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Battle to replace late House Dem goes to overtime after daughter failed to clinch seat

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 04:00:58 -0400

Two Democratic candidates locked in a race to fill the seat left by the late Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., advanced to a runoff election on Tuesday evening after failing to capture 51% of the vote.

The winner of the election will add another Democratic seat in a narrowly divided House of Representatives where Republicans hold 218 seats and Democrats control 212. Adding even one more Democratic member puts increased pressure on Republicans to remain united on party-line legislation.

Marcye Scott, the daughter of the late David Scott, and Everton Blair, chair of the Gwinnett County School Board, will face off against each other in a runoff to represent the Peach State’s 13th Congressional District on Aug. 25.

DAUGHTER OF LATE HOUSE DEM FORCED INTO RUNOFF AFTER FALLING SHORT IN SPECIAL ELECTION

A third candidate, Caesar Gonzales, a Republican, did not advance, receiving only 8.7% of the vote.

Georgia’s 13th Congressional District House seat became open when David Scott, 80, died in office back in April. His office did not disclose a cause of death.

Shortly after his death, Marcye Scott announced her candidacy to fill his seat, pitching herself as the best candidate to continue her father’s legacy.

DEMOCRAT REP DAVID SCOTT DEAD AT 80

"That would be what I definitely want to do, to make sure that his voters, his constituents, do not miss out on what he was offering," Scott said.

Scott has made roads and infrastructure, public safety and transportation key priorities of her campaign, highlighting constituent outreach work she did for her father.

For his own part, Blair has pitched himself as a candidate looking to push back on President Donald Trump’s cuts to areas like the Department of Education.

"You can’t fix a system that’s being dismantled from the top. Right now, Donald Trump is getting rid of the Department of Education and cutting money from schools that already have the least. That doesn’t just hurt some office in Washington. It hurts the kid in the back of the classroom in this district," Blair said during a campaign visit.

On his website, Blair lists Medicare-for-all, increasing the minimum wage and raising teacher pay among his top priorities.

STATE OF PLAY: DEMS BATTLE FOR SHOT AT CRUCIAL ARIZONA HOUSE SEAT AMID GOP'S RAZOR-THIN MAJORITY

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Although the winner will have secured the seat in the special election, they must still win a general election in November to fill the seat for a full term.

David Scott last won re-election in 2024 in a 71.8% to 28.2% victory over his Republican challenger Jonathan Chavez.

French man discovers 5 dead babies hidden in boxes in his home after argument with wife: prosecutors

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 02:55:15 -0400

A man in France discovered remains believed to belong to five newborns hidden inside cardboard boxes in his home after his partner gave birth at home and was taken to a hospital, according to prosecutors.

He became distressed after he found out about her pregnancy at ⁠a very late stage, despite her repeated denials, and began searching their home, prosecutors said. The couple already had two children, ages eight and nine.

The woman, 32, who was not identified, was allegedly arguing with her husband over what was in the boxes at their home in the town of Orange on Monday after she gave birth at home to a baby boy the day before.

She started complaining about abdominal pain during the argument on Monday. She was taken to a hospital and her husband stayed behind and discovered the dead babies hidden in the boxes.

NEWBORN VANISHED AFTER SECRET BIRTH, PARENTS ALLEGEDLY CLAIMED BABY 'WAS A PRANK': COPS

The man, also 32, then notified authorities through the hospital where the woman was being treated for pain.

"The husband stayed behind when she was taken to the hospital, and looked inside the cardboard boxes they had been arguing over – that’s when he found the five dead babies," an investigating source said, according to the US Sun. "All the [fetuses] were decomposing, and had been around for quite a while."

Police searched the couple's home, and prosecutors opened a criminal investigation into suspected murder on Monday.

HEATED LINDSAY CLANCY COURTROOM EXCHANGE OVER 911 CALL, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS SETS STAGE FOR MOM’S MURDER TRIAL

A forensic pathologist estimated, based on initial findings, that the bones and decomposing remains belonged to five newborns.

Authorities said the remains included bones believed to belong to four newborns and the decomposing body of a fifth. Autopsies and further laboratory testing were ordered.

The man told ‌police ⁠he was unaware of his wife's possible pregnancies.

The public prosecutor's office urged child welfare services to assess the health of the couple's eight and nine-year old children. It also issued a provisional placement ⁠order for the newborn baby, pending referral of the case to a children's court judge.

The mother, who was still in the hospital on Tuesday, has not yet spoken to investigators.

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A post-mortem examination has been ordered on the decomposing remains, and the bones will undergo anthropological analysis in a laboratory, according to prosecutors.

The couple had no history of problems and were described by a neighbor as "charming people," according to French outlet AFP.

The neighbor, Florent Jean, told the outlet that the wife was a stay-at-home mother and the husband worked. Jean said the two were "normal people, really."

Reuters contributed to this report.

Kentucky governor calls on McConnell to prove he is fit to serve or resign: 'Address the people'

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 01:54:56 -0400

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, a Democrat, is demanding that Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., prove he is fit to continue serving in Congress after a lengthy hospital stay or resign from office.

In a letter to McConnell, the governor urged the 84-year-old senator to directly address the people of Kentucky about his ability to serve.

"I am calling on you to directly and verbally address the people of Kentucky and provide proof of your capacity to serve, or resign," Beshear wrote to McConnell.

MCCONNELL OUT OF HOSPITAL, STILL NOT 'MEDICALLY CLEARED' TO RETURN TO SENATE

Beshear made the demand after McConnell’s office announced on Monday that he had been discharged from the hospital but had not yet been medically cleared to leave the rehabilitation facility where he has been undergoing physical therapy and return to office.

The senator's office said he would miss a major Kentucky political event and upcoming Senate votes.

"I'm still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky, this Saturday ... As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon," McConnell said in a statement.

McConnell was hospitalized on June 14 and later revealed that it was due to a fall at his home.

'THIS IS NOT NORMAL': AOC UNLOADS ON MCCONNELL'S PROLONGED ABSENCE

"Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls. His bout with childhood polio continues to be a significant factor in his mobility. He is not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office," the Attending Physician's office said in a statement.

The physician’s statement focused on McConnell’s mobility, physical rehabilitation and risk of future falls and did not raise concerns about his cognitive condition.

Beshear first urged McConnell earlier this month to release more information about his health after weeks of no public comments.

The governor also sent a letter on Tuesday to Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., calling on him to investigate McConnell’s condition if the senator does not prove that he is capable of continuing his term.

"All of this speculation and even this letter could have been avoided with a minimal amount of transparency," Beshear wrote to Thune.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the offices of Beshear, McConnell and Thune.

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Since he was hospitalized last month, McConnell's office has issued major updates on July 12 and July 27, with each notice featuring a photograph.

This comes amid intensified public scrutiny of aging elected officials in recent years over mental gaffes and deaths in office.

The dispute comes amid heightened scrutiny of aging elected officials and transparency surrounding their health. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., died in office in 2023, while Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., died earlier this month. Former President Joe Biden ended his 2024 re-election campaign after concerns about his age and health became a dominant political issue.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Caitlin Clark erupts for 32 points as Fever hold off Storm to complete season-series sweep

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:30:39 -0400

The Seattle Storm had struggled at home entering Tuesday night, carrying a 4-10 record at Climate Pledge Arena into their third matchup of the season with the visiting Indiana Fever.

The Storm’s home-court woes continued Tuesday night as the Fever earned a 103-95 road win behind Caitlin Clark’s team-high 32 points. Natisha Hiedeman led all scorers with 33 for Seattle.

Clark's backcourt running mate Kelsey Mitchell also had a strong shooting night, going 9 for 18 from the field to record 28 points.

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Indiana raced out to a 17-point lead after the first quarter, but Seattle regrouped after halftime and cut the deficit to four entering the fourth.

But the Storm's rally largely stopped in the final period as Indiana improved to 18-10 on the season.

CAITLIN CLARK SHARES BLUNT SELF-ASSESSMENT OF PERFORMANCE IN EFFICIENT FEVER WIN OVER STORM

Fever star center Aliyah Boston exited early with an apparent knee injury after landing awkwardly.

Boston set a screen in the second quarter and rolled toward the basket before getting tangled with Flau’jae Johnson and falling down.

Boston landed hard on the court and quickly grabbed her right knee as officials called a foul on the play. She was helped off the floor and later ruled out after initially being listed as questionable to return.

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The Fever's West Coast trip continues Friday with a meeting against the Portland Fire.

Lindsay Clancy’s ex-husband details pill use as expert says evidence could shape murder trial

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 00:00:05 -0400

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

Prosecutors appeared to begin chipping away at the defense’s portrayal of Lindsay Clancy as overmedicated, walking jurors through nine prescription bottles that still contained many of the pills she had been given.

Patrick Clancy testified Monday that his ex-wife had been prescribed numerous psychiatric medications in the months before the deaths of their three young children. But under questioning from Assistant District Attorney Shanan Buckingham, he acknowledged that several prescriptions had been only partly used.

"So there were a lot of pills prescribed, but not a lot of pills taken. Correct?" Buckingham asked, holding up a bag of prescription medications.

LINDSAY CLANCY’S EX-HUSBAND DETAILS ‘BIG SPIRAL’ AS EXPERT SAYS ONE PART ‘SCARED ME’ IN MOM’S MURDER TRIAL

"Is that comprehensive?" Patrick responded. "Of all the pills that were prescribed?"

"These are the pills that you brought into the police station," Buckingham said. "So out of these."

"Out of those, yeah," Patrick said. "It’s possible that not a lot were taken."

Buckingham also sought to distinguish between the total number of medications prescribed over several months and how many Lindsay was prescribed at one time.

Patrick estimated that she was taking three or four medications at most. Buckingham then asked whether it would surprise him to learn that Lindsay was prescribed no more than three medications at any given time and usually two.

LINDSAY CLANCY’S HUSBAND COULD TESTIFY FOR HER AT TRIAL OVER DEATHS OF THEIR THREE CHILDREN

"It wouldn’t be terribly surprising, no," Patrick said.

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani said the questioning appeared designed to prevent the defense from controlling how jurors view the cocktail of medications that Lindsay Clancy was prescribed in the months before authorities say she strangled Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months, inside the family’s Duxbury home in January 2023.

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"An important part of being a good prosecutor is not just proving your case, but anticipating the defense’s arguments," Rahmani, president of West Coast Trial Lawyers, told Fox News Digital. "The prosecution wants to get out ahead of that potentially bad evidence by arguing that even though she was prescribed all these meds, she wasn't prescribed them at the same time. At most, she was prescribed two, three, maybe four medications at once and importantly, she wasn't taking them."

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HEATED LINDSAY CLANCY COURTROOM EXCHANGE OVER 911 CALL, CRIME SCENE PHOTOS SETS STAGE FOR MOM’S MURDER TRIAL

Rahmani said prosecutors appeared to be getting ahead of the defense’s claim that Lindsay’s changing prescriptions contributed to her alleged psychosis.

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"The last thing you want is the defense to gain control of the key piece of evidence," he said. "It can be O.J.’s glove or a bag of pills."

Rahmani said the next phase will likely focus on how long Lindsay took each medication, when she stopped taking it and how many drugs she was prescribed at once.

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"It’s not uncommon for psychiatrists to try different medications and stop them when they stop working," he said. "So how long was she on the Zoloft versus the Ativan versus the Seroquel? How many pills was she taking? I think the prosecution is gonna argue that Lindsay and her doctors were trying to get her better, and the fact that she wasn't on all these pills at once really shows that the defense is trying to mislead the jury."

The defense has argued that Lindsay was suffering from psychosis and was not criminally responsible when she strangled her three young children. Prosecutors, meanwhile, framed the mom of three as a calculated killer, saying that Clancy's children were "deliberately and meticulously killed."

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Buckingham alleged that Clancy deliberately sent Patrick from their Duxbury home to pick up medication and takeout food, giving herself enough time to strangle each child with an exercise band before attempting to kill herself.

During opening statements, defense attorney Kevin Reddington conceded that Clancy killed the children but argued that the only meaningful dispute is what was happening inside her mind.

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"She knows that she killed these children," Reddington told jurors. "The issue for consideration is what was going on in that woman’s mind."

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Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse at Massachusetts General Hospital, has pleaded not guilty to three counts each of murder and strangulation.

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Judge William Sullivan told jurors that the Commonwealth must prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Clancy was criminally responsible when the children were killed.

Bret Bielema roasts Nick Saban, SEC, at Big Ten media days: 'They want to live in 2005 forever'

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:00:26 -0400

Well if there's one thing we can be sure of with the 2026 college football season, it's that the budding rivalry between the Big Ten and SEC is only going to get more intense.

At SEC media days recently, several prominent figures spent lengthy press conferences telling anyone who would listen that the SEC deserves all 16 teams in the College Football Playoff. In fact, maybe they'd consider inducting an honorary 17th member if necessary, just to ensure a fair assessment of strength of schedule.

Lane Kiffin, Steve Sarkisian and Greg Sankey all were at the very top of their high horses, explaining that SEC teams are automatically superior, even if they lose more games and play poorly against bad teams, and that the College Football Playoff selection committee has not shown the conference the proper respect.

PERCEPTION IS REALITY, AND THE SEC NEEDS TO START WINNING AGAIN BEFORE IT CONTINUES TO PUFF OUT ITS CHEST

Lost in all these comments is the inconvenient truth that the SEC has not earned that respect by winning more games against other Power Four teams in the playoff than it has lost. But thankfully for them, Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema is here to remind them.

Bielema at Big Ten media days had some harsh words for the SEC and commissioner Sankey in his introductory comments, saying they're looking to "protect" the conference.

"(Greg) Sankey, I know he's gotta protect the SEC and they kinda wanna live in 2005 forever..."

ILLINOIS COACH BRET BIELEMA FIRES BACK AT NOTRE DAME AD OVER RECENT REMARKS: 'JUST JOIN A CONFERENCE'

"I think the forward thinking in college football is an awesome thing."

He said that two "components" have altered the sport dramatically, the transfer portal and NIL, which has leveled the playing field between schools. Though he did stop short of saying the SEC may have had some financial advantages over other conferences before the introduction of NIL.

"Basically the two biggest things, the biggest components are the transfer portal and revenue share, NIL, however you want to describe it — when those two elements came into college football, the whole world changed," he said.

He also brought up specific examples of players who came to Illinois because of NIL, players that would not have picked Champaign-Urbana if not for those opportunities.

"The last three years — the quarterback I have now, we would not have gotten in the world that existed five years ago. I know that," he added. "Neither would my left tackle, my left guard, my center, and my right tackle wouldn't be here playing for me. And you go around to every team, and the rosters have changed because of those two components: the transfer rule and revenue share. It's a different world. Anything beyond that is nonsense."

This wasn't Bielema's only, uh, brush with the SEC recently. Last week, he took a shot at Nick Saban over Saban's defense of his former conference.

On "Get Up ESPN," Saban turned his back on the arguments that the SEC has long made to define itself as the best conference in the sport, saying that winning championships isn't the most important outcome. A stark contrast from when the SEC was winning championships.

"Whoever wins the National Championship doesn't define who has the best conference," Saban said. "I think the best conference gets defined by how many good teams you have from top to bottom."

Well Bielema saw those comments and shared them with a picture of the 21-17 Illinois win over South Carolina in the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl and the 30-28 win over Tennessee in the Liberty Mutual Music City Bowl, adding, "I agree with you coach and appreciate you bringing this up……"

Ouch.

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There is something to be said for this argument, too, because the SEC's "depth" seems to be consistently overrated, at least in recent years' samples. Teams like Missouri, for example, did not win a single game over a team with a winning record in 2026. But because they play in the SEC, they were ranked at times throughout the regular season, including by the selection committee. Treated as part of the impressive "depth," despite literally never leaving the central time zone all season, not playing a road game until October 18, and giving themselves four free wins with their non-conference schedule.

Tennessee, too, did not beat a team with a winning record. That doesn't mean the Volunteers were bad, necessarily, but they are under the protection of their conference logo patch, which gives them additional depth points.

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What really matters is that the SEC is just 2-7 against other Power Four conferences in the College Football Playoff in the NIL era, while the Big Ten is 9-3. It's not just the championships, it's clear that the SEC has fallen behind in the NIL era. Just ask Bret Bielema, he'll happily remind you.

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu vows to visit New York despite Mamdani's repeated calls for his arrest

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:00:11 -0400

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made it clear that he has no plans to cancel his attendance at the United Nations General Assembly in New York in September despite Mayor Zohran Mamdani's repeated calls for his arrest if he were to visit the Big Apple.

"I'm going to New York," Netanyahu said during an interview with "Hannity" following his White House meeting with President Donald Trump Tuesday.

"I'm going to speak the truth in front of this hate-spewing elected official who's pitting one group of New Yorkers against the others. He's turning them against New York Jews."

NETANYAHU FIRES BACK AT NYC MAYOR MAMDANI'S VOW TO ENFORCE 'BOGUS ARREST WARRANT'

Mamdani has long criticized Netanyahu over alleged atrocities committed by Israeli forces in military campaigns in Gaza and Lebanon.

He recently called Netanyahu a "war criminal" and "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people." Tens of thousands of Gazans were killed in the war.

While Mamdani acknowledged that city officials lack the legal authority to arrest him under the International Criminal Court's (ICC) warrant, the mayor urged federal officials to do so.

MAMDANI GOES BACK ON CAMPAIGN PROMISE, SAYS NYC CAN'T ARREST NETANYAHU

Netanyahu, in turn, has accused Mamdani of fomenting hate and denounced his rhetoric, saying he is purposefully attempting to turn the people of New York against its Jewish population.

"What are we in the 1930s? What is this? So much hate, so many lies," Netanyahu told host Sean Hannity.

Meanwhile, Trump has criticized Israel’s continued strikes in the Middle East, specifically Lebanon, saying "too many people are being killed," and New York City's former Mayor Bill de Blasio joined Mamdani’s calls to arrest the Israeli leader.

TRUMP CONFIRMS ‘CRAZY’ NETANYAHU CLASH AS QUESTIONS MOUNT OVER PUSH TO HOLD FIRE ON HEZBOLLAH TERRORISTS

Netanyahu slammed the ICC as a "corrupt, evil organization" and questioned why it calls him a war criminal and not Hamas.

"They don't charge Hezbollah… Supposedly, they charged Hamas , but a guy who's already dead. So no, it's fake. It's one big fake," he told Fox News.

The Israeli leader warned the ICC, an "unelected bureaucracy," could classify President Trump, or even U.S. servicemembers as war criminals.

"They could say that the president of the United States is a war criminal, that American soldiers – valiantly fighting next to us, shoulder to shoulder, against the tyranny in Tehran – that they're war criminals."

Netanyahu also told "Hannity" about his meeting with President Trump, describing it as "one of the best meetings" he has ever had with the president.

"I always hate to disappoint our would-be critics who are trying to find cracks in our alliance. And what they find, like today, is a wall of granite," he said.

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"We don't want to see this fanatic regime in Tehran have nuclear weapons to threaten every American and to threaten the peace of the world, and to threaten the existence of Israel," he continued. "So we have a common goal, and it's gonna be achieved, either through diplomatic means or other means."

Netanyahu will appear on the next episode of "Hang Out with Sean Hannity," available this Thursday to watch on YouTube, Spotify and Apple.

Zelenskyy says Putin 'lost the initiative' as Ukraine's tech industry reshapes the war

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 23:00:11 -0400

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Fox News that Russian President Vladimir Putin lost the initiative in the war between the two countries in a Tuesday interview, arguing Ukraine's military technology has changed the battlefield dynamic.

Speaking to Fox News host Sean Hannity following the funeral of the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Zelenskyy reflected on Graham's support for Ukraine while discussing the state of the war and the prospects of peace negotiations.

"Since the beginning of the war, when Putin said that he will occupy us during two, three days, now we build a great mil-tech industry," Zelenskyy said. "We have 500 companies with very strong technologies."

'A NEW KIND OF WAR': INSIDE UKRAINE'S HIDDEN FACTORIES MASS-PRODUCING COMBAT DRONES

The Ukrainian president said the conflict has become an innovation race, with strategy constantly evolving as weapons like drones quickly become obsolete if not adapted.

"We understand that this war is changing each three, six months," he said. "We have to change technologies."

"We have to be quicker than Putin because Putin has more people… and we have to save our people and use more technologies than [their] people."

Ukraine has shown the ability to strike military targets deep inside Russia.

Hannity pointed to Ukrainian attacks beyond Moscow and strikes that temporarily disrupted the power grid in Russian-occupied Crimea. Zelenskyy said the increased reach of his country’s military capabilities has shifted momentum away from Moscow.

UKRAINE UNLEASHES MORE THAN 400 DRONES NEAR MOSCOW IN ONE OF WAR'S BIGGEST ATTACKS

"Putin is losing 30,000 soldiers per month," he said. "There's many losses, but he doesn't want to stop this war. So now initiative [is] not in the hands of Putin."

Zelenskyy said Kyiv continues to push for a ceasefire that could pave the way to a final resolution but that his counterpart isn’t interested in any form of dialogue, adding they last spoke in 2020.

"We are asking to stop this war each day... to negotiate [a] ceasefire for some period of time and give possibility for diplomats to negotiate," he said. "But Putin doesn't want. So this is the problem."

'A BIG EFFING DEAL': GRAHAM'S FINAL MISSION MOVES FORWARD AFTER HIS DEATH

Much of the interview also focused on Graham, whom Zelenskyy described as one of Ukraine's earliest and strongest supporters.

"A lot of things have been changed because of such people like Lindsey," he said. "We had such supporters of Ukraine from the very beginning, who really believed in Ukraine, that Putin can't occupy us, and he couldn't."

According to Zelenskyy, Graham visited Ukraine about 10 times during the war, including trips near the front lines.

"He knew everything about Ukraine," Zelenskyy said. "The situation on the battlefield, he knew the cities, even small villages."

Zelenskyy also praised The Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which advanced through the Senate in an 86–12 bipartisan vote and heads to the House. The legislation would impose sweeping sanctions on individuals and institutions supporting Russia's war against Ukraine.

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Earlier Tuesday, Zelenskyy met with President Donald Trump at the White House, where the leaders discussed expanding defense cooperation. Zelenskyy said Trump agreed to provide licenses allowing Ukraine to produce American-designed patriot missiles domestically.

Trump wrote on social media that the meeting "went very well."

BTK killer Dennis Rader's daughter Kerri Rawson hit with domestic violence injunction: report

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:39:46 -0400

Kerri Rawson, the daughter of notorious "BTK" serial killer Dennis Rader and a prominent victims' advocate, has been subject to a domestic violence injunction after her ex-husband claimed she repeatedly warned that he and their children were in danger of being murdered, according to court records first reported by the New York Post.

Rawson has become a bestselling author and advocate for victims of violent crime since her father's 2005 arrest, writing and speaking publicly about growing up as the daughter of one of America's most notorious serial killers.

A Florida judge granted the injunction after Darian Rawson filed a petition describing a series of incidents that allegedly left him fearing for his safety and the safety of the former couple's two teenage children.

The order temporarily awarded Darian Rawson full custody of the children and limited Kerri Rawson's contact with them to electronic communications. She was also prohibited from going near their home or school and from having contact with the family's pets.

MARCELLUS WILEY'S WIFE CLAIMS EX-NFL STAR THREATENED TO KILL HER BEFORE FOURTH OF JULY DOMESTIC BATTERY ARREST

The petition alleged that Kerri Rawson summoned her former husband to an Altamonte Springs police station on Jan. 5, 2025, where she allegedly told him she had psychic abilities that allowed her to determine their children were in immediate danger and would be murdered that morning.

The filing further alleged Kerri Rawson warned police that people were coming to harm the family before later calling 911 and reporting that shots had been fired, several active shooters were at an apartment complex and three people were dead. Officers who responded found the family safe, according to a police report cited by the Post.

NANCY GUTHRIE SEARCH SCENE DREW YOUTUBERS, ARRESTS AND BIZARRE ROADSIDE CLAIMS, DOCS SAY

Police later located Rawson at Orlando International Airport and transported her to a hospital, where she voluntarily admitted herself, the report said.

The injunction petition said she was later taken into custody under Florida's Baker Act, which allows authorities to temporarily detain a person for a mental health examination under certain circumstances.

An incident report obtained by the Post described Rawson as "an individual known to make inaccurate and fabricated statements about incidents that did not actually occur, due to mental health issues."

INVESTIGATORS REVISIT FLORIDA SERIAL KILLER CASE AS SEARCH RESUMES FOR POSSIBLE ADDITIONAL VICTIMS

The Post also reported that Darian Rawson later alleged Kerri Rawson violated the injunction by contacting him multiple times despite the no-contact order.

Dennis Rader murdered 10 people in the Wichita, Kansas, area between 1974 and 1991 while living what appeared to be a normal suburban life with his family. His nickname, BTK, stood for "bind, torture, kill." He pleaded guilty to the murders in 2005 and is serving 10 consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole.

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Rawson published the memoir "A Serial Killer's Daughter" in 2019 and has appeared in documentaries and television programs discussing her father's crimes and advocating for victims of violent crime.

A representative for Rawson did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Sophie Cunningham rally rocks WNBA game as 'save women's sports' activists face counterprotest

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:35:37 -0400

Fans of Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham held a rally outside of her game against the Seattle Storm on Tuesday.

The rally celebrated Cunningham recently taking a public stand in support of women's sports. Footage and photos show a crowd of supporters holding signs that read "Thank you Sophie," and her now-famous quotes "I said what I said," and "with love is truth," which originate from her statements sharing her stance on the issue.

"We proved to the world that women can gather publicly and support female athletes," activist Jean Chadbourne told Fox News Digital.

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

Fans were also seen taking photos with a life-size cutout of Cunningham.

Footage and photos obtained by Fox News Digital also showed multiple counterprotesters with LGBTQ flags and signs at the rally to express opposition.

"We outnumbered the TRAs 10 to 1 and a very positive vibe. Everyone wanted their picture taken with the giant Sophie poster," attendee Romy Mancini told Fox News Digital.

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM MANAGES TO ANGER BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT WITH A SIMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POST

The rally was organized by Washington-based podcast host Brandi Kruse, activist Amy E. Sousa and the activist group Women Are Real. The rally became the subject of contentious social media debate after its announcement days earlier.

Organizer Julie Lane told Fox News Digital that she and others who helped organize the event faced threats online for setting it up.

"Despite the online threats we showed up and had a great time. It's clear that the tide is turning. People are slowly coming around. I think Sophie really helped pushed this issue," Lane told Fox News Digital.

Cunningham sent shockwaves in the ongoing culture war over the WNBA and trans athletes in women's sports last Tuesday after revealing her stance on the issue to ESPN.

"I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I'm like, 'I never once said that,'" Cunningham said.

"I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think with that love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn't have to go against biological men."

Cunningham doubled down on her statement while speaking to reporters last Wednesday ahead of the Fever's win against the Connecticut Sun.

"I think I said what I said. I think it's kind of common sense," she said.

"I'll always believe in that. It's really important to protect children, and that's little girls who are also involved in that category... I'm not a very political person, but I do have beliefs. I have morals, and I'll always stand on those... I extend love, and I don't dislike anyone. I think there is room for absolutely everyone here."

Her activism on the issue has garnered praise from activists like Riley Gaines and Jennifer Sey, multiple GOP lawmakers and even the White House.

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt spoke out in support of Cunningham last during a briefing.

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"Men should not be playing in women's sports. It's completely ludicrous that anyone could support that," Leavitt told reporters.

"It's even more ludicrous that you do have Sophie Cunningham, a female athlete herself, very accomplished in her own right, coming forth and speaking that truth that men should(n't) play in women's sports. The backlash she is receiving from Democrats and left-wing figures across the country is astonishing. They are clearly very out of touch with the American public on this issue, which again, is an 80/20 issue. It's common sense."

Murdered 9-year-old begged not to go on trip with dad months before he allegedly killed her, mom testifies

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:35:04 -0400

The mother of 9-year-old Melina Frattolin testified Tuesday that her daughter did not want to travel overseas with her father months before prosecutors say he killed the girl during a summer trip to New York.

Kali Galanis told jurors in Essex County Court that her ex-partner, Luciano Frattolin, wanted to take Melina to his native Ethiopia for two weeks in January 2025. But Galanis said the trip never happened after her daughter objected.

"She didn't want to go," Galanis testified, adding that she also became increasingly uneasy about the proposed trip.

CHILD REUNITED WITH MOM AFTER TRANSGENDER DAD, PARTNER ALLEGEDLY KIDNAP ABROAD AMID GENDER SURGERY FEARS: FEDS

Galanis' testimony offered jurors a glimpse into the family's disagreements over Melina's travel arrangements and her growing concerns about Frattolin's travel plans with their daughter months before Melina's death.

Galanis said she had concerns about allowing Melina to travel internationally with Frattolin after the couple separated in 2019. She testified that her attorney warned her about cases in which estranged parents took children overseas and refused to return them.

Galanis testified that Frattolin later proposed extending the Ethiopia trip. She said conversations with Melina about the trip ultimately convinced her to cancel it.

MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PARTNER ARRESTED IN MEXICO NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER FLEEING WITH THEIR TWO CHILDREN

"I became uncomfortable," Galanis testified.

"I was not ok with that anymore," she said of the proposed trip.

Instead, Frattolin suggested taking Melina on a vacation through the northeastern United States, Galanis testified.

NEW HAMPSHIRE SUPREME COURT OVERTURNS ADAM MONTGOMERY'S MURDER CONVICTION IN DAUGHTER HARMONY'S DEATH

Authorities have said Frattolin and Melina traveled through Connecticut and New York before the child was scheduled to return home to Quebec.

Prosecutors allege that on the day Melina was scheduled to return home to Quebec, Frattolin falsely reported that she had been abducted by two men in a white van, prompting an Amber Alert. Investigators later determined there was no evidence she had been kidnapped, authorities said. Melina's body was later found partially submerged in shallow water near Eagle Lake in Ticonderoga.

Frattolin has pleaded not guilty to one count of second-degree murder and one count of concealment of a human corpse.

The trial also heard testimony Monday from New York State Police investigator Daniel Mauro, who said Frattolin remarked during questioning that "it would've been easier" to kill his daughter overseas, including in Italy or Ethiopia.

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Mauro testified the comment came after investigators asked Frattolin whether he had any reason to harm his daughter.

Frattolin's trial is continuing in Essex County Court.

Bodycam shows Tony Romo arguing with officer before refusing breath test during DUI arrest

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:33:35 -0400

Tony Romo questioned police during his July 23 operating while intoxicated arrest in Wisconsin, according to newly released police bodycam footage obtained by Fox News Digital.

The former Dallas Cowboys quarterback told the officer he was coming from a golf course and insisted he had consumed "zero" drinks before asking to call his attorney. When asked to step out of the vehicle, Romo responded, "Because I'm coming from a golf course, you think I'm drunk?"

Police detained Romo and transported him to a nearby station to conduct field sobriety tests. The arresting officer said she observed red, glassy eyes and smelled alcohol coming from Romo.

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After completing the tests, Romo refused to take a breath test, telling the officer, "I've heard from all the lawyers don't ever do that."

Romo was cited for first-offense operating while intoxicated and refusing to submit to a chemical test. Romo was released and is due in court on Sept. 21.

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CBS did not immediately responded to emails from Fox News Digital following initial news of Romo’s arrest.

Romo was stopped on an interstate following his round at the Wisconsin Amateur Golf Championship. He was set to appear at another golf tournament, the M&P Group Texas State Open, but he withdrew over the weekend.

Romo retired from football in 2017 and soon joined CBS as a color commentator.

He was the Cowboys' starter from 2006 to 2015, but an injury cost him his spot in 2016 to Dak Prescott. The Cowboys released him after the season, and he eventually hung up the cleats.

Romo threw for 34,183 yards, 248 touchdowns, and 117 interceptions, completing 65.3% of his passes.

TONY ROMO'S BRUTAL GOLF SCORE BEFORE GETTING ARRESTED PAINTS A NIGHTMARISH PICTURE

He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and finished tied for third in the MVP vote in 2014 behind Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt — he was tied with DeMarcio Murray.

Romo went 2-4 in the playoffs, famously dropping a snap for a potential game-winning field goal in his first against the Seattle Seahawks. Romo then picked up the ball and tried to run for a touchdown but was stopped short, giving Seattle the win.

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Since retiring, Romo and Jim Nantz have been the main tandem for CBS, calling three Super Bowls, including the Kansas City Chiefs' overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

Romo has yet to comment on his arrest.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik contributed to this report.

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Bryan Kohberger's stunning claims draw fiery response from defense expert who uncovered key evidence

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:43:06 -0400

FIRST ON FOX - A forensic expert formerly retained by Bryan Kohberger's defense is raising questions about hair evidence recovered from the off-campus home where four University of Idaho students were murdered, although an attorney for one victim’s family says the evidence does not exonerate the convicted killer.

Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to murdering Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022. He was sentenced to four consecutive life terms without parole and an additional 10 years for burglary.

Kohberger recently filed a petition for post-conviction relief seeking to undo his guilty pleas. He alleges he was coerced into accepting the plea agreement and that his attorneys failed to communicate potentially exculpatory evidence. The petition references hair evidence recovered during the investigation.

The hairs were found under where Chapin’s right hand was photographed in Kernodle’s bed, affixed to the frame by dried blood. It’s the side of the bed that was touching the wall.

IDAHO MURDERS: NEW BOOK ON KOHBERGER REVEALS PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN EVIDENCE, CLAIMS SHEATH COULD BE INADMISSIBLE

Shortly before sentencing, defense expert Brent Turvey examined the state’s evidence and saw that it was still present on the bed frame. There is a photo.

In terms of color, the hairs are a mix of light and dark brown.

By a rough estimate, there are more than two dozen visible strands. Although there are no measurements for reference in the photo, the strands appear to be between three and four inches.

KAYLEE GONCALVES' MOTHER SAYS FAMILY READY FOR TRIAL AFTER BRYAN KOHBERGER SEEKS TO WITHDRAW GUILTY PLEA

Turvey, a forensic scientist and senior partner at Forensic Solutions LLC who has testified at more than 70 trials, found the hair when he traveled to Moscow, Idaho, to review evidence in person.

"The FBI lab said Kohberger is excluded," Turvey told Fox News Digital. "This is not his hair."

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It remains unclear who the strands belonged to or whether all of them were tested. Fox News Digital has not independently reviewed the complete laboratory documentation underlying Turvey’s statement.

According to People, a DNA expert retained by Kohberger’s defense tested at least one hair sample found in Chapin’s hand and determined that it matched Chapin. It remains unclear whether that sample was the same hair evidence Turvey described.

The hairs were first publicly described in Christopher Whitcomb’s book "Broken Plea," which Kohberger referenced in a new New York Times interview. Kohberger also mentioned the hairs specifically in his petition for post-conviction relief.

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Turvey said Kohberger's latest filing raises broader questions that extend beyond the hair evidence, arguing the court should closely examine the former criminology student's allegations that he was coerced into pleading guilty and received ineffective legal representation.

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"Everybody involved needs to be put under oath, starting with Anne Taylor and her legal team," Turvey told Fox News Digital.

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"The court should want to know what evidence Bryan Kohberger has regarding these clear accusations of coercion and ineffective assistance."

Turvey said Kohberger's claims "need to be taken seriously and investigated by the court."

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"This will require Anne Taylor and her co-counsel to answer some very difficult questions," he said. "Not just why she attacked her own experts for revealing the possibility of the exculpatory material — but for failing to respond to another expert that is out there claiming he's guilty and that he knew it from the start."

Turvey has had a public rift with Kohberger’s former defense team. Taylor and two co-counsel previously accused him of violating a confidentiality agreement and said they were "appalled" by his public comments, while Turvey denied disclosing confidential information.

Fox News Digital reached out to Taylor for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Shanon Gray, an attorney representing the family of victim Kaylee Goncalves, disputed the significance of the evidence.

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"If he's talking about the hairs, that's not exculpatory evidence," Gray told Fox News Digital.

Gray noted the defense had long been aware of the evidence.

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"The defense had that evidence. And someone was gonna testify about it," Gray said. "The other glaring issue is that all that proves is that there could've been another person, not that he wasn't present."

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The FBI declined to comment when reached by Fox News Digital.

Kohberger has never responded to any letters or emails from Fox News Digital.

Iran inmates sew lips shut in mass hunger strike at notorious US-sanctioned jail: report

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 22:08:47 -0400

More than 1,000 inmates death-row inmates held in a unit of Iran’s Ghezel Hesar Prison have entered a third week of a mass hunger strike to protest regime executions, with some prisoners sewing their lips shut in protest, according to reports.

The escalating demonstration at the U.S.-sanctioned Ghezel Hesar Prison in Karaj near Tehran, also highlights growing international concern over the Islamic Republic's reliance on capital punishment, particularly for drug-related offenses.

According to the Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA), the hunger strike started on July 13, after six inmates were transferred to solitary confinement ahead of possible executions. Other Iranian human rights groups said the prisoners had been convicted of drug-related offenses.

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Reports also indicate that the striking prisoners have been chanting "No to Execution" and taking extreme measures, including sewing their lips shut.

One media outlet cited a video that appeared to show an inmate speaking to the camera and saying he was going to sew his lips shut because, six days into the hunger strike, no prison official had responded to the protest.

The Guardian reported that the video also appears to show an unseen prisoner using a needle and thread to stitch the man's lips shut.

In a statement released on July 27, the exiled Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI), reported that prisoners in Unit 2 of Ghezel Hesar Prison were in "deteriorating physical condition" because of the hunger strike.

"Although 15 days have passed since the start of this hunger strike, the henchmen of the regime’s judiciary have given no response to the striking prisoners. Despite the prisoners’ deteriorating physical condition and urgent need for medical attention, prison guards have taken no measures to care for them," the organization said.

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The NCRI also said the striking prisoners urged the public, human rights organizations and international bodies to take action to halt the executions.

This marks the second major demonstration at the facility in recent months.

A similar protest occurred at Ghezel Hesar Prison in October 2025, when more than 1,500 inmates staged a six-day hunger strike, according to reports.

That demonstration ended after senior judicial and prison officials made a visit to the facility and promised to temporarily halt executions and review cases.

However, human rights activists report those promises were never fulfilled, according to Ynet.

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The State Department had designated and sanctioned Ghezel Hesar Prison in 2024 for gross human rights violations and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment of prisoners.

"These heinous acts included multiple severe beatings of political prisoners engaged in a peaceful hunger strike to protest the increased wave of executions being carried out at the facility," then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken said at the time.

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According to Amnesty International, the Islamic Republic of Iran executed at least 2,159 people in 2025.

Iran’s total helped drive the number of executions recorded by Amnesty International to at least 2,707 across 17 countries — the highest figure the organization has recorded since 1981. The total excludes China, where execution data is classified as a state secret and Amnesty believes thousands of executions were carried out.

Two Florida inmates die in rare double execution after SCOTUS denies stays

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 14:50:42 -0400

Florida executed two convicted murderers Tuesday after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected their final appeals, marking the state’s first double execution since 1964.

The court denied two separate requests for stays in the planned executions.

Former police officer James Duckett, 68, had been scheduled to die at noon on Tuesday, but the execution was delayed awaiting results of the stay requests before the Supreme Court.

Duckett was executed by lethal injection and pronounced dead at 1:19 p.m., according to the Florida Department of Corrections.

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Duckett was convicted of raping and murdering an 11-year-old girl in 1987.

The Supreme Court also denied a separate stay for Dominick Occhicone, an 80-year-old who was convicted of murdering his ex-girlfriend’s parents in 1986.

The Florida Department of Corrections said Occhicone's execution, also by lethal injection, was carried out at 6:13 p.m. local time.

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Occhicone became the oldest inmate executed in Florida.

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Occhicone's execution marked the first time Florida executed two inmates in one day since 1964. It was just the second double execution in the U.S. this century and the first since Arkansas executed two inmates in 2017.

Florida executed 19 inmates in 2025, according to a Fox News Digital review of Florida Department of Corrections data. The 12 people the state has executed so far this year are more than double the next closest state, with Texas having executed four inmates this year, according to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Speaking Tuesday at the Florida Sheriffs Association Summer Conference, Gov. Ron DeSantis said his administration is on pace to carry out more executions than any other in Florida history.

"I think we'll probably end up having done more than any administration in the history of the state of Florida," DeSantis said.

The governor stressed he does not view the number as a point of pride.

"I'm not, like, taking pride in that because it's a weighty thing, but to me, as we move through those and bring justice, that makes a big difference for a lot of people out there who suffered really, really serious tragedies," he said.

New Maine law limits police cooperation with federal immigration officials

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:30:53 -0400

A new law in Maine will limit state and local law enforcement agencies' cooperation with federal immigration officials.

The law is set to take effect on Wednesday, along with other measures that seek to restrict the state's cooperation with civil immigration enforcement.

The "ICE Out of Policing" law restricts state and local law enforcement agencies, including jails, from assisting federal authorities with civil immigration enforcement.

Law enforcement agencies will be prohibited from reaching out to Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents for translation services if they encounter a person who does not speak English, and they generally may not provide personal information for civil immigration enforcement, although the law includes exceptions for criminal investigations and certain legally permitted information exchanges.

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The law also restricts local and state agencies from holding people for ICE based solely on civil immigration enforcement, and jails generally will be prohibited from notifying ICE about nonpublic inmate release dates or honoring civil detainer requests, subject to exceptions involving serious crimes, outstanding warrants, final removal orders and certain public-safety concerns.

Another law also taking effect on Wednesday generally prohibits employees at public schools, state colleges, public libraries, healthcare facilities and child-care facilities from voluntarily allowing immigration officers into nonpublic areas or granting access to protected records without a judicial warrant or other applicable legal authority.

A third law restricts landlords from disclosing tenants' personal information without consent, including information related to immigration status, while preserving exceptions for warrants, subpoenas, emergencies and certain legitimate housing or legal purposes.

The policing measure became law without Mills' signature in January. Mills signed the schools, libraries and healthcare measure in April, while the tenant-privacy measure became law without her signature later that month.

Several Maine cities, including Portland, Lewiston, Waterville and Rockland, have already adopted their own laws restricting local police from communicating with ICE and Border Patrol.

Local governments across the country have also sought to pass similar legislation.

The Maine State Police announced in December that it would begin following the policing restrictions before the law took effect. Some agencies continued contacting immigration officials, while Scott Stewart, president of the Maine Chiefs of Police Association, warned that limiting cooperation could expose Maine agencies to federal funding cuts or increased enforcement.

Immigrant rights advocates said the new laws will improve community trust in Maine officials to ensure public safety, regardless of immigration status.

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The ACLU of Maine, Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, Maine Immigrants’ Rights Coalition and civil legal aid provider Maine Equal Justice held a news conference on Tuesday about the new laws targeting ICE operations, according to the Portland Press Herald.

Sue Roche, executive director for the Immigrant Legal Advocacy Project, said she was aware of more than 50 incidents last year where state and local police contacted immigration officials, leading to arrests.

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"The vast majority of people who have been handed over to ICE or Border Patrol by Maine’s law enforcement were people in lawful immigration processes who had no criminal record," Roche said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for comment.

Bari Weiss poaches conservative NY Times columnist, others join '60 Minutes' in CBS program shakeup

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:30:41 -0400

CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss poached one of her former New York Times colleagues as part of the network's major shakeup of "60 Minutes" ahead of its 59th season.

Newly minted "60 Minutes" executive producer Nick Bilton announced to staff Tuesday that conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat will be joining the program as a correspondent.

"He makes controversial topics approachable and renders characters and points of view with richness and compassion. Ross will bring this big and ranging curiosity to our air," Bilton told staffers in the memo obtained by Fox News Digital.

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New York Times Opinion editor Kathleen Kingsbury addressed Douthat's departure from the paper after 17 years in a note to staff and thanked him "for arguing in good faith, for a year of doing it in a format that gave you nowhere to hide and for reminding all of us, on every side of every question, what a column is for. We are enormously grateful, and we will miss you."

A spokesperson for the Times declined to comment further.

CBS News veteran Norah O'Donnell will also join "60 Minutes" as a correspondent, according to the Bilton memo.

"Norah has contributed exceptional pieces to the show for more than a dozen years, including interviews with Pope Francis, President Trump, President Biden and Mohammed bin Salman," Bilton said of the former "CBS Evening News" anchor.

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Additionally, Bilton announced a slew of "60 Minutes" contributors, including journalist and documentary filmmaker Sebastian Junger, former Vice News correspondent Gianna Toboni, who was previously tapped by CBS News as a national correspondent, and former Sky News presenter Trevor Phillips, whom CBS News recently hired as its senior global affairs correspondent.

"We couldn’t be more excited about this news. Please join us in welcoming these new colleagues," Weiss and CBS News President Tom Cibrowski told network staff.

BARI WEISS ADDRESSES SCOTT PELLEY FIRING IN CBS NEWS STAFF CALL, SAYS IT'S THE ‘PATH THAT HE CHOSE’

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The announcement comes after a slew of firings from "60 Minutes," including its executive producer, Tanya Simon, as well as correspondents Sharyn Alfonsi, Cecilia Vega and Scott Pelley, fueling tensions within CBS News and sparking backlash from liberal critics. Veteran correspondents Lesley Stahl, Bill Whitaker and Jon Wertheim remain with the program while Anderson Cooper announced his exit earlier this year.

GOP governor survives challenge from Bitcoin evangelist in gubernatorial runoff

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:19:08 -0400

South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden fended off a primary challenge from businessman and Bitcoin evangelist Toby Doeden on Tuesday, winning the first gubernatorial primary runoff in state history and advancing to the November general election.

The Associated Press called the race for Rhoden within minutes of final polls closing. He had received 70.5% of the vote compared with Doeden’s 29.5% at the time it was called, with approximately 25% of the expected vote counted.

The election marked the first time South Dakota voters were asked to settle a gubernatorial nomination through a primary runoff. State law requires a runoff between the two leading candidates when no contender for governor, U.S. Senate or U.S. House receives at least 35% of the primary vote.

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The head-to-head contest followed a four-way June primary in which Doeden finished first with 30.6% of the vote and Rhoden placed second with 25.2%, leaving both short of the 35% needed to secure the nomination outright. Rhoden became governor in early 2025 after Kristi Noem left to join the Trump administration, while Doeden entered the race as a businessman and political newcomer.

Doeden also built a public profile as a Bitcoin evangelist. He said he began investing "very, very heavily" in the cryptocurrency around 2020 after devoting roughly 500 hours to researching it, eventually converting nearly all the cash reserves from his companies that he did not expect to need into Bitcoin.

"I will buy bitcoin forever, every single day," Doeden previously said on his podcast, according to the South Dakota Searchlight. "We mine bitcoin, we buy bitcoin."

Doeden also supported legislation that would have allowed the South Dakota Investment Council, which manages public employee pension funds and other state investments, to invest in Bitcoin. He went further by calling for South Dakota to establish a state Bitcoin reserve – a move state investment and budget officials opposed.

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Tuesday’s winner advances to face former Democratic state Sen. Dan Ahlers in November. South Dakota has not had a Democratic governor since Harvey Wollman left office in 1979, and no Democrat has been elected to the office there since Richard Kneip won re-election in 1974. Wollman became governor automatically as lieutenant governor when Kneip resigned.

In the run-up to Tuesday's primary runoff, property taxes were among the defining issues of the campaign. Doeden campaigned on eliminating property taxes, while Rhoden’s campaign portrayed Doeden’s proposal as fiscally reckless, arguing it could leave local governments and schools with a major funding shortfall.

Meanwhile, Rhoden's campaign highlighted other tax relief measures that the governor signed back in March, which Rhoden's campaign website describes as the "largest" property tax cut in the state's history.

During the race, Doeden portrayed Rhoden as part of South Dakota’s entrenched political class, declaring after the June primary that "the career politicians told me" an outsider could not break through against three longtime officeholders.

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Rhoden pushed back on the attack, saying Doeden was trying to "make hay" out of calling him a career politician and describing that characterization as "such a warped viewpoint," during an interview with the South Dakota Public Broadcasting network. Rhoden argued that his years in the Legislature gave him practical experience writing laws and then returning home to live under them.

President Donald Trump did not publicly weigh in with an endorsement in the runoff, according to a review by Fox News Digital. Trump thanked Rhoden by name during his July 3 remarks at Mount Rushmore but did not mention the governor’s race. Doeden, meanwhile, campaigned as a "fierce Trump supporter" who said he would help implement the president’s "America First agenda."

Aaron Rodgers doubles down on retirement plans at Steelers training camp: 'This is it'

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:17:44 -0400

If you didn't believe Aaron Rodgers when he first said this would be his final season, maybe now it will sink in.

Rodgers, who re-signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason and said that his 22nd NFL season will be his last, reiterated his desire to retire at training camp on Monday.

"This is it," the 42-year-old told media members at a press conference.

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The thought of retirement has hovered around Rodgers for quite some time now, including this offseason, when the Steelers, and the rest of the NFL, for that matter, waited patiently to see if this was indeed the end of his career.

The Steelers, meanwhile, hired Mike McCarthy as their next head coach after parting ways with longtime sideline leader Mike Tomlin. McCarthy and Rodgers have the obvious rapport of winning together as Green Bay Packers. They spent 15 seasons at Lambeau Field.

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Rodgers admitted McCarthy’s hiring was a key part of him wanting to ride out one more season into the sunset.

"I thought last year might be it and then Mike got hired, and then talked to the wife and she said, ‘You can do one more year. See if it works out.’ And then it kinda all came together," he said.

When one reporter brought up that Rodgers' top receiver, DK Metcalf, had said players often claim it's their last season only to return, Rodgers doubled down.

"No, zero debate," he responded.

Rodgers said the same thing in May during a press conference after signing his one-year pact with the Steelers, which he joined after a lowly tenure with the New York Jets.

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In his first season with the Steelers in 2025, Rodgers went 10-6, throwing for 3,322 yards with a 65.7% completion rate and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions.

The Steelers also bolstered its offense this season, adding veteran wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. in a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. They also signed Rico Dowdle to work with Jaylen Warren in the backfield after Kenneth Gainwell, who Rodgers loved to dump the ball to, landed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this offseason.

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Sarah Michelle Gellar embraces Euro summer in the South of France with stunning bikini photos

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:16:30 -0400

Sarah Michelle Gellar is joining the long list of celebrities embracing a "Euro summer."

The 49-year-old actress shared a collection of photos from her getaway in the South of France, where she spent time on the water, explored the Calanques near Cassis and made a stop at Circuit Paul Ricard, the famed motorsports track in Le Castellet.

"Calanques, Cassis and @circuitpaulricard," Gellar captioned the Instagram post.

SHAKIRA SOAKS UP THE MIAMI SUN AS BIKINI-CLAD NINA DOBREV, KIM KARDASHIAN SHOWCASE SUMMER GETAWAYS

The "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" star opened the vacation album in a black bikini decorated with white floral detailing and a coordinating swim skirt.

Gellar posed aboard a boat with the bright blue Mediterranean behind her, resting against the vessel while wearing black cat-eye sunglasses. She completed the waterside look with layered necklaces and bracelets as a rocky, tree-lined coastline filled the background.

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A second photo offered a closer glimpse of the actress relaxing under the French sun.

Gellar snapped a selfie from the boat while wearing a deep brown halter bikini top featuring gathered fabric and bow details. Her blonde hair was pulled back, and she appeared to go makeup-light as she smiled toward the camera with the turquoise water stretching behind her.

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She later covered up in an all-white eyelet set while posing on the deck.

The airy outfit included a short-sleeved blouse with scalloped edges and matching shorts, which Gellar paired with dark sunglasses and a woven tote bag. She stood with one leg bent as sailboats dotted the water behind her.

Another image captured the actress climbing back aboard after taking a swim.

Gellar didn't just admire the water from the boat. The actress later took a dip in the Mediterranean before climbing back aboard, accessorizing the swim look with a delicate necklace and stacked bracelets.

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Fans and famous friends praised the sunny vacation photos in the comments.

"Beautiful," Candace Cameron Bure wrote.

The trip comes months after Gellar reflected on beauty, aging and the pressure of being compared with her younger self during a January appearance on the "Gloss Angeles" podcast.

"I am constantly compared to my younger self because it’s so easy to pull up a picture from my 20s or my 30s and, you know, how has she changed?" Gellar said. "And in some ways, it, I think, puts a little bit of extra added pressure. And in other ways, it also reminds me I don’t want to be that person anymore. Like I like who I am now. And that’s okay."

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The "Cruel Intentions" actress acknowledged that growing older in the public eye can be difficult, particularly as cosmetic procedures and filtered images become increasingly common.

"I’m not gonna lie and say there’s no Botox in my face, but I can still move my face," she said. "So it’s definitely a hard walk."

Gellar added that she has questioned whether she should pursue more cosmetic work, but ultimately decided it would not feel authentic to her.

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"There are times where I’m like, ‘should I be doing this?’" she said. "But then I’m like, but that’s not who I am."

The actress also spoke about the confidence she has gained with age.

"It’s just that there’s a confidence that you get later that you just — there’s no way to replicate it for a younger person because it just comes with living," she explained. "And, you know, it gets better."

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Ex-Newsom mistress exposes wild affair step by step, reveals Kamala Harris advice to stay quiet

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:00:23 -0400

Ruby Rippey, the woman whose affair with then-Mayor Gavin Newsom sparked a 2007 California political scandal, detailed the encounter step-by-step in a piece published Tuesday in Vanity Fair, while revealing the role former Vice President Kamala Harris played in advising her afterward.

Rippey, who was married to Newsom's campaign manager at the time, Alex Tourk, and who served as the mayor's appointments secretary, disclosed that Harris, who, at the time was the San Francisco District Attorney, privately advised Rippey to "pause" and refrain from public comment or taking a book deal as the scandal broke.

"She listens, then says simply: ‘I wouldn’t say anything right now, Ruby. Just pause. More time will give you better perspective,’" Rippey claims Harris told her after the affair became public.

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The essay chronicles Rippey's battle with alcoholism, the eventual breakdown in her marriage and her journey to sobriety, while questioning how Newsom's team framed the affair in his memoir.

Rippey notes that Newsom’s book wrongly claims he was the one who "came clean" to her husband, a detail she says gives him credit for a confession she had already made. When she asked a Newsom advisor if the governor "tells the truth" in the book, he responded, "Well, we all remember things differently, don’t we, Ruby?"

Rippey described beginning the affair while working at City Hall, detailing encounters that included sitting in a hot tub together, spending nights in hotel rooms, and visiting his Russian Hill penthouse.

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"The next clear memory is getting into the back of my boss’s chauffeured town car, heading to The Carneros Inn," Rippey wrote, later adding, "I stretch my legs across the center console and let my heels fall off. He is in the front seat. He takes one of my feet and begins to massage it, the gesture half-hidden inside the loud car."

Rippey described waking up beside Newsom the next morning, noting that while the encounters continued for months, they were fueled by addiction and status: "We meet and we drink. There is sex, but it isn’t the point. The point is proximity — to power, to being chosen, to feeling newly visible — no longer muted by pregnancy, by new motherhood, by the strain of white-knuckling long stretches of sobriety."

One comment she claims Newsom made came after the birth of her first child, when they met at a Mexican restaurant. He told her, "Hey — you look really good ... You’ve lost all your pregnancy weight."

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Rippey notes that while she entered into the affair willingly, years later she realized the power imbalance may have played a role in the ordeal, adding that "power does not need to coerce. It only needs to exist."

After she decided to come clean to her husband in an email while he was still working for Newsom, Tourk confronted the mayor and immediately resigned. The affair erupted publicly shortly after, prompting Newsom to admit to the affair during a 2007 news conference and subsequently announce he would seek treatment for alcohol abuse.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom’s team and Harris' team for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Ex-NFL star rips Ryan Clark for turning emotional ESPN exit into a grab for clicks: 'That's his thing'

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 21:00:16 -0400

Ryan Clark wants you to believe he is a victim.

Clark — the former NFL safety — wants you to think ESPN executives set him up and threw him out on the street under the guise of mass layoffs. He even fired up the podcast cameras to cry on cue for the internet.

But former NFL running back LeSean McCoy is calling out the waterworks for exactly what they are.

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McCoy took one look at Clark's emotional display and immediately dropped the hammer on his fellow broadcaster.

"I can't tell you how he should vent and show his emotion," McCoy said on his Speakeasy podcast.

"So, I mean, I probably wouldn't do this right here, but I mean, this is part of his lane. He's into, what's the word, clicks, likes, you know, that's his thing."

McCoy wasn't buying it.

"I knew it was going to be something. I knew he was going to monetize this whole thing," McCoy added.

"That's what he did. Instead of just getting fired like everybody else, you know what? 'We're going to make some of this thing. We're going to get some clicks. We're going to have a million views on this joint.'"

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McCoy hit the nail directly on the head. We have seen this playbook from Clark before.

Once the cameras are on, Clark knows exactly what sells. Race-baiting narratives and professional victimhood have become staples of his brand.

Clark went on his podcast and accused ESPN of portraying him as the "angry Black man" after a producer tried to cool down a spat with Peter Schrager.

McCoy had no interest in validating Clark's latest grievance tour.

"There are certain dudes when they say different things, I watch them, 'Oh yeah, he's a social media guy, he does his stuff for attention,'" McCoy noted.

"I truly think that he's one of them. So, my thing is, I just don't know how real this is."

McCoy pointed out that both men know getting cut comes with the territory. The difference is Clark spent years stepping into controversy, from race-baiting segments to public feuds and on-air outbursts that repeatedly put him in the headlines.

Eventually, ESPN decided it had seen enough.

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"Being fired from a job is one thing, but when you get cut, and in football, you understand that route," McCoy said.

"So, I don't feel bad with the tears and all that."

Clark has spent years perfecting his brand of clickbait outrage.

Now that he is on the outside looking in, he is simply doing what he does best... creating content.

Shady McCoy saw right through the act, and frankly, so did everyone else.

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Daughter of late House Dem forced into runoff after falling short in special election

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:51:31 -0400

Marcye Scott, the daughter of late Rep. David Scott, D-Ga., and former Gwinnett County school board chair Everton Blair advanced Tuesday to an Aug. 25 runoff in the special election to serve the remainder of the late Congressman Scott's term before the winner of November’s regular election takes office for a full-term beginning in January.

Neither candidate captured the 50% majority needed to win the seat outright, according to the Associated Press, which called the race around a quarter to 9 o'clock East Coast time. Scott had received 47.5% of the vote and Blair had received 36.1% when the race was called around 8:45 p.m. eastern, with 85% of the expected vote counted. Republican Caesar Gonzales was far behind in third with just 8.5%.

The runoff will determine who serves the final weeks of the late-Congressman's term in the heavily Democratic metro Atlanta 13th Congressional District following his death in April at age 80. It will not determine who represents the district for the next full two-year term beginning in January; voters held a separate primary for that term in May, with the general election set for Nov. 3.

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Democratic state Rep. Jasmine Clark won the regularly scheduled May primary for the full term with roughly 56% of the vote and will face Republican Jonathan Chavez in November. Blair, the only special-election candidate who also competed in that regular May primary, finished third with approximately 12%.

Regardless of party affiliation, all candidates appeared together on one special-election ballot Tuesday. Georgia law allows a candidate who receives more than 50% to win outright, but sends the two leading candidates to a runoff when no one reaches that mark. Six names appeared on the ballot, although Democrat Tony Brown was disqualified after the check he submitted for the $5,220 qualifying fee bounced, according to the Georgia Secretary of State’s Office, which indicated votes cast for Brown would not count.

The remaining field included Scott, Blair Gonzales, Attorney Carlos Moore and Republican candidate Fayth Park.

Scott announced during her father’s early-May funeral in Atlanta that she planned to run in the special election to complete his term. Scott has cast herself as the candidate best positioned to complete her father’s unfinished work, particularly his outstanding federal funding requests, with her campaign noting how she worked alongside her father for more than two decades, playing an active role in his campaign operations, fundraising, constituent outreach and community engagement.

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"Right after my dad passed, a lot of the City Council or the commissioners and chair people, they wanted to know what was going to happen with these projects," Scott said following her father's death, according the Atlanta-Journal Constitution. "And that’s really why I’m running: to complete that."

Her runoff opponent, Blair, was elected to the Gwinnett County Board of Education in 2018 and was elected board chairman a few years later in 2021.

According to Blair's campaign website, the former high school math teacher earned a bachelor’s degree in applied mathematics and a doctorate in education leadership from Harvard University, as well as a master’s degree in policy, organization and leadership from Stanford University. Blair’s campaign has highlighted that education-policy background and his prior elected service on the Gwinnett County school board.

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The winner of the August runoff will add another Democratic vote to a narrowly divided House. Republicans officially hold 218 seats, compared with 212 Democrats and four vacancies, while independent Rep. Kevin Kiley of California continues to caucus with Republicans despite defecting from the GOP earlier this year. Once the Georgia winner is sworn in, Democrats would hold 213 seats, compared with a 219-member Republican-aligned bloc.

The 13th District includes portions of Clayton, DeKalb, Gwinnett, Henry and Newton counties, along with all of Rockdale County. David Scott carried the district with approximately 72% of the vote in 2024. In the presidential race that same year, then-Vice President Kamala Harris received roughly 71% of the district’s vote, compared with about 28% for President Donald Trump.

Ole Miss files lawsuits against college football players who left for Lane Kiffin's LSU

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:48:52 -0400

If you were wondering if the Ole Miss versus LSU game that is set to take place this season could get any spicier, look no further than a Mississippi courtroom for the latest fireworks.

There have been conversations leading up to Tuesdays’ court filing as to whether the Rebels athletic department would take the legal route against Devin Harper and Prince Umanmielen over contract disputes dating back to when the two players left for LSU, totaling $950,000 between the two.

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On Tuesday, we got the answer as to whether it was worth it to the Rebels administration to take their arguments to court. In two different lawsuits filed this week, the school is suing both players in civil court over what the school is calling 'breach of contract'.

After Ole Miss tried to settle this ongoing dispute tied to what should be considered a 'buyout fee' of their contracts, the school felt as though they had no other choice but to take this to a judge.

"The University of Mississippi values its student-athletes and is committed to honoring all obligations made to them. In return, the university expects that same commitment from its student-athletes and their representatives in upholding their contracts," Ole Miss said in a statement after filing suit.

"Before transferring to another institution, student-athletes Devin Harper and Princewill Umanmielen signed revenue sharing agreements that included a provision requiring them to compensate the university with a predetermined amount if they departed before fulfilling their commitment. The University of Mississippi has a responsibility to enforce its contractual terms, and this position is consistent with the actions of other institutions in the current landscape of college athletics."

How did this financial disagreement start? Well..Lane Kiffin, obviously

After participating with the Rebels in their College Football Playoff run that ended at the Fiesta Bowl, in a loss to Miami, the players entered the transfer portal and ended up enrolling at LSU to play under former Ole Miss head coach Lane Kiffin.

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In a lot of these cases involving athletes owing a buyout to their previous school, the new team would pick up the tab for the buyout agreement. In some instances, the players will pay the buyout, which can be spread out or negotiated to a reasonable amount.

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But, not in this matter, with Ole Miss alleging that they reached out to LSU on numerous occasions regarding the financial stipulations of the two player's departure from Oxford.

According to court records, Ole Miss claims that LSU denied their request for payment by noting they were not obligated to pay the fees associated with the players. In reality, they aren't. It's on the athletes to take care of these buyouts, or their agents to handle the situation if they feel as though it's worth avoiding a court proceeding.

The Rebels claim that they reached out to LSU in March, but that the school essentially told them to deal with the athletes. According to multiple sources, Ole Miss officials tried to handle this situation without having to file lawsuits against the former players.

In the cases revolving around former assistant coaches at Ole Miss who left with Lane Kiffin to LSU, the Rebels did receive buyouts for a number of those ended up in Baton Rouge, including OC Charlie Weis Jr.

Does this type of situation with former players happen often? Sure

But, dealing with players compared to coaches is a whole different game, especially when you include the revenue-share and NIL agreements that the athletes sign.

There are examples of this sort of thing across college athletics, where players try to avoid paying a buyout that pertains to their previous school.

Sometimes, they just ignore it. And sometimes, the school decides it wants to send a message, just like when Cincinnati sued former quarterback Brendan Sorsby after he left for Texas Tech.

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Just when you thought the showdown on Sept. 19 in Oxford couldn’t get any hotter, Ole Miss decided that it would throw some pepper on the grill and get this thing burning out of control.

In this case, it's hard to blame the Rebels for wanting to get paid. Now, we wait to see what two different judges in Mississippi think about it.

Charlie Kirk murder case as 'straight-forward' as it gets, prosecutors argue as case nears trial decision

Tue, 28 Jul 2026 20:38:15 -0400

Utah prosecutors are turning up the heat on Tyler Robinson, the man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk, arguing that the evidence against him easily meets the standard required to send the case to trial.

Following the five-day preliminary hearing earlier this month, prosecutors on Tuesday filed the first of three written briefs ordered by Judge Tony Graf, urging him to send Robinson's case to trial and arguing the evidence overwhelmingly establishes probable cause on every charge.

"This is likely as straight-forward a bindover decision as this Court will ever see," prosecutors wrote. "After admitting to several friends, including his roommate and romantic partner, that he assassinated Charlie Kirk at Utah Valley University (UVU) on September 10, 2025, in front of approximately 3000 eyewitnesses, Defendant surrendered to law enforcement for that crime."

The filing argues Robinson's alleged admissions are only part of the case.

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"These admissions, along with others, establish probable cause to support most of the elements of the charges," prosecutors wrote.

"DNA testing, surveillance video, and eyewitness testimony buttress those elements and demonstrate probable cause to support the remaining elements. The Court should bind Defendant for trial over on all counts," they continued.

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According to the filing, Robinson allegedly confessed to former roommate and romantic partner Lance Twiggs, writing, "I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk, and I took it."

Prosecutors say Robinson also admitted planning the assassination for "a bit over a week," discussed trying to retrieve the rifle after the shooting and later wrote, "I'm going to turn myself in willingly."

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The 28-page memorandum repeatedly points to evidence introduced during the preliminary hearing, including surveillance video investigators say tracked Robinson across Utah Valley University before and after the shooting, DNA recovered from the suspected murder weapon, a fired cartridge casing, a towel and screwdriver, and eyewitness testimony placing the alleged gunman on the rooftop overlooking Kirk's event.

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Prosecutors argue the evidence leaves little doubt that Robinson should be bound over for trial on all seven counts.

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Prosecutors also argue Robinson planned the assassination for more than a week, intentionally targeted Kirk and knowingly endangered numerous bystanders by firing a high-powered rifle into a crowd gathered to hear the conservative activist speak. Prosecutors argue the evidence easily clears Utah’s probable-cause standard at this stage of the case.

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Judge Graf requested written arguments after concluding the five-day preliminary hearing earlier this month rather than immediately making a ruling.

The defense is expected to file its written opposition in the coming weeks, followed by a final response from prosecutors before oral arguments are scheduled for Sept. 1.

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Robinson, 23, has not yet entered a plea. He faces aggravated murder and six additional felony and misdemeanor charges stemming from Kirk’s killing.

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If Judge Graf finds probable cause, Robinson will be bound over for trial. Prosecutors are seeking the death penalty on the aggravated murder charge.

Fox News' Lee Ross and Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.