicha Coulibaly. Cloud then turned and approached Freedom, who was wearing a black shirt that read, "WOMAN noun. adult human female."

He said he believes the shirt contributed to Cloud’s reaction.

"I was cheering for my friend Sophie because when she shot that three, I put my hands in the air," Freedom said. "A couple possessions later, she came back and said, ‘She’s not gonna sleep with you.’ And I was shocked. I was like, ‘Listen, I’m not trying to sleep with her. I think she’s awesome. She’s a good friend.’ But I think it has a lot to do with my shirt.

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"I was obviously wearing a shirt explaining what a woman is, and I think that had a lot to do with what she thinks about women. I think it triggered her a lot."

OutKick reached out to Cloud's rep for further comment. She wasn't made available during the team's postgame press conference.

Cloud sent a message to the trans community after the game, in a post on Threads.

"To every trans kid/person, You are apart of MY community & tribe. You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are. & you will always be protected by me," Cloud wrote.

Sky coach Tyler Marsh defended Cloud after the game, telling reporters, "We all embrace her as someone who protects our team and protects people who need to be protected."

However, Freedom insists the words exchanged with Cloud had nothing to do with the issue of transgender people or his plans to compete in the WNBA.

"Definitely not," Freedom said of the interaction being related at all to those issues.

Still, even without directly invoking the debate overshadowing the WNBA right now, Freedom was ordered out of the arena.

He said security approached him and ordered him to leave without providing an explanation.

"I was like, ‘Can you please tell me why I need to leave?’ They said, ‘Look, you just need to leave,’" Freedom said. "They pretty much pushed me to leave the gym."

Footage showed arena staff touching Freedom and sharing intense words with him as he was being escorted out. Freedom said he asked an arena employee not to touch him as he was escorted away from the court.

"I told her, ‘First of all, please don’t touch me because I didn’t do anything wrong. I can get myself out of the game,’" he said. "And the second, I was like, ‘Do you guys realize that you guys are only kicking me out of this game because I support women and I try to protect women?’"

Freedom said security again declined to give him a reason for his removal.

"They were like, ‘Listen, we can’t give you any reason right now. Just leave, please,’" he said. "I played 11 years of basketball in the NBA, and I know how tough the security’s job can get. So I didn’t want to make their job even tougher."

OutKick reached out to the Sky and Wintrust Arena for comment.

The Sky had advanced notice that Freedom would be coming to the game, according to him. He said his manager had notified Sky general manager Jeff Pagliocca before the game that he planned to attend.

"My manager texted the GM of the Chicago Sky," Freedom said. "We texted him and said, ‘Hey, just so you know, we are coming to the game. We’re not here to cause any kind of drama. We’re not here to cause anything bad. We are just here to watch the game and leave in peace.’ My manager texted the GM, and he said, ‘Enjoy the game.’ That’s it."

The Fever defeated the Sky 113-90. Clark scored 37 points, while Kelsey Mitchell added 30.

Earlier in the night, Freedom attended a rally in support of Cunningham outside the arena before the game. Cunningham has faced protests and counterprotests since saying she opposes transgender girls and women competing in female sports divisions.

Freedom announced earlier this month that he intends to enter the 2027 WNBA Draft. He has said he is using the league’s rules to challenge the WNBA to clarify its eligibility standards.

The WNBA’s collective bargaining agreement states that "only players who are women are eligible to play in the WNBA," but it does not publicly define the term or establish specific eligibility requirements for transgender athletes. No transgender woman is known to have played in the league.

After Freedom and former NBA player Royce White announced their intentions to enter the draft, the WNBA said its anti-hate task force had discussed transgender athletes and online attacks against players.

"There are no immediate eligibility matters affecting the WNBA, and we strongly denounce the bad-faith efforts to use these topics to demean or marginalize others," the league said in its Aug. 12 statement.

Freedom rejected the characterization of his campaign as anti-transgender or anti-LGBTQ.

"I want to make that very clear because, unfortunately, many media organizations and many journalists are making me look like I am anti-trans or anti-LGBTQ," he said. "That is wrong. I respect anyone’s personal decision, and I do respect any kind of group out there."

Freedom said the confrontation with Cloud has now made him more determined to pursue a place in the league, especially so he can play her.

"If anything, I’m more pumped up," he said. "I cannot wait to go against Natasha now. I think it will be fun for me if I get drafted by any other team. I don’t think Chicago will select me. We know that now. But any other team, I just cannot wait to go against her."

Freedom said he has not heard from the WNBA since announcing his plans. He offered to speak directly with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert.

"If the commissioner of the WNBA wants to sit down and have a conversation with me, I am open to do that as well," Freedom said. "I respect everybody, and I would like to listen to everybody and see what their perspective is."

Sunday marked Freedom's first time attending a WNBA game in person, although he regularly watched the league during his NBA career.

"I’m obviously a huge fan of basketball, a huge fan of women’s basketball, and I was there to watch the game," Freedom said. "I watched on TV so many times, obviously, but I think this was my first WNBA game ever."

He added that he had never spoken with Cloud before the confrontation. Despite their exchange, he praised the veteran guard’s ability and influence on the court.

"I think she’s an excellent player," Freedom said. "I don’t really know what she does off the court, so I can’t really speak about it. But I think on the court, she makes herself better and she makes everyone else better around her, and I think that’s a very special player."

After leaving the arena, Freedom said he encountered a young girl and her mother while preparing to eat dinner. He said their interaction became the most emotional part of his night.

"One of those little girls came with her mother, and then her mother said, ‘Thank you for what you’re doing for my little daughter,’" Freedom said. "I think that was the most emotional part of the whole night."

Freedom said the interaction reinforced his belief that the dispute should not be viewed through a strictly partisan lens.

"This is not a right or left issue," he said. "People need to understand this is not a political issue. This is just common sense. People are trying to make me look like I’m taking a political stance. People are wrong."

Golden State Valkyries player Gabby Williams is the reason Freedom is now pursuing the WNBA, according to him, after a resurfaced clip of Williams saying she would welcome a trans player in the WNBA went viral earlier this month. Freedom confirmed that clip of Williams is what inspired him to declare for the WNBA Draft.

"If they don’t come up with a rule, then I am ready and prepared to play in May and just get ready for the draft in April," Freedom said. "These are the rules. People are mad at me. I’m confused why people are mad at me. These are the rules that literally they put, so I’m just literally following their rules."

And the 6-foot-10 former center intends to play well beyond just one season if the league allows it.

"I’m 34 now, and I can go out there and dunk everything," Freedom said. "I watched the game tonight. I feel like every time I touch the ball, I can dunk everything, so the physical advantage obviously is there. I think I can play till 40, 45. I don’t even think there is a limit, as long as I want."

When asked whether he would feel guilty competing against women or entering a WNBA locker room, Freedom said he would not.

"Why would I?" he said. "These are the rules that they set, and I’m just following their rules. All these players, all these coaches and the league itself advocated and encouraged this whole thing. You see all these players come out and say, ‘I will welcome a trans athlete on my team or against my team.’ And the same thing with coaches. You see all these T-shirts that they’re wearing. So, because of that, I would not feel any guilt."

Freedom identified the Fever as his preferred destination and said he would like to play alongside Clark.

"I think we need to bring back the modern-day Kobe and Shaq, so I think I’m going with the Indiana Fever, for sure," he said. "Me and Caitlin will be the modern-day Kobe and Shaq."

White announced his own intention to enter the WNBA draft shortly after Freedom. Freedom said the two former NBA players have never spoken and are not coordinating their efforts.

"He is his own man. I’m doing my own thing," Freedom said. "What Royce is doing is going to affect him, and what I’m doing is going to affect me. So we are two separate people. We’re doing our own thing, and I’m not affiliated with anyone."

However, Freedom said other former professional players have privately expressed interest in following him. He claimed he was communicating with two former NBA players, three European players and three NBA G League players.

"You’ll be shocked, actually, other than one other player that already came out, how many other players I’m actually talking to right now," Freedom said. "There are two former NBA players, three European players and three G League players that I’m currently talking to about this whole thing."

Freedom said the G League players pointed to the potential financial incentive created by the WNBA’s new salary structure.

"The G League players said, ‘Listen, we are only making $45,000 a year. All we have to do is identify as a woman, and we will be making $1.4 million a year,’" Freedom said. "That’s almost a $1.3 million difference. So the WNBA has no idea what they’re about to face."

But it hasn't been all support since Freedom in recent weeks, as he revealed he's received death threats and abusive messages since announcing his draft plans.

"I do get a lot of death threats and cuss words every day," he said. "I really want people to understand I’m not doing this for any kind of political reasons. This is not a right or left issue. I’m only here to defend women."

Freedom said he has not discussed his campaign with Cunningham or any other current WNBA player or coach. He said no one from the league has contacted him since his announcement, but he remains willing to engage directly with its leadership.

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"I’m here to sit down and listen," Freedom said. "If the commissioner or whoever wants to sit down and have a conversation with me about this whole thing, then I would love to sit down and hear her side."

Suspect in deaths of 5 found dead after cops uncover grim scene at rural property outside Portland

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 01:02:51 -0400

A man suspected of killing five people in a rural area outside Portland, Oregon, was found dead inside a vehicle in Enumclaw, Washington, on Sunday in an apparent suicide, according to authorities.

Benjamin Charles Parker, 36, was identified as the suspect in a quintuple murder after the bodies of five dead people were discovered on Saturday at a home in a rural community near Forest Grove, Oregon, about 25 miles west of Portland.

"Through their investigation, they believed that Parker was in Enumclaw, WA. Officers from the Enumclaw Police Department located Parker’s vehicle and found him deceased inside. It is believed he died by suicide," the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement.

The Enumclaw Police Department said that an unidentified person was found dead behind a Safeway grocery store in connection with the Forest Grove investigation.

PARENTS FOUND BURIED BEHIND HOME IN WEALTHY NEIGHBORHOOD AS POLICE LAUNCH INTERNATIONAL MANHUNT FOR SON

The Washington County Sheriff’s Office said there is no known threat to the public.

It is unclear how investigators were led to Parker or what connection he had to the victims. Detectives have said they do not believe the killings were random, but authorities have not publicly described Parker’s alleged connection to the victims or a possible motive.

The sheriff's office previously said it responded early Saturday to reports of a vehicle fire at a property in Forest Grove, where the remains of five people and "several domestic animals" were discovered.

Authorities have not released the ages or genders of the victims, how they died or what possible connections they might have with one another. The type of animals found dead at the property was also not disclosed.

Detective Shannon Wilde from the sheriff's office said investigators were still working to determine the victims' identities.

"Any time you have one person deceased, let alone five, that's a logistical challenge," Wilde said, emphasizing the complexity of the investigation and the large crime scene.

Sheriff Caprice Massey encouraged anyone who is familiar with the property or the people who live there to contact authorities with any information they may have.

GEORGIA PAIR CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER BARTENDER'S DISMEMBERED REMAINS FOUND IN LAKE OUTSIDE ATLANTA

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"I will say that in my 22 years here, I have not been a part of or witnessed a scene quite this complex involving this type of an investigation," she said.

A dozen law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation.

Authorities are continuing to investigate.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Lindsay Clancy's three child victims forgotten amid crowds of support: mother of six

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 00:00:05 -0400

A mother of six says that Lindsay Clancy's three young victims have been forgotten amid the crowds rallying behind the woman who killed them, and is now on trial for murder.

Lindsay Clancy, 36, has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder in connection with the deaths of her children — Cora, Dawson and Callan, all younger than 6 — who were discovered strangled at the family's home in January 2023. The prosecution wrapped up its case Monday morning, after which her defense attorney began presenting arguments, contending that she was experiencing postpartum psychosis at the time she killed her children.

Bethany Mandel, a conservative columnist and mother of six, said in an interview with Fox News Digital that she believes the three children killed by Lindsay Clancy, Cora, Dawson and Callan, have been cast aside in conversations about the case.

LINDSAY CLANCY MURDER TRIAL BECOMES SOCIAL MEDIA OBSESSION AS TIKTOKERS, SLEUTHS DEBATE CONTROVERSIAL CASE

"We all know her name," Mandel said, referring to Lindsay Clancy. "Very few people know the names of her children."

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In particular, Mandel was disturbed by the hundreds of people who stood outside the Plymouth Superior Court on Thursday in support of Lindsay Clancy. Those who have gathered in pink say the show of support is not an endorsement of what happened, but a stand for maternal mental health awareness and for mothers suffering from postpartum conditions.

LINDSAY CLANCY’S PARENTS GET MASSIVE GLOBAL DONOR SUPPORT AS FUNDRAISER SURPASSES $830K

"We don't see any of them standing out there with a button with the three children's faces on them. When you listen to interviews with all of the women who are standing out, they almost never mention the three child victims," Mandel said.

A not-guilty verdict by reason of insanity would not result in Clancy's release; instead, she would be committed to a state psychiatric hospital and subject to periodic reviews.

LINDSAY CLANCY'S EX-HUSBAND HAS QUIETLY REMARRIED AND STARTED OVER AMID HER MURDER TRIAL

Just days after Lindsay Clancy killed her kids in January 2023, Patrick wrote on a GoFundMe page, "I want to ask all of you that you find it deep within yourselves to forgive Lindsay, as I have...The real Lindsay was generously loving and caring towards everyone - me, our kids, family, friends, and her patients."

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Jonathan Hatami, deputy district attorney in the complex child abuse section in the Office of the Los Angeles County District Attorney, also agreed that much of the conversation has been surrounding how Lindsay Clancy has conducted herself during the trial, not on her children who were killed.

LINDSAY CLANCY PROSECUTORS COME ACROSS AS 'TONE DEAF,' 'UNCARING' AND 'SNARKY,' DEFENSE ATTORNEY SAYS

"This shouldn't be about the defendant even though it's become that, it's became this entire show about her, really should be about the victims and what the defendant did to those victims. And we try to do that in our trials and in our cases. And it seems like that's gotten lost. In this specific case, and it's really disappointing, and people don't realize these children matter," Hatami told Fox News Digital.

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"These children died," he added.

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Expert witnesses called by both the defense and prosecution focused their Friday testimony on Lindsay Clancy's mental state at the time she killed her children, specifically whether she was experiencing psychosis.

LINDSAY CLANCY DESCRIBED A MALE VOICE ORDERING HER TO ‘KILL HER CHILDREN AND KILL HERSELF’: TESTIMONY

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Dr. Phillip Resnick, a forensic psychiatrist and authority on filicide, said Lindsay Clancy was functioning for much of the day she killed her kids, even making a snowman with her children, until she suffered the hallucination and what he called a "delusion of influence," feeling her body was taken over and out of her control and was feeling like a "puppet."

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Dr. Avram Mack, a child and forensic psychiatrist, a prosecution expert, said Lindsay Clancy's actions on the day her children died were methodical and organized, stating she should be found criminally responsible for their deaths, directly rebutting the defense.

PROSECUTOR CORNERS LINDSAY CLANCY'S CATHOLIC MOTHER-IN-LAW WITH 'MORTAL SIN' QUESTION

"My opinion is that she retained the capacity required for having criminal responsibility for these actions," Mack testified.

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Closing arguments could begin as soon as Monday or Tuesday before jurors begin deliberating in Lindsay Clancy's murder trial.

WNBA player Natasha Cloud fires off pro-trans message following altercation with Enes Kanter Freedom

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 23:39:04 -0400

Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud fired off a pro-trans message on Sunday night following an altercation with Enes Kanter Freedom during the team’s loss to the Indiana Fever.

In the third quarter, Cloud scored a bucket that led to the Fever calling a timeout. She directed her emotion toward Freedom, who was sitting near the basket at the Wintrust Arena. Freedom stood up and walked toward Cloud. Sky players and security had to get in between the two.

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It wasn’t immediately clear what Cloud and Freedom were yelling at each other about. Freedom was escorted out of the arena and was unable to return for the rest of the game.

Cloud didn’t speak at the Sky’s postgame media availability. She fired off a message on Threads in support of the transgender community.

"To every trans kid/person, You are apart of MY community & tribe. You belong. You’re loved. You’re seen. You’re perfect as you are. & you will always be protected by me," Cloud wrote.

ENES KANTER FREEDOM EJECTED FROM SKY-FEVER GAME AFTER VERBAL ALTERCATION WITH NATASHA CLOUD

Cloud’s message appeared to be a swipe at Freedom, who announced his intentions to compete in the WNBA as players and coaches have spoken out about trans athletes in women and girls’ sports. Freedom was wearing a T-shirt with the definition of a woman on it.

"Woman – adult human female," his shirt read.

Freedom attended his first WNBA game after saying he wanted to join the WNBA. As he entered the arena Sunday afternoon, he was berated by a mob of angry WNBA fans.

After the incident, Freedom fired off a few social media posts.

"I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!" he wrote on X.

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"It’s always women hating on other women," he wrote in a separate post.

'Real Housewives' star Kim Zolciak denies sexual battery charge against 15-year-old son after his arrest

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 22:00:26 -0400

KJ Biermann, 15, was arrested and charged with two felony counts stemming from an alleged April incident, according to documents obtained by Fox News Digital.

KJ (whose full name is Kroy Jagger) was charged with aggravated sexual battery and aggravated sodomy Aug. 17 following his arrest in Alpharetta, Georgia.

The teen is being charged as an adult under Georgia's SB440 law, which gives adult superior courts jurisdiction over teenagers aged 13 to 17 accused of specific violent felonies.

REALITY STAR'S DAUGHTER ARRESTED ON ASSAULT CHARGE IN NEW JERSEY STEMMING FROM ALLEGED DISPUTE

His mother, "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Kim Zolciak, denied the allegations levied against her son in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.

"The allegations being made against my son are nothing short of reckless and deeply troubling," the reality star said. "He categorically denies ever being involved with this woman or engaging in the conduct she has alleged.

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"My son voluntarily took a polygraph examination regarding these allegations and passed. Additionally, an examination was conducted, and no DNA belonging to my son was found. We are also aware that this individual has made similar allegations involving two other people, which raises serious concerns that deserve to be carefully examined."

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Zolciak added, "False accusations can have devastating consequences not only for the person being accused, but also for genuine survivors of sexual assault and abuse. Every legitimate allegation deserves to be taken seriously and investigated based on the facts and evidence. At the same time, no one should be publicly condemned based solely on an accusation."

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"We remain confident that the facts and evidence will establish the truth, and we ask that people allow the proper process to take its course rather than spreading unproven allegations," Zolciak said.

KJ is currently being held with no bond at the Metro Regional Youth Detention Center pending a preliminary hearing in September.

KJ is the oldest son of Kroy Biermann and Kim Zolciak. The former couple also has Kash, 14, and twins Kaia and Kane, 12. Biermann adopted Zolciak's daughters, Ariana and Brielle, from a previous relationship.

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Zolciak and Biermann each filed for divorce in 2023 after 11 years of marriage.

College grad reportedly dies in Six Flags roller coaster incident as family sues theme park

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:50:05 -0400

A California family reportedly filed a lawsuit accusing Six Flags Magic Mountain of a defective ride design after their 22-year-old son suffered fatal head trauma while riding the the X2 attraction.

The incident happened in summer 2022, when Christopher Hawley, a San Diego State University graduate, visited the Los Angeles County theme park with his family, according to Fox 11 Los Angeles. Hawley reportedly collapsed shortly after riding the X2 roller coaster and died the following day.

Separately, the X2 roller coaster was involved in another incident on July 5, 2026, when a rider was found unconscious, prompting the attraction to close for more than a month, KTLA reported.

Christopher’s death was ruled an accident caused by blunt-force head trauma sustained from the attraction, which his family described as exceptionally rough, Fox 11 said.

His younger brother, Alex, described the ride as intensely violent, saying it jerked passengers around before ending with a jolt that sent their heads slamming into the headrests.

"It was very rough. It just jerked us. It just jerked us all around," Alex told the local station.

"It just jolted us all the way forward and then our heads just swung all the way back into the headrest."

After Christopher stepped off the attraction, he reportedly appeared noticeably unwell, with his face turning very red before suddenly collapsing.

Emergency responders rushed him to a nearby hospital, but he succumbed to his injuries the next day, Fox 11 reported.

STARTLING FOOTAGE FROM AMUSEMENT PARK SHOWS THRILL RIDE HALTED AS GUESTS WAIT IN MIDAIR

The family said a surgeon compared Hawley's injuries to shaken baby syndrome, a condition in which violent and sudden forces cause the brain to move rapidly within the skull, potentially resulting in swelling, bruising and bleeding.

"The surgeon had said, he likened it to shaken baby syndrome, that the ride hit his head so hard that it had basically ruptured his brain," Christopher's father, William, told the local station.

Six Flags declined to comment directly on the litigation to Fox News Digital.

However, the amusement park told Fox 11 that the ride remains closed following the separate July 2026 incident involving the unconscious rider.

"The ride remains closed at this time. It has been closed since the evening of July 12th," Six Flags said.

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A jury trial involving Six Flags, the manufacturer of the X2 roller coaster and park employees is scheduled to begin Sept. 8, according to reports.

The lawsuit also alleges that the defendants failed to adequately warn the public about the ride's risks, the local station said.

X2 has been advertised as one of the theme park's most intense attractions and features seats that rotate 360 degrees.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

Enes Kanter Freedom ejected from Sky-Fever game after verbal altercation with Natasha Cloud

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:26:49 -0400

Former NBA center Enes Kanter Freedom, who is trying to make his way into women’s basketball, was escorted out of Wintrust Arena during the third quarter Sunday after a heated shouting match with Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud.

With the Indiana Fever holding an 81-75 lead during a third-quarter timeout, Cloud began barking toward Freedom, who was seated courtside.

Freedom responded and stepped toward the floor, prompting security to intervene and usher the 11-year NBA veteran out as the Chicago crowd rained down boos.

WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT BLAMES THE WRONG PEOPLE FOR ‘SOWING DIVISIVENESS’ IN TRANSGENDER DEBATE

Immediately after security removed him, Freedom fired back on X: "I just got kicked out of a @WNBA game for supporting WOMEN! Let that sink in, AMERICA!"

He followed with another jab: "It’s always women hating on other women."

WNBA COMMISSIONER CATHY ENGELBERT SENDS TRANS INCLUSION MEMO AFTER ENES FREEDOM, ROYCE WHITE ANNOUNCEMENTS

Cloud previously called America "trash," so Freedom offered to buy her a ticket to China, Russia or Turkey, where she could trade her woke complaints for a firsthand look at actual tyranny. He also arrived Sunday wearing a shirt with the definition of "woman" printed across it, a message Cloud apparently did not appreciate.

After the game, Sky players Azura Stevens and Aicha Coulibaly were asked about Freedom’s ejection.

Stevens quickly shut down the topic, telling reporters, "There was just a fan incident and the security handled it. We’re going to just focus on the game."

She did not take follow-up questions about Kanter Freedom.

Before getting tossed, Freedom spent the afternoon poking the bear.

FORMER NBA STAR ENES KANTER FREEDOM WRITES LETTER TO WNBA OFFICIALLY DECLARING FOR 2027 DRAFT

At halftime, he posted a photo outside an arena restroom with the caption: "It’s halftime and I need to use the restroom… Rules are rules @WNBA."

Enes was also part of a hostile pregame scene outside the arena. A mob of progressive fans confronted Freedom, forcing security to form a shield around the 6-foot-10 former NBA center. One spectator flipped him the bird, while another shouted, "You were sorry in the league!"

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM SUPPORTERS RALLY IN CHICAGO, WHILE PROTESTERS SHOWCASE WHAT'S WRONG WITH AMERICA

He posted a video of the confrontation, writing: "We are getting attacked before the @WNBA game in Chicago."

Freedom has taken relentless fire for defending female athletes, including alongside Sophie Cunningham supporters before tipoff.

Security escorted him out of the building Sunday. Whether the WNBA lets him into another arena now remains to be seen. Either way, Freedom remains unbothered by the noise and willing to take on the league’s policies.

Caitlin Clark's Fever beat Chicago, 113-90.

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Requests for comment sent to the Chicago Sky and Wintrust Arena management were not immediately returned.

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

California dad paralyzed from neck down after diving into ocean to rescue child

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 21:25:06 -0400

A California father of five was paralyzed from the neck down after entering the ocean in an effort to help a young child who his family said was caught in a rip current.

Josh Collette, 42, was spending time with his family at Riviera Beach in San Clemente, California, on Aug. 15, when a child believed to be 7- or 8-years-old became caught in a rip current, the man's sister, Hillary Collette, told KTLA.

The child’s mother first entered the water to go after her child, but Josh Collette ran past her and dove into the ocean in an effort to help the child, Hillary Collette told the outlet.

GEORGIA TEACHER, FATHER HAILED AS HERO AFTER DYING TO SAVE GIRL FROM MYRTLE BEACH RIP CURRENT

As he entered the water, Collette’s sister said he struck either a sandbar or rocks and was immediately injured.

Several people then rushed to his aid and helped pull him from the water. He told his wife right away that he believed he had broken his neck.

The child Josh Collette was attempting to help was safely pulled out of the water before Collette was brought from the water, his sister said.

Collette’s sister said doctors told the family that Josh Collette was paralyzed from the neck down.

His sister said he was unable to speak but communicated by moving his lips; she said the family expects him to regain his ability to speak.

His family created a GoFundMe as they prepare to help with medical bills, long-term therapy and support for the family as they navigate the long and difficult recovery ahead.

"Josh was hurt in an ocean accident on Sat Aug 15th he has a spinal cord injury," a family member wrote on the fundraiser. "The road ahead will be long, and the recovery will not be easy, we’re holding on to hope."

"We believe in miracles! We’ve already seen so many and thank everyone for the love, support, and prayers!" the fundraiser added. "Please keep praying for miracles! Its working!"

'HERO' FATHER DROWNS SAVING HIS 12-YEAR-OLD SON FROM RIP CURRENT AT POPULAR BEACH DESTINATION, FAMILY SAYS

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In an update shared on Friday, the family said it will take some time for him to no longer need medicine. The family also shared a picture of Josh Collette from his hospital bed.

"Yesterday was so positive and productive! So, it was hard to have a day with less progress. This guy hates medicine! He's trying hard to get off of everything... but, that's going to take some time. Thank you so much for all the prayers, love, and support. We love you all so much and feel so loved by all the help you’ve given us. We’re hanging in there and so grateful for all of you," the family wrote on the fundraiser.

The GoFundMe has raised nearly $110,000 as of Sunday night.

Louisiana girl, 8, dies after contracting suspected brain-eating amoeba linked to lake swim

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 20:50:29 -0400

Lillian Smart, an 8-year-old girl who health officials believe contracted a brain-eating amoeba while swimming in a northern Louisiana lake, died Saturday at a Ruston hospital from an infection linked to the pathogen.

Lillian died one day after celebrating her eighth birthday.

"The injuries to her brain were too severe for her little body to recover from," the Smart family said in a statement posted Sunday morning on Facebook. "Everyone did everything they could to keep her here. We are heartbroken and honestly do not know what to do next. How do we put one foot in front of the other without our girl?"

MICHIGAN REPORTS 2 DEATHS IN RARE PARASITE OUTBREAK THAT HAS SICKENED MORE THAN 11,000

The Louisiana Department of Health announced Wednesday that a state resident had been hospitalized after becoming infected with Naegleria fowleri, a microscopic amoeba that can cause a rare and often deadly brain infection.

State health officials have not publicly identified Lillian as the patient referenced in the announcement. Her family, however, said on social media that she had been admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit at a Ruston hospital and identified Naegleria fowleri as the cause of her illness.

The health department said the infection in the case it announced was most likely acquired while the patient was swimming in Lake Claiborne shortly before becoming ill.

BEACHGOERS WARNED AFTER DEADLY 'FLESH-EATING' BACTERIA KILLS 5 IN SOUTHERN STATE

A representative for the Louisiana Department of Health did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Louisiana Department of Health records identify three previous deaths associated with Naegleria fowleri in the state since 2011.

Two happened in 2011. A 20-year-old man in St. Bernard Parish died after using tap water to rinse his sinuses, while a 51-year-old woman in DeSoto Parish died after using tap water for a similar purpose.

In 2013, a 4-year-old boy contracted the amoeba while visiting a home in St. Bernard Parish, where he had played on a slip-and-slide. State officials later reported that CDC testing detected Naegleria fowleri in the parish water system.

DEADLY BACTERIA FOUND IN WATERS NEAR LUXURY VACATION DESTINATION AHEAD OF SUMMER

Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, or PAM, an extremely rare brain infection that can develop when contaminated water enters the nose and the amoeba travels to the brain. People cannot become infected by swallowing contaminated water.

The amoeba is not found in saltwater or properly chlorinated swimming pools.

Symptoms typically begin with headache, fever, nausea and vomiting before progressing to a stiff neck, seizures and coma. Symptoms generally appear about five days after infection, and the disease can lead to death within about one to two weeks.

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About 97% of people who develop PAM die from the infection, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

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The CDC reported two PAM cases nationwide last year. Of the 173 infections documented over roughly the past 90 years, nearly 91% occurred in July and August.

Trump shrugs off assassination attempts, remarking 'only consequential presidents get shot'

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 20:10:24 -0400

President Donald Trump laughed off the multiple assassination attempts against him, remarking that "only consequential presidents get shot" during an interview with his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen on Sunday.

Cohen released the second part of his two-part interview with Trump in which the two dived into additional topics, such as reports that Trump secretly boarded a separate military jet in response to a credible Iranian threat against his life. The former Trump critic pointed out that this was only the latest in a series of attempts on the president's life.

"I'm so nauseated by them," Cohen said. "There is a huge difference between vehemently disagreeing with a policy and then trying to literally assassinate the President of the United States."

TRUMP'S DECADE OF ASSASSINATION THREATS RUNS FROM BUTLER SHOOTING TO LATEST GOLF CLUB BREACH

"The one thing I would say to that. If you read, only consequential presidents get shot," Trump quipped.

"Then do me a favor, please don't be consequential. How's that?" Cohen said.

"I know. Maybe I'll have to become less consequential," Trump responded.

Trump acknowledged that he has a "dangerous" job but added that he has "great people" looking after him.

I SERVED AS TRUMP’S NSA. SCOTUS NEED TO STOP COURTS PUTTING THE PRESIDENT'S SECURITY AT RISK

"Obviously, it's gotten much, much tougher over the years. But it is true, consequential. You look at the people that were shot. You look at the people, even the attempts, but non-consequential presidents lead a much nicer life. You can see that with some of our recent presidents where nothing was ever even thought about," Trump said.

Cohen was originally a key witness in two New York cases against Trump and a frequent critic of the president prior to his interview on Thursday. In a Substack post he penned detailing the stunning reunion that was their first public conversation in nearly a decade, Cohen emphasized the importance of forgiveness despite the backlash he faced for the interview.

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"Colossians 3:13 says: ‘Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you,’" he wrote. "That verse isn’t merely some theological footnote to what is happening between Donald Trump and me. It is the foundation of it."

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Minnesota tree trimmer charged in coworker’s death after on-the-job horseplay turns deadly

Sun, 23 Aug 2026 20:06:18 -0400

A tree-trimming employee has been charged with manslaughter after allegedly crushing his coworker’s head with a hydraulic grapple while the pair were reportedly "f—ing around" on the job, according to Minnesota authorities.

The incident happened in Apple Valley on Thursday when Christopher Boone Crimmins, 34, was operating machinery on the back of a truck while his coworker, Tyler Anthony Lynch, 26, was on the ground cleaning up branches, according to a criminal complaint filed by Dakota County.

Responding to reports of an incident, police discovered Lynch lying on the ground with "a significant amount of blood around him and significant trauma to his head," the complaint said.

Lynch was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the county.

WORKERS WARNED OHIO TRENCH WAS TOO DEEP BUT WERE TOLD TO ENTER MINUTES BEFORE FATAL CAVE-IN: REPORT

Authorities said Crimmins was operating a boom, a movable mechanical arm attached to a truck, when he and Lynch began messing around with their shadows.

"He and the Victim were ‘f—ing around’ and saw that the sunlight was casting shadows of both the grapple and of the Victim on the street," the criminal complaint said.

While looking at the shadows, Crimmins allegedly maneuvered the grapple so that its shadow appeared to grab Lynch’s shadow.

However, he did not realize that the grapple itself was moving toward Lynch’s head.

TWO WORKERS KILLED, SEVERAL INJURED AFTER EXPLOSIONS TEAR THROUGH OHIO RECYCLING FACILITY

"Crimmins was not monitoring the actual grapple or Lynch. He then opened and closed the grapple, crushing Lynch’s head," the Dakota County Attorney's Office said.

A witness also saw the incident unfold and said the grapple appeared to "hit or pinch" Lynch’s head as it approached him.

WORKERS KILLED AND MANY TREATED AFTER REFINERY CHEMICAL RELEASE AS INVESTIGATORS PROBE CAUSE

Officers observed blood on the grapple, which was directly above Lynch, according to the complaint.

Authorities alleged Crimmins was responsible for the incident through negligence, saying he created an "unreasonable risk" and "consciously takes chances of causing death or great bodily harm to another."

Crimmins has been charged with one felony count of second-degree manslaughter. If convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

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Officials said Crimmins was being held at the Dakota County Jail. Bail was set at $40,000 without conditions or $20,000 with conditions.

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