Latest & Breaking News | Fox News

Popular golf influencer reveals wild story of fan who got her autograph tattooed on his arm

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:55:31 -0400

As I sit down to pump out this edition of Friday Screencaps with Canadian wildfire smoke hovering overhead at levels that will remind you of a VFW in the 1980s before smoking bans, I'm left wondering just how far fans are willing to go to show celebrities that they're maniacs.

Take the story that Paige Spiranac told in her latest YouTube video where she plays nine holes with golf influencer Sara Winter, who once represented Canada at Miss Universe. "I've had people get tattoos of my name before," Paigeviews revealed. "I was at an event and this guy comes up to me and he goes, 'Uh, just sign my arm. I'm going to go get it tattooed right now.' I'm like, 'No, you're not.' And I'm like, you're just going to you're it's going to be on you forever for the rest of your life. And he I signed my name on the inner of his arm."

An hour later, the guy returned with Paige's autograph tatted to his arm.

LIV MORGAN BROUGHT HER WWE TITLE BELT WITH HER TO THE ESPYS & SOMEHOW EVERYONE IS TALKING ABOUT IS HER OUTFIT

True story: Years ago, there was a guy who was known online for getting brand logos tattooed on his head. I believe his name was Billy Gibby. He wanted to get a tattoo of the logo for the website I founded, Busted Coverage, on his head. Billy was famous for selling space on his body as a billboard.

This was during my crazier days on the Internet. Pre-kids. When I say the Internet was the Wild Wild West, I mean it. Those of you who are in your 50s clearly remember it was nuts. Not dudes wearing molded fake breasts and stuff like that, but guys willing to tat logos on their heads for money. And Internet sites willing to pull crazy stunts.

I can't remember what Billy was charging, but it was something ridiculously low like $50-$75.

At the time, I wasn't married, but, thankfully, Mrs. Screencaps was in my life. She said I could never live with myself if that logo was on that guy's head. I told Billy I had to pass.

And she was right. Now, all these years later, I can rest easy knowing that guy doesn't have a prison tat on his head because of me.

As for Paige, it's just an autograph. No biggie.

📩 Email: joe.kinsey@outkick.com Send photos, stories, tips, rants—whatever you've got.

📰 Screencaps Page: 👉 Read the latest Screencaps

▶️ YouTube: Screencaps with Joe Kinsey Subscribe for videos, rants, and behind-the-scenes.

🐦 Twitter/X: @JoeKinseyexp Tag me or drop a DM.

📸 Instagram: @OutKickScreencaps You guys need to start tagging me on content you're seeing.

📘 Facebook Page: Screencaps on Facebook

👥 Facebook Group: Join the Screencaps Community

📬 Mail (Thursday Night Mowing League): 27072 Carronade Dr, Unit A 155 Perrysburg, OH 43551

🗞️ Newsletter: 👉 Subscribe here

– Lee in Tampa provides the latest example: Watch the "terrifying" ABC World News Today video of the Blue Angels with a low pass over beachgoers in Pensacola and then watch the Twitter video of the ABC Pensacola affiliate's report. It's like two completely different events.

ABC report is dour and foreboding. The local affiliate was uplifting and fun.

Then watch the third video below. You can see how much the people enjoyed the low flyover.

ABC is anti-Navy. LOL

https://www.tiktok.com/@emeraldcoastkayakfishing/video/7662904823569845518

Kinsey: The key here is to watch the first two videos, especially where the local news reporter interviews people on the beach. But, first, watch how ABC News portrays the event. Watch what they do to the video of the people being interviewed. Simply disgusting.

– Justin in Sherwood Park, Alberta is back to provide more analysis on his home country: Where to start on the wildfires up here… as you may have noticed, Canada has a bit of boreal forest, so you’d think that we’d have policies in place to mitigate the risk of fires. You’d be wrong, of course, because we stopped doing preventative measures like controlled burns & clearing away of underbrush because (1) the federal government didn’t want tourists to look at controlled burn sites & think Canada was ugly & (2) they cut the budget for fire prevention. Here are some more tidbits:

· During the Jasper fire of 2024, it was found that the federal government (it’s a national park, so they have authority, not the province of Alberta) installed fire hydrants that had a different thread pattern than normal, so when the fire department went to hook up their standard hoses to the hydrants, they wouldn’t fit.

· Bombardier, a Canadian company, produces the CL215/415, the world’s leading water bomber. This airplane has proven to be very effective in suppressing forest fires, & the vast majority of us agree that we should have tons of these things at the ready for fire season. However, the federal & provincial governments would rather send $Billions to Ukraine & other countries for no apparent reason than to do something to stop fires in their own country.

· Finally, there’s the reason behind all these fires. Yes, doubtless that many are sparked by lightning or other naturally occurring things, but a fair number of arsonists have been arrested over the past few years for deliberately starting them. In fact, if you look at some maps that show where a number of fires started, you’ll notice that they’re all really close to logging roads – not in the middle of nowhere. That suggests that someone or something is wanting these fires to happen…

· Why, do you ask, would that be? Well, it’s easier to advance your policies of carbon tax pricing & environmental laws when you can point to a bunch of smoke in the air & say "see, this is why we need to fight climate change! Our world is burning!". This same thing is happening in California, with Newsom trying to blame everyone other than himself.

– Jack V. says: Lot of the wildfires in Canada are due to the vast amounts of standing dead timber caused by beetle kill. Lot of debate about the cause of the beetle explosion (lack of moisture, decades of not allowing fires, etc..). Still lots of dead wood to burn so buckle up for a few more years.

– Travel Ball Hardo Chris B. in Houston chimes in: I don't know anything about your wildfire smoke other than it ain't good for ya. We get the Saharan dust, but at least it doesn't smell and makes sunsets pretty. Consider spending a few extra bucks and buying some better than usual air filters for your house.

– Brad in Cleveland shares just how bad it is out there: We're getting inundated by the smoke here in Cleveland, as well. Our air quality - and Toledo's too - is worse than Kampala, Uganda!

If it smelled like a campfire, that would be one thing. This smells like bad pipe tobacco.

Nobody is on the streets. I went to the BMV today, and it was a ghost town. I got a new DL and license tag and was out in 15 minutes!

– Dawgs fan Sam says: Pickleball - my 1 time playing was a work team building event. One play the ball fell mostly between my partner and I. He said he couldn't get to it, so I started to take a swing. My legs crossed up, and now I'm doing a slow motion (in my brain) fall towards the net. I hit my head on the net pole. Land on my side, with my hand in a fist between the rib cage and hard concrete. So, headache, punched all air out of me, and rib cage felling like I broke a bone or two. That pain lasted for six months. No thanks.

Bowling - I have always seen weekend rates higher than weekday rates. Its just now hey have a computer to do the adjusting automatically. What I don't like is they are replacing the traditional pin setters with strings/plastic cords attached to the pins. Just evil and you can tell that those lines are impacting how the pins fall. No thanks.

Kinsey: Hold up, real bowling alleys are holding up pins with plastic cords? Can anyone else confirm this? I live in what is considered a bowling hotbed and I've never heard of such a thing.

– Jake in Charlottesville, VA checks in: When the inevitable happens, and the purchases they made with highly leveraged debt go bust, remember these moments when the PE Bros come begging for a bailout. I was slightly sympathetic during the mortgage meltdown because the government was forcing some of those banks to give loans to people they shouldn't have. Not the next time around. These PE bros taking over youth sports, pest control companies, bowling alleys, you name it: they're doing it to themselves.

– It's all now making sense for Guy G. in western New York: I knew something was up, when I started getting 2 or more emails a day from Lucky Strike. Don’t know how my professional email address ended up on their email list, but there it is.

– Mark T. in Florida adds perspective on Screencaps Jr.'s friends wanting to turn our pool into Panama Beach 1989: Pool rules apply to everyone. Somebody gets injured or a freak accident happens; Screencaps Jr's. friends' parents will have you in court. Gotta take a hardline approach unfortunately; and emphasize this isn't Fort Lauderdale spring break on steroids. At 12-14; they are old enough to understand the game; part of parenting.

Drop the hammer rules wise; otherwise you'll have soon to be teen age girls in your pool that you can't supervise. Parenting is a tough game; but you've got to protect the Screencaps empire. Set the rules and expectations and monitor appropriately.......

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST SPORTS NEWS

####################

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

And that should do it this morning on another action-packed edition. I have to say, for being the slowest sports week of the year, this has been a great week for Screencaps. It felt like a vintage week. We had the pool situation, then the smoke and now here we are with Maine providing us with comic relief.

That's a great week. I hope all of you have a great weekend doing, well, not much other than enjoying life. Take care.

Tom Brady draws inspiration after meeting with Make-A-Wish teen heart transplant recipient at Fanatics Fest

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:49:11 -0400

Eli Griffith sat in a green room in the bowels of the Javits Center in Manhattan on the first day of Fanatics Fest waiting anxiously alongside his family.

The Griffith family – father Joe, mother Jamie, and sister Ava – had been waiting all day for Eli to meet his favorite athlete, the one whose name rested atop their Michigan Wolverines and New England Patriots jerseys.

Tom Brady.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Fox News Digital was able to speak with Eli and his family prior to meeting Brady as part of Fanatics and Make-A-Wish’s partnership, which continues to deliver once-in-a-lifetime moments. Eli was "totally" nervous after being asked about meeting his idol, but he also felt like there is a "mutual connection" due to their roots in Ann Arbor, Michigan – where Brady’s stardom rose with the Wolverines before reaching the "G.O.A.T" status Eli pointed out in the NFL.

"As the day has been going, it’s just more and more surreal. It’s like this is the time it’s happening, and I just imagine him walking in the door," Eli said.

TOM BRADY SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE TO RAIDERS ROOKIE FERNANDO MENDOZA: EARN YOUR OPPORTUNITY

The moment finally came where Brady opened that door, and the family shared the quality time together they’ve been looking forward to all day.

Brady caught up with Fox News Digital after the meeting, where Eli, who’s already showing his journalist chops in high school, had some questions to ask the legendary quarterback.

"He didn’t want to be a journalist. He said, ‘I am a journalist!’ I said, ‘Absolutely, you keep going,’" Brady said, smiling. "He had seven questions for me, and a lot of fun ones. He definitely put a lot of time and thought into it, and he asked a lot of good questions. A few of them I’ve never been asked before."

A candid interview, some autographs, and having a catch with the whole family, Brady made Eli’s wish come true in the best way. But the Griffith family should know that Eli’s story serves as inspiration for Brady as well.

"When I was a player, we did a lot of it around football training camp and we had a lot of great wishes over the years," Brady explained. "Just love being able to impact people’s lives in a positive way. A lot of these people are dealt with challenging situations – families and kids. But they have the brightest spirts and the biggest hearts, and it’s just amazing to meet them, draw inspiration. They think they’re drawing inspiration from us – I think it actually goes the other way."

At 14, Eli was diagnosed with an unusual heart condition. He had a dilated cardiomyopathy on one side of his heart, and ventricular non-compaction on the other side. It was a rare genetic mutation that went undetected until he was a teenager.

As a result, Eli needed a heart transplant at C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.

During his time in the hospital, Brady was shown a picture of Eli with a bunch of trading cards from his Michigan days spread across his chest, which Brady called "pretty awesome."

And while Brady was an inspiration, so was the entire Wolverines football team as Eli and his family battled through their situation.

"The Michigan football team actually stepped up a lot when he was in the hospital. Players came and visited him," Joe Griffith said. "Charles Woodson gave a shoutout. We had a connection somehow through Jim Harbaugh, and we got a phone message from Harbaugh as well as the punter from the Chargers [JK Scott]. In the [Michigan] locker room, the players did a little voice message to Eli. All of this, kept his spirits high. Kept us excited about things, like after he had surgery, these three freshmen were going to come from the team and visit him afterwards. The whole thing had a lot of ups and downs, but relative to experiences a lot of people have, our lows were not as low as they could’ve been."

It was the ultimate high for the Griffith family as they spent time with Brady, but it only continued on the Fanatics Fest floor after their introduction. Eli was right next to Brady tossing out trading card packs at CardVault by Tom Brady, while they all had a front-row seat to Brady dunking one of his favorite teammates of all-time, Rob Gronkowski, in a dunk tank filled with Raising Cane’s sauce.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The experience of a lifetime for a family that has been through struggle, but never wavered in spirit and hope.

"There’s a lot of people digging deep in life, and we all face our own unique challenges and he’s a great kid. What a great spirit," Brady said.

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

Spend less time cleaning your pool this summer with Beatbot robot cleaners — up to 36% off

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 13:34:41 -0400

Before you dive into the pool this summer, make sure it's ready for swimming. Whether you're hosting a backyard barbecue or throwing a World Cup party, let a Beatbot robot pool vacuum handle the cleaning. Models are now up to 36% off.

Choose the entry-level iSkim to clean every corner of smaller pools, or step up to the Sora 30, which runs for up to five hours while collecting debris. For larger pools, the AquaSense 2 Ultra scrubs floors, walls and even the surface. Beatbot also offers a 3% discount for seniors and military personnel.

AquaSense 2 Ultra: $2,199 (30% off)

Original price: $3,150

Keep your pool clean all summer with the Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra, which scrubs floors, walls and the waterline in a single cleaning cycle. Use the companion app to monitor the robot, check your pool's water quality and choose from multiple cleaning modes. AI-powered navigation maps your pool for thorough coverage, then the robot returns to the surface for easy retrieval. Save $951 before the sale ends.

Sora 30: $689 (31% off)

Original price: $999

Tackle leaves, dirt and other debris with the Beatbot Sora 30, which cleans everything from shallow platforms to walls and the waterline. Save $300 while the 30% discount lasts. Its five-hour runtime and 5-liter debris tank help it finish the job in a single cleaning cycle. When it's done, the robot returns to the surface, so you don't have to jump in to retrieve it.

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

Beatbot iSkim: $319 (36% off)

Original price: $499

Go with the Beatbot iSkim if you're looking for an affordable way to automate pool cleaning. Now more than $100 off, this entry-level model features a 9-liter filter basket that holds more debris between cleanings, a built-in solar panel that helps keep the battery charged and all-terrain wheels that reach pool sides and corners. A full charge delivers up to 28 hours of runtime, making it a great fit for most residential pools.

You can also shop Beatbot's full lineup of pool vacuums here, or stop its Amazon storefront here.

Squad Dem in the hot seat after spending spree at luxury hotels: 'Champagne socialist'

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:00:27 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: A far-left "Squad" Democrat is facing scrutiny after spending thousands of dollars in donor cash at lavish hotels nearly 2,000 miles away from her home district, a Fox News Digital review of FEC records found.

"Squad" Rep. Ilhan Omar’s, D-Minn., campaign dropped over $6K on high-end hotels and private transportation between April and June, including payments to a Ritz-Carlton resort in Palm Springs, a hotel with sweeping views from the Hollywood Sign to downtown Los Angeles, and a luxury stay in the heart of Times Square, the congresswoman's latest financial filings show.

The payments, covering April 1 through June 30, included $2,131.90 to W New York in Times Square, $1,613.23 to The Godfrey Hotel Hollywood, $1,143 to Blacklane Transportation, $926.80 to Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs and $682.41 to the Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, according to Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings.

Overall, the campaign reported more than $28,000 in travel expenses and more than $23,000 in food, beverage and catering expenses during the three-month filing period.

SCHUMER DODGES QUESTIONS AFTER BOMBSHELL REPORT ALLEGES DEM SENATOR HAD RELATIONSHIPS WITH HOUSE STAFFERS

The Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage bills itself as a luxury Palm Springs resort overlooking the Coachella Valley and San Jacinto Mountains, with an exclusive Club Lounge, dedicated concierge service, spa, salon, fitness center, main pool, adults-only Vista Pool and whirlpool.

Meanwhile, the Godfrey Hotel Hollywood promotes a rooftop pool and lounge with sweeping views from the Hollywood Sign to downtown Los Angeles. Ace Hotel & Swim Club Palm Springs describes itself as a boutique desert hotel with two pools, a stargazing deck, a nightclub, a spa and rooms with vinyl turntables and "organic mattresses," and W New York in Times Square advertises panoramic city views, suites, a cocktail bar with DJ sets, in-room dining and on-property restaurants.

Blacklane, the luxury transportation service Omar paid for in Q2, markets itself as a professional chauffeur service with business and first-class vehicle options, including Mercedes, BMW, Audi and Cadillac models. Her campaign has previously spent over $5,000 on the car service since joining Congress.

Fox News Digital reached out to Omar's representatives for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.

"Ilhan Omar is just another champagne socialist who wines and dines at luxury resorts while supporting policies that would make her constituents live in squalor," Natalie Baldassarre, the national press secretary at the Republican National Committee, told Fox News Digital.

ILHAN OMAR'S ALLEGED TIES TO MINNESOTA FRAUD SCHEME IN SPOTLIGHT

Omar is not the only high-profile democratic socialist to face scrutiny over campaign spending. Fox News Digital previously reported that Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s campaign spent more than $53,000 on luxury hotels in 2025, including spending on a venue rental at a Bad Bunny concert in Puerto Rico, even as critics accused her of hypocrisy over her rhetoric on gentrification and working-class politics.

More recently, Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a far-left socialist, has come under fire for similar "champagne socialism" accusations after his tax returns showed his income was 10 times the median income in his state.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The spending scrutiny for Omar comes as she is already facing renewed scrutiny over her finances. Fox News Digital previously reported that Omar revised a disclosure that had listed millions of dollars in assets tied to her and her husband down to, at most, $125,000,

Her campaign has also previously faced questions over millions of dollars paid to her husband Tim Mynett’s consulting firm during the 2020 cycle.

Who is Andy Burnham? The Trump critic set to become the UK's next prime minister

Wed, 15 Jul 2026 13:58:59 -0400

Andy Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor who has frequently criticized President Donald Trump, is poised to become the United Kingdom's next prime minister after emerging as the only candidate to replace outgoing Labour leader Keir Starmer.

Burnham, 56, was formally confirmed as the ruling Labour Party's leader on Friday and will be appointed prime minister by King Charles III next week.

Britain’s parliamentary system allows the governing party to replace its leader — and therefore the prime minister — without holding a national election. The next nationwide election does not have to be held until 2029.

KEIR STARMER REPORTEDLY CONSIDERING STEPPING DOWN AS PM AND COULD ANNOUNCE TIMETABLE FOR DEPARTURE

Burnham’s rapid path to Downing Street is drawing criticism from political opponents and foreign policy analysts who say he has not faced the scrutiny that would normally accompany either a competitive party leadership race or a general election campaign.

"Andy Burnham is the least scrutinized incoming U.K. Prime Minister of recent times," Alan Mendoza, executive director of the London-based Henry Jackson Society, told Fox News Digital.

"He has faced neither a general election nor an internal party leadership debate in order to establish his positions for wider consumption," Mendoza said. "He wasn’t even a candidate at the last general election."

Burnham did, however, win 54.8% of the vote in June’s Makerfield parliamentary by-election, defeating Reform UK’s candidate and returning to the House of Commons after nearly a decade away. Before returning to Parliament, he had been directly elected mayor of Greater Manchester three times.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage argued in a previous interview with Fox News Digital that Burnham should seek a new national mandate.

"The public are tired of the game of musical chairs that’s been taking place in 10 Downing Street over the last decade," Farage said.

NIGEL FARAGE RESIGNING FROM UK PARLIAMENT

"Mr. Burnham will come in, he will have no mandate," he added. "I don’t even know what his policies are. Literally, I don’t. So, I think for all of those reasons, there ought to be a general election and a fresh mandate."

Farage made the comments before resigning his parliamentary seat this month to trigger an Aug. 13 by-election in Clacton, where he plans to run again. Farage said he wanted voters to judge him amid parliamentary scrutiny over allegations involving gifts from wealthy supporters. He has denied wrongdoing. Police are separately investigating donations made to Reform UK, but no arrests have been announced.

Who is Andy Burnham?

Burnham grew up in north-west England between Liverpool and Manchester. The son of a British Telecom engineer and a receptionist, he joined the Labour Party as a teenager, studied at Cambridge University and was first elected to Parliament in 2001, according to The Associated Press.

He rose through Labour’s ranks during the governments of Tony Blair and Gordon Brown and served in several senior positions, including as culture secretary and health secretary.

Burnham ran unsuccessfully for the Labour leadership in 2010 and again in 2015. He left Parliament in 2017 after winning election as mayor of Greater Manchester, a regional position he used to build a national political profile.

As mayor, Burnham promoted greater regional control over transportation and public services. His administration brought Greater Manchester’s fragmented bus system under public control as part of the Bee Network, a regional transportation project that became one of his signature achievements.

He also became closely associated with the campaign for accountability over the 1989 Hillsborough stadium disaster, in which 97 Liverpool soccer fans were killed. Burnham supported victims’ families in their long-running effort to expose police failures and rebut false accusations originally directed at supporters.

MEET 'COUNT BINFACE,' THE TRASH CAN-CLAD COMEDIAN CHALLENGING NIGEL FARAGE

What has Andy Burnham said about President Trump?

Burnham has repeatedly criticized President Donald Trump, accusing him of contributing to global instability while warning that Britain risks importing the polarization of American politics. In a 2025 interview with The London Economic, Burnham compared Trump’s return to office to the turmoil caused in Britain by former Prime Minister Liz Truss.

"The instability that Liz Truss brought to Britain, I think Trump is bringing to the U.S. and the world," Burnham said in the interview. He also described several of Trump’s decisions, including his approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, as "out of order."

Burnham’s criticism of Trump dates back to the president’s first election in 2016. After Trump’s victory, Burnham described some of his rhetoric as "deeply troubling" but argued that politicians on the left should examine why working-class voters had turned to him rather than simply blaming the electorate.

"We have to look closer to home," Burnham said, according to The Guardian.

His language became sharper following the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. As the attack unfolded, Burnham wrote on X that "any UK politician who gave Trump the time of day should be ashamed right now."

More recently, during his Makerfield parliamentary campaign, Burnham warned that Britain was moving toward "the politics of the United States of America," which he described as "a polarized, poisonous politics where people in communities don’t work together anymore."

KING CHARLES FOLLOWS QUEEN ELIZABETH'S PLAYBOOK WITH A TWIST DURING TRUMP STATE VISIT: EXPERT

Despite those attacks, Burnham has stopped short of advocating a rupture with Washington. According to Time, he supported Starmer’s effort to maintain a working relationship with Trump, while arguing that Britain must be prepared to disagree with the United States.

"Obviously, the relationship is important to the U.K., but not to the point where we just go along with anything they say," Burnham said.

Trump has already responded dismissively to the likely incoming British leader. Asked in June what he knew about Burnham, Trump said, "I don’t know, I think I see that he was, I guess, the mayor of a town." Trump added that he had heard Burnham was "extremely liberal" and suggested that he would oppose expanded North Sea oil drilling, before declaring that "the U.K. is dying," according ton Reuters.

What are Andy Burnham’s political views?

Burnham is generally regarded as being to the left of Starmer. He has said he wants to take what he calls "Manchesterism" nationwide, describing an approach that places "people and place before party" and transfers greater attention and authority from London to regions that have historically received less investment.

He has emphasized infrastructure, housing, transportation and regional economic development, while arguing against what he calls "trickle-down economics." The Associated Press reported that his priorities have also included vocational education, youth employment, lower energy bills and cheaper rail travel.

Mendoza said that Burnham’s past positions and recent statements suggest he would move the British government further to the left.

"What we can be certain of is that he will be looking to impose a fairly radical left-wing agenda for the country based on his past beliefs and recent pronouncements," Mendoza said.

"In no particular order, these include introduction of wealth taxes, changes to the electoral system, a vast expansion of social housing and attacks on hitherto allies of the U.K. like Israel."

FROM LONDON SYNAGOGUES TO NEW YORK PRESCHOOLS — ANTISEMITIC ATTACKS ESCALATING ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ATLANTIC

Burnham has sought to counter concerns about his limited recent national security experience.

He has pledged continuity in Britain’s commitments to NATO, its nuclear deterrent, the United States and Ukraine, according to The Associated Press.

He has also called for Britain to rebuild its military capabilities and domestic defense industry in response to what he described as an increasingly dangerous international environment.

On the war in Gaza, Burnham has criticized Labour’s earlier response and argued that the party was too slow to call for a ceasefire. The Associated Press reported that he has raised the possibility of additional sanctions and trade restrictions involving goods linked to Israeli settlements. Burnham has also condemned Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attack against Israel.

Burnham has not served in Britain’s national government since 2010 and spent almost a decade outside Parliament, meaning his record is far more developed on domestic and regional policy than on current foreign policy and national security questions.

When could Britain hold a general election?

Burnham would not be required to call an immediate general election. Labour won a large parliamentary majority under Starmer in July 2024, allowing the party to remain in power until 2029 unless Burnham decides to seek an earlier mandate.

Mendoza predicted that Burnham could attempt to capitalize on the momentum surrounding his arrival at Downing Street.

"As he is never likelier to be more popular than on day one of his premiership, we should also be on the watch for his calling of an early general election in order to capitalize on this unique moment," Mendoza said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Burnham would inherit an economy facing weak growth, pressure on public finances, strained health and welfare services and continuing concern over the cost of living.

He would also become Britain’s seventh prime minister in just over a decade, reflecting the rapid political turnover at Downing Street since the country’s 2016 vote to leave the European Union.

The 20 weirdest things you can buy on Amazon right now

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 13:55:26 -0400

Amazon isn't just for everyday essentials — it's also packed with quirky products you never knew you needed. From clever finger chopsticks and a blanket that transforms you into a shark to a weirdly useful squirrel picnic table, these unexpected finds are as funny as they are surprisingly useful.

Toilet golf game: $11.19 (30% off)

Original price: $15.99

Bring the golf course to your bathroom with this hilarious toilet golf game. The set comes with a putting green, golf balls, a putter and even a "Do Not Disturb" door hanger.

Squirrel picnic table: $15.99 (30% off)

Original price: $22.99

If you're wondering why a squirrel needs its own picnic table, you're not alone. It turns out this quirky find doubles as a backyard feeder. Simply fill the tabletop with nuts or seeds and watch squirrels stop by for what looks surprisingly like a miniature picnic.

Finger chopsticks: $16.99

This four-piece set of wearable finger chopsticks makes it easy to grab chips, popcorn and other finger foods without a mess. Just place it between your index and middle fingers and get ready to snack while working, reading or scrolling on your phone.

Fish flip-flops: $25.99

Why eat fish when you can wear them? These unisex fish flip-flops are lightweight, cushioned and built with anti-skid soles to help from slipping. Whether heading to the beach or lounging in your backyard, these shoes are comfortable and wonderfully weird.

Hot dog and bun toaster: $27.99

Practical yet peculiar, this retro hot dog and bun toaster cooks two hot dogs and buns at the same time. It's a fun summer pick for a backyard cookout or easy family dinner. Grab it at its lowest price this year, just ahead of barbecue season.

Lobster claw gloves: $13.99

Lobster claws aren’t just for cracking and eating. Whether you’re dressing up as a sea creature or just want to embrace your inner lobster, these high-quality, rubber gloves complete the crustacean persona. They’re oversized, bright red and comfortable enough to wear for hours.

Bacon-shaped bandages: $7.99

Outfit your first-aid kit with these bacon-shaped bandages. The bandages come in a variety of bacon-like designs.

Tape dispenser: $11.95

The Butt Station tape dispenser isn’t your average desk accessory. This plastic figure holds the tape roll as it sits on a toilet, while offering easy-to-grab office supply storage. Lift the figure to stash paper clips inside the bowl, slide your favorite pen into the built-in holder and keep sticky notes in the slot on the back.

Snail headband: $9.99

This snail headband looks silly but is actually quite practical. The soft microfiber fleece and stretchy elastic comfortably hold your hair back while doing makeup or washing your face. With snail antennae sitting on top of your head throughout your routine, you might just laugh out loud in the mirror.

Shocktato game: $34.99

Hot potato with a shocking twist (no really… it shocks you). Toss the spud around with two or more players, and whoever's holding it when the music stops gets zapped. It has three modes — including a music-only option for the less adventurous — and is a hilarious game you'll be addicted to.

Tiny finger hands: $9.99

For the everyday jokester, these tiny finger hands are random yet versatile. This 30-pack features realistic details like nails and palm lines. They are made from a soft, flexible rubber that’s easy to clean and durable.

Yodeling pickle: $12.99

We’ve all thought we could improve our yodeling skills if we had a singing pickle to train us, right? This battery-powered, singing cucumber is the perfect gag gift or an exciting item for your pickle-obsessed friend to add to their collection.

Eyeball sleep mask: $11.99 (20% off)

Original price: $14.99

Cover your eyes with another set of eyes with this silly sleep mask. It comes in various eye colors and styles, and effectively blocks out light to help you sleep better.

Mini inflatable tube guy: $12.99

Bring the car dealership to your desk with a mini inflatable tube guy. This motorized desktop toy is an automatic mood booster and an awesome office companion.

Magnetic-holding hands socks: $14.98

Connect with your bestie with these magnetic-holding hands socks. They feature a unique design with a small magnet on each side, allowing the hands of the socks to "hold hands" when worn together.

Butter toast shoulder bag: $7.99 (11% off)

Original price: $8.99

This quirky bag is designed to look like a slice of buttered toast. Made from a soft, plush material, this crossbody handbag is a playful way to carry your essentials.

Home sauna: $1,550

Traditionally used at the gym or a spa, you can now order your own sauna on Amazon. This at-home model can reach 149 degrees and fits up to three people at a time. Constructed with high-quality, durable wood, it retains heat easily and fits comfortably in the corner of any room.

Snail soap dispenser: $10.99

This snail dispenser dispenses soap, leaving a trail of your favorite sudsy cleanser. Simple to use, just press the shell to get lotion from the snail's mouth.

Shark blanket hoodie: $19.99 (20% off)

Original price: $24.99

Let the day melt away under this cozy shark blanket hoodie. The blanket features a unique design that makes it appear as if a shark is swallowing you.

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

Ostrich travel pillow: $99

Nap comfortably almost anywhere thanks to the unique design of the Ostrich travel pillow. This head-enveloping pillow creates a private, dark and quiet space by covering your eyes and ears.

If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get these items sent to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.

Asian nation with 1,500-year-old imperial line insists only men can become emperor in policy revision

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:12:11 -0400

Japan’s Parliament voted Friday to enshrine male-only succession for the imperial throne, part of a monarchy that traces its origins back roughly 1,500 years.

Lawmakers did so by revising an Imperial House Law dating back to the 1800s, despite warnings from experts that limiting succession to men in the paternal line will hasten the decline of Japan’s shrinking and aging imperial family, according to the Associated Press.

To address the dwindling number of eligible heirs, the revisions allow distant male relatives to be adopted into the imperial family to father future successors. However, strict rules remain in place limiting the throne to men with royal blood. The changes also allow princesses to retain their royal status after marrying commoners.

The new rules passed by Parliament come as many Japanese had been calling for Princess Aiko, Emperor Naruhito’s 24-year-old daughter, to be allowed to succeed him — now an impossibility.

IN ATTEMPT TO CONNECT WITH YOUNG PEOPLE, JAPAN'S ROYAL FAMILY DEBUTS ON INSTAGRAM

"The emperor is a symbolic figure, and I don’t see why women cannot serve in the role," Junichiro Tsujimaru, a 78-year-old sushi chain founder, told the AP.

Under current law, the 66-year-old emperor's younger brother is next in line. After that, his 19-year-old nephew, Prince Hisahito, will inherit the throne, and then the emperor's 90-year-old uncle.

Hisahito is the only boy to be born in four decades, and only five of the 16 adults in the imperial family are men.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and other conservatives say the male bloodline is the source of the emperor's authority and legitimacy.

SHINZO ABE POSTHUMOUSLY GIFTED HONORS, NOBILITY BY IMPERIAL FAMILY HE DEVOUTLY SUPPORTED

"It’s a declaration to prevent female monarchs … and to defend the male-lineage at all costs," Hideya Kawanishi, a Nagoya University expert on monarchy, told the AP. "They cannot say it’s male chauvinism, so they call it tradition."

Chizuko Ueno, a prominent feminist and sociologist, recently suggested it was ironic that Japan's first female prime minister was the one to ensure male-only succession.

Ueno said the new rules "treat male royals as stallions and put female royals under pressure as ‘childbearing machines’ to produce male offspring."

Japan has had eight empresses descended from the male line in its centuries-long history as a hereditary monarchy. The last woman to reign was Empress Go-Sakuramachi, who sat on the throne from 1762 until 1771, when she abdicated in favor of her nephew.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Female eligibility for the throne was first eliminated in 1890 under the original Imperial House Law.

That change was carried over into the modern Imperial House Law, enacted in 1947, the same year Japan’s new constitution stripped the emperor of governing authority after the country’s defeat in World War II.

Like Britain’s royal family, Japan’s imperial family remains an important national symbol.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

This week's best sales: Save up to 82% on HexClad cookware, RTIC coolers and more

Wed, 22 Oct 2025 13:22:30 -0400

Summer is in full swing, and this week's biggest markdowns include deals on some of the season's most popular essentials. Save 82% on Wayfair Basics cooling sheets, snag a rare deal on a top-rated RTIC cooler for beach days and shop even more standout deals below.

Best-selling deals worth shopping this week

From tools to summer travel essentials, these shopper-favorite picks are all on sale.

Wayfair Basics microfiber sheet set (82% off)

Grab these sheets from Wayfair for less than $25 — their lowest price to date. Made from brushed microfiber, they stay cool in warm weather, stay cozy when temperatures drop and resist wrinkles for a crisp look.

Levi's men's 505 Regular Fit jeans (65% off)

Save nearly $50 on these Levi's jeans, designed with a roomy thigh for extra comfort and a classic straight-leg fit that never goes out of style. Choose from dozens of washes and a wide range of sizes.

Anker SOLIX S2000 portable power station (50% off)

Power outages and heat waves are no match for Anker's SOLIX S2000, now $600 off. It can keep a refrigerator running for up to 35 hours and includes USB-C, USB-A, DC car ports and AC outlets.

HexClad Hybrid fry pan set (25% off)

This fry pan has a one-of-a-kind hybrid design that blends stainless steel, cast iron and nonstick pans for an option that cooks evenly and cleans quickly. The stay-cool handle also prevents burns. (FOX is an investor in HexClad.)

Keurig K-Elite Single-Serve coffee maker (22% off)

Brew a fresh cup of coffee in less than a minute with the Keurig K-Elite. It makes 4- to 12-ounce drinks and includes settings for stronger coffee and iced beverages.

Apple AirPods Pro 3 (20% off)

Apple's 2025-released AirPods Pro 3 build on the features of 2024's AirPods 4 with hearing test capabilities and Live Translation. You still get Active Noise Cancellation, Personalized Spatial Audio and up to 8 hours of listening time on a single charge.

Deals we love

These standout deals include everything from polos to portable tech.

On Cloudflyer running shoes: $135 (Orig. $170)

Designed with a firmer heel and softer forefoot, these popular On sneakers balance cushioning and support for long runs. The responsive feel helps keep your feet comfortable during long days of running or standing.

Petlibro Granary 2 Vision: $170.99 (Orig. $189.99)

Keep track of your furry friend's every meal with this Petlibro automatic feeder, which uses an AI camera to recognize each pet and log feeding habits automatically. Use code GRANARY10 to save 10% on your order.

iPhone 17 Pro: $1,000 off with an eligible trade-in

Trade in an eligible phone and open a new Verizon line to get up to $1,000 off the iPhone 17 Pro. With plans starting at $2.77 per month, it's one of the strongest carrier offers available right now.

Kansas City Steak Company Summer Sizzler: $169.80 (Orig. $374.80)

Stock your freezer before your next cookout with the Kansas City Steak Company Summer Sizzler pack. You'll get eight premium steaks — including filet mignons, ribeyes, sirloins and Kansas City strips — for more than $200 off.

Deals ending soon

These limited-time deals won't last long, so now's the time to shop.

Made In carbon steel griddle set: $199 (Orig. $258)

Cook smash burgers, pancakes and grilled cheese on this carbon steel griddle that's half the weight of cast iron but just as durable. It heats evenly for everything from breakfast to blackened fish, then moves easily from the stovetop to the grill.

Buckle Risto athletic stretch jeans: $52.48 (Orig. $98)

Move comfortably all day in these athletic-fit stretch jeans from Buckle. The flexible fabric gives you room to bend and move without sacrificing the slim look, and today you can save an extra 25%.

Shark SpeedStyle hair dryer: $129.99 (Orig. $199.99)

Dry and style your hair faster with the Shark SpeedStyle hair dryer. The Turbo Concentrator attachment helps create sleek blowouts and smooth, straight styles, while intelligent heat control adjusts the temperature to help reduce heat damage.

Car jump starter: $69.99 (Orig. $109.99)

Keep this portable jump starter in your car for peace of mind on summer road trips. If your battery dies, the built-in boost function provides extra starting power when you need it most. It's designed to operate in temperatures ranging from minus 4 to 140 degrees, making it a reliable addition to your emergency kit.

Beach gear on sale

Shop beach essentials for fun in the sun, from coolers to swim trunks.

RTIC soft cooler bag: $96.75 (Orig. $129)

Keep drinks and snacks cold all day with this RTIC soft cooler. It holds up to 20 cans while remaining easy to carry from the car to the beach. A leakproof zipper and welded seams help keep melted ice contained until you're ready to unpack.

Huckberry Performance lined swim trunk: $62 (Orig. $78)

These Huckberry trunks feature a built-in liner for the comfort and support of athletic shorts. The stretchy, quick-drying fabric transitions easily from the pool to the beach and everything in between.

Sand-resistant beach blanket: $9.99 (Orig. $21.99)

Stretch out on this oversized, sand-resistant beach blanket designed to shake off sand before you pack up for the day. Fill the corner pockets with sand to help keep it in place on windy days, then fold it into the included water bottle-sized carrying pouch for easy transport.

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

Best sales from FOX News Deals-favorite brands

Wayfair: Take up to 50% off patio furniture, outdoor decor and more home upgrades

Macy's: Get up to 50% off pieces for the whole family from New Balance, Levi's and more during their back-to-school Sale

Brilliant Earth: Receive ¼ carat lab diamond studs with a purchase over $1,000 using code STUDS

Caraway: Save up to 15% on items with code SAVINGS

Brooklinen: Last call clearance items are up to 75% off right now

DSW: Get up to 65% off women's sandals online

Backcountry: Save up to 40% on outdoor and hiking gear from brands like Patagonia, Osprey, and more

Sur La Table: Take up to 50% off cookware, small appliances and more during the Summer Sale

FAQs

What brands are having the best sales this week?

FOX-favorite brands like Amazon and Wayfair are rolling out midsummer deals on everything from beach gear to outdoor essentials. This week's standout offers include rare markdowns on an RTIC soft cooler and On running sneakers.

If you're an Amazon Prime member, you can get these items sent to your door ASAP. You can join or start a 30-day free trial to start your shopping today.

Sophie Cunningham manages to anger both the left and right with a simple social media post

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:02:44 -0400

Sophie Cunningham has done something far more impressive than anything she's ever done on a basketball court.

The Indiana Fever star has managed to upset both the left and the right with one single social media post.

That's right.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

It's almost impossible to do nowadays given how polarizing every issue is. We're all so black and white in 2026. You're either far-left, or far-right. No in-between. No middle ground. No fence-sitting.

So, when you manage to anger both parties with one simple question, you know you've really found the sweet spot.

And that's exactly what Sophie Cunningham did Thursday evening when she took to X and simply asked, "so how do we save our farm land and stop all these dumb data centers?"

Chaos:

Sophie Cunningham asks an innocent question and gets bombarded

Boom! That's it. That's the post that had everyone all fired up over on Elon's app yesterday. So simple, yet so divisive.

That single tweet has over 8 million views, over 4,000 retweets and a staggering 6,000 comments. It is, easily, Sophie Cunningham's most viral post — which is saying something given she is the WNBA's biggest start next to Caitlin Clark.

WNBA STAR SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM CLARIFIES FREE AGENCY COMPLAINT, WANTED HOUSE IN INDIANA TO BRING HER DONKEYS

Again, the impressive thing is how it angered both liberals AND conservatives alike, which shows just how truly dumb this whole AI era is. God, we're stupid.

Let's check in on some of the reaction:

You see? The reactions are all over the place, and all across the board. You've got "Project Liberal" mad at her. You've got Stephen Miller mad at her. You've got regular folks mad at her.

And none of them really say why they're mad, because, truthfully, nobody can really explain a data center. Myself included, by the way.

Data centers are sort of like "the cloud" for iPhones. Can anyone here really explain where something goes in your phone when it's sent to iCloud? No. Of course not. Nobody knows what that is, but we still use it.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That's what data centers are right now. Are they really that bad for us? Do they really take up space? Are they spying on us? Are they destroying our water? I have no clue. None. Zero.

Sophie Cunningham seems to think they're building them on our great farmland(s). Again, I have no clue if that's true. It probably is, to a degree.

Regardless, Sophie has the internet in a tizzy right now, and it's all because of one simple post that really tapped into the existing divides between rural America, Big Tech influence, government subsidies, and environmental priorities.

And that, folks, is how you keep America on our toes during the dog days of summer.

Well done, Sophie.

PS: some folks commented and said the way to save the farms is to get rid of the golf courses.

I don't think so. Not on my watch. That'll start a second Civil War.

1,740-year-old Roman coin bearing emperor's name found as England rail dig reveals clues

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:00:45 -0400

A railway project has opened an unexpected window into Roman Britain after archaeologists uncovered a rare coin and other artifacts dating back nearly 2,000 years.

The discoveries, made in Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire in the United Kingdom, were announced by East West Rail on July 1.

Construction workers are currently restoring and building rail links between Oxford and Cambridge, and as part of that work, archaeologists are excavating trenches across southern England.

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

One of the discoveries was a coin dating back roughly 1,740 years.

The artifact carries the name of Roman Emperor Carausius, a naval commander who was in charge of a Roman fleet based in the English Channel.

Pictures released by East West Rail show the Roman coin appearing in excellent condition after spending centuries underground.

Archaeologists expected to uncover ancient remains along the route, but there have been "a few surprises" that geophysical surveys did not initially detect, said Mike Court, historic environment lead at East West Rail.

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

"Geophysical survey doesn’t generally show finds, cremations or burials, so these are often unexpected when they appear in the trenches," Court told Fox News Digital.

"Despite being armed with all of that knowledge going into the trenching, it is still exciting when discoveries are made — and so far, after over 1,000 trenches, we are starting to get some really interesting results."

Court said the coins were discovered alongside evidence of Roman settlement and farming activity, rather than as isolated finds.

"These sites comprise numerous features, such as pits, ditches and postholes, cut into the natural ground," he said.

HIDDEN UNDERGROUND CHAMBER REVEALED BENEATH HOME OF LEGENDARY ROMAN EMPEROR

"The fills of these features may contain pottery, which help us date the features and the site."

The fills are "where we often find the coins through metal detecting," he added.

What makes the coin "particularly interesting," Court said, is that it bears the name of Roman Emperor Carausius. That provides valuable dating evidence for archaeologists.

Court said the excavations uncovered evidence spanning hundreds of years of history, with finds dating from the Iron Age through the Roman period.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

"We know from other projects nearby that this part of Britain has a rich archaeological landscape, and we weren't disappointed," he said.

"By the time we [are] finished, we expect to find archaeology from most, if not all, periods of British history and prehistory."

All the artifacts provide a rare, tangible link to the people who lived at the site millennia ago, Court noted.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS

"Maybe the most compelling thing about these objects is not their association with emperors and historic events, but [their] connection to ordinary people," he said.

"Each coin was once carried by an individual living in Roman Britain. ... Through chance and circumstance, the coin remained buried until its rediscovery by East West Rail's archaeological survey team centuries later."

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

With plans to dig around 6,000 trenches, Court added that archaeologists expect to uncover many more significant discoveries along the route.

"We are confident that we’ll uncover additional major sites over the next two years of our trenching program," he said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"As we progress through the evaluation, we will get a better understanding of the sites we’ve excavated and their importance."

Every controversy surrounding Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' from casting to costumes

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:00:30 -0400

Christopher Nolan's highly-anticipated adaptation of ancient Greek poet Homer's epic "The Odyssey" has sparked debate for months before audiences even had the chance to see it.

From criticism over casting choices and historical accuracy to backlash over the 55-year-old Oscar-winning director's own comments dismissing critics, the fantasy action-adventure has found itself at the center of multiple controversies ahead of its theatrical debut.

With a production budget of $250 million and marketing costs totaling an estimated $125 million, "The Odyssey" is one of the most expensive R-rated movies ever made. Box office analysts have estimated that the film will have to gross over $700 million globally to turn a profit for its studio, Universal.

‘ODYSSEY' STARS ZENDAYA, ANNE HATHAWAY AND MATT DAMON TURN HEADS AS DIRECTOR CHRISTOPHER NOLAN FACES BACKLASH

While "The Odyssey's" controversies have dominated social media and entertainment news headlines, brand experts and box office analysts told Fox News Digital they do not expect the pre-release scrutiny to derail the movie's commercial prospects, with some arguing that it could have the opposite effect.

Here's a look at everything Nolan has taken heat for ahead of "The Odyssey's" release.

Casting controversies

"The Odyssey" features a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal and Lupita Nyong’o.

Despite its lineup of A-listers and many previous awards recipients, Nolan faced backlash over several casting decisions.

Much of the criticism came from his choice to cast Nyong'o as Helen of Troy, as Homer describes the character as having "white arms" in the poem. Social media users have pointed out that Nyong'o's African roots and darker complexion contradict the poet's description of the character.

Nolan also faced scrutiny over his decision to cast transgender actor Elliot Page as Sinon, a great warrior who fought alongside Odysseus during the Trojan War, as well as rapper Travis Scott, who plays a Greek bard (oral storyteller). Others have taken issue with the fact that no actors of Greek or Mediterranean descent were cast in the film.

MORE HOLLYWOOD HYPOCRISY: VARIETY DEMONIZES CRITICS OF CHRISTOPHER NOLAN'S CASTING IN 'THE ODYSSEY'

While weighing in on the backlash, PR expert Sarah Schmidt pointed out that the controversy had generated significant publicity for the movie ahead of its release.

"There is a lot of noise around this film, but in this case, noise isn’t a bad thing," the president of the PR firm Interdepence told Fox News Digital. "People are talking about the film before it’s even out, which is almost always a win."

"If this was about a personal scandal that is one thing, but this ‘controversy’ is about creative choice, casting, dialogue, and design," she continued. "And this type of historical edit is not unprecedented. Look at ‘Hamilton,’ which reimagined history and cast in an unexpected way. It told a story and became a national phenomenon. The people declaring online that they will not buy a ticket because of the casting or the costumes were probably never the audience to begin with."

"Outrage is cheap," she added. "Movie tickets these days are not. And I'm betting that people will still go and buy them."

For her part, Nyong'o has mostly brushed off the criticism and expressed support for Nolan's artistic vision. During an interview with Elle for the magazine's May cover issue, the 43-year-old actress, who won a best supporting actress Oscar for her performance in 2013's "12 Years a Slave," described "The Odyssey" as "a mythological story.""I’m very supportive of Chris’ intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling," Nyong'o said. "Our cast is representative of the world. I’m not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not."

"It’s quite something to be a part of 'The Odyssey,' because it is so grand," she added. "It spans worlds. So that’s why the cast is what it is. We’re occupying the epic narrative of our time."

Page and Scott have not publicly responded to the backlash over their roles. However, Nolan has addressed his casting decisions in interviews leading up to the film's release.

Nolan told Time magazine in May he cast Scott because he wanted to pay tribute to "the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap."

While speaking with Rolling Stone earlier this week, Nolan praised Page, who previously starred in the director's 2010 movie "Inception."

"It was really thrilling to work with Elliot again," Nolan said. "I felt with his character in ‘The Odyssey,’ he brings something really special to it. Because, in a way, you’re looking to put a face on certain elements of what Odysseus has done, what that means for the world as a whole. You’re looking to put a face on the tragedy of war. And I think he did an incredible job."

Historical accuracy

"The Odyssey" has also drawn criticism from historians, archaeologists and fans who have argued that some of film's design choices are inconsistent with the Mycenaean period, which serves as the backdrop for Homer's epic.

The Mycenaean period, which is also known as the Late Bronze Age, lasted from approximately 1600 B.C. to 1100 B.C. in Greece. Critics have pointed to a number of alleged historical inaccuracies, including armor they argued resembles medieval designs rather than Mycenaean-era equipment, ships some have said appear more Viking than Greek, and costumes and weapons that they claimed are inconsistent with archaeological evidence from the Bronze Age.

However, Ryan McCormick, co-founder of Goldman McCormick PR, told Fox News Digital that debates over historical accuracy are unlikely to deter most moviegoers.

"If a person has a moral apprehension about supporting a film due to someone's misconduct, it can definitely have an impact on its commercial success," McCormick said. "I don't think that a majority of people are going to be turned away because ‘The Odyssey’ apparently has some historical inaccuracies."

Meanwhile, Nolan has defended the creative choices, saying that filmmakers simply do not know enough about the Mycenaean period to recreate it with absolute certainty.

"The archaeological record of Mycenaean times is very fragmentary," he said. "A lot of what people think of as historical knowledge of that era is informed and intelligent speculation, but it is speculation."

"When you create a movie you have to create an entire and consistent world," he continued. "You're engaged in your own version of this speculation, your own commitment to the world-building."

Nolan has also explained that some production decisions were made due to the logistics of filming the epic, including the use of the Norwegian Viking ship Draken.

"We needed something wooden-hulled, built with ancient technology that could be out there in open ocean water, in giant swells, and the Draken has crossed the Atlantic," Nolan said during a July interview with the Los Angeles Times.

"We shot like it was a documentary," he continued. "The actors learned how to sail and how to row and the boat’s 26-man crew were dressed as extras and incorporated into the movie."

Nolan has also previously noted that Homer himself is believed to have lived roughly 400 years after the events of "The Odyssey" and said that the historical gap informed his approach to the film's design.

"The oldest depictions of Homeric characters tend to be depicted in the manner of people living in Homer’s time," he told Time magazine in May. "So there’s a pretty strong case there for portraying things that way because that’s the way the first audience received the story."

Modern dialogue and American accents

Beyond casting and historical accuracy, some fans also took issue with "The Odyssey's" contemporary dialogue and use of American accents.

After trailers for the film were released, critics on social media questioned why characters in an adaptation of Homer's epic used modern expressions such as "Dad" while actors including Damon, who played Odysseus, and Holland, who portrayed his son Telemachus, spoke with American accents.

Nolan also defended that creative choice, explained that he intentionally chose to use dialogue and language that he believed would resonate with contemporary audiences. The director said that his priority was finding "language that has emotional not intellectual meaning to people."

"I was maybe being naïve, it might bite me on the a--, but I wanted an earthy narrative," Nolan said. "To me it was a no-brainer."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

McCormick told Fox News Digital that the online reaction to any of the film's historical deviations may not be representative of the broader audience.

"I think there is a disconnect," he said. "Social media tends to amplify the voices of people who are passionate. It may not reflect what the pulse of the masses."

Nolan's interview remarks sparked another wave of criticism

Nolan recently drew backlash after dismissing criticism of the movie as "irrelevant" during an interview.

"Comes with the territory," he told The Telegraph earlier this week. The outlet described him as "grinning serenely" before "lifting his cup and saucer and taking a theatrical sip."

"But look, these conversations that happen before people see the film — they’re always irrelevant, because no one having them knows what the film actually is yet," Nolan added.

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

The director told The Telegraph that the reception so far for "The Odyssey" is similar to the concerns he faced while working on his "Batman" trilogy, explaining that when he started with "Batman Begins," a variety of artists had been creating and depicting the character for decades, "and a lot of freighted thoughts were out there about what he represents."

"And what I learned over my time on that trilogy," he continued, "is you can’t worry about any of that at all. What you have to do is honor the original text by interpreting it in the strongest way you personally can."

The director said, "In the end, fans of the property — even when we were doing something that was not what they would have done — enjoyed the sincerity of the attempt to put as good a version of it on screen as we could," adding that he hopes audiences can reach a similar conclusion with "The Odyssey."

Doug Eldridge, founder of Achilles PR, said Nolan's response was largely justified but could have been delivered more diplomatically.

"Objectively speaking, it’s a valid response," he told Fox News Digital. "But as my mom used to say, ‘It’s not what you say, but how you say it.’ In other words, Nolan could’ve added some finesse to an otherwise factually accurate answer. A better way to phrase it would have been to acknowledge the concern among fans, but that you trust their fears will be allayed once they’ve seen the finished product."

However, Schmidt viewed Nolan's response differently, arguing that his remarks were consistent with the reputation he has built as a filmmaker.

"Nolan calling the criticism irrelevant is on brand, and he has earned the right to wave off the haters," she said. "The movie isn't even out yet and the early reviews are already strong. Nolan is a film icon who produces blockbusters. Trends bend to him, not the other way around."

Will any of it matter?

"The Odyssey" is projected for a massive opening weekend when it premieres in theaters on Friday. Industry box office tracking services predict that the movie will make between $85 million and $105 million domestically, with a global launch well surpassing $200 million. The film is expected to outperform Nolan's last blockbuster "Oppenheimer" across all opening weekend metrics, positioning it to become the director’s largest non-superhero debut ever.

Nolan's films have grossed a combined total of over $6 billion at the worldwide box office across his 12 theatrical releases.

The experts who spoke with Fox News Digital largely agreed that the movie's controversies and Nolan's remarks were unlikely to affect "The Odyssey's" box office performance.

"Historically, controversy surrounding a movie usually has zero impact on a film’s box office potential," Paul Dergarabedian, Head of Marketplace Trends for Rentrak, said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

He continued, "In fact, controversy, as amplified by the social media platform, only serves to heighten awareness, curiosity and raises the FOMO factor considerably, likely boosting not harming ’The Odyssey’s' box office potential."

McCormick concurred, telling Fox News Digital, "The contention is keeping the film's name in the media (likely even boosting its profile) and if people are talking about it (or even arguing about it), it's a great thing."

Texas Dem's claim about abuse victim's family unravels after relatives say they're 'tired of being used'

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 08:00:15 -0400

Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico is facing blowback after the family of a child sex abuse victim whose case he invoked publicly contradicted his claim and said they are "tired of being used" in the election.

Talarico held a news conference July 9 outside the office of his Senate opponent, Texas Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, at which he accused Paxton of giving an "Epstein-style sweetheart deal" to former Waco, Texas, attorney Adam Hoffman.

Pressed by reporters on whether he had personally spoken to the victim’s family, Talarico answered, "Our team has been in contact."

However, Melissa Dieterich, a friend and spokesperson for the family, publicly disputed Talarico's assertion that his team had been in contact. Dieterich posted a "note from the victim's family" on Facebook, which said, "We have not given any statement to Talarico. We have not spoke to him."

PROGRESSIVE TALARICO KNIFES BIDEN'S OPEN BORDER, TRIES MODERATING STANCE ON KEY ISSUES IN TEXAS SENATE RACE

Dieterich further noted that the family is "tired of being used in this election" and "we are tired of lies being told by both Paxton & Talarico, tired of the divide and just tired."

In response to a comment on her post saying, "I have yet to see any politician NOT use this case as a talking piece," Dieterich wrote, "Right, but someone said they have spoke to the victims (sic) mom and this and that and it isn’t true."

"That isn’t cool," she wrote.

After Dieterich's post, JT Ennis, a spokesperson for Talarico's campaign, told Fox News Digital, "This family has gone through hell. They have experienced something unimaginable and deserve respect."

Ennis explained that Talarico's team "facilitated outreach to offer our support and ensure the family has a way to get in touch at any time, for any reason."

"Elected officials on both sides of the aisle have called out this plea deal," he said. "The judge presiding over the case has called out this plea deal. James is calling out this plea deal and demanding justice to stop this from happening again."

Hoffman originally was charged with continuous sexual abuse of a young child.

Earlier in 2026, Paxton’s office negotiated a plea agreement in which Hoffman pleaded guilty to indecent assault and displaying harmful material to a minor. He was sentenced to 60 days in the McLennan County Jail and was released after 29 days.

The deal was reached after a Waco, Texas, jury failed to reach a unanimous decision in 2025, resulting in a mistrial.

Assistant attorneys general in Paxton’s office have said the deal was a "difficult decision" and "was made entirely in the best interest of the child involved," according to Spectrum News.

The victim's mother initially agreed to the plea agreement but later changed her mind, Fox 44 reported. The outlet reported a statement from the mother accusing the judge, police and Paxton of having "bent the system."

"They made sure my son was in the room when they raised the plea deal — knowing he didn’t want to testify again — and they used that against him. They pushed the deal through with or without our approval. That is not justice. That is manipulation," the mother claimed, adding, "Paxton’s office gave Hoffman a sweetheart deal. That is corruption."

TALARICO SAYS HE 'HATES CHRISTIANITY' IN UNEARTHED INTERVIEW WITH TRANSGENDER 'LATINX' THEOLOGIAN

In a separate post, Dieterich said that what that victim "went through is awful and the way our court systems handle victims in these cases needs to change." She added, "We are hoping to change laws when the legislators are back in session so this doesn’t happen to another victim!"

At his news conference, Talarico likened the plea deal to the prosecution of Jeffrey Epstein.

He said that his public information request to release the "Hoffman files" was denied by Paxton’s office. He emphasized that "the victim’s mother called this a corrupt deal," adding, "We should listen to the victim and their family."

"We don’t need any more pedophile protectors in our government," Talarico said at the press conference. "Adam Hoffman was a well-connected lawyer who abused an eight-year-old boy. He should be spending his life in prison … He didn’t even have to register as a sex offender in Texas; that’s how good this Epstein-style deal was."

"Ken Paxton should have to answer questions about this sweetheart deal," he emphasized.

Fox News Digital reached out to Paxton’s campaign for comment.

SOCIALISTS LAUNCH RADICAL PLATFORM TO ABOLISH THE US SENATE IN BID TO FUNDAMENTALLY TRANSFORM AMERICA

A spokesperson for Paxton’s campaign told Spectrum News that his office has "already released information on this, but … the bottom line is that we stand with the child victim, who in this case did not wish to testify again and be forced into the same room as his abuser."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

The spokesperson added that "Talarico cares more about turning a child victim into a political pawn than the truth" and that "every time James Talarico chooses to bring this case up he is intentionally re-traumatizing the child victim for personal gain."

Fox News Digital reached out to Dieterich for additional comment.

Bills star Dion Dawkins explains why Josh Allen 'absolutely sucks' to play with – in a good way

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:37:25 -0400

Dion Dawkins is entering Year 10 as the left tackle for the Buffalo Bills, but more importantly, his ninth campaign protecting quarterback Josh Allen’s blind spot.

But Dawkins’ job description isn’t your quintessential left tackle "block-anything-that-tries-to-enter-your-pocket" situation. Allen, the 2025 NFL MVP, is the cause of that.

Allen is making highlight-reel plays by the week with his ability to keep plays that should result in a sack alive, scrambling his way around the field, sometimes running sideline to sideline, just to pick up positive yardage.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

It’s thankless most of the time, but Dawkins and his linemates are running around trying to help Allen at the same time. So, how exactly does Dawkins feel heading into his ninth year with Allen as the man under center?

"People think playing for Josh Allen is the best thing in the world – it f---ing sucks. All right? It absolutely sucks," Dawkins told Fox News Digital at Fanatics Fest after riding through an off-road obstacle course outside the Javits Center in New York City as part of Polaris’ and Call of Duty’s activation for the fan event.

Obviously, Dawkins is being very sarcastic here, but that’s the type of relationship these two share. It’s more than just being teammates – it’s a brotherhood.

JOSH ALLEN SAYS HE WOULD BE 'VERY HONORED' TO PLAY FOR TEAM USA IN FLAG FOOTBALL AT 2028 OLYMPICS

Dawkins, older by two years, has the role of protective big brother, which also means cracking jokes.

"Josh is here and there and you gotta know where he is at all times," he continued. "But the best thing about having Josh, when you’ve played with him for so long – not that I birthed Josh. But I birthed Josh. I was in there with Tyrod Taylor and then here comes Josh. So, me knowing how Josh moves and how he flows, it’s been great.

"It’s a gift and a curse because you don’t know where he is. But what I always say, it’s more of a gift than a curse. Sometimes, you don’t know where he is, but Josh will get you out of trouble more than we’ll get him in, and I appreciate him."

The entire city of Buffalo appreciates the hustle, determination, and at times, acrobatics that Allen needs to do the things he’s known for on the football field.

At the same time, Dawkins is one of the best in the NFL at what he does, which makes Allen’s life much easier. Dawkins earned his fifth straight Pro Bowl last year, though he’ll tell you like the rest of the Bills’ roster: they’re not satisfied until the Vince Lombardi Trophy is in hand.

NFL COACHES AND EXECUTIVES SAY PATRICK MAHOMES IS NO LONGER THE BEST QUARTERBACK IN THE NFL

To make that happen, the combination of Allen and Dawkins are paramount – even if the latter can’t stand the extra cardio the former makes him put in.

Hitting the road with Polaris and Call of Duty

Right across the street from the Javits Center, Polaris, the American automobile manufacturer, and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 4 created an off-road obstacle course that Fanatics Fest attendees could navigate throughout the four-day event this weekend.

Dawkins got a first taste of the experience in a Polaris RZR, which will be featured in the latest edition of the video game franchise when it comes out in October.

Dawkins, an automobile aficionado himself, loved every second of the obstacle course, and even let out a shriek when the driver floored it over a hill at the end.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"If there was just a longer stretch, we really would’ve went flying," Dawkins said, laughing.

The experience was one that had Dawkins itching to get into his own vehicle.

"I already told them I need three of these because we can all be in the woods in Buffalo at Big Indian going crazy," Dawkins said. "It holds and grabs so well – no problem. I just want to see it through the puddles, ponds and when it gets real wet and real soft on the ground underneath. Click the four-wheel drive and get that thing moving."

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

China dismisses Trump election interference accusations as 'entirely fabricated,' threatens countermeasures

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:36:20 -0400

China pushed back Friday after President Donald Trump accused Beijing of "working to influence the results" of the 2020 presidential election, describing his accusation as "entirely fabricated."

Trump said in a primetime speech Thursday night that "in mid 2018, China was working to influence the results of the U.S. midterm elections and later the results of the 2020 presidential election itself."

Trump said in a primetime speech Thursday night that newly released documents "show CIA reporting explicitly stated, and I quote, in mid 2018, the Chinese Communist Party's policy was to leverage all domestic and foreign elements that were opposed to the U.S. president in an effort to reduce the U.S. president's votes and make him resign or prevent his reelection."

"The reason they wanted me to lose is because they knew I was wise to them," Trump added, while also accusing members of the U.S. intelligence community of operating a "shadow government" to allegedly conceal evidence of China’s efforts to influence U.S. elections.

China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian on Friday said "the relevant allegations by the U.S. are entirely fabricated and aimed at vilifying China."

"We have no interest in interfering in US elections and have never done so," Jian said.

'SHADOW GOVERNMENT': TRUMP CLAIMS INTEL COMMUNITY BRAGGED ABOUT HIDING CHINESE MEDDLING

Asked whether this might affect the expected visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the U.S. in September, the spokesperson replied: "As I just said, we urge the U.S. to stop making an issue of China in its elections and do something conducive to China-U.S. relations."

Trump did not claim China changed votes or altered election results. Instead, he argued Beijing engaged in an influence campaign aimed at shaping U.S. public perceptions.

Trump said intelligence officials kept significant reporting out of his presidential briefings and highlighted an email in which a National Security Agency analyst allegedly wrote, "We have deliberately massaged our one pending [presidential daily brief] to avoid any direct links to the election."

"Those responsible for sounding the alarm instead kept the information secret and hidden," Trump claimed. "They did not disclose (it) to me as president or to anyone else."

Trump used the disclosures to press Congress to pass the SAVE America Act, casting the newly released intelligence as evidence that lawmakers must tighten federal election rules before the midterms.

SENATE FACES 'COME-TO-JESUS' MOMENT ON TRUMP'S ELECTION PRIORITY UNDER GOP'S NEW PLAN

The SAVE America Act passed the House in February but stalled in the Senate in March, when a 53–47 vote fell short of the 60 votes needed to advance it. Trump urged Americans to call their senators and representatives and demand its passage "without delay."

The Trump administration also announced Thursday it will drastically shorten visas for foreign journalists in the U.S. to 240 days, down from years, and cut those for Chinese journalists to only 90 days.

China's Foreign Ministry called the decision "discriminatory" and said it would affect the work of Chinese media in the U.S.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"China urges the U.S. to immediately revoke its discriminatory policies targeting Chinese journalists and effectively safeguard their lawful rights and interests in the U.S.," Jian said during a daily briefing in Beijing.

He added that "China reserves the right to take reciprocal countermeasures."

Fox News Digital’s Morgan Phillips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Maine Democrats recycle Platner's far-left talking points in scramble to replace disgraced ex-nominee

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:17 -0400

A group of eight Senate contenders running to replace Graham Platner as Maine's Democratic Senate nominee sought to showcase how they align with the disgraced ex-candidate's policy agenda on Thursday night ahead of an upcoming nominating convention in the state.

"Graham actually said he voted for me a few years ago," said David Costello, who ran unsuccessfully for the nomination earlier this year and lost to Platner, in response to a question about whether he would carry on any of the policies Platner put forward during his campaign. "How's that?"

The answers from the eight participating Democrats showed an effort to capture some of Platner’s momentum and messaging — even as they sought to stake out their own candidacies amid a scramble to find another party nominee.

Whichever Democrat is crowned at a Maine Democratic Party convention on July 25, will face off in the midterm elections against longtime GOP Sen. Susan Collins in a high-stakes race that is among roughly a dozen that will determine if Republicans hold their slim Senate majority. A dozen Democrats, who filed with the state party by Wednesday's deadline, are aiming to get on the ballot in the sprint to replace Platner.

DEMOCRATS WANT US TO FOCUS ON GRAHAM PLATNER’S POLICIES. HE FAILS MAINE THERE, TOO

Jordan Wood, a former congressional chief of staff to Rep. Katie Porter, D-Calif., said Thursday night that Platner’s perspective on the war in Gaza had been particularly transformative.

"When I got into this race, I was very hesitant to use the word genocide. To me, when you make that commitment, you have to be ready to go all the way, for the need to put conditions on any future aid to Israel. Graham got into this race, saying, 'this is genocide,'" Wood said.

"And I learned that…it is so important in these moments to draw those moral lines. Voters are looking at you to see what is going on in Gaza, the genocide that Israel is committing, and the need to speak to that. And it's going to be difficult. But it is one thing that I took from Graham that I embraced that position now. But I learned it from him."

Troy Jackson, a former Maine Senate president, fifth-generation logger, and who ran for this year's gubernatorial nomination, pivoted to Graham’s stance on healthcare, arguing it would continue to resonate with voters.

BERNIE SANDERS AIMS TO BLOCK SALE OF BOMBS AND BULLDOZERS TO ISRAEL, ACCUSING US ALLY OF 'GENOCIDE'

"That's the thing that I think Graham did the best: talked about fighting against the health care industry and the prescription drug industry to make sure that people in this state and this country have affordable, quality health care," Jackson said.

Nirav Shah, a former gubernatorial candidate who directed the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention from 2019 to 2023 and later served as principal deputy director of the federal CDC, highlighted a shared view of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). "There are a lot of areas where Graham's policies and mine overlap. One that I think is particularly relevant this week is the need to finally abolish ICE," Shah said.

"For anyone who's on the fence about that, let me ask a simple question," he added. "How many more people must die at the hands of Donald Trump's masked marauders before we finally agree that now is the time to abolish ICE?"

Then, Shenna Bellows, Maine’s current secretary of state, said she shared Platner’s view of corruption in government.

"The democracy that we thought we had has been deeply corrupted by those in power in Washington," Bellows said.

"He energized a movement that's always been there," she continued. "We don't have to choose. It's about Medicare for all. It's about getting ice out of Maine. It's about seeing the harm of October 7th and seeing the harm that what Netanyahu is doing in Gaza is genocide, and that we can hold both of those ideas and we can speak the truth, not try to figure out which talking points will win."

MAN FLEEING ICE OFFICERS IN FLORIDA IS STRUCK AND KILLED BY TRACTOR-TRAILER, POLICE SAY

In the debate’s second group of candidates, Elizabeth Dickerson, a former Maine state lawmaker, argued that Platner’s appeal was less about introducing new ideas than energizing voters around long-running progressive priorities.

"I think that it isn’t so much about the ideas that he had because he was talking about things that people have been talking about for a long time," Dickerson said. "He really didn’t bring up a whole lot that was new. But I think that what happened is that he had a way of getting people excited about doing those things and about voting to support those things."

Dickerson added that she thinks Democrats should try to keep those voters engaged despite Platner’s exit from the race. "Sometimes you don’t get the win you think you’re going to get, but that doesn’t mean you give up," she said. "We still have to fight."

Costello, meanwhile, said Platner had backed him when he ran as a "change candidate" in 2024 and said the central lesson from Platner’s campaign was the need to "change the system fundamentally."

"The most important thing is we’ve got to take money out of politics," Costello said. "Money corrupts everything."

Costello told the moderators he supported comprehensive campaign finance reform, public financing, reduced media rates for qualifying candidates, banning gerrymandering, eliminating the filibuster and imposing term limits for Congress and the federal judiciary.

"That’s what I liked about what Graham was talking about as well, is the energy behind reform, transformation, transforming our government," Costello said. "But the most important thing … go after the money."

Ashley Webb, a transgender activist, went viral during the second debate when pressed on Senate qualifications: "I ran for office several times. Didn’t win, but did run. And then, I’m a songwriter, and then I write my own books."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In response to the debate Thursday night, the Maine Republican Party said Democrats in the state were "stained with the effects of Graham Platner's disastrous campaign."

"It will follow them throughout this race. These candidates are cherry-picked replacements of the nazi-tattooed communist, and it's evident by the nature of their nomination process," Maine GOP Communications Director Kristina Parker told Fox News Digital.

Facing a July 27 deadline to replace Platner with a new nominee, the state Democratic Party announced that it will hold a nominating convention two days earlier, in Bangor, Maine, where 601 voting delegates will pick the nominee.

Once having cleared that hurdle, Platner’s replacement will head to a general election against Collins.

Iran claims bold attack on US airbase and more top headlines

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:06:18 -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. Iran claims attack on US airbase in Bahrain

2. Trump unveils declassified intel he says was covered up

3. Company responds after national outbreak traced to food supplier

MAJOR HEADLINES

CONSENT DISPUTE — Former Dem candidate accused of storming into ex's home with knife, tape, blames 'misunderstanding'. Continue reading …

POWER PLAY — Bernie, AOC bet big on Senate hopeful in Democratic primary in must-win state. Continue reading …

‘SOUND OF FREEDOM’ — Navy boss shuts down Blue Angels uproar after wildly low beach flyover. Continue reading …

PUBLIC BACKLASH — Pizza joint slammed after owner refuses to serve National Guard troops. Continue reading …

BURIED TRUTH — Missing millionaire identified decades after skeletal remains found in shallow grave. Continue reading …

POLITICS

WASH AND LEARN — White House addresses growing parasite outbreak after more than 400 Americans sickened. Continue reading …

ROLLS UNDER REVIEW — DHS alleges over 256K possible illegal voters uncovered across four key states. Continue reading …

‘HOW IS THIS REAL’ — Mamdani sparks online frenzy as 'absurd' housing claim is floated at 'freak show' event. Continue reading …

SILENT TREATMENT — Schumer dodges questions after bombshell report alleges Dem senator had relationships with House staffers. Continue reading …

Click here for more cartoons…

MEDIA

RIPPING REPORT — Jill Biden claims Joe would be ‘excoriated’ if he did what’s happening in current White House. Continue reading …

‘LOST’ ANGELES — JD Vance reveals a visit to LA gave him flashbacks to a ‘third-world country.’ Continue reading …

AMERICAN DREAM — ESPN host erupts 'This ain't Denmark' in fiery capitalism defense on air. Continue reading …

HARD TRUTH — Dem admits his own party 'took the border for granted' in stunning confession. Continue reading …

OPINION

ROBERT MAGINNIS — I've studied military strategy. Trump now faces Iran's oldest battlefield trick. Continue reading …

TONY WIED — Socialism’s rise inside the Democratic Party now threatens the American Dream. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

DIGESTIVE DECEPTION — Doctors warn your 'stomach bug' may actually be a parasite that's harder to detect. Continue reading …

ENDURING BOND — King Charles considered Queen Camilla 'non-negotiable' after Princess Diana. Continue reading …

COSTLY COAST — Famous beach escape now forcing visitors to reserve spots weeks in advance and pay fees. Continue reading …

DIGITAL'S NEWS QUIZ — Who threw curveballs at Todd Blanche? What’s the raging bison’s ultimate fate? Take the quiz here …

LISTEN

Tune in for a preview of the 2026 World Cup Final as Argentina and Spain prepare for a championship showdown, with a look at what could decide the title. 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 Monday.

Conservatives unite around SAVE America Act after Trump declassifies 'shocking' election intel

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:24 -0400

Conservatives rallied around President Donald Trump online Thursday after he doubled down on calls for lawmakers to pass the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, citing alarming election integrity vulnerabilities he said his administration had discovered.

"Thank you, Mr. President," Rep. Tim Burchett, R-Tenn., wrote on social media.

"We are going to lose our country if we don’t pass the dadgum SAVE America Act. Call your senator and tell them to save our great nation."

SENATE FACES 'COME-TO-JESUS' MOMENT ON TRUMP'S ELECTION PRIORITY UNDER GOP'S NEW PLAN

Trump promised a series of disclosures on the discovered weaknesses.

"Tonight, I'm announcing the immediate declassification and release of critical intelligence, revealing shocking vulnerabilities in our election infrastructure," Trump said.

In particular, the president said those new documents would focus on a handful of key allegations, including foreign data theft carried out by China, that members of the U.S. government had known about election vulnerabilities, that Americans had been misled for years about those weaknesses and new evidence of "election fraud."

Fox News Digital could not independently verify the content of the documents that were released by the White House.

To address them, Trump called on lawmakers to pass the SAVE Act — a bill that, among other provisions, would require proof of citizenship to participate in federal elections.

"I ask you to pick up your phone tomorrow, call your representatives in the House and Senate, and demand that they pass the Save America Act without delay. Together, we will restore faith and confidence in our country, and we will be bigger, better and stronger than ever before," Trump said.

Almost immediately, his calls were echoed by Republican lawmakers online.

"It is more important than ever to crush foreign election interference. It is more important than ever to pass the SAVE AMERICA ACT," Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said in a post to X.

MORE THAN A QUARTER-MILLION NONCITIZENS MAY BE REGISTERED TO VOTE IN 4 KEY STATES, DHS ALLEGES

Hans Von Spakovsky, an election expert with Advancing American Freedom, a conservative think tank, agreed.

"The president is absolutely correct that the SAVE Act needs to be passed to implement universal voter ID and proof of citizenship," Spakovsky said.

"He is also correct that the only reason an elected official would oppose this is because that official wants to make it easy to cheat and ensure that aliens who register and vote are not caught," Spakovsky added.

The legislation, which has passed the House of Representatives multiple times, has been stopped by Democratic opposition in the Senate, where Republicans need at least 60 votes to overcome a filibuster.

Republicans hold just 53 seats in the chamber.

Despite Trump's calls to remove the filibuster, a part of Senate procedure, enough Republicans have expressed support to keep it in place, arguing that it forces aat least some level of bipartisan cooperation over the most substantive pieces of legislation. But on Thursday, more voices demanded the Senate revisit the rule.

"The Senate needs to end the zombie filibuster and pass the SAVE America Act. Election integrity is far more important than the dying institutional 'norms' of the Senate," Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, wrote on Xshortly after Trump's speech.

Democrats, who claimthe bill would add too many hurdles for minorities and other demographics to participate in elections, bashed Trump’s calls on Thursday, including former Vice President Kamala Harris.

"The SAVE Act is voter suppression. It is part of a larger agenda of conservatives trying to steal power from the people," Harris said in a post to social media.

"He wants you to lose confidence in our electoral system, so you stay home this November. He knows how discontent the American people are, and he wants to make sure that you do not vote," she added.

Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., echoed Harris’ calls.

WATCH: ELISSA SLOTKIN SAYS SAVE AMERICA ACT WOULD MAKE IT 'HARD FOR ANY DEMOCRAT' TO WIN AN ELECTION

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Donald Trump lost the 2020 election. And now he’s trying to rig this year’s election with the SAVE America Act to make it harder to vote for millions of women, veterans, rural folks, & voters of color," Pressley said in a post of her own.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., also joined in the chorus of Democratic condemnations.

"After listening to the president’s rambling address, I want him to know that the SAVE America Act is going NOWHERE in the Senate. It belongs in the trash with the rest of Donald Trump’s conspiracy theories. America, use your vote and your voice to save our democracy," Murray said in a post to X.

It’s unclear when the Senate might reconsider the SAVE Act.

GOP civil war erupts over Trump's latest agenda push as key Republicans threaten to sink megabill

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:40 -0400

House GOP leaders are scrambling to approve a sprawling budget reconciliation package packed with defense and election integrity priorities, but Republican lawmakers in both chambers are pouring cold water on the process.

The intraparty skepticism, including concerns over the lack of spending offsets, is throwing the ambitious timeline into doubt. And the move to attach the SAVE America Act to the process has already turned off some of its GOP opponents.

"If we keep on layering layers of complexity, like another bogus attempt at the SAVE Act, then we're never gonna get it done," Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said.

When asked if it included the legislation if he would vote "no," Tillis said, "Absolutely."

SENATE FACES 'COME-TO-JESUS' MOMENT ON TRUMP'S ELECTION PRIORITY UNDER GOP'S NEW PLAN

"And I'll slow other things down, too," the retiring senator said. "It's a waste of time. It's an exercise of futility, and those are the only positive things I can think of to say about it."

Still, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has voiced confidence that both chambers can approve a budget blueprint — the first step in the complex reconciliation process — before lawmakers leave Washington for the August recess. The House Budget Committee advanced the budget plan Thursday, teeing up floor consideration as soon as next week.

But across the building, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said that Johnson’s assurance was, "news to me."

Thune acknowledged the desire to push both defense funding and the SAVE America Act through the party line process, but warned of consequences that could appear along the way.

"Again, the question is $60 billion worth the risk of putting something like that on the floor, and all the other harm that could potentially come from that," Thune said.

The truncated timeline comes as the House is expected to leave for August recess by the end of next week, while the Senate will depart Washington, D.C., the first week of August. Some in the upper chamber argue that lawmakers shouldn’t go home if their work isn’t done.

"If we don’t get this done, we’re gonna to — I think we’re gonna have to stay," Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital.

The Trump administration is also providing backup to reconciliation 3.0’s proponents.

The White House sent an internal memo to Hill offices Thursday expressing support for House Republicans’ $95 billion budget framework, which would allocate $73 billion in defense and intelligence funding among other provisions in a forthcoming bill.

"Congress must pass this budget resolution—without modification—immediately," the document said in part.

Several Republicans told Fox News Digital they believe that will be a tough sell.

TRUMP'S VOTER ID BILL CATCHES UNLIKELY BREAK AS MCCONNELL REMAINS SIDELINED

California Rep. Kevin Kiley, an independent who caucuses with Republicans, told Fox News Digital he is "skeptical" about a third reconciliation bill.

Kiley said he is concerned that the $73 billion in defense funding could be spent with little congressional oversight.

"This is really our opportunity here for the House to assert itself when it comes to directing the resolution of this conflict on acceptable terms," the California lawmaker said, referring to the war with Iran.

Kiley also said he opposes the budget reconciliation process because it intentionally cuts out Democrats from negotiations and said lawmakers should be relying on the normal appropriations process.

He voted against Republicans’ $72 billion immigration enforcement funding package earlier this year in part because the measure lacked buy-in from Democrats.

Fiscal hawks in both chambers have griped that the budget blueprint does not direct Congress to cut any spending — a move that would almost certainly increase budget deficits and contribute to the national debt.

"I think you got to pay for it," Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Mo., told reporters Thursday.

The lack of spending offsets was met with a cold reception in the upper chamber as well.

"Our national debt is a runaway train. The next reconciliation bill should be fully paid for," Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., who lost re-election to a Trump-backed challenger, wrote on social media Thursday.

Burlison also said he does not support Republicans' strategy of using a $10 billion funding pool to distribute grants to incentivize states to implement elements of the SAVE America Act, including citizenship verification and voter ID requirements.

He added that he could be convinced to vote for the budget framework if GOP leaders are able to force Democratic-led states to implement those provisions.

"To me, it's not worth it if it's weak language," he continued. "You have huge incentives in Obamacare, and you still have 11 states that rejected hundreds of millions of dollars to expand Medicaid. So it's nothing for states … if we're going to just throw a few million bucks their way."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Complicating matters is whether Trump would even sign a reconciliation bill that didn’t include the entirety of the SAVE America Act, given how much he has pushed Republicans to pass the whole thing.

"I know, I know," Thune told Fox News Digital. "That's a good question. If you get the answer, let me know."

Kai Trump opens up about leaving home for college, credits president for giving her 'competitive edge'

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:36 -0400

Kai Trump, the granddaughter of President Donald Trump, said she's "a little nervous" about starting a new chapter in life, but credits her grandpa for the "competitive edge" she says has fueled her wide-ranging success ahead of starting her freshman year and Division I golf career at the University of Miami.

"[I'm] a little nervous, I'm not gonna lie, but I'm ready for the next chapter," she said Thursday on "Fox & Friends."

"And I love my siblings. I am not far away from them, like an hour and a half away," she added.

KAI TRUMP SHARES BEHIND-THE-SCENES FOOTAGE OF PRESIDENT'S POLARIZING KNICKS FINALS VISIT

During the wide-ranging interview, Trump discussed everything from balancing golf and her booming social media career to her refusal to enter politics. She also shared her mother, Vanessa Trump, is "doing better" after her breast cancer diagnosis.

The 19-year-old is preparing for a busy freshman year after recovering from wrist surgery while continuing to grow her apparel business and online following.

TEENAGE GOLFER MILES RUSSELL DELIVERS HIS DAD AN ALL-TIME FATHER'S DAY EXPERIENCE DURING US OPEN FINAL ROUND

When asked where she gets her "competitive edge" from despite her early success, Trump pointed to her mother and the president as two likely influences.

"My mom's competitive, too, but definitely grandpa's very competitive," she told the hosts on the curvy couch.

She reinforced that sentiment when asked what drives her to keep pushing despite her success as both a golfer and social media influencer. When asked where that motivation comes from, she responded simply: "Probably grandpa."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Trump has spoken openly about life inside the first family while navigating her own life. She will be one of two freshmen on the University of Miami's team.

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

Doctors warn your 'stomach bug' may actually be a parasite that's harder to detect

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:33 -0400

Health officials are warning that what many people dismiss as a routine summer stomach bug may actually be cyclosporiasis, as the U.S. experiences one of its largest foodborne parasite outbreaks on record.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed more than 1,600 domestic cases of cyclosporiasis since May, with over 5,100 additional cases currently under investigation.

The intestinal infection is caused by Cyclospora (Cyclospora cayetanensis), a microscopic parasite that spreads through contaminated food or water.

IS LETTUCE STILL SAFE TO EAT AMID TACO BELL ILLNESS PROBE? DOCTORS ANSWER

The outbreak has sickened thousands of people, particularly in Midwestern states such as Michigan and Ohio, causing prolonged bouts of severe gastrointestinal illness.

Symptoms usually begin about one week after consuming contaminated food or water, although the incubation period can range from about two days to two weeks, according to the CDC.

Early symptoms can overlap with those of a common viral stomach bug, including abdominal pain, nausea and watery diarrhea. Some patients also experience loss of appetite, fatigue and weight loss.

The primary differences lie in how long the illness lasts and how severe the symptoms become, according to Dr. Kenneth Perry, an emergency physician based in South Carolina.

HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS STOMACH BUG SPREADS FAST, HITTING CERTAIN PATIENTS HARDEST

Routine stomach bugs are typically short-lived, resolving within 24 to 48 hours, the doctor said. Even if mild symptoms linger, patients generally feel better after two days.

"Cyclospora is different in this regard," Perry told Fox News Digital. "It lasts longer, with far more profound watery, foul-smelling diarrhea and abdominal cramping."

It is possible to test for Cyclospora, but healthcare providers must specifically request it, as the parasite is not routinely included in standard stool testing and many gastrointestinal PCR panels do not detect it, according to the CDC.

Diagnosis is made by examining stool specimens, although patients may need to submit several samples collected on different days, as even symptomatic people may not shed enough of the parasite for it to be readily detected, per the above source.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

If symptoms strongly suggest Cyclospora despite an initial negative test, the screening may need to be repeated, Perry noted.

A primary care physician is often the best point of contact for patients seeking a diagnosis, as most routine stool tests performed in emergency departments do not screen for Cyclospora. A family doctor can order the specialized test if it's suspected.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES

"The emergency department is the appropriate setting for treating downstream symptoms, such as nausea, diarrhea and dehydration," Perry told Fox News Digital.

People who suspect they have contracted the parasite can also check FDA and CDC food safety alerts to see whether they may have been exposed to a recalled or implicated product.

Patients should also focus on staying hydrated by monitoring their urine output. Perry recommends using over-the-counter pediatric formulas, which offer a more effective salt-to-sugar ratio than commercial sports drinks.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Anyone whose diarrhea lasts more than two to three days, worsens or is accompanied by signs of dehydration should contact a primary care physician.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

Unlike most viral stomach bugs, Cyclospora is treatable with prescription antibiotics. The CDC recommends trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) as the standard treatment, while people who cannot take sulfa drugs should discuss alternatives with their healthcare provider.

California county approves reparations plan as neighboring school district 'Black Thriving' effort stalls

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:28 -0400

Officials in Alameda County, California, have green-lit a sweeping reparations action plan, stepping in after a school district within the county — in Oakland — reportedly failed to deliver on its own highly publicized racial equity promises.

The Alameda County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously on June 30 to accept a comprehensive reparations action plan, capping more than two years of research and community outreach. Designed to address decades of systemic discrimination against Black residents, the plan takes an institutional reform approach rather than focusing primarily on direct individual cash payouts.

"Our Commission was focusing on what role did the county as a government play in systemic discrimination … and then what actions could we take as a county government to redress that?" Supervisor Nate Miley, who represents District Four and was a leading force on the reparations initiative, told Fox News Digital on Thursday.

CHICAGO SUBURB LOCALS HOPE REPARATIONS ADDRESSES 'AFFORDABILITY PRESSURES' AS BLACK POPULATION DWINDLES

Miley added that officials were focused mainly on what role the county played as a government in discrimination, racism, and preventing African Americans from thriving.

"I do think there could potentially be some linkages between the school district and what they came up with in our plan, as we continue to move forward to operationalize our plan," he said.

Instead of writing checks, the Alameda County Reparations Commission's plan outlines structural overhauls, NBC Bay Area reported. These include expanding affordable housing, supporting Black economic development, increasing investments in education and healthcare and enacting criminal justice reforms.

To ensure these recommendations do not sit on a shelf, the Alameda County Board of Supervisors also approved the creation of a permanent standing committee on reparations to oversee the implementation.

While the county-level plan focuses on policy over payouts, local leaders are not entirely opposed to direct compensation.

Alameda County recently partnered with the nearby City of Hayward to establish the $1.3 million Russell City Redress Fund. The fund will provide direct payments to survivors and descendants of Russell City, an unincorporated community seized and bulldozed by local authorities in the 1950s and 1960s for industrial redevelopment, Local News Matters reported.

These local efforts come amid a broader national wave of municipalities exploring racial redress. Most notably, the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, made headlines by distributing $25,000 housing grants to eligible Black residents to address historic housing discrimination — an initiative that is currently facing a federal legal challenge.

Now, Alameda County leaders face the challenge of translating their newly approved framework into real-world results.

SAN FRANCISCO JUDGE NOT CONVINCED REPARATIONS FUND WILL BE DISCRIMINATORY DURING LAWSUIT HEARING

Critics say the nearby Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) serves as a stark warning of what happens when grand institutional promises fail to materialize.

Five years after OUSD pledged sweeping "reparations" for its Black students, critics and parents argue that the landmark initiative has stalled, leaving students to face the same dismal academic outcomes that prompted the effort in the first place.

The Oakland school board passed its "Reparations for Black Students" resolution in March 2021, establishing the 24-member Black Students and Families Thriving Task Force. The group was charged with developing a five-year plan to completely eliminate the district's Black student opportunity gap by 2026. However, former task force members reveal that the original group stopped meeting after roughly a year due to intense internal conflict and abrupt changes in district leadership.

"It was as if we all got together and wasted our collective breath for a whole year," former task force co-chair Pecolia Manigo told The Mercury News last month. "One of the harsh realities I learned in this process is that the district can just wait people out."

Interviews with former members show the initial effort fractured over bitter disagreements regarding school closures and the exact role district officials should play in the reparations work.

MORE THAN 400K NEW YORK CITY CHILDREN ENROLLED IN FAILING PUBLIC SCHOOLS: REPORT

The initial 2021 resolution aimed to establish a "Black Thriving Fund" to recruit Black educators, expand a Black-centered curriculum, mandate anti-racism training for staff, and boost outreach to struggling families.

The resolution was explicitly drafted to combat glaring racial disparities. In the 2018-19 school year, district data showed that while Black students represented 22% of OUSD enrollment, they accounted for 57% of all student suspensions. Furthermore, Black students with Special Education Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) were nine times more likely to be suspended than their peers.

"We kept looking at these data points — chronic absenteeism, literacy, mathematics — it was just dismal," Lawanda Wesley, the former director of the task force, told reporters.

Five years later, student performance remains largely unchanged. By 2025, district testing revealed that Black students still recorded OUSD's lowest proficiency rates in both math and English. Additionally, about 46% of Black students were chronically absent, and nearly 10% faced suspensions, according to Oakland North.

The initial momentum has vanished. The district's official reparations webpage has not been updated since 2021, public meetings have ceased, and Black student enrollment in OUSD has dipped below 20% — down from nearly half two decades ago as Black families continue to leave Oakland, Oakland North reported.

Following a formal grievance process led by the local teachers' union, the district quietly revived a smaller version of the task force in 2023.

This updated initiative pivots away from the grander systemic promises of 2021. Instead, it focuses on targeted family engagement and expanding support systems at 11 designated "Black Thriving Schools" — campuses where at least 40% of the student body is Black.

While some local educators claim elements of the original promise continue quietly via a handful of newly created "Teacher on Special Assignment" roles, others argue the district completely abandoned its public commitments.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

OUSD spokesperson John Sasaki defended the current state of the initiative in a statement to The Mercury News, asserting that the task force "is currently active and moving forward under strong leadership, with a clear focus on supporting Black student achievement and well-being."

OUSD officials have not responded to Fox News Digital’s requests for comment.

America’s broken legal immigration system is replacing US workers by design

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 07:00:04 -0400

The overwhelming majority of Americans instinctively grasp that illegal immigration undermines rule of law, hurts American workers and erodes our way of life. Now, more and more people are waking up to the disturbing reality that our sprawling web of legal immigration programs is just as bad, if not worse, than illegal immigration for many hardworking Americans.

We need a complete overhaul of the legal migration system, which is enabling Big Tech companies and countless other American corporations to quietly replace American workers with visa-sponsored immigrants.

That starts with confronting the H-1B program head-on. H-1B has been marketed to Americans as a tightly enforced, rigorously vetted, merit-based system that admits only the world’s best and brightest for highly skilled jobs that few Americans can do. In reality, it is a loosely monitored system that allows cheap and often entry-level workers to occupy jobs that Americans would gladly fill.

DEMAND TO END 'SCAM' VISA PROGRAM REPLACING AMERICAN WORKERS SURGES, WEST VIRGINIA CONGRESSMAN REVEALS

The numbers bear this out. Last year, for example, the Department of Homeland Security reported that 83% of H-1B visas petitioned for between 2020 and 2024 were for entry and junior level employees with salaries set well below the local median wage. This March, the Department of Labor found that the minimum wages employers are required to pay H-1B workers are set $19,000 lower than what U.S. workers earn in the same occupations and locations.

The OPT program is arguably an even more egregious abuse of our immigration system. It allows foreign students to stay in America for up to three years after they graduate college as long as they are working, or at least as long as they report to be working through a portal that isn't very closely monitored or vetted.

OPT has no cap on the number of participants, no requirement that the employer at least try to hire Americans before looking to this program, and no legal minimum salary that prevents employers from undercutting American workers by hiring these OPT workers for cheaply.

AMERICA NEEDS WORKERS, BUT TRUMP'S POLICIES ARE SHARPLY CUTTING LEGAL IMMIGRATION

Worse still, because it allows participants to remain on a student visa and thus enables companies to avoid payroll taxes, OPT further incentivizes employers to hire foreigners over Americans.

OPT was never passed by Congress, and most Americans have never heard of it. Yet, today, it is allowing more than 400,000 foreign students to take jobs in attractive sectors like technology and engineering.

This isn’t because of a shortage of American talent. Far from it. The Center for Immigration Studies’ analysis of the 2022 Census data shows that more than 11 million working-age people in the United States with STEM degrees are not working in any STEM job.

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

The OPT and H-1B programs are connected. A foreign student, from India for example, can come to the United States on a student visa, remain employed here for years after graduating through the OPT program and obtain an H-1B visa through that same employer. Thanks to the "dual intent" provision that corporate lobbyists pushed into the Immigration Act of 1990, that student could use that job to pursue permanent residency.

Both programs are also riddled with fraud. In May, President Donald Trump's fraud task force identified more than 10,000 cases of foreign students in the OPT program claiming employment with suspect or nonexistent employers. And in June, Fox News reported that police had uncovered an entire network of Indian universities selling counterfeit degrees used to obtain H-1B visas.

Faced with fraud on this scale and corporate abuse this brazen, it's tempting to settle for case-by-case fixes: deport the students making up fake employers, shut down the diploma mills, criticize each individual company filing for H-1Bs rather than hiring Americans.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

These are all reasonable steps to take, but none of them alone will actually solve the structural problem.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That’s because the way Big Tech companies and other major corporations fire Americans and replace them with foreigners who obtain fraudulent degrees isn’t a bug but a feature of our broken legal immigration system. That system was designed by corporate lobbyists and exists to bring foreign workers into America en masse while asking as few questions as possible.

It is time for a new approach. The only long-term solution is to overhaul our legal immigration system and end both the H-1B and the OPT programs for good.

Simone Biles attorney speaks out against SJSU over volleyball scandal after coach's allegations emerge

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:59:21 -0400

EXCLUSIVE: A famed attorney who represents female athletes, including Simone Biles, in abuse cases, is the latest critic taking aim at San Jose State University (SJSU) and the California State University (CSU) system for its ongoing volleyball scandal.

The attorney, John Manly, is coming forward after Fox News Digital reported that SJSU was informed of graphic assault allegations against current volleyball coach Todd Kress during the 2024 season, while the university was already under a Title IX microscope for a national controversy involving a trans athlete on the volleyball team.

"This is not about trans rights... and frankly, the trans piece of this is a smokescreen for the university justifying its abominable treatment and protection of female students in the last 20 years," Manly told Fox News Digital.

"What's happened here, and I can tell you I believe that's happened at San Jose State, is that the whole Title IX process has been bastardized. Instead of a process where it was supposed to be about protecting students and athletes, it's really been about avoiding liability for the university...

"The school needs a wake-up call, and frankly, new leadership."

INSIDE THE FALLOUT OF THE SJSU VOLLEYBALL SCANDAL: ‘THIS IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM’

Manly served as the chief legal counsel from 2017-21 for Biles and the other women who were sexually abused by Larry Nassar, helping the victims reach a $380 million settlement. He also previously represented SJSU female athletes in a separate case of sexual abuse by a trainer as far back as 2009 to 2020.

The lawyer says he sees similarities in the culture behind SJSU's handling of its volleyball situation, and the cultures behind the issues in two other cases.

"As to the culture, yes," Manly said of the similarities to other cases he's handled. "I mean, there was a culture at Michigan State where the Larry Nassar case was, and I was the lead counsel on that, where this was just acceptable and ignored because it benefited the university... Same thing with the trainer at San Jose State who was convicted of federal civil rights charges.

"When you have a culture that doesn't value students and frankly treats them as funding devices, when it doesn't value athletes and frankly treats them as funding devices, and to benefit the university's, quote, 'brand,' this is what happens."

SJSU previously settled with the U.S. Department of Justice in September 2021 for $1.6 million to be distributed to 13 female student-athletes.

The investigation found that the school's former head trainer, Scott Shaw, subjected athletes to unwelcome sexual touching under the guise of medical treatment, and that the university ignored complaints for more than a decade. Manly served as legal counsel for those SJSU victims as well.

Then at the end of January this year, the U.S. Department of Education determined the school violated Title IX again in its handling of the volleyball team. But in March, SJSU and CSU sued the federal government to challenge the investigation and its findings.

SJSU and CSU are meanwhile being sued by 11 female players across the Mountain West, including former SJSU co-captain Brooke Slusser, over their experience with the trans athlete. Slusser has since said that she and her other former teammates at SJSU were never allegedly informed of the allegations against Kress after they were sent to the school in October 2024.

Manly hopes the new developments and SJSU's history will have an impact in the courtroom on all legal fronts related to the scandal.

"I would hope that the courts would look at this as a culture and say, ‘Something’s wrong here.’ I mean, you look at the coach, you look at the trainer, you look at the other issues at the school with culture, and they need to protect kids. And I hope that the end result of that case is that happens, cause it’s certainly not happening now," Manly said.

Fox News Digital has filed two public records requests to SJSU seeking documents related to the allegations against Kress, but both have been rejected.

"The fact that they won't produce the documents tells you a lot," Manly said.

The first request sought the emails between the school and one of Kress' former players at Fairfield University that contained a letter involving allegations that Kress attacked her in a hotel room in 1998. SJSU denied that request, citing personal privacy exemptions.

The second request sought internal communication related to the school's own investigation of those allegations. SJSU rejected that request, also citing personal privacy exemptions, as well as attorney-client privilege.

Both responses from SJSU also stated, "Disclosure of these records would therefore constitute an invasion of privacy that outweighs the public interest in disclosure."

As a lawyer, Manly disagrees with that response, considering the stakes.

"It's completely bogus. There's a whole litany of California cases that says the safety of, of others and the safety of, uh, and, you know, people essentially knowing that somebody's dangerous outweighs that. The, if there's a privacy interest, you simply redact the name of the victim," Manly said.

Fox News Digital was given copies of emails exchanged between SJSU and the former Fairfield player, from an independently verified source. Fox News Digital has independently verified she played at Fairfield under Kress in the 1998 season, but is not disclosing her name.

SJSU DIDN'T PENALIZE VOLLEYBALL COACH DURING TRANS SCANDAL AMID TITLE IX COMPLAINTS, FEDERAL FINDINGS ALLEGE

The original letter was written by a woman that played for Kress at Fairfield University in the late '90s, and sent to SJSU on Oct. 24, 2024.

That first email she sent to SJSU contained the letter with the written allegations against Kress, that was originally sent to Fairfield University. The alleged incident occurred in a hotel after Fairfield’s loss to Clemson in the first round of the 1998 NCAA Tournament in December of that year. She wrote that a teammate asked her to bring her a shirt to Kress’ room.

"I told her I wanted no part of his insanity. I was distraught about the loss and wasn’t interested in his drunken insanity, which was commonplace on trips."

The former player added that her teammate "promised Todd would not throw water at me or do something juvenile so I reluctantly agreed to bring her the shirt."

"I knocked on the door and Todd answered. He immediately took caramel from a plastic container and smeared it all over my face and hair. He then forcibly threw me on the bed and held me down. I was in shock. He let go of me and then pulled his pants down and put his back side in my face.

"Astonished... that is the only word I can think of to describe how I felt in that moment... Todd was drunk. I got up and went for the door.

"Todd again grabbed me, picked me up, and threw me into the bathtub where he held me down and threatened to turn on the shower with me laying there to ‘clean the caramel off of my face.’ At this point I was fighting back to get away from him.

"Todd let me get out of the tub, laughing, and then he stood in front of the door blocking my exit. Todd told me he would only let me leave if I took a shot of liquor, which I did only to get him to move away from the door. Once he did, I ran for it. He chased me. I got into my room and although he seemed to be in a rage, he turned and calmly walked out," the letter alleged.

SJSU Athletic Director Jeff Konya responded to the former Fairfield player in an email on the same day the letter was sent.

"I want to acknowledge that I am in receipt of your correspondence and will share it with the proper authorities on the SJSU campus for additional review," Konya wrote.

More than a week later, on Nov. 4, former SJSU interim Title IX and Gender Equity Officer Peter Lim reached out to set up a meeting with the former player and her attorney.

"Thank you for sharing your concerns about Coach Todd Kress. I am sorry to hear about your experiences. I have reviewed your letter and would like to meet with you to better understand your experiences with Coach Kress. The purpose of the meeting would be to help me assess potential next steps, which may or may not include an investigation into the reported conduct," Lim wrote.

Three days after that, on Nov. 7, Lim sent another email to the former Fairfield player, thanking her and her attorney for meeting with them.

"I am so sorry about your prior experiences with Todd Kress at Fairfield University. I appreciate the time you took to describe those experiences, the impact those experiences continue to have on you, and the safety threat that you believe he presents to SJSU’s volleyball team," Lim wrote.

"We are evaluating the information you provided and determining appropriate next steps. If it is okay with the two of you, I would appreciate staying in touch."

There was no further correspondence between the two parties after that exchange, Fox News Digital has learned.

Manly said the lack of visible follow-up reflects what he believes is a broader flaw in how universities handle allegations that could expose them to liability.

"These complaints end up at the general counsel’s office and die. And the reason for that is very simple. Lawyers rarely find their own clients guilty," Manly said.

"The message it sends is, ‘We’re going to keep the coach because he wins, and we don’t want to look bad.’ That’s not the way it’s supposed to work... This isn’t just about a trans athlete. This is about, in my view, a problematic culture at San Jose State that allowed this to occur. This is not the only group of women who’ve been mistreated and not listened to. It’s a litany of them."

Manly hopes to see the legislature, either state or federal, issue subpoenas for what has transpired.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"The legislature could subpoena these people, and they should," he said.

"I would hope that the board members of the Cal State University system who are appointed by the governor, the Senate and the Assembly would really focus on this and hold a hearing on it and say, ‘How did we end up hiring this guy?’"

'The Odyssey' Review: Christopher Nolan goes epic with his most ambitious film to date

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:59 -0400

When a film has a stacked cast of A-listers including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron, it's remarkable that more people will go see "The Odyssey" in theaters not because of who's on-screen, but rather who's behind the camera.

In an era where movie stars no longer guarantee box office success, Christopher Nolan is in an elite class of filmmakers who are able to fill that void.

"The Odyssey," adapted from Homer's epic poem circa Ancient Greece, tells the story of Odysseus (Damon), the king of Ithaca known across the land as the "hero of the Trojan War," and his years-long journey home.

‘MOANA’ REVIEW: DWAYNE JOHNSON RETURNS FOR DISNEY'S LAZY LIVE-ACTION REMAKE THAT RESEMBLES AI SLOP

Waiting for him in Ithaca are his wife Penelope (Hathaway) and their son Telemachus (Holland) — neither of them are certain whether Odysseus is still alive. Their palace has become overrun by potential suitors for Penelope as the throne remains vacant, the most prominent being the villainous Antinous (Pattinson).

Throughout his tiring journey home from Troy, Odysseus comes across iconic adversaries, including the Cyclops Polyphemus (an unrecognizable Bill Irwin), the sorceress Circe (brilliantly performed by Samantha Morton) and the Sirens.

'THE INVITE' REVIEW: SETH ROGEN, OLIVIA WILDE HOST ONE HILARIOUS DINNER PARTY YOU WON'T REGRET ATTENDING

A lot has been said about "The Odyssey" in recent weeks: between the absurd internet rumor that transgender actor Elliot Page was cast as Achilles — which is entirely false — the off-the-cuff remarks about Homer from Lupita Nyong’o, whose casting as Helen of Troy sparked backlash in itself, as well as reports that Nolan allegedly relied on classicist Emily Watson's more modern interpretation and translation of Homer's poem.

Minor casting decisions and mildly flippant interview comments shouldn't dictate whether to see a film. To get worked up over petty squabbles is just exhausting. If you choose not to see "The Odyssey" simply because of what you read online, that's your prerogative. As for me, I simply go by a film's quality and entertainment value. On both counts, "The Odyssey" passes with flying colors.

‘TOY STORY 5’ REVIEW: TOM HANKS, TIM ALLEN RETURN FOR TIMELY INSTALLMENT AS PIXAR GANG BATTLES RISE OF TECH

What I couldn't get out of my head as I was watching "The Odyssey" was juxtaposing it to the live-action "Moana" I saw the week prior. Both had eye-popping budgets, yet everything about "Moana" appeared absolutely fake and lazy and everything about "The Odyssey" looked so real (again, this is a movie with a Cyclops).

That's because only one of these movies committed to actual artistry, as Nolan reliably does. The mere existence of the live-action "Moana" is more offensive than any of the aforementioned so-called controversies that preceded "The Odyssey."

LOW-BUDGET HORROR FLICK ‘OBSESSION’ SHATTERS BOX OFFICE EXPECTATIONS AS NEW STAR WARS FILM COMES UP SHORT

From "The Dark Knight" trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk and 2023 Best Picture winner Oppenheimer, Nolan continues to raise his own ceiling, as "The Odyssey" is by far his most ambitious film yet. He's a master craftsman who was able to take a lot of moving parts and put them together in a cohesive and (mostly) coherent narrative.

Nolan essentially cast half of Hollywood and there's only so much screen time to go around for them. Some were able to maximize it with strong performances (Pattinson and Morton were among the standouts) while others were underutilized despite their incredible talents (Theron, Zendaya, Nyong'o). Damon does a perfectly fine job as Odysseus, but nearly any leading man could've given that performance.

Nearly every production element of "The Odyssey" is top tier, from Hoyte van Hoytema's stunning cinematography, Ludwig Göransson's powerful score, the editing, the production design, the costumes, the visual effects — there's a lot to marvel at.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST MEDIA AND CULTURE NEWS

The Verdict

It's always an event when it comes to a Nolan picture, and "The Odyssey" — the first movie ever shot entirely on IMAX film — is no exception. It's a captivating, remarkably made epic worthy of being seen on the silver screen — the bigger, the better.

★★★ ½ — SEE IT NOW

"The Odyssey" is rated R for violence and some language. Running time: 2 hours, 52 minutes. In theaters now.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Hooters says kids, families are part of its comeback as waitresses insist they've always been welcome

Fri, 17 Jul 2026 06:00:59 -0400

When the original founders of Hooters took back control of the iconic restaurant chain last year after its corporate bankruptcy, they promised to return it to its roots.

That meant dialing back what founding member and Hooters Inc. CEO Neil Kiefer described as an oversexualized image, reemphasizing the food and hospitality, and broadening the brand's appeal to families and younger customers after years in which some corporate locations had become, in his words, "little boys' club stores."

But at the South Florida Hooters locations, which have always been operated by the original ownership group, the servers who greet customers every day say they've been appealing to families and children all along.

HISTORY OF HOOTERS: 5 FACTS YOU LIKELY NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE RESTAURANT CHAIN

"Here in South Florida, nothing is changing for us," Gracie Williams, who has worked for Hooters for nearly six years, told Fox News Digital.

"We are the same Hooters girls that we have been from the start," said the 24-year-old waitress and bartender who also happens to grace the July cover of this year's Hooters calendar.

Micayla Williams, 21, who has worked for Hooters for about two years, echoed that sentiment.

HOOTERS DITCHING BIKINI NIGHTS FOR OVER-60 CROWD AND FAMILIES

"Nothing's really changed for our locations," she said. "We get families. We get elderly people. We get teenagers, even kids."

Their perspective offers a regional counterpoint to the national conversation surrounding Hooters. As Hooters works to reshape public perception, employees at its two Fort Lauderdale locations say they've long served a broader customer base than the brand's reputation might suggest.

Kiefer said restoring that broader appeal consistently throughout all remaining restaurants is central to the company's strategy.

"We're starting to build that broad base of consumer appeal again, like we have in the original Hooters," Kiefer told Fox News Digital last year.

TIKTOK-FAMOUS HOOTERS GILRS BUILT VIRAL FOLLOWING, BUT LANDLORD HAD FINAL SAY ABOUT THEIR FUTURE

The emphasis is on hospitality, food and community involvement, Kiefer said, while moving away from what he described as "renegade stores" that had become "oversexualized."

In South Florida, community involvement has always been the formula, the Hooters girls told Fox News Digital.

But Gracie Williams doesn't ignore the element that has defined the brand for decades.

"We're always building an oasis for others to come," she said. "Good food, hot wings, cold beer and, of course, pretty girls."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Both women pointed to the restaurant's customer mix as evidence that the perception of Hooters often differs from reality.

During the day, Micayla Williams said, families make up a significant portion of the crowd, particularly at beach locations.

"Obviously, we get more families during the day," but there are also plenty of date nights at her location, she said, "which is pretty neat to see."

Gracie Williams said the oceanfront location attracts parents and children spending the day at the beach.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS

"The parents come and hang, and the kids are out on the beach," she said. "And then when the kids come up, there's a bunch of food for all the kids."

Gracie Williams also pointed to the company's fundraising events, which donate a portion of sales to local charities and youth sports organizations.

She recalled hosting dozens of rugby players and multiple teams at one recent fundraiser, saying those events reinforce the restaurant's role in the community.

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

"A lot of people think, 'Oh, regulars are a man or someone that just gives you a lot of money,'" she said. "But here at Hooters, regulars aren't necessarily that. Regulars are our family."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

As Hooters works to convince a new generation of customers that it's more than its decades-old stereotype, the women working at its South Florida restaurants insist it's just business as usual.

Latest & Breaking News | Fox News

Popular golf influencer reveals wild story of fan who got her autograph tattooed on his arm

Tom Brady draws inspiration after meeting with Make-A-Wish teen heart transplant recipient at Fanatics Fest

Spend less time cleaning your pool this summer with Beatbot robot cleaners — up to 36% off

Squad Dem in the hot seat after spending spree at luxury hotels: 'Champagne socialist'

Who is Andy Burnham? The Trump critic set to become the UK's next prime minister

Who is Andy Burnham?

What has Andy Burnham said about President Trump?

What are Andy Burnham’s political views?

When could Britain hold a general election?

The 20 weirdest things you can buy on Amazon right now

Asian nation with 1,500-year-old imperial line insists only men can become emperor in policy revision

This week's best sales: Save up to 82% on HexClad cookware, RTIC coolers and more

Best-selling deals worth shopping this week

Deals we love

Deals ending soon

Beach gear on sale

Best sales from FOX News Deals-favorite brands

FAQs

Sophie Cunningham manages to anger both the left and right with a simple social media post

Sophie Cunningham asks an innocent question and gets bombarded

1,740-year-old Roman coin bearing emperor's name found as England rail dig reveals clues

Every controversy surrounding Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' from casting to costumes

Casting controversies

Historical accuracy

Modern dialogue and American accents

Nolan's interview remarks sparked another wave of criticism

Will any of it matter?

Texas Dem's claim about abuse victim's family unravels after relatives say they're 'tired of being used'

Bills star Dion Dawkins explains why Josh Allen 'absolutely sucks' to play with – in a good way

China dismisses Trump election interference accusations as 'entirely fabricated,' threatens countermeasures

Maine Democrats recycle Platner's far-left talking points in scramble to replace disgraced ex-nominee

Iran claims bold attack on US airbase and more top headlines

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

MAJOR HEADLINES

MEDIA

OPINION

IN OTHER NEWS

LISTEN

FOX WEATHER

FOLLOW FOX NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

SIGN UP FOR OUR NEWSLETTERS

DOWNLOAD OUR APPS

WATCH FOX NEWS ONLINE

Conservatives unite around SAVE America Act after Trump declassifies 'shocking' election intel

GOP civil war erupts over Trump's latest agenda push as key Republicans threaten to sink megabill

Kai Trump opens up about leaving home for college, credits president for giving her 'competitive edge'

Doctors warn your 'stomach bug' may actually be a parasite that's harder to detect

California county approves reparations plan as neighboring school district 'Black Thriving' effort stalls

America’s broken legal immigration system is replacing US workers by design

Simone Biles attorney speaks out against SJSU over volleyball scandal after coach's allegations emerge

'The Odyssey' Review: Christopher Nolan goes epic with his most ambitious film to date

The Verdict

★★★ ½ — SEE IT NOW

Hooters says kids, families are part of its comeback as waitresses insist they've always been welcome