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Jena Sims slips into a stunning golf outfit at The Open, Brits were furious after loss & Canadian smoke

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:02:02 -0400

Holy smoke. Welcome in for another edition of Screencaps where we address the heavy plume of smoke from Canadian wildfires (allegedly) that is hanging over NW Ohio. We're probably talking some of the worst air quality in the world right now and it's literally over the Screencaps HQ.

How bad is it? Just opening an external door will take your breath away. That's not an exaggeration. It's actually eery how still it is. The smoke, and the putrid plastic smell is just hovering.

Which brings me to this thought: How is it possible that these Canadian wildfires weren't a thing until three summers ago? The New York Times says it's all climate change. CBC, Canada's national news outlet, is currently telling kids on its CBC Kids News site that "wildfires are likely to happen more often. They may also be more powerful."

FIRST ON FOX: SCHOOL LIED, HID DAUGHTER'S GENDER TRANSITION UNDER DISTRICT POLICY, PARENTS ALLEGE

Why? Climate change. "The Canadian government is working on plans to adapt to — or prepare for — this reality," CBC says.

And what's in that plan? They're not saying.

Where does this all go? I'd love to hear from you guys. I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but this is a moment in time we should be on high alert. What are the politicians up to?

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CALIFORNIA RESTAURANT OWNER HITS PARENTS OF BRATTY KIDS WITH HEFTY FINES FOR TRASHING HIS BUSINESS

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– Chris B. understands why I told the kids to get out of the grass, which would be drug into the pool, which I would've had to clean up: It looks like you have the same problem I have, friend come over and rules are thrown out the window I currently have a 9 & 11 year old and it’s been a struggle over the past couple years since we got the pool to not have them act like little maniacs. I have no issue letting them have it and the parents that come over don’t seem to have a problem with it either. Biggest issue I have is when they play in the spa and empty it. We have a shelf they can play on and yet it’s always the spa where they go and it’s not even on. Then they go to side yard with little supervision where somebody always seems to get either hurt, break something, or drag sand from the horseshoe pits into the pool. It’s always something and then my kids wonder why we don’t let them invite people over.

– Scott in Florida reacts to the 13 year olds who want to go Spring Break 1989 on our pool: You are absolutely correct with enforcing your pool rules. I had a pool growing up and we had pool rules established by my dad. I’ve had 2 of my own houses and they both had a pool. I adopted my dad’s saying when it came to the pool.

He would say "My house, my pool, my rules. If you don't like the pool rules, then go swim at someone else’s house." My dad had no problem yelling at me or my friends when we weren’t following the pool rules. I had no problem yelling at my kids or their friends when they weren’t following the pool rules. The rules are there for safety of the kids.

Kids can be stupid and do stupid things. Especially when a pool is involved. Keep enforcing your pool rules.

– Ryan Hyatt in west Texas says: While I've never had a pool, I have had a house and the rules at the house have always been simple...My house, my rules.

The rules applied to my son growing up and to his friends when they were here at the house.

For you, when it comes to a pool, it's simple again. You paid for the pool. You pay for the insurance for the pool. You have rules for your sons and you have rules for your house. Why? It's your house.

If the 13-year olds want to get a job, start a great media empire and build a nice house with a pool, they can and they can have their own rules. Until then, you paid the freight you make the rules.

So we get to the part where your son's buddy says, "come over to my house and we'll rock out! No rules! No Worries!"

Awesome...

This is where it gets even more fun to be a Dad.

This is where you get to tell your son that his friends parents can parent any way they want. They can have any rules at their pool they want... But... Our family rules extend beyond our home and our pool. We expect you to follow the same rules we established here at our home when you're away from home at anyone else's house. No exceptions.

Our family rule are actually family values. Values travel.

So, go over to your friend's pool, have a great time, but don't violate your values. And if you do, the punishment will be the same as if you did it right here at your own home!

Harsh?

No.

It's fair and clear and will give kid's the "excuse" they need with their friends to do the right thing when you're not there...

You're doing a great job, even if you can't seem to find some high-level 14-year old pitchers whose parents are willing to let them blowout their elbows throwing baby sliders for no reason...

– Bob E. tells me: Jumping into the pool (is that allowed, heh) on SCJ and friends. It's simple, your casa-your rules. SCJ can have a pre-pool chat with his buddies about expectations (rules), and there'll still be plenty of fun. SCJ will appreciate you being a parent, not the cool dad, when he matures. I'll wager the rogue friend probably doesn't get much correction at home which translates into his reaction at the Kinsey abode.

On business last week in New Mexico, I shared an elevator ride with a dad and lad there for a U-15 baseball tournament. Homebase for them is Denver, Colorado and mom and sister were in Tennessee for a dance competition. Stepping out of the elevator, I commented my travel ball (soccer) years were done and how travel ball is all about dollars now. Dad said his son's baseball club has A, B, and C teams. Yearly cost for the A team is $6,000, and the C team is $2,500. I didn't ask what the 6k included and didn't ask his son's designated team. Between transportation, hotel, meals and split parenting events, I'm thinking that's an easy 3-4k weekend for them, yikes!

– Matt B. in Dunwoody, GA checks in: I'm assuming most responses to your pool quandary will be similar, but my take is: Your House, Your Rules. I took my oldest on a bucket list trip to Australia when he was 10. We stayed a night on the front and back end of the trip with a college buddy who's an expat living there with his Aussie wife and kids. One of his boys had a couple buddies stop by after a basketball game. As I was sitting at my computer in their kitchen, the two friends around age 10 walked up to me, stuck out their hands and introduced themselves. My buddy walks in and I go 'what just happened?'. He didn't follow, so I told him about the introductions. My buddy's like, 'Oh that's how they do it here. If you go to someone's house, you introduce yourself to the adults and then get on to playing. It teaches respect and familiarity.' To this day, when mine go out, I try to remind them to 'Be like an Australian'.

– Brad S. says it's time to look at our insurance policy: With two teens at home (F13, M15), we become the go-to place in the summer because of our backyard pool.

I can say that I haven't had a problem with the boys because my son keeps the others in check—no three-tiered chicken fights, and no jumping from the ladder or the sides of our above-ground pool.Two years ago, they probably wouldn't have listened as well! The girls, however, have to be reminded constantly to keep the screaming down—especially at night. The neighbor on one side is 94, and the family on the other side has a baby and a toddler. I definitely don't want any complaints!

If you have a pool, make sure you have the proper home insurance coverage. As an insurance guy, here's what I insist for all my clients: Your liability coverage should be at least a million dollars, and I always suggest an additional one-million dollar umbrella policy. You never think anything bad will happen, but if it does, you're protected.

– Tom T. adds perspective on neighborhood dads and their rules: I think you are absolutely correct in chastising the teen boys that break your undoubtedly easy rules for the pool. When I was 16, I drove down to my buddy’s house 200 yards away, and got my little Dodge Colt up to 3rd gear. When I pulled in his driveway, his dad told me I was going way too fast, and did not need to get into 3rd gear to drive down the freaking block. I said "Yes, sir", and it was all forgotten. I remember it to this day, and shake my head at what a young dipshit I was at the time.

– Ken from Shamong, NJ knows what I'm going through: There must be rules or else chaos will happen. Our high school age daughter hosted a pool party at our house. Lounge furniture was being thrown into the pool. Our daughter was told to address that or I would. Her choice. She addressed it. Other rules were back packs were left in the house and gates were locked and if you left you did not come back. The kids choose to party somewhere else next time. I was happy and they were happy. Win - win for everyone.

– Michael from Pittsburgh says: Noticed this strongly over the weekend at an engagement cookout we hosted for my 24YO son and his fiance. Have noticed it casually over the past few years.

Kids my son's age, whom I've known most of their lives, all of a sudden want to no longer call me Mr. Instead they're going first name basis. I politely say, "Let's stick with Mr. Last Name Here"

I'm 59, and when I go back to my old neighborhood, I call all the adults Mr & Mrs to this day. I also insist that my kids stick with the formal salutation for all of the parents in our circle.

Am I making a bigger deal of this than necessary?

Kinsey: I'm of the belief that you grow up knowing what you know. I didn't grow up using Mr. [last name] to address adults and I haven't raised my kids that way either, but they damn well better show respect for the adult. Is it less respect to not use Mr.? That's for you guys to debate. I think, at the end of the day, respect is respect. I don't need a neighbor kid calling me Mr. Kinsey. Call me Joe and don't be a moron in the pool.

– Michael has hammered me in the past when I hammer football refs, but this email is pretty much an olive branch: Have really enjoyed your take on travel ball (of all forms) in recent weeks. I am lucky that Mrs. Referee and I are aligned on our travel ball stances - all 3 of our boys play rec baseball currently and not only enjoy it but are pretty good at it.

We’ve decided that we won’t get our boys into travel ball (or as it’s called here in California, "comp" baseball) until they’ve gone past their 12U season - for many reasons, not just the money (although that plays into it). We had a very recent experience that solidified our stance even more, that I think you and a lot of your readers may appreciate (and be a little horrified by).

Our local little league is a bit travel ball-obsessed, and we take it as a badge of honor that our boys play just as well (or even better) than the kids who cost their parents thousands of dollars every year. We both know that we’re resented by more than a few parents in our league as a result of it. Our 11-year-old finally experienced some of the gatekeeping this year, unfortunately.

For whatever reason, the 11U and 12U all star teams include player voting in their selection process (it’s even recommended to do this in the Little League rule book!), and since he doesn’t have travel ball creds, a lot of the kids didn’t bother voting for him this season, even after establishing himself as the strongest 11-year old pitcher in the league with 50 K in 34 IP, 3.52 ERA and 1 CG - thanks GameChanger! He wasn’t voted on to the 11U team this year, and I found out after the fact this was largely due to the player voting - despite being highly touted by most of the coaches.

Being on the board (as the umpire-in-chief, natch) I was privy to a lot of the politics so I knew this was a possibility. He was a bit bummed not to make this year’s team after making last year’s 10U team, but he was quickly on to the next thing, as is typical for him.

That is, until we get a call from the team’s manager last Sunday deciding that he did need our son after all. One player had gone down to injury and another had left on a vacation that his parents swore they wouldn’t take if they got that far in the tournament.

Now all of a sudden after their first loss (double-elimination) it’s up to Referee Jr. and one other kid (also brought on late, in a similar situation) to save the team. Both of them pitched well, but with no run support the team lost and that was that. Ultimately we were happy that he got his all-star experience but miffed that it happened this way.

Kinsey: Thank you to Michael for having his boy Make Rec Ball Great Again. His son won't end up some downtrodden dork because he didn't go to Cooperstown after begging his aunts and uncles for $100 donations.

It's slim pickings at these golf tournaments these days with Dustin Johnson not in The Open, which means Paulina Gretzky is at home. We just don't have the interesting golf wives like 10 years ago. Jena is a dying breed. That's why we have to cherish these moments.

Brooksie is 36. We're not going to get many more years of Jena dumping out content at these tournaments. Enjoy these days before they're gone.

Nothing good can come of this, Jerry. Actively running after someone yelling your name during a backswing at a celebrity tournament you're not going to win, and where double bogey is your friend, is not smart. Jerry finished the American Century Championship in 42nd place, one spot behind Carson Daly.

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Jerry, you're 63. Relax.

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And that is it. The smoke has the sky looking orange. It's a good day to work on the Internet, so let's get after it.

Jimmy Failla recalls double-parking cab on 6th Avenue to squeeze in first FOX TV appearance

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 10:00:40 -0400

"Fox News Saturday Night" host Jimmy Failla looked back on his unlikely path to becoming a FOX personality, recalling his first television appearance while still driving a New York City cab — and keeping it double-parked outside the studio.

"When I was first getting booked on FOX, I was legitimately a cab driver... my first hit at FOX, I had my cab double-parked on 6th Avenue with the trunk open and the hazards on, because I was trying to make sure I didn't get a parking ticket..." he told the "Hang Out With Sean Hannity" podcast.

"I literally went in and did a hit and ran back out and had to finish my shift," he added.

SEAN HANNITY, RILEY GAINES SHOWS AMONG PODCASTS JOINING FOX ONE'S EXPANDED STREAMING PORTFOLIO

Failla, who appeared on Thursday's episode of Sean Hannity's podcast, said he landed the first hit after performing at the Gotham Comedy Club when he was approached with an offer to appear on Kennedy's FOX Business show.

"[A producer] was like, 'Hey, wanna be on FOX tomorrow?' And I was like, 'Yeah... I didn't even know if it was real," he recounted.

Despite dropping in for the special debut appearance, more work had to be done. Failla still had to drive the remainder of his shift for the day, so he stopped for an hour and did a hit at FOX before getting back to the driver's seat.

JEFF FOXWORTHY SAYS HOLLYWOOD HAS NOT UNDERSTOOD REGULAR AMERICANS IN A ‘LONG, LONG TIME’

After the segment aired, Failla couldn't resist sharing the milestone with the passengers who climbed into his cab.

"I told every passenger and everyone, 'I'm on TV tonight!' And they were like, 'Honey, let's get out at the next light, I think he's on the pot,'" he quipped.

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Failla now hosts "Fox News Saturday Night," the nationally syndicated "FOX Across America" radio show and is a frequent fixture across FOX News Media platforms, a far cry from the days when he had to squeeze television appearances into the middle of a taxi shift.

To catch Failla's full appearance on Hannity's podcast, look for the latest episode on iHeart, YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other major podcast platforms.

Fetterman reveals what it would take for him to leave Democratic Party

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:56:55 -0400

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., has "no plans" to leave the Democratic Party but if it officially became the "anti-Israel party," count him out.

"My long-term concern has been with the Democratic Party, as I am a member of that, is that our party is going to back away and turn their back to Israel," he said Wednesday at the Hill Nation Summit in Washington, D.C.

"If our party ever becomes, and just makes it official, the anti-Israel party, that’s when I would leave because that’s been a moral clarity for me."

The news comes as Fetterman and fellow Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., launch a rare joint fundraising PAC called "Common Ground PA" this month, according to FEC filings, and Fetterman's breaks from Democratic Party votes have become increasingly apparent since he was elected in 2022 and took office Jan. 3, 2023.

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

"Though I was elected as a Democrat, I’m proud to serve all Pennsylvanians," Fetterman wrote in a May op-ed, delivering the age-old mantra that he has not changed from his principles, the party has. "It has become increasingly lonely to serve in that way, but I firmly believe it’s what is needed.

"My party cannot simply be the opposite of whatever President Donald Trump says. The president could come out for ice cream and lazy Sundays, and my party would suddenly hate them. Such pointless pile-ons and attacks are unproductive. The American people want us to work together to find solutions on issues they and our country face."

His lines in the sand, he wrote, had been laid bare on:

Israel
Open borders
Party toxicity
Anti-Trump reflex
Obstruction and government shutdowns
Defund the police
Lack of "working across the aisle"
Poor candidate vetting
Rejection of voter ID

JOHN FETTERMAN’S FALL FROM HERO TO HERETIC EXPOSES DEMOCRATS’ HARD LEFT TURN

The push away from Israel has become a "long-term concern" that he "can’t understand" and might ultimately become the ultimate red line for him, he told the Hill Nation Summit.

"You look at the kinds of individuals that are winning our recent primaries," he said. "It’s becoming more... anti-Israel and hostile to people."

Fetterman declined to discuss what he called "private conversations" with Republicans on a potential party switch, but he wrote in May he would first become independent.

"Being an independent voice that works with the other side to deliver for Pennsylvanians might put me at odds with the party that I have stayed committed to and have no plans to leave — but I will continue to put the commonwealth and the country first," he wrote.

"Plus, I’d be a terrible Republican who still votes overwhelmingly with Democrats."

WHY TRUMP, GOP ARE COURTING JOHN FETTERMAN, WHO INSISTS HE’LL REMAIN A DEMOCRAT

The latest vow to break from Democratic Party votes is his rejection of the amendment from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that would cut off $3.3 billion in annual security assistance to Israel.

He is also increasingly concerned about the primary election successes of progressive candidates who have been sharply critical of Israel – evidence of what he views as a troubling shift inside his party.

Democrats are "trying to ingratiate ourselves with that segment of the base of our voters" that are "intensely, intensely anti-Israel," he warned Wednesday.

Fetterman also raised concerns about Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed’s performance in polling for the state's Senate primary, warning that Democrats could be forced to spend more heavily in the battleground state if El-Sayed becomes the nominee against former Rep. Mike Rogers, R-Mich., who narrowly lost Michigan’s 2024 Senate race.

"Rogers just barely, barely lost in ’24," Fetterman said.

"If El-Sayed wins, then that puts Michigan much more in play for us and would require us to spend more money. What’s defined El-Sayed is the more anti-Israel and hostile-to-Israel thing."

Fetterman also criticized El-Sayed and other progressive candidates over past support for the "defund the police" movement, arguing that his party risks repeating political mistakes from the 2024 election.

"Now here’s more Democrats to ‘defund the police,’" he warned. "Here we are back to part of the worst impulses that we just can’t resist.

"We forgot the crazy things that we said, and that cost us the election in 2024. Now we want to revisit that — if anything, they’re coming back in the strongest kind of terms. Look at the people who are winning."

The senator also took aim at fellow Democrats who backed progressive Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner before Platner ended his campaign following allegations that he raped a woman in 2021.

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., forcefully supported Platner, which left him "angry," he said, questioning why Democrats embraced him as the evidence mounted.

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"Why did you push these people? Why did you buy in and then plunge that most consequential Senate race now into chaos?" Fetterman asked, arguing that it is now "more difficult" to defeat Republican Sen. Susan Collins and win control of the narrowly held Senate.

"Where’s the accountability?" Fetterman asked. "Imagine if I would have done that and pushed that kind of individual."

Fox News Digital reached out to Fetterman's Senate office and campaign officials for further comment.

Trump admin fires US attorney in Seattle minutes after he was appointed

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:50:54 -0400

The Trump administration took the fight over who controls U.S. attorney appointments to a whole new level, firing a Seattle-based prosecutor less than an hour after he was picked for the job without the blessing of the administration.

"District court judges can appoint a temporary U.S. Attorney, and POTUS can fire them," Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche wrote Wednesday on X as he was testifying before the Senate in his confirmation hearing, calling out a U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington state panel for elevating Judge Roger Rogoff to be the top federal prosecutor in Seattle.

"WDWA judges abandoned the time-honored process of consultation with the administration so that the selected U.S. Attorney is qualified to serve in the administration," Blanche said. "Roger Rogoff has been fired by the President."

That post came after Rogoff, 57, a former King County Superior Court judge and longtime state and federal prosecutor, was sworn in before 8 a.m. local time at the federal courthouse in downtown Seattle as U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.

TRUMP'S AG NOMINEE RACKS UP MASSIVE SUPPORT AHEAD OF CONFIRMATION HEARING: 'REAL RESULTS'

He then went to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and asked to meet with Charles Neil Floyd, the Trump administration’s preferred choice for the job, whose 120-day interim term expired in February.

While Rogoff waited in the lobby, he received an email notifying him that Trump had removed him from office.

Rogoff's situation was not mentioned in Blanche's Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday, but Blanche is back before the Senate again Thursday and Rogoff now might be a notable topic of discussion during his confirmation process.

BIDEN JUDGE REJECTS TRUMP'S SANCTUARY CITIES LAWSUIT, SAYS EVEN A WIN WOULDN'T SOLVE DOJ'S PROBLEM

The quick dismissal came after all 17 active and senior federal judges in the deep-blue district appointed Rogoff to the vacancy. The judges, appointed by five presidents (10 by Democrats and seven by Republicans), had opened an application process after the administration did not send Floyd’s nomination to the Senate and instead kept him in place by making him first assistant U.S. attorney while leaving the top job vacant.

U.S. attorneys, who serve as the Justice Department’s chief federal prosecutors in each district, are normally nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Federal law allows the attorney general to name an interim U.S. attorney for 120 days. If that period expires without a confirmed nominee, district judges may appoint someone to serve until the vacancy is filled.

Because of obstruction by Democrats in the narrowly held Senate, the Trump administration has resorted to using acting titles and other personnel moves to keep its prosecutors in place. Courts have pushed back in several Democrat-heavy districts like Seattle and New Jersey, issuing legal challenges to the Justice Department and White House authority.

"I don’t think it’s the way to run the Department of Justice," Rogoff told The New York Times. "When you have this sort of made up way of putting people in these positions, the process breaks down."

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., opposed Floyd for the U.S. attorney job and blasted Rogoff’s quick firing.

"Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an outstanding commitment to public service, and he was appointed legally by the federal judges in the Western District of Washington," Murray wrote in a statement. "This administration doesn’t want to deal with advice and consent — they just want to install cronies to carry out a corrupt political agenda."

LEGAL WAR ON TRUMP’S AGENDA GAINS FIREPOWER AS FEDERAL LAWYERS DEFECT TO DEMOCRATS

Trump administration officials have long noted that the "advise and consent" role of the Senate does not grant Democrats against Trump's administrative priorities to be a hard block on his agenda and nominees, though.

Rogoff has retained an employment law firm and is considering a legal challenge to his firing.

Fox News Digital reached out to Rogoff for comment.

The Seattle clash follows similar disputes elsewhere. In New Jersey, Alina Habba resigned as the top federal prosecutor after an appeals court said she had been serving unlawfully. In Virginia, Lindsey Halligan left an acting U.S. attorney post after a judge found her appointment unlawful and dismissed indictments she had brought against New York Attorney General Letitia James and former FBI Director James Comey.

The administration has also fired court-appointed U.S. attorneys in other districts.

Rogoff, who spent 20 years as a state prosecutor and six as a federal prosecutor before becoming a state judge, said he knew the administration might fire him immediately. Despite this, he said he had no qualms about the potential conflict he was walking into, because being U.S. attorney is "the best job there is."

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"I’m really proud of my career," Rogoff said. "The fact that the judges of this district — most of whom I’ve spent my career appearing in front of, or trying cases against, or working with — believed that I was the right person to do this work is just really humbling and amazing."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Rubio puts entire world on notice against rise of 'poisonous' far-left terror 'masked as equality'

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:44:55 -0400

Secretary of State Marco Rubio declared Thursday that violent far-left political terrorism "can no longer be denied" as he urged more than 60 countries gathered in Washington to treat the threat as a global counterterrorism priority.

Speaking at the opening of a State Department ministerial attended by roughly 65 foreign delegations, Rubio said governments had spent too long overlooking what he described as a resurgence of transnational far-left extremist violence and called for greater international cooperation to counter it.

Rubio described radical leftism as "a poisonous resentment cloaked in the language of equality and justice."

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF FAR-LEFT PROTESTERS CLASH WITH POLICE IN ANTI-CONSERVATIVE PARTY RIOTS

"Today we face a new wave of this old evil here in the United States, the share of left-wing terrorist attacks and plots has risen to levels not seen in decades," the secretary went on.

Rubio said the administration is rebuilding the U.S. counterterrorism strategy around what it views as an increasingly transnational threat, announcing that additional foreign terrorist organization designations are forthcoming after the State Department designated four foreign far-left groups in November 2025.

Rubio said far-left extremist networks coordinate across borders by sharing training materials, encrypted communications, financing and safe houses while working alongside hostile foreign states. He argued the United States and its allies must respond by expanding intelligence sharing, law enforcement cooperation and efforts to disrupt terrorist financing.

"You are here because this is real, and it is getting worse, and it can no longer be denied, and it can no longer be ignored," Rubio said. "It is time to crush this evil forever."

"It's time for people of the civilized world to defend themselves," he added.

A foreign terrorist organization designation criminalizes providing material support to the group, enables the U.S. government to freeze assets under its jurisdiction and blocks members from entering the United States.

Administration officials said the ministerial is the culmination of an eight-month diplomatic effort to convince foreign governments that violent far-left extremist networks have become a growing cross-border threat requiring greater international coordination.

The initiative comes as some analysts and foreign officials have questioned whether violent far-left groups constitute a cohesive international terrorism threat comparable to Islamist extremist organizations. Others have raised concerns governments could use such initiatives to target political opponents under the banner of counterterrorism.

Administration officials rejected those concerns Wednesday, arguing the effort is narrowly focused on criminal and terrorist violence rather than political beliefs.

"We haven't waded into trying to disambiguate people's beliefs and ideologies," a senior State Department official told reporters. "In America, you can believe anything you want. The minute that you cross the legal threshold, that changes."

BILL MAHER TORCHES FAR-LEFT ASSASSINATION CULTURE AFTER STRING OF HIGH-PROFILE ATTACKS

Officials argue governments spent much of the past two decades concentrating on jihadist terrorism while underestimating what they describe as a resurgence of politically motivated violence from violent far-left extremist networks operating across borders.

"This has been a blind spot for a lot of our partners, frankly. They have not seen these trends ... since the 1970s," the senior State Department official said. "Our partners have talked to us about the rise of assassinations or assassination plots."

Administration officials pointed to a series of recent attacks in Europe that they argue underscore the need for greater international cooperation.

On July 1, coordinated firebomb attacks targeted the homes of members of Greece's governing New Democracy party in Thessaloniki, killing the mother of parliamentary candidate Afroditi Nestora and injuring four others. Greek anti-terrorism police later arrested three suspects.

In January, an arson attack on a power transmission facility in Berlin, Germany, knocked out electricity to tens of thousands of homes and businesses. German authorities later transferred the investigation to the federal prosecutor over suspected involvement by a terrorist organization.

The meeting builds on a series of actions the administration has taken since late 2025, including designating four foreign far-left organizations as Foreign Terrorist Organizations and Specially Designated Global Terrorists, along with offering a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the disruption of their financial networks.

Rubio is expected to argue that violent far-left extremist groups increasingly operate across borders, sharing tactics, coordinating attacks and exploiting international conflicts to recruit followers, making greater cooperation among governments essential to disrupting the threat.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller also are expected to address the ministerial, which will include discussions on the global threat landscape, terrorist financing, intelligence sharing and protecting critical infrastructure.

Officials also disputed reports that foreign partners were reluctant to participate, saying several governments approached the United States seeking to join the initiative after recognizing similar trends within their own borders.

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"We've had countries who have reached out to us that want to be part of this," the senior State Department official said.

The four organizations designated by the administration in November were Antifa Ost, the Informal Anarchist Federation/International Revolutionary Front (FAI/FRI), Armed Proletarian Justice and Revolutionary Class Self-Defense. The administration says the groups, which operate in Germany, Italy and Greece, have coordinated violent attacks across national borders.

Trump’s swift ICE reversal hailed for showing 'confidence' in frontline agents

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:00:24 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump’s quick reversal of a nationwide ban on ICE vehicle stops has been a "huge" boost for many ICE agents on the ground and reassured them that the commander-in-chief still has "confidence in the agency and its people," a federal special agent working deportations said.

Speaking with Fox News Digital on the condition of anonymity, the agent said that the concerns that prompted the pause – a need for additional training for ICE agents on adversarial vehicle stops – are still being addressed. At the same time, the agent said the president’s action proved he still believes in law enforcement professionals to get the job done amid what has been an especially operationally challenging year.

"Today, when the president came out with his un-pause, I think what he showed was confidence in the agency and its people, and I think that goes a long way when somebody is in one of those difficult situations," said the agent.

"I’ve been doing this a long time and I’ve never seen something like that," the agent added.

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The Department of Homeland Security announced a pause on Tuesday for ICE vehicle stops after two ICE officer-involved shootings in Maine and Texas.

The guidance was short-lived, however, as the next day President Donald Trump instructed the agency to reverse course on what he called "one of ICE's most important and effective Crime Fighting tools."

Trump wrote that "the men and women of ICE are doing a GREAT job, one that has to be done." He noted that "CRIME IS WAY DOWN IN AMERICA, in many cases with numbers that haven’t been seen in decades."

To the ICE agents operating across the country, Trump wrote, "Be judicious, fair and smart, and go back and do your very important job. Keep those Crime Stat Records coming! Remember, you are loved and respected in America."

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In response, the agent said to them Trump’s message meant he had agents’ back.

"You don’t have to be a Donald Trump fan but to know that the person who is ultimately responsible for all of this is saying, ‘Hey, I believe in you, you guys will work this out, we’re going to be alright,’" the agent said.

The agent said that in the last year, illegal immigrants have grown more adversarial during arrests, increasing the danger of operations for both the arrestee and law enforcement. This is further exacerbated, said the agent, by the prevalence of interference and even often violent confrontation by civilian bystanders during operations.

This means that agents are operating in increasingly stressful, unpredictable environments.

Amid this, the agent likened ending all vehicle stops to removing a tool from a toolbox.

"Any tool you take out of the toolbox is going to create challenges for [agents] to do their job in a more efficient way," he said.

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Still, the agent said they would "welcome" even more training officers. According to the agent, ICE has already increased its training for officers working deportation operations on the streets. The additional training has been especially concentrated on responding to riot-type situations, something that the agent said most ICE officers previously did not need to prepare for.

"They should constantly be looking at these policies and how they affect the people in the field, but also how it's perceived by the public, how legal it is, and how do we do this more safe?" the agent said, concluding, "I think any sane person would be in agreement with me to say, ‘Hey, let's look at how we can do this safer for everybody.’"

Baltimore Sun owner threatens MD Gov Wes Moore with lawsuit over what he calls a defamatory Epstein link

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:37:07 -0400

David Smith, the owner of The Baltimore Sun and executive chairman of Sinclair Broadcast Group, threatened Wednesday to sue Maryland Gov. Wes Moore for defamation over remarks Moore made on MS NOW linking Smith to Jeffrey Epstein, escalating a dispute over the newspaper's reporting on the Democratic governor's military record.

"A false assertion of this nature linking an individual to Mr. Epstein’s financial dealings is of a kind that foreseeably subjects that individual to serious reputational harm, including public contempt and scorn, diminished business relationships, and damage to personal and professional standing," Smith’s lawyer wrote.

Attorney Harold Walter made the warning in a June letter obtained by Semafor, which first reported the threatened lawsuit. Walter demanded that Moore retract and correct his remarks or explain their factual basis and instructed the governor's team to preserve documents concerning Smith and any purported Epstein connection.

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"The governor should issue a ‘clear, unequivocal public retraction and correction,’" the letter said.

Walter also demanded that Moore publicly retract the claim or provide evidence supporting it.

"Identify, at least at a high level, the factual basis (if any) on which you relied in making the statement," the letter said.

Moore's team rejected the demand and told Semafor that the governor stood by his comments. Joseph Sandler, Moore's personal attorney, responded Tuesday that Epstein's funds had owned several hundred thousand dollars' worth of investments in Sinclair while Smith served as chairman and CEO.

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"The statement made by Governor Moore is absolutely and indisputably true and, therefore, your assertion that the statement is defamatory is meritless," Sandler wrote.

In a response provided to Fox News Digital, Sandler argued that Walter had misstated Moore’s words. Sandler wrote that Moore did not claim Epstein invested directly in Smith, but instead said Smith "was invested in by Jeffrey Epstein."

Sandler cited Justice Department records that he said showed Epstein-founded Financial Trust Company held Sinclair investments valued between $156,240 and $373,980 in 2001 and 2002. He also said another Epstein-founded company, Southern Trust Company, invested more than $100,000 in Sinclair Broadcast Group in 2013 through Southern Financial LLC.

The attorney noted that Smith served as Sinclair’s chairman, president and CEO during the years in which the Epstein-controlled entities held the investments.

Sandler's response, as summarized by Semafor, cited investments in Sinclair. The report did not describe a personal relationship between Smith and Epstein.

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Smith personally purchased The Baltimore Sun in 2024.

Sandler also confirmed that Moore’s team had taken steps to preserve evidence related to Smith’s threatened claim and demanded that Smith preserve records involving efforts to "attack or encourage attacks on Governor Moore."

Moore made the disputed remarks during an appearance on MS NOW's "The Weeknight," when he was questioned about critical coverage of his administration and biographical record. The governor accused the newspaper of targeting him. "This is not journalism. This is slander and misinformation," Moore said.

The dispute followed months of reporting by The Baltimore Sun and Sinclair-affiliated Spotlight on Maryland journalists examining Moore’s military service and other elements of his biography. Semafor previously reported that Smith had been copied on emails from reporters investigating the governor, an arrangement the outlet described as unusual because newspapers typically separate ownership and editorial operations.

Moore attacked the newspaper’s direction in an interview with former Biden White House press secretary Jen Psaki.

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"It’s actually a very sad day because The Baltimore Sun used to be our paper of record. It’s now become the paper of the right wing," Moore said.

Questions about Moore's military biography have included his listing of a Bronze Star on a 2006 White House fellowship application before he had received the award. Moore described the listing as an honest mistake and received the medal in 2024 after his former commander resubmitted the paperwork.

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Sandler further argued that Smith’s threatened action appeared to be a bad-faith claim intended to inhibit Moore from speaking on a matter of public concern.

No lawsuit had been reported as filed Wednesday. The exchange remained at the demand-letter stage, with Smith seeking a retraction and Moore’s attorney maintaining that the governor’s statement was true.

Game-changing cholesterol pill wins FDA approval after cutting LDL nearly 60%

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:35:08 -0400

Millions of Americans with high cholesterol now have a new treatment option, as the FDA has approved the first once-daily oral PCSK9 inhibitor.

Merck, the New Jersey-based manufacturer of Lipfendra (enlicitide), announced the approval on Thursday.

Lipfendra blocks the action of PCSK9, a naturally occurring protein that affects how the liver removes LDL ("bad") cholesterol from the bloodstream.

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"PCSK-9 is a protein that works in the liver, preventing the recycling of LDL receptors, as a result increasing bad cholesterol in the blood," Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, told Fox News Digital.

"In the caveman days, this was useful when we were hunter-gatherers and didn't always have food, but now it mainly forms plaques that lead directly to heart disease."

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The pill is approved as an add-on to diet and other LDL-lowering therapies in adults with high cholesterol, including inherited forms of high cholesterol, Merck stated.

In phase 3 clinical trials, Lipfendra was shown to reduce LDL cholesterol by roughly 56% to 60% when combined with statin therapy.

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"This is around double the impact of statins," Siegel noted.

The pill was generally well-tolerated in the trials, Merck reported. The most common side effects were diarrhea and dizziness, while serious side effects and treatment discontinuations occurred at rates similar to those in the placebo group.

Statins, which work by blocking an enzyme in the liver that the body uses to make cholesterol, are the most commonly prescribed cholesterol-lowering medications, according to the American Heart Association.

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For many people, statins are effective on their own. But for some patients who have very high cholesterol levels, inherited forms of high cholesterol or adverse side effects when taking statins, another medication — such as a PCSK9 inhibitor like Lipfendra — may be necessary, per the AHA.

Until now, PCSK9 inhibitors — such as Repatha and Praluent — have only been available as injections, a factor experts say may have contributed to their underuse.

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"Repatha, the injectable form, is very useful, with few side effects," Siegel noted. "The oral form, Lipfendra, is also well-tolerated and just as effective."

Additional research is needed to determine whether Lipfendra also reduces the risk of heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths. Results from a large clinical trial are expected to be available in 2029, Merck stated.

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"Steve Nissen, longtime head of preventive cardiology at Cleveland Clinic, tells me that the lower the better when it comes to LDL cholesterol, especially in those at risk for heart disease," Siegel added.

Beloved cruise spot will be off limits through 2027 as safety concerns linger

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:01:12 -0400

A popular cruise line has extended its suspension of visits to a private resort for another year, prompting some passengers to question whether the destination will ever reopen.

Royal Caribbean recently said it's extending its pause on visits to Labadee, Haiti, through June 2027.

Labadee, Royal Caribbean's private beach destination on Haiti's northern coast, is popular for its white-sand beaches and the Dragon's Breath Flight Line, one of the world's longest over-water ziplines.

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"As we continue to evaluate conditions in Haiti and our ability to deliver the best vacations responsibly, we have decided to extend the suspension of ship calls to Labadee through June 2027," a Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

"This decision was made with the safety and well-being of our guests and crew members in mind. We have communicated these changes directly with guests."

The extension comes as Haiti, which is under a Level 4 "Do Not Travel" advisory from the U.S. State Department, continues to grapple with widespread gang violence and political instability.

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The resort is roughly six miles northwest of Cap-Haïtien, Haiti's second-largest city.

Labadee is one of the few private cruise destinations in Haiti. It gives passengers an exclusive resort experience separate from much of the rest of the country.

"We remain committed to our Labadee team members and are working to ensure they feel informed and supported," the Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson added.

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"We have identified positions across our fleets and destinations to place team members during this pause," the company said.

For now, cruise passengers will not be able to experience the destination.

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Passengers on a Royal Caribbean forum said their Labadee stops were replaced with destinations including Grand Cayman, Grand Turk, Cozumel and Nassau.

"I really wanted to visit Labadee," one person wrote.

"Oh darn ... I'm booked to Labadee in April 2027," another wrote.

Six months ago, when Royal Caribbean canceled other visits to Labadee, travelers discussed the change on Reddit.

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"Sad, not only for the people that work there but selfishly …. [it] is stunningly beautiful," one Reddit user said.

"It's unfortunate, because Labadee brings jobs and money to the Haitian citizens, who need both desperately," a second said.

"So sad. Always enjoyed going there," a third Reddit user said.

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"Labadee is the most stunning place. I loved it there," another chimed in.

"Labadee was a big highlight for a lot of itineraries. Curious what they’ll replace it with," yet another Reddit user said.

"Our connection to the Labadee community extends far beyond our operations there, and we remain proud of the long-standing investments we have made in the region," the Royal Caribbean Group spokesperson said.

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"We continue to support local communities through ongoing humanitarian efforts, including monthly food donations," the spokesperson added.

Jessica Mekles of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

Meghan Markle's show Emmy nomination 'somewhat baffling' due to 'lackluster' ratings: expert

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 09:00:38 -0400

Meghan Markle's Netflix series has been nominated for an Emmy Award and experts are calling the nod "somewhat baffling."

Months after "With Love, Meghan" was canceled by the streaming service, the Duchess of Sussex earned her first-ever Emmy nomination. On Wednesday, Markle took to Instagram to celebrate the news.

"A huge congratulations to the amazing crew, producers, and team who worked on ‘With Love, Meghan’ on @netflix We are nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lifestyle Series!" she captioned her post.

Hilary Fordwich, British royals expert, told Fox News Digital she was shocked by the nomination due to the "lackluster" response from the audience.

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"Well not so surprising when one considers these award bodies reward high profile players who might garner the awards attention. Nevertheless, given how polarizing MM is & that the show had completely lackluster ongoing watching views, it is somewhat baffling," Fordwich said.

She continued, "The really weak commercial traction of her show, with dreadfully low on-going watching demonstrated by lack of audience appeal, doesn’t warrant such an award, but no doubt it will garner the aforementioned media attention."

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According to Fordwich, Markle will most likely use the publicity from her Emmy nomination to fuel her next project. "This would only be a public-relations win, which is a far cry from a concrete future media contract," she said.

Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube’s "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," agreed with Fordwich and believes this nomination will help Markle's career.

"The nomination is helpful because it gives Meghan something tangible to point to in meetings with studios, networks and advertisers. Hollywood values third-party validation," Schofield began. "But one nomination doesn’t erase years of inconsistent commercial results."

She continued, "The industry ultimately cares about whether you can consistently attract audiences, deliver projects on time and generate returns. That’s still the bigger question surrounding Archewell. Parodies on TikTok generated more eyeballs than ‘With Love, Meghan’ on Netflix. That’s undeniable."

Schofield doesn't believe that Markle's Emmy nomination erases the criticism. However, she does believe it gives her supporters "a credible talking point."

"However, one nomination shouldn’t be exaggerated into a sweeping endorsement from Hollywood. There’s a meaningful difference between earning a nomination in a competitive category and fundamentally changing your standing within the entertainment industry," she said.

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Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, told Fox News Digital that whether Markle wins the Emmy is not relevant – the nomination is impactful enough.

"She will always be introduced—at least as it pertains to entertainment circles—as 'Emmy nominated actress and lifestyle personality, Meghan Markle.' That isn't predicated on the strength of her ratings or whether she eventually wins or loses; it’s an affectation and one she will likely leverage," Eldridge said.

"Put differently, in 2026, anyone can publish a book—and in so doing, change their social media bio to read ‘published author’—but that is not the same thing as being a ’New York Times best-selling author,'" he continued.

"Either way, they’ll update the bio to reflect their perceived accomplishment."

Eldridge believes that her Emmy nomination has helped her optically, but not within the industry.

"In terms of optics among fans, yes; for key stakeholders and decision makers within the industry, no," he began. "Not every athlete who qualifies for the Olympics will earn a medal; but each has earned the right to be introduced as an ‘Olympian' for the rest of their life. In that sense, the intro is the accomplishment—a literal one in a million."

Eldridge continued, "Markle can’t leverage this within the industry, but from an optics standpoint, she can reposition the magnifying glass into the sun, in hopes of shining brighter in the eyes of her prospective fan/consumer base."

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"'If I wasn’t great, I wouldn’t be nominated. If I wasn’t likable—and therefore, marketable—I wouldn’t be nominated.’ For Markle, the true value-add of this nomination doesn’t reflect on her entertainment aspirations, but rather, on her fledgling lifestyle empire," he concluded.

When "With Love, Meghan" premiered on Netflix in March 2025, it drew largely negative reviews from critics despite generating significant public interest. The show's first season earned a 38% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and a "generally unfavorable" rating on Metacritic, though it still attracted enough viewers for Netflix to green-light a second season.

Markle will find out whether she takes home her first Emmy when the 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are held on Oct. 30, 2026, at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles.

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Italian artist unveils Charlie Kirk memorial statue he plans to feature at Times Square

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:59:39 -0400

Italian artist Sergio Furnari is seeking support for a Charlie Kirk statue he plans to unveil in Times Square in September.

"It’s going to be in the middle of Times Square, the center of the universe," Furnari said in one of his videos on the statue's process over the weekend. "You can bring over whoever you want, family or friends. If you were a big fan of Charlie, this will be your opportunity to maybe find a little bit of peace or harmony."

Furnari has been developing models of the late Turning Point USA founder since last year after Kirk was assassinated during a Utah Valley University event. The Italian sculptor has been documenting his process and the inspiration behind the design through videos on his Instagram account.

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In one of his earliest videos on the statue from November, Furnari revealed that he was not a fan of Kirk prior to his death but admired Kirk's efforts to open dialogue with people who disagreed with him.

"I did not agree with 99.9% of whatever he was talking about, but there's the 0.001% that I agree with him. At the moment you kill or assassinate people just because you don't agree with somebody, that's when you become like the worst country ever," Furnari said.

Furnari has been promoting his work on a larger statue of Kirk since then and has announced plans to display it for Sept. 10 on the one-year anniversary of his death.

In recent videos, Furnari revealed that he has received threats against him and the statue ahead of its unveiling.

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"Now, to all the haters, how many times you guys want to kill Charlie?" Furnari asked in a video on Tuesday. "I mean, wasn't one time enough? To all of you guys out there that want to come and destroy...want to bring a drill bat and some spray paint, and you want to destroy him, you want to burn him, come on guys. The guy's dead. I mean, if you guys are afraid of a statue, there's something really wrong with you. It's just a statue. The message is simple: freedom of speech. I'm exercising my First Amendment [right] which is freedom of speech. That's all it is."

In a comment to Fox News Digital, Furnari said that he was not too concerned about any backlash against the statue, saying critics "bark like chihuahuas" but "they don't bite."

He described facing similar issues after sculpting a bust of President Donald Trump, which he similarly displayed for his 80th birthday.

"I'm not into that stuff at all. I like Trump, but that's it. I'm basically talking, you know what I mean? You know, it felt like I'm a MAGA, you know, or I'm Republican, or I am a Democrat. I'm an artist, that's it. I never voted, never will. Yeah, it's not about politics. You know, this is not like a political statement. This is just like a guy that got killed and then got bullied," Furnari said.

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Furnari has set up a GoFundMe page for his "bigger than life size" Kirk statue, writing that he has sold his apartment to continue funding the project.

Pro wrestling legend hopes Richard Holliday-WWE rumors come true: 'He'll have to work even harder'

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:33:53 -0400

The "Most Marketable" independent professional wrestler on the scene presently, Richard Holliday, is set to take on Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) star Elijah at Awesome Championship Wrestling’s (ACW) Indypendence Day on Saturday night in New York.

Holliday’s rumored WWE signing has been the talk of the pro wrestling landscape since Fightful Select first mentioned it earlier this month.

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Since then, he left his boots in the ring after a match with Game Changer Wrestling and embraced his fellow wrestlers Ben Bishop, Jack Vaughn and Tommy Invincible in their own version of the "Curtain Call" following a match at Fight Factory Wrestling’s The War on the Shore 3.

Tommy Dreamer, who will also have a match at Indypendence Day, shared his thoughts with Fox News Digital about the possibility of Holliday going to WWE.

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"I hope so. I think he's a really, really good wrestler. I like him personally," Dreamer said. "He's really worked hard on every indie to try to get his name out there and if he gets that opportunity, he'll have to work even harder."

The Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) legend also lauded Elijah’s work ethic.

"And Elijah, I worked with him very, very closely in TNA. He is a superstar. He is very unique in his songwriting and his wrestling," he said. "Always wanting to be better. When you meet him, you will be like, ‘Holy crap, I didn't think this guy was this big.’ He's always meal prepping. You see him in the back, not only is he playing guitar, but I mean he takes his craft very, very seriously and just overall should be a good match."

Still, Dreamer implored that fans should get out to see Holliday while the ticket to get in the door is reasonably priced.

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"But if the rumors are true, for Richard Holliday, it's awesome. And it's another way to see somebody before you can't see them anymore, because then they're under a whole other regime if that is the case," he said.

Insane Clown Posse's Violent J passionately declares 'there's nothing like pro wrestling in America'

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:13:39 -0400

Pro wrestling fans who really love the sport know the emotional impact it could make during the biggest of moments.

CM Punk’s WWE return, Jon Moxley’s All Elite Wrestling debut and the number of five-star classics that promotions around the world have booked are just some of the moments that have resonated with fans in recent months. Others can point to the Attitude Era and the Monday Night Wars as some of the most impactful moments that have transcended wrestling itself.

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Take the Insane Clown Posse’s Violent J. He gave a passionate reason for why he loves pro wrestling in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. He said it was Randy Savage vs. Ricky Steamboat at WrestleMania 3 that helped solidify that passion he had for pro wrestling.

"But wrestling, there's nothing like pro wrestling in America," he said. "There's nothing like it, brother. It's like a lot of people call a male soap opera, man soap opera. It’s like you got two guys in the middle of the ring faking a fight, right? And you got 70, 80,000 people caught up in the moment. It's like you have a chance to create a character for yourself and sell that character and you play that character, but not only you have to act as that character and have those acting skills, but you also have to have the adlib skills. You have to be able to adlib and talk on a mic to generate to put a--es in seats.

"You have to make people want to come see you kick that guy's a-- or make you want to come see you get revenge. You also have to have the physical attributes. You have to be able to physically go in the ring and tell that story. There's so much psychological warfare in wrestling. There's so much psychological stuff that goes into it. You can't just throw a punch whenever. You got to know when to throw the punch back. You have to know when to make your comeback. You can't just make it whenever. You got to feel the crowd and know how to make them reach their apex."

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Violent J said there’s nothing he could compare pro wrestling to. But "male soap opera" might be the best description.

He said being able to watch pro wrestling is something that gives him peace.

"There’s so much to it and I don't know what else to compare it to," he said. "There's nothing like wrestling. Like there's literally nothing else like it. It's so different from everything else in the stratosphere that like I've just I've loved it my whole life. And now as a 53-year-old, I get enjoyment watching it. Especially old s---,. watching the s--- I grew up on.

It calms my anxiety. Like it's been there my whole life. So, it's like I look at that old footage, it's like therapy for me. It has been there my entire life. And so, like, even in my studio, I've got posters of old wrestlers everywhere and everything, it like it calms my anxiety. It's like something that takes me back to my childhood, you know? So, wrestling is just, it's in my heart. It's in my blood. It's in my DNA. You know what I mean? Just as much as music, but music is the real therapy for me. Like, I need to make music or I’ll explode."

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Violent J is set to hold Bloodymania 19 at the Gathering of the Juggalos in Missouri next month. His promotion, Juggalo Championship Wrestling, airs "Lunacy" each Thursday night on YouTube.

'Somebody needs to do something': GOP senators split as Tuberville demands McConnell answers

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:12:07 -0400

Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is calling for more information about Sen. Mitch McConnell's, R-Ky., prolonged absence from the Senate, while Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., urged people to "leave Mitch alone" as questions about the Kentucky Republican's health persist.

"Somebody needs to do something," Tuberville told Fox News Digital. "Somebody needs to come out."

McConnell finally broke his silence on his previously undisclosed medical conditions that have kept him absent from the Senate since he was first hospitalized on June 14. In a post to social media, McConnell said he would not be returning to the Senate floor just yet due to doctors' orders, but vowed he would return to "finish the job" before his announced retirement at the end of his term.

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Tuberville said no additional information from Senate leadership about a timeline for when McConnell may come back or the status of his health has been given out internally to his colleagues.

"We didn't get any information today in our luncheon," Tuberville said Tuesday. "I don't know what's going on, but you know that's not my business."

Meanwhile, Kennedy vehemently defended McConnell, dismissing rumors that the 84-year-old senator was in a vegetative state, or even dead, as some had speculated a more serious condition than what was disclosed.

"Look, I believe Mitch," Kennedy said. "I don't believe all these stories that he's brain dead and all of that. People need to get a life."

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In his post, McConnell claimed that his childhood fight with polio contributed to a fall that left him "briefly unconscious" and hospitalized last month — when some speculated he had suffered cardiac arrest. He said he was then hit with a "mild case of pneumonia" while in recovery, extending the healing process.

"I think he had a fall, and Mitch is not 29 anymore," Kennedy said. "And he's recuperating from it, and he'll be back as soon as he can."

He continued, "That's what he said, and I take him at his word."

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While Tuberville also expressed his well-wishes for McConnell’s recovery, he said more information about his timeline for return needs to be shared before the Senate begins August recess — when senators will take a break to head back to their home states from Aug. 8 to Sept. 13.

"He's gonna need to come back probably before this three-week session’s over with, because then we're off for like five weeks," Tuberville said.

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Tuberville said Republicans will need McConnell back as the Senate prepares for votes on President Donald Trump's legislative agenda before lawmakers leave for the August recess. McConnell has not indicated when he expects to return.

"We're gonna need him, because the Democrats are not gonna give us any votes," Tuberville said.

Palantir CTO says tech innovators are building for America in shift since Trump returned to White House

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:10:08 -0400

Palantir Chief Technology Officer Shyam Sankar told the "Ruthless Podcast" in a new interview that there has been a shift within the technology community, and since President Donald Trump returned to the White House, as tech entrepreneurs are now building in the national interest.

"You have hundreds of founders out there now who are building in the national interest," Sankar said in an interview released Thursday morning on the shift in the tech sector. "And I think this is a sort of galvanizing message for us to go and get after it."

The interview took place at the Pennsylvania Defense and Innovation Summit at the United States Army War College in Carlisle, Pa. The meeting, organized by Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Pa., convened technology and defense sector executives with senior government and military leaders.

A PROGRESSIVE POPE TAKES AIM AT AI AND RISKS KILLING ITS MIRACLES

Sankar, who published the bestselling "Mobilize: How to Reboot the American Industrial Base and Stop World War III," told the podcast's "fellas" about the economic benefits artificial intelligence (AI) is bringing to American communities, including in Pennsylvania. The increased productivity is creating more jobs for Americans.

"[AI] is expanding the labor population, our ability to mobilize the American worker," Sankar said. "Right here in Pennsylvania, we actually have a submarine parts manufacturer that was able to add a third shift. Production planning used to take two weeks. And during that time, mostly the line was down. With AI, they were really able to make that happen in effectively two-tenths of a second, which meant they had more parts to make, which meant that they needed more workers."

Podcast co-host Michael Duncan appreciated how Sankar’s approach was making the seemingly complex technology topic more tangible for the average American.

NEW YORK MAKES HISTORY WITH FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND LAW REGULATING AI-POWERED COMMERCIALS

"Too often I find that these conversations around innovation, whether that's defense tech or AI, are so abstract," Duncan said. "And what I love about the stories you tell is that you make it tangible in people's lives."

Just days after Democratic New York Gov. Kathy Hochul made her state the first to freeze the construction of new data centers, Duncan added that these anecdotes push back against the popular anti-data center sentiment growing on the left.

"You've got [Senator] Bernie Sanders being like, ‘This is the right call, this AI moratorium in New York, because AI must benefit humanity,’" Duncan told Sankar. "And it's like, I don't know, man, pick up a newspaper."

ROBERT MAGINNIS: TRUMP’S ANKARA REMARKS REVEAL A GRAND STRATEGY HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT

Trump addressed the event on Wednesday, speaking of the importance of both the defense and technology sectors to the nation’s long-term security.

Podcast co-host Comfortably Smug said the Trump administration has played a key role in expanding AI development.

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"One of the more important lessons from the book is the importance of harnessing AI and what a force multiplier that can be," Smug said. "This administration really gets that. We've seen a result. The efficacy has gone off the charts."

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Sankar mentioned that working around soldiers has given him extra appreciation for his work.

"If you spend time with these uniformed service members going into harm's way, you just have to do the work for them," Sankar said. "It gives you a different perspective."

Trump sets primetime speech on ‘free and fair elections’ as details on major announcement emerge

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 06:00:50 -0400

President Donald Trump announced he will deliver a Thursday night address that he suggested will focus on "free and fair elections," teasing what he called one of the most important speeches of his presidency while offering few details about what he plans to unveil.

"Thursday is, it doesn't get bigger because without free and fair elections, you don't have a country," Trump said while in the Oval Office on Tuesday. "We'll be discussing other things too. But it's going to be a very big announcement."

Trump has teased the contents of his speech without fully revealing what it will be about. "It will be a potpourri," a senior advisor told Axios, adding that Iran is something the president "wants to address."

The address is expected to begin at 9 p.m. ET from the White House.

TRUMP HOLDS WASHINGTON HOSTAGE OVER SAVE ACT AS MIDTERM CLOCK TICKS ON GOP CONTROL

"As usual, anonymous sources are speculating about what President Trump will say during his speech on Thursday evening," White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told Fox News Digital. "The truth is, nobody knows yet what President Trump will ultimately say, which is why everyone should tune in."

Trump has touted his speech as being "really big news" and called for the country to "to shape up."

The White House did not respond to questions about which administration officials are expected to attend the speech. Fox News Digital also reached out to the FBI and CIA about whether FBI Director Kash Patel or CIA Director John Ratcliffe would be present.

TRUMP THREATENS TO EXPAND STRIKES ON IRAN, SAYS POWER PLANTS ARE NEXT TO GO: 'HIT THEM HARD'

The address also comes against a volatile foreign policy backdrop, after negotiations over an Iran memorandum collapsed and the U.S. resumed strikes on Iranian targets.

CENTCOM announced another round of strikes on Iran on Wednesday morning, marking the fifth straight day the U.S. launched attacks on the country.

Iran has fired back with numerous attacks on U.S. allies in the Middle East, including Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

U.S. forces reinstituted a naval blockade on Iran Tuesday afternoon.

TRUMP TAKES UNUSUAL STEP, LETS BIPARTISAN HOUSING BILL BECOME LAW UNSIGNED AMID SAVE PRESSURE CAMPAIGN

Gas prices surged during the early days of the Iran conflict, then fell in June as crude oil slipped to roughly $69 a barrel before climbing again to nearly $80 a barrel Monday.

While Trump also suggested Iran would be addressed, he repeatedly indicated Tuesday that election integrity would be a centerpiece of his remarks.

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Trump has been laser-focused on passing the SAVE America Act, which includes Trump’s long-sought voter ID and citizenship verification – which Republicans say is key to ensuring elections are safe and secure.

Billions in taxpayer income are leaving two iconic states — as a new economic map emerges

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 06:00:03 -0400

As Americans continue relocating across state lines, California and New York remain at the center of the nation's migration story.

The latest IRS data show the top 10 counties with the largest net losses of taxpayers to other states were all located in California and New York. Compiled from federal tax returns, the figures offer one of the clearest snapshots of where Americans are relocating — and where their income is moving with them. Economists say those migration patterns help explain broader shifts in state economies, tax bases and housing markets as families weigh affordability, taxes and job opportunities when considering where they want to put down roots.

The movement of taxpayers and their income can also affect state and local tax collections, which help fund schools, public safety and infrastructure.

Los Angeles County, home to Hollywood and one of the nation's largest economic engines, led the nation with a net loss of 17,496 tax filers. Those departing taxpayers took nearly $1.9 billion in income with them as they moved to other states.

THE RED STATES RACING AHEAD IN AMERICA’S POWERFUL WEALTH BOOM — AND THE STATES FALLING BEHIND

Other major counties in California and New York saw similar outflows. The next-largest taxpayer losses were recorded in Queens County, New York (-17,109), the Bronx (-16,319), Orange County, California (-11,618) and Suffolk County, New York (-10,434).

One New York county stood out for a different reason.

Manhattan gained more interstate tax filers than any other county in the nation while simultaneously losing nearly $1 billion in adjusted gross income, suggesting many of the newcomers earned less than those who left.

The latest data continue to point to a shift away from many of the nation's largest coastal counties toward fast-growing destinations in the Sun Belt and Mountain West.

"It's very, very clear that people ultimately vote with their feet and when they feel like they're getting taxed too much, they go somewhere else where they will be taxed less," Heritage Foundation chief economist E.J. Antoni told Fox News Digital.

"If you look at where these people are going, they're not going to Massachusetts or Illinois or California," Antoni said. "They're going to Texas. They're going to Tennessee. They're going to Florida — places with low or no income taxes and low overall levels of taxation."

AMERICANS KEEP MOVING TO TEXAS AND FLORIDA — BUT ONE OTHER RED STATE IS GROWING EVEN FASTER

The remaining counties rounding out the top 10 for taxpayer losses were San Diego County, California (-9,401); Nassau County, New York (-9,130); Riverside County, California (-8,968); San Bernardino County, California (-8,462); and Kings County, New York (-6,924).

While those two states dominated the counties with the largest taxpayer losses, other parts of the country continued attracting new residents. The counties with the largest net gains in interstate tax filers were Maricopa County, Arizona (+9,353); Harris County, Texas (+8,955); King County, Washington (+8,297); and Clark County, Nevada (+7,524).

"The 'vote with your feet' movement, is real," Paul Teller, a conservative strategist who previously served in the Trump-Pence White House, told Fox News Digital.

THESE STATES ARE 'AHEAD OF THE GAME' IN BRINGING DOWN HOME PRICES, TRUMP'S HOUSING CHIEF SAYS

Teller said Americans continue leaving high-tax, highly regulated states for places where they can keep more of what they earn and face lower costs of living, arguing the migration patterns should serve as a warning for policymakers in states that continue losing residents.

"What baffles me, especially as a former New Yorker, is that there doesn't seem to be a lot of concern in the states that are losing people," Teller told Fox News Digital.

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Teller argued the trend could carry long-term fiscal consequences if affluent taxpayers continue leaving. He said the debate has taken on renewed attention as New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani advances an agenda that includes higher taxes on top earners, rent freezes for stabilized apartments, free city buses and city-owned grocery stores.

California has likewise remained at the center of debates over taxes on high-income earners, maintaining one of the nation's highest top marginal income tax rates.

"Let's see what happens when the wealthy keep moving out of big blue states like California and New York," Teller said. "We'll see what happens to tax revenue. We're already seeing it. It's going down significantly."

Mystery deepens after 2,700-year-old bronze sword emerges standing upright

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 08:00:27 -0400

A metal detectorist recently spotted a 2,700-year-old bronze sword in an unusual position — standing upright in the ground.

The discovery was announced by the Pomeranian Provincial Heritage Conservator on Facebook earlier in June.

The weapon was found by hobbyist Marcin Wiśniewski in the Gdańsk Forest District in northern Poland, near the Baltic coast. It dates to the Late Bronze Age, between 900 and 700 B.C.

'SIGNIFICANT' EARLY CHRISTIAN CHURCH EMERGES BENEATH FORMER FISH MARKET IN ANCIENT CITY

Pictures released by officials show the remarkably preserved bronze weapon sticking up from sandy soil during the excavation.

Wiśniewski — who previously found a Bronze Age hoard in a forested area outside of Gdańsk — alerted heritage officials to the discovery.

"After the discovery was reported, staff from our Department of Archaeological Monuments recovered the artifact using proper archaeological methods, working together with the finder," the Pomeranian Provincial Heritage Conservator's translated post added.

TREASURE HUNTERS RECOVER RARE SILVER BAR FROM LEGENDARY SHIPWRECK OFF FLORIDA KEYS

Officials said the latest discovery is not the first Bronze Age sword unearthed in what is now the Gdańsk Forest District.

"In the 1920s, two antenna-hilt bronze swords were discovered in a peat bog at Rynarzewo," the post said.

"Those artifacts were transferred to the Provincial Museum in Gdańsk, but were lost during World War II."

Officials were immediately informed of the discovery, said Marcin Tymiński, press spokesperson for the Provincial Office for the Protection of Monuments in Gdańsk.

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Tymiński told Fox News Digital that specialists will be able to provide additional details about the weapon once it is transferred to a museum and studied.

"The Provincial Heritage Conservator will decide which museum the sword will be transferred to," Tymiński said in an email translated from Polish.

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"That decision has not yet been made."

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Ancient weapon discoveries in Poland are rare, but not unheard of — and the recent find follows several notable discoveries over the past year.

Late last year, archaeologists recovered a cache of early medieval weapons from a lake in west-central Poland — relics believed to be connected to the country's first rulers.

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Before that, a 700-year-old medieval sword was reeled in by an angler fishing in Poland's Vistula River.

'Jurassic Park' star Sam Neill's cause of death confirmed by representative

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:56:26 -0400

"Jurassic Park" star Sam Neill died from pneumonia after successfully overcoming lymphoma with CAR-T therapy, his representative confirmed Thursday, correcting what he described as inaccurate reports that emerged after the Oscar-nominated actor's death earlier this week.

Neill's agent, Philip Grenz, said the actor's family asked him to clarify how the 78-year-old died after several outlets published inaccurate accounts. He also said Neill, who was known for fiercely guarding his privacy, will be remembered with a private family memorial at his New Zealand farm at a later date.

"Sam passed away from pneumonia," Grenz told the New York Post’s Page Six. "Prior to becoming sick, Sam had valiantly fought and beaten lymphoma through a new treatment called CAR-T therapy."

ACCLAIMED NEW ZEALAND ACTOR SAM NEILL CONTRACTED PNEUMONIA BEFORE HE DIED, CO-STAR SAYS

Grenz said Neill had also completed four "back-to-back" projects over the past year that are expected to be released in the coming months.

Neill's family announced Monday that the actor died at St. Vincent's Private Hospital in Sydney, Australia.

"Sam was surrounded by family and passed with the dignity that has characterized his whole life," the family said in a statement shared on Neill's Instagram account. "The loss was sudden and unexpected but blessed by the fact that Sam remained cancer free."

SAM NEILL REMEMBERED AS 'ONE OF THE GREATS' BY NICOLE KIDMAN, TONI COLLETTE AND MORE AFTER HIS SUDDEN DEATH

The New Zealand actor disclosed in 2023 that he had been diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma, a rare form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. In April, he announced he was cancer-free after treatment.

"I've just had a scan just now and there is no cancer in my body. That's an extraordinary thing," Neill said at the time. "I'm very, very excited that this can happen."

Friends and co-stars remembered Neill as a grounded, witty and deeply private man who never let his illness slow him down.

Rima Te Wiata, who appeared alongside Neill in the 2016 comedy "Hunt for the Wilderpeople," told The New Zealand Herald he was "a very steady, peaceful, grounded man."

"It really sucks actually," Te Wiata said. "I think he would be like: 'For goodness sake, I got over my cancer. And now look, now I get pneumonia. What next?'"

Hollywood stars also paid tribute to Neill following his death. Steven Spielberg, who directed him as paleontologist Dr. Alan Grant in the 1993 blockbuster "Jurassic Park," said the actor would never be forgotten.

"I adored making all the Jurassic movies with him," Spielberg said. "Along with Laura Dern and Jeff Goldblum, we will always have our Jurassic family and Sam will never be forgotten by us or his many millions of fans around the world."

Dern called Neill "my beloved lifetime friend," while Goldblum wrote, "The next great adventure begins. Love, always and forever."

Born Nigel John Dermot Neill in Northern Ireland in 1947, Neill moved to New Zealand with his family as a child and went on to become one of the country's biggest international stars.

His breakout role came in the 1977 thriller "Sleeping Dogs." Over a career spanning more than five decades, he appeared in more than 150 film and television productions, including "The Hunt for Red October," "The Piano," "Event Horizon," "The Horse Whisperer," "Peaky Blinders," "The Tudors" and "Merlin."

Neill returned as Dr. Alan Grant in "Jurassic Park III" before reuniting with Dern and Goldblum for 2022's "Jurassic World Dominion."

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When he wasn't acting, Neill spent much of his time at Two Paddocks, his boutique vineyard in New Zealand's Central Otago region, where he produced pinot noir and riesling wines.

He is survived by four children and eight grandchildren.

Fox News Digital’s James Cirrone, Landon Mion and Christina Dugan Ramirez, along with The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Savannah Bananas opened the 2026 ESPYs with one of the worst performances you'll ever see

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:55:39 -0400

Unbeknownst to most of America, ESPN had its annual ESPYs award show Wednesday night. That's right. It's still, somehow, going on.

I figured it died years ago given you literally never hear about it anymore, but I was wrong. Remember when the ESPYs were appointment viewing a decade ago? Growing up, I can remember watching it every summer. It was fun and exciting and filled the sports-less mid-July void.

Way back in the day, Jim Valvano gave his iconic "Don't give up, don't ever give up" speech at the ESPYs. To this day, it's still one of the greatest speeches of all time. Look it up later if you have a minute. Trust me, you'll be better for it.

ESPN REPORTEDLY PURSUING STEVE KERR FOR BROADCAST ROLE BECAUSE OF COURSE IT IS

Anyway, we've gone from that to what ESPN pumped out last night — a three-minute opening dance show performed by the Savannah Bananas that may just be the worst thing ever shown on ESPN airwaves.

And that's saying a lot given this is the same company that once ran a minute-long promo featuring transgender swimmer Lia Thomas during Women's History Month.

Take a look:

ESPYs ain't what they used to be

Just brutal. I'm not trying to dump on ESPN or the Bananas here. If the reaction to this performance was great, I'd pen an article saying the internet loved it.

The internet, however, did not love this. They HATED it. It's all over my timeline this morning. Frankly, it's how I even knew the ESPYs were still a thing!

Again, I hadn't heard one single word of this year's ESPYs show until this morning, and I work in a business where it's literally my job to be ahead of the trends. No marketing. No advertising. No hype.

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Nothing, until I scanned social media this morning and saw the Bananas doing ... whatever it was they were doing ... for three minutes.

Anyway, I assume someone said something woke at some point last night. Feel like that's in the ESPN and ESPYS script at this point, right? It'll come out eventually, I'm sure.

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Until then, here's a clip of some comedian I've never heard of rag-dolling Tiger Woods, which was just a brutal delivery and reception:

San Francisco Bay search suspended for 3 missing boaters after vessel capsizes amid 5-foot swells

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:34:43 -0400

The U.S. Coast Guard suspended its search Wednesday evening for three people who remain missing after a boat carrying members of an extended family capsized near Alcatraz Island during a memorial outing in San Francisco Bay.

The 49-foot cabin cruiser sank Tuesday afternoon with 20 people aboard. One person, identified as 79-year-old Clifford Joseph Boisa of Sutter County, died after being pulled from the water, while 16 others were rescued. A dog aboard the vessel also died.

Authorities said the group had gathered to scatter the ashes of a loved one during a family memorial service.

MULTIPLE RESCUED FROM PONTOON BOAT NEAR ALCATRAZ AS SEARCH CONTINUES FOR MISSING PERSONS

"Suspending an active search is one of the most difficult things we do as Coast Guard commanders," Coast Guard Sector San Francisco Commander Capt. Jarod Toczko said during a Wednesday news conference. "Our goal is always to bring home families' loved ones."

Toczko said crews searched for about 23 hours using 11 surface vessels and four aircraft, covering roughly 950 square nautical miles and more than 1,700 miles of search track before determining there was little likelihood of finding additional survivors. Families of the missing were notified before the search was suspended.

Officials said the boat was struck by a wave, listed heavily, lost stability and rolled over before sinking. Toczko said investigators found no evidence of the fire initially reported by callers, concluding that what was thought to be smoke was likely steam from the sinking vessel.

NEW YORK HARBOR WHALE STRIKE SINKS FIRE RESCUE BOAT AFTER JULY 4 CELEBRATIONS

Authorities said the vessel had three enclosed levels, and survivor interviews indicated some passengers had been inside the main and lower decks when the boat capsized. Toczko said it remains possible some of the missing passengers became trapped inside as the vessel sank, though he stressed investigators have not reached any conclusions.

The San Francisco Fire Department said three survivors were transported to local hospitals and later released, while 13 others were treated at a reunification center after being rescued. Fire Chief Dean Crispen confirmed that one person and one canine died in the incident.

Officials believe the boat rests in waters roughly 130 feet deep near where it went down. San Francisco police said crews first must locate the vessel before using an underwater drone to assess whether it can safely be recovered. Divers generally cannot operate safely at depths beyond 120 feet, officials said.

PILOT DECLARES MAYDAY BEFORE SEAPLANE COMES DOWN IN NEW YORK CITY’S EAST RIVER

Toczko credited good Samaritans, including nearby fishermen and other boaters, with helping save lives before emergency crews arrived.

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"Those folks saved lives," he said.

Officials said the recreational vessel departed from the area near San Francisco's St. Francis Yacht Club and had visited Angel Island before the emergency occurred while returning across the bay. The cause of the sinking remains under investigation.

African growth boom follows Trump push to replace aid with trade

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:23:19 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Many African economies are accelerating – booming – since the Trump administration shifted policy focus from aid to trade, a senior State Department official told Fox News Digital.

In some African countries, doom was forecast when the administration severely cut back USAID funding, but instead there’s been unprecedented economic growth, credited to the Commercial Diplomacy Strategy, introduced at the beginning of President Donald Trump’s second term.

Now, "nine of the 20 fastest-growing economies (in the world) are in Africa," Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs Frank Garcia told Fox News Digital.

IRAN AND HOUTHI TERROR PROXY FACING RED SEA THREAT FROM PRO-US AFRICAN NATION

Garcia added, "African economies are responding positively to the shift from aid to trade. In 2025, U.S. exports to sub-Saharan Africa increased by 23% to $22.6 billion. And continue to grow this year."

When the administration cut USAID by 83% early last year, "The predictions were catastrophic: economies heavily dependent on foreign donors – from Ethiopia to South Sudan and Malawi – were expected to collapse. Instead, something quite different happened," Anna Mahjar-Barducci, project director at the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI), told Fox News Digital.

"The African continent proved far more resilient than expected, citing Ethiopia, which revised its 2026 growth forecasts upward despite the funding cuts," Mahjar-Barducci continued. "According to projections by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to grow between 4.3% and 4.6% in 2026, outpacing Asia as a whole, whose growth is forecast at around 4.1%. Growth is propelled by massive hydroelectric investments, construction, mining and expanding coffee exports."

TRUMP GETS MAJOR WIN AGAINST CHINA IN AFRICAN RARE EARTH MINERALS RACE

"This is no minor detail," she continued. "For decades, we were told that without international aid Africa would collapse. Now that aid is genuinely drying up, much of the continent is not only avoiding collapse – it is accelerating. This is precisely the argument that a long-standing school of African economic thought, now more relevant than ever, has advanced for years: aid is not the solution. In many cases, it is part of the problem."

Assistant Secretary Garcia explained how the strategy works: "We see this economic acceleration in Africa. In order to best capitalize on it, the United States is focused on driving private investment, sustainable growth in terms of partnership and treating African nations not as aid recipients, but as capable commercial partners."

He added: "Our embassies (in Africa) work directly with the private sector to identify the policies, laws and regulations constraining U.S. trade and investment. We then work with partner governments to develop practical reforms, identify the officials responsible for implementing them and determine where technical assistance may support implementation."

CHRISTIAN FARMING COMMUNITIES UNDER SIEGE AS US REPORT NAMES FULANI MILITANTS NIGERIA'S DEADLIEST THREAT

It's a strategy that appears to be working, with Garcia adding, "The Bureau of African Affairs has worked on 37 commercial transactions that have closed since the beginning of the (current) Trump administration, representing $25.67 billion in total value, with more still being reported. Embassies across the continent are actively working to close hundreds more. Top sectors include energy 24%, ICT 19%, critical minerals and mining 11%, aerospace 8%, agriculture 8%, infrastructure 8%."

Mahjar-Barducci criticized the way USAID worked, telling Fox News Digital," When aid flows to governments rather than markets, it tends to finance projects designed in Brussels, Rome, or Washington which are not responding to the actual needs of local economies. Poverty cannot be overcome by treating people as permanent recipients of charity. Poverty can be reduced by recognizing people as entrepreneurs, workers and economic partners capable of building their own prosperity."

AFRICAN UNION CHIEF DENIES GENOCIDE CLAIMS AGAINST CHRISTIANS AS CRUZ WARNS NIGERIAN OFFICIALS

Trade, rather than aid works, Mahjar-Barducci claimed. "The Trump administration's more transactional approach to aid – access to critical minerals, or to citizens' health data, in exchange for funding – should not be dismissed as merely cynical. Unconditional transfers have long been the deeper flaw in the traditional aid model: money with no strings attached removes any incentive for a recipient government to reform and often entrenches the same officials responsible for the underlying poverty."

Enter the America First Global Health Strategy. A senior State Department official told Fox News Digital this week that the administration "has signed 34 bilateral global health Memoranda of Understanding(MOU) representing more than $24 billion in new health funding, including more than $14.3 billion in U.S. assistance, alongside more than $9.6 billion in co-investment from recipient countries."

"24 of these MOUs were signed with sub-Saharan African countries," the official continued. "These new bilateral MOUs are designed to continue life-saving care, build resilient healthcare systems, reduce dependency on American taxpayers and strengthen country ownership."

The administration has also decided to cut funding for a U.S. anti-AIDS program known as PEPFAR. Africa has been hit hard by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. UNAIDS, the United Nations program that deals with the virus, reports that South Africa has the highest infection rate in the world.

But the State Department official Fox News Digital spoke with says South Africa must take some of the blame for cutting help to its own people. "The United States has decided to initiate a phased drawdown of PEPFAR programming in South Africa, following South Africa’s failure to make demonstrable progress on policy requests by the administration. The United States communicated to [the] South African government multiple times at many levels that PEPFAR funding would be terminated if they failed to address President Trump’s concerns."

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"PEPFAR was never intended to be permanent," the official added. "Its success is measured by countries' ability to sustain and build upon these gains. South Africa is a middle-income country and is more than capable of supporting its own health programs."

Fox News Digital reached out to the South African government, but received no response.

Kai Trump says politics is 'not my thing,' hopes to inspire next generation through her vlogs

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:17:19 -0400

Kai Trump, the granddaughter of President Donald Trump who is set to play collegiate golf for the Miami Hurricanes, spoke at the ESPYs on Wednesday about showing her life through her video blog.

Trump has given her followers and supporters of the president an inside look at what it’s like to be a part of the first family while she navigates her own life.

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

"Honestly, I kind of stay out of politics completely. It’s just not my thing," she told Sportico. "I just like showing my life and showing how you can still be an athlete and you can still do a ton of other things and enjoy a ton of other things.

"So, I just kind of like showing people that everything’s possible and I love just showing the new generation my progress through college, eventually, but obviously how I got to where I am today."

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When asked what she thought about politics intersecting with sports, Trump said again she tries to stay out of the political realm.

"Honestly, I just stay out of politics. It’s not my thing," she said. "But I think the UFC event was great and it was really cool being there and especially having veterans in the stadium as well, that’s where you can kinda combine the (America) 250 point of view on it. But I thought it was great."

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Trump is set to make her collegiate debut soon. She is one of two freshmen on the team, which also includes Bella Dovhey.

Trump teases major reveal during White House address and more top headlines

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:06:11 -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. Trump teases major White House address

2. Todd Blance faces second day of testimony for AG confirmation

3. Tim Walz offers strange defense for pardoning convicted child rapist

MAJOR HEADLINES

RAISING EYEBROWS — Iran draws 'red line' after Trump threatens expanded military campaign. Continue reading …

OUT OF SIGHT — Slain N.J. woman, missing Bahamas boater's spouses lawyer up but only one disappears. Continue reading …

FOLLOW THE MONEY — FEC filings expose a suspicious payment trail following Swalwell's resignation. Continue reading …

SHORE SHOWDOWN — Canadian woman accused of slapping girl over Trump, ICE clothing gets agency surprise. Continue reading …

TROUBLING CLUES — 'Top Gun: Maverick' actor's death takes grim new turn after autopsy findings. Continue reading …

POLITICS

PACK & PROSPER — Billions in taxpayer income are leaving two iconic states — as a new economic map emerges. Continue reading …

FLASHBACK — Michigan Dem’s awkward pep talk echoes cringey pink-gloved House floor moment. Continue reading …

‘NEVER WAVERED’ — Pence reveals Graham's last words to him in a vivid airport encounter. Continue reading …

PAPER CUT — Ex-Dem fundraiser turns on Biden as book rollout backfires on social media. Continue reading …

Click here for more cartoons…

MEDIA

CREDIBILITY CRISIS — Media swooned over Graham Platner for months despite Dem's brewing controversies. Continue reading …

OUT OF TOUCH — Maher calls out wealthy liberals for pretending to be in solidarity with average people. Continue reading …

‘TERRIFYING’ — Los Angeles reporter goes viral after staying unfazed during live-shot nightmare. Continue reading …

CONSTITUTIONAL LAW — Viral run-in between police and street preacher draws federal First Amendment heat. Continue reading …

OPINION

HUGH HEWITT — I asked Trump if he was prepared to remove Iran’s new leaders. Continue reading …

CHAD WOLF — Canada can't expect free trade while leaving our northern border vulnerable. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

THE REAL STORY — Inside Princess Diana and JFK Jr.'s secret meeting that fueled romance rumors for decades. Continue reading …

HORNS DOWN — Yellowstone reaches decision on bison after grandfather thrown in frightening attack. Continue reading …

LESSON LEARNED — Florida school principals wind up behind bars after July 4 night out. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on World Cup wins and burger breakthroughs. Take the quiz here …

LISTEN

Tune in to hear how the growing role of artificial intelligence could shape children's cognitive development, long-term memory, and America's path in the global AI race. Check it out ...

FOX WEATHER

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

Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Friday.

Credibility crisis: Graham Platner received glowing media coverage before dramatic exit from Senate race

Thu, 16 Jul 2026 07:00:36 -0400

Before Graham Platner's dramatic exit from the Maine Senate race last week, the Democratic hopeful received glowing coverage from the legacy media that pushed the narrative that he was a salt-of-the-earth oyster farmer who could win back male voters and unseat longtime Republican incumbent Susan Collins.

Now out of the race after multiple scandals, including a rape allegation from a former girlfriend that he's denied, the friendly coverage he received is getting a second look.

The Guardian was among the first outlets to publish a profile on Platner, running a story last August headlined, "This Maine oysterman thinks Democrats are doing ‘jack’ about fascism. So he’s running for US Senate."

The outlet told readers how Platner doesn't present like a "stereotypical progressive," listing his titles as "a veteran, an oysterman and a competitive shooter," adding that he spends his weekends "at the local gunnery."

GRAHAM PLATNER'S MOST PROMINENT PRESS ALLIES ABANDON HIM AS RAPE ALLEGATION ROCKS MAINE SENATE RACE

"Platner believes the party needs an outsider. He believes that pedigreed, establishment Democratic candidates have failed repeatedly to appeal to working-class Americans, hastening the rise of MAGA," The Guardian wrote. "As he surveys the American political scene, Platner is enraged by a Democratic party he sees as more interested in raising money than helping people, a party willing to appease Maga, to meet it in the middle, instead of fighting it."

The New Yorker praised Platner's campaign launch video in its own profile, saying it portrayed him as a "rugged and likable working-class Democratic candidate," but that it "could just as easily have been the opener for a reality-TV show called 'Oyster Man.'"

"A macho pastiche with a Jeep-commercial soundtrack, it shows him diving in his wetsuit, chopping wood, hauling oyster cages, and doing kettlebell swings. There are closeups of his tattoos, along with shots of him holding hands with his wife," Lisa Wood Shapiro wrote in the New Yorker piece.

Shapiro hyped that he was "drawing support from both sides of the aisle," alleging "several [Donald] Trump supporters said that they would vote for him" despite his left-wing platform.

"I’ve had Platner’s number for years, and have picked up oyster orders from his boat. I’ve seen him shuck oysters at parties, fund-raisers... Soon, my friends were discussing over gin-and-tonics how they always knew he would be famous," Shapiro gushed.

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The Washington Post put a spotlight on Platner in a September report called "Meet the Rugged Guys of the 2026 Midterms."

"They are scruffy, solidly built, middle-aged White military veterans who work with their hands and look like they’re way more comfortable in plaid flannel than pinstripe suits. And they are banking that the antiestablishment populism that Republicans have embraced during the Trump era can work the other way, too," the Post wrote about Platner and other Democratic hopefuls.

Journalist Ross Barkan authored a profile for GQ in October titled, "Marine Turned Oysterman Graham Platner Is Ready to Fight Trump. Will MAGA Men Join Him?"

"In the battle for the soul of the Democratic Party, Senate candidate Graham Platner might be the perfect soldier: The virile, earthy working man many male politicians wish they were, with the committed lefty beliefs many voters are now demanding," Barkan began the profile.

Barkan boasted Platner's "friendly growl" and how he's "deeply alluring" to progressive Democrats in their effort to win back men.

"The oysterman joins a roster of antiestablishment candidates across America: men—yes, they are mostly men—who’ve channeled the growing rage at the status quo," Barkan wrote. "Trump voters, Platner argues, can still return to the Democratic coalition. He has just handed me an oyster straight from the water. The taste is salty, and then sweet. If he does get elected, he’s unlikely to attend many DC soirees or campaign fundraisers in wine caves."

PLATNER ACCUSER RECALLS 'GASLIGHTING,' 'BETRAYAL' FROM NY TIMES AS SHE CAME FORWARD WITH HER ALLEGATIONS

Liberal New York Times columnist Michelle Goldberg penned multiple pieces praising Platner's candidacy and how it was able to weather controversies like his Nazi tattoo and his offensive Reddit posts, saying he's "nothing like the edgelord caricature I encountered online" when she flew out to Maine to meet him in October, stunned at the crowds he gathered she said many locals claim they haven't seen since Barack Obama. She also said Platner was "largely convincing" about his claim that he didn't know that his skull and crossbones tattoo was the Totenkopf symbol despite reports alleging he knew.

"Onstage, Platner is magnetic. Like Obama, he seems to promise a politics that is fundamentally progressive while going beyond debased partisan sniping. He shows his audience the respect of at least seeming to level with them," Goldberg wrote at the time. "A major difference with Obama, though, is that Platner is visibly angry... That anger resonates with a base that is both terrified and enraged."

NYT COLUMNIST SAYS SHE 'DEEPLY' REGRETS PRAISING SENATE HOPEFUL AFTER RAPE ALLEGATION

In a separate piece published in April, Goldberg recalled, "I could feel the charge in the air — that rare alchemy born when a politician is able to pull a crowd into a shared vision of the future," telling Times readers a voter she met linked him to Obama during his 2008 presidential bid and that he was a "natural on the stump."

"One lesson of the Democratic Senate primary in Maine is that no one should underestimate the white-hot fury of the party’s voters," Goldberg said. "Maine Democrats, many of whom saw Platner in person as he tirelessly barnstormed across the state, seemed ready to look past the negative stories."

Goldberg later said she "deeply" regretted being impressed by Platner after he was accused by his ex-girlfriend Jenny Racicot of sexual assault, something he firmly denied.

Just in May, Time magazine featured him on its cover, declaring him the "Party Crasher."

"Platner’s story feels a lot like a pat movie plot: With Democratic voters yearning for outsiders to shake up the system, along comes a rough-hewn, gravelly voiced Marine Corps veteran from Sullivan, Maine—pop. 1,300—as their new national star," Time wrote. "He barnstorms the state with a pugilistic brand of economic populism, building a following so quickly that he forces his central-casting opponent, the two-term Democratic governor, Janet Mills, out of the race before voters can cast a ballot. Even in this antiestablishment, unabashedly ageist political moment, Platner’s rise has been remarkable."

TIME MAGAZINE COVER ON GRAHAM PLATNER RAISES EYEBROWS ONLINE

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Time marveled how voters "gravitated toward Platner" despite his various controversies, writing, "After decades of nominating buttoned-up technocrats with glittering résumés, many Democrats want candidates with flaws, faded ink, and redemption arcs that resemble their own. Platner’s past, in other words, may actually be his path."

"Platner swept a hand across his auburn beard and launched into his pitch: He doesn’t want to join the Senate to be part of a system. He wants to rip that system apart and build a better one. But that, he acknowledges, requires a leap of faith for voters to believe that he won’t betray their values and has truly transformed. 'There’s also an element of this,' Platner admits, 'Where I really have to say: ‘Just trust me, bro,'" the Time piece concluded.

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Credibility crisis: Graham Platner received glowing media coverage before dramatic exit from Senate race