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Thunder star Jalen 'J-Dub' Williams stretchered off court after gruesome left leg injury leaves him stunned

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 23:01:06 -0400

Oklahoma City Thunder star Jalen Williams was stretchered off the court against the Los Angeles Clippers after a gruesome left leg injury that appears it could end his season

Williams elevated near the hoop with Clippers defenders around him to attempt a shot when he landed in a very awkward position and seemed to fall with his left foot and ankle underneath him.

Williams’ reaction said it all, as his foot was not in the correct position.

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As Williams put his head in his hands out of pure disbelief, his Thunder teammates couldn’t believe what they saw as well. Trainers quickly made a circle around him and assessed the situation following the brutal injury, which below is quite graphic to look at as a fair warning.

Williams was placed on a stretcher and wheeled off the court, where the Thunder faithful were chanting his name. He delivered a thumbs-up to the crowd to acknowledge their support, but everyone including Williams knows this injury isn’t going to be something he comes back from anytime soon.

The injury details still need to be disclosed by Oklahoma City, and yes, not all gruesome injuries lead to a season-ending one, but considering what the video showed, there’s a high likelihood that Williams’ 2026-27 NBA season is done before it really got going.

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Williams entered his fifth NBA season, where he wanted to continue his role as one of the main stars on this loaded Thunder squad.

The former All-Star averaged 17.1 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists across 33 games last season.

Unfortunately, Williams dealt with nagging injuries last season as the Thunder were trying to repeat as NBA champions. He dealt with a right wrist injury on his shooting hand, followed by right and left hamstring strains that caused him to be out for much of Oklahoma City’s postseason run to the Western Conference Finals.

While the Thunder won this battle with the Clippers to remain undefeated in the early season, they will need to find answers for the loss of Williams.

What also doesn’t help is guard Cason Wallace suffered a left shoulder injury in the first quarter of this contest before Williams went down. So, that’s two starters dealing with injury woes.

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Alex Caruso, the versatile veteran who comes off the bench for the Thunder, and Jared McCain are likely the next men up for Oklahoma City.

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Bruce Blakeman calls Kathy Hochul Zohran Mamdani's 'puppet' during New York campaign rally

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 22:33:33 -0400

Republican New York gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman blasted Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul as a "puppet" of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a campaign rally Sunday.

Speaking at the event in Yorktown Heights, New York, Blakeman, the current Nassau County executive, accused his opponent of embracing the democratic socialist mayor's agenda while failing to crack down on illegal immigration and crime.

"Kathy Hochul, she was out campaigning with Mamdani this week," Blakeman said, according to the New York Post. "And I say that’s great."

"Please take him everywhere you go, Kathy, because I want to remind people that this un-American, antisemite, anti-Christian mayor is running the Democratic Party and Kathy Hochul is nothing more than his puppet," he continued.

HOCHUL DEFLECTS WHEN PRESSED ON TIES TO 'ANTI-CHRISTIAN' MAMDANI IN FIERY DEBATE MOMENT: 'SHAME ON YOU'

Hochul has been campaigning alongside Mamdani, including at a recent rally in Brooklyn.

The political alliance between the mayor and the governor, who is seeking reelection to a second full term, comes as democratic socialists have gained greater influence in New York politics.

Along with Mamdani's victory in last year's mayoral election, candidates aligned with Mamdani and New York's democratic socialist movement scored major victories in congressional primaries this year, including the defeats of two Democratic incumbents.

Blakeman has previously targeted Hochul and Mamdani over public safety, accusing both Democrats of failing to address crime in New York City.

FAR-LEFT SURGE: MAMDANI-BACKED CANDIDATES OUST DEM ESTABLISHMENT INCUMBENTS

During a campaign appearance on the city's subway system earlier this month, Blakeman described Hochul as the "most pro-criminal governor" and accused both leaders of failing to keep commuters safe.

Mamdani has also publicly criticized Blakeman, accusing the Republican gubernatorial candidate of engaging in "bigotry and racism" following a debate between Blakeman and Hochul earlier this month.

"I think the governor did a good job," Mamdani told reporters when asked about Hochul's response to Blakeman's criticism. "And I'll never fault someone for not being able to catch all of it because that is a fool's errand when it comes to Bruce Blakeman."

Hochul and Mamdani have emphasized affordability and child care while campaigning together, arguing their policies are aimed at lowering costs for working families.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Hochul's and Mamdani's offices for comment.

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Fox News Digital's Eric Mack and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this story.

Cam Skattebo takes aim at NFL after controversial call in Giants win: 'Guess I’m going to play for free'

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 22:09:35 -0400

Cam Skattebo has lowered his shoulder numerous times in his early NFL career, delivering bone-rattling thuds into opponents to help his New York Giants.

In Sunday’s win over the Houston Texans, though, Skattebo was flagged for unnecessary roughness after officials deemed he crossed a line when he laid the boom on safety M.J. Stewart, sending him to the turf after a big gain on the ground.

Skattebo was livid at the call, as was head coach John Harbaugh , who had to hold his running back behind him on the sideline before displaying his own displeasure at the flag being thrown.

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After the game, where Skattebo’s 42-yard run in overtime helped set up Devin Singletary’s 30-yard touchdown to seal victory for New York, the second-year running back didn’t mince words as he took a shot at the league as a whole.

"Yeah, I’ll keep that conversation between us," Skattebo said when asked what was said to the official following the unnecessary roughness call. "I will say, man, the NFL loves to post me when I do stuff like that, but then also wants to take stuff from me. So, I mean, I’m going to run the ball like I want to run the ball, and if I’m going to continue to get flagged or it or fined for it, man, I guess I’m going to play for free.

"I’m going to do what I can to be on this team, to give everything I got. If they’re going to punish me for that, I’m just going to keep doing it and keep playing hard."

To Skattebo’s point, the NFL has enjoyed his bulldozing style of running that turns back the clock to old-school running through the tackles.

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At the same time, the league has been trying to crack down on helmet-to-helmet contact for years, and referees believed Skattebo led with the crown of his helmet in this case.

However, looking back at the video, Skattebo’s run here appeared no different than others he’s had in the past. It’s why many NFL fans were in an uproar along with Skattebo, calling the call "soft," "bizarre" and more on social media.

It is very rare for officials to throw flags on an offensive player in those situations, which made it seem bizarre in the moment. The video replay almost confirmed as such, but nonetheless, as Skattebo pointed out, a fine might be coming his way from the league due to the unnecessary roughness call.

Controversial penalty call aside, Skattebo’s play in Week 7 was redemption after he did not get a single carry the game prior, as Giants fans believed Harbaugh had him in the doghouse following a costly overtime fumble against the Washington Commanders. The Giants ended up with a tie in that contest, but if Skattebo hadn’t fumbled, New York could be 5-2 today, given it came in field goal range, where the next score won the game.

"It wasn’t by design for him not to carry the ball," Harbaugh said after the tie to Washington. "Just when he was in there, we didn’t call any runs. You’re not thinking about which back is in the game and how many runs they’re getting. It’s we were going to give them all an equal shot, give them a chance, see who got a hot hand maybe, see who could get going with it. We weren’t planning on being down by 24, that’s for sure."

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This week, Skattebo had a chance to change the narrative surrounding his early-season fumble woes, and he put up 124 rushing yards on 17 carries and scored a touchdown in the second half. The Giants had four rushing scores, but Skattebo may have perhaps separated himself a bit as the lead back once again.

The Giants have a bye next week, but when they return to face the Philadelphia Eagles on the road, Skattebo doesn’t seem like he’ll be changing anything about his play style.

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College homecoming party turns to chaos as deck collapses, leaving at least 28 people injured

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 21:48:04 -0400

A college homecoming party took a frightening turn Friday night when a back deck collapsed at a Virginia home, leaving at least 28 people injured and sending emergency crews rushing to the neighborhood.

William & Mary confirmed students were among those injured at the off-campus residence in Williamsburg. All reported injuries were non-life-threatening, according to city officials.

Dispatchers received a report of a structure collapse around 10:07 p.m. on the 200 block of Matoaka Court. Responding police and firefighters found the home’s back deck had collapsed, the city said.

TERRIFYING SCENE UNFOLDS AS METAL CABANA FRAME CRASHES INTO PACKED CASINO POOL AREA

Emergency crews took 13 people to hospitals, while another 15 reportedly sought treatment on their own, according to the city’s Saturday morning update.

Neighbors told WAVY that a homecoming party was underway when the deck gave way. One described emergency vehicles stretching through the neighborhood.

"All the way down the street and wrapped around just ambulances and fire trucks," the neighbor, who asked not to be named, told WAVY. "We saw a lot of hospital gurneys coming out of ambulances. At least nine ambulances kind of wrapped around the street."

WATCH: VIRGINIA COPS CRAWL THROUGH BURNING HOUSE TO SAVE MAN TRAPPED IN FIRE

Joshua Wise, who lives next to the home, told the outlet some of his classmates were involved. He returned after emergency crews had finished responding but learned his housemate had been helping people get home.

"Word was traveling pretty fast," Wise told WAVY. "By the time I got back here, the emergency response was over, but I had a housemate who was helping people, trying to help out as much as possible, drive people home, get people where they needed to be."

Wise credited neighbors with coming together after the frightening incident.

"We did everything we could to help each other out and I think that that’s beautiful," he said.

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In a Saturday message to the campus community, William & Mary’s senior vice president for student affairs and public safety, Ginger Ambler, said the university was still gathering information. Additional students may have sought care beyond those initially counted, she noted.

"We are grateful that none of the injuries were life-threatening," Ambler wrote.

She said staff across the university’s health, academic and student support offices were working to assist affected students.

"We recognize that such an experience may affect our students deeply and in different ways," Ambler wrote.

Wise also praised the emergency response.

"Thank goodness for the emergency responders," he told WAVY. "They were great. The ambulances and everything got here pretty fast."

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Local police and firefighters responded, and city officials were working with area hospitals to confirm the total number of people treated.

The city’s Codes Compliance Division is evaluating and inspecting the site.

Ninth Circuit questions Trump DOJ's emergency request to set aside 20,000 California mail ballots

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 21:26:06 -0400

A federal appeals court on Sunday scrutinized the Trump administration's emergency effort to force California to set aside thousands of mail-in ballots tied to people the Justice Department suspects are noncitizens ahead of the midterm elections.

The three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit raised questions about both the government's legal arguments and whether the court has jurisdiction to intervene during a hearing in which attorneys representing the Trump administration and California argued for nearly two hours, Fox News' Matt Finn reported.

The federal government asked the panel to rule immediately, arguing that hundreds of thousands of California ballots could be tabulated each day while the dispute remains unresolved.

The hearing comes after the Trump administration filed an emergency request involving roughly 20,000 mail-in ballots sent to people it suspects are noncitizens.

CALIFORNIA MUST RESPOND TO DOJ'S EMERGENCY REQUEST OVER BALLOTS MAILED TO ALLEGED NONCITIZENS, COURT RULES

The DOJ wants California election officials to set aside ballots associated with individuals on its list while their eligibility is reviewed, rather than allowing the ballots to be processed alongside other votes.

Circuit Judge Mark Bennett, a Trump appointee, questioned whether the administration's requested injunction could be reconciled with the Constitution's Elections Clause, which gives state legislatures authority over the times, places and manner of congressional elections, subject to congressional regulation.

"It seems to me that you want us to issue an injunction that is entirely inconsistent with the law that the California legislature has adopted pursuant to the Elections Clause," he told Justice Department attorney Matthew Donnelly.

BLANCHE WON'T RULE OUT DOJ BLOCKING ELECTION CERTIFICATION IN 'DOOMSDAY' SCENARIO

"How can we do that?"

The panel also questioned whether the Ninth Circuit has jurisdiction to intervene at this stage.

Judge Gabriel Sanchez, a Biden appointee, questioned why the Ninth Circuit should weigh in when the district court has yet to rule on the DOJ's request and a hearing before U.S. District Judge David Carter remains scheduled for Tuesday.

Judge Patrick Bumatay, another Trump appointee, focused more heavily on the government's concerns about potential noncitizen voting and questioned California's handling of challenges involving suspected ineligible voters.

The Justice Department sought emergency relief from the appeals court after Carter did not rule by a deadline previously requested by the department.

California, meanwhile, has argued that the Ninth Circuit should not intervene before the lower court has ruled.

The Justice Department initially filed the suit Oct. 15, roughly two weeks after California began mailing ballots.

TRUMP SCORES SUPREME COURT WIN IN ELECTION INTEGRITY FIGHT AS STATES GAIN NEW VOTER ROLL TOOL

Before oral arguments, the Trump administration accused California of having a history of "mishandling voter rolls."

California has disputed the federal government's underlying data while emphasizing that it has robust safeguards against noncitizen voting. Los Angeles County officials have said a preliminary review of a portion of the federal government's list identified apparent discrepancies, including people who were born in the United States or were not registered to vote. In a filing this weekend, California argued that the federal government's theory would "turn the Constitution on its head."

"When it comes to rules of elections administration, the federal government has no power to interfere with the States unless Congress passes a law governing the time, place, or manner of elections," the state contended.

More than 3 million people have already cast ballots statewide, including more than 500,000 in Los Angeles County, according to figures cited during the litigation.

The Justice Department has emphasized the urgency of its request, arguing that each day without a ruling risks allowing additional ballots to be processed before the citizenship dispute can be resolved.

Bennett said the three-judge panel would try to issue a ruling as quickly as possible.

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Reuters contributed to this report.

JD Vance sees Bengals making 'a run' but that's understandable because he's a fan, especially of Ja'Marr Chase

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 21:11:39 -0400

We know by now that Vice President JD Vance is a big fan of the Cincinnati Bengals so, of course, he had something to celebrate on Sunday when his team beat the Baltimore Ravens.

Vance did not attend Sunday in Baltimore, but the Bengals punished the Ravens by scoring all their 35 points in the second half, mostly thanks to four touchdown passes by quarterback Joe Burrow.

JD VANCE VISITS CINCINNATI BENGALS PRACTICE AND QUARTERBACK JOE BURROW IS CONVINCED IT WAS MOSTLY ABOUT HIM

It was the type of performance from the Bengals that everyone expected from a potential Super Bowl contender and particularly the offense.

And that had Vance feeling pretty good about his club.

"Huge win for Cincinnati," Vance posted on X.

Can you imagine? The second-most powerful man in the country posted on X about his NFL team. Let that sink in a second.

Anyway, the Veep continued ... "It's early, but I think the Bengals are going to make a run. Who Dey!"

The Bengals have won two consecutive games, but they do indeed need that run Vance is predicting.

They've been a roller coaster of a team, winning two in a row after losing two in a row after winning two in a row. If they continue that pattern, you know what comes next — some frustrating football.

But Vance, the fan, apparently doesn't buy that.

Speaking of being a fan, Vance loves Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase.

JA'MARR CHASE THROWS HELMET AS FIGHT BREAKS OUT ON FIRST DAY OF BENGALS TRAINING CAMP

During Vance's visit to the Bengals training facility last week, Chase apparently noticed that Vance's six-year-old son, Vivek, was holding Bengals football gloves.

"Nice gloves, man," Chase told Vivek as he filed into the locker room.

That got the VP's attention.

"Special shout out to Ja'Marr Chase, an amazing talent, who made my little six-year-old's year by noticing his football gloves," Vance posted.

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There were, by the way, "reports" that the Bengals were generally unmoved or even unfriendly during Vance's visit to their training facility. But, as Vance's boss would say, fake news.

Vance shook hands and talked with coach Zac Taylor and other players and assistant coaches.

Anyway, back to the "run" that Vance is predicting. The Bengals play four teams in their next five games with losing records. Two of those teams, the Washington Commanders and Tennessee Titans, have won only once each.

The Bengals do play division co-leader Pittsburgh during that looming five-game stretch, so that matchup will help determine what kind of run they can put together.

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NFL fans put on brave face in Paris as Steelers beat Saints with chaos in the city

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:58:02 -0400

The Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the New Orleans Saints in the NFL’s first-ever game in France that went off surprisingly well despite the protests and civil unrest all week in Paris leading up to the matchup.

The NFL was questioned throughout the week after seeing violence, looting, vandalization and more occurring in Paris over widespread anger regarding public living costs, deteriorating public services and more. Even President Donald Trump admitted he was "worried about it," talking about the Steelers-Saints matchup.

But the league, despite beloved soccer team Paris Saint-Germaine postponing its Saturday match to Monday due to the unrest, didn’t blink.

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Neither did its fans.

OutKick caught up with several fans who braved the potential of being caught in the middle of the protests in Paris, and though there were some inconveniences, it didn’t go any further than that for these football goers.

"If I’m being honest, I have not seen enough. I’ve seen some graffiti everywhere, but I haven’t seen anything myself," one fan said outside Stade de France.

NFL OVERCOMES CIVIL UNREST, TRUMP CONCERNS AND CALLS TO POSTPONE AS STEELERS AND SAINTS KICK OFF IN PARIS

Another added: "For the most part, it hasn’t been a problem. There’s been a few delays and disturbances, but it hasn’t been that big of a problem."

One fan that caught up with OutKick came all the way from Mexico, where protests due to violent crime, working conditions, and housing costs are nothing new for him.

"[It] don’t matter. Mexico is almost the same," he said when asked about France’s widespread protests. "We have a bad government. I don’t care. I don’t care [about] the problems in France. It’s OK for me. I came for the game."

Fair enough.

There were, of course, heightened security measures, as the NFL worked closely with Parisian police, French national authorities and the U.S. State Department to ensure the safety of all attending the game and the surrounding area. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Saints owner Gayle Benson and Steelers owner Art Rooney II all met with President Emmanuel Macron at the Élysée Palace to go over safety plans as well before the game.

As for fans experiencing one of the most iconic cities around the globe, it wasn’t ideal to say the least.

"There are some stores I want to go to that are boarded up a little bit, or have cracks in their glass," one fan explained. "But other than that, the city seems great. It’s not as bad as I was expecting.

"There’s a lot of really beautiful things that they’re hurting for no reason. I understand they want to speak their voice, but they’re doing things that shouldn’t be done – vandalizing monuments and stuff. It’s not worth it."

Another fan believed that protesters have been going too far when it involves the destruction of property and more violent acts.

"Have they gone too far, the protestors? When they start tearing stuff up, yes sir. When they start burning vehicles and stuff, yeah, that’s too far."

Goodell said the game would go off without a hitch, Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed as much to OutKick, and that was the case in the end.

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There are five international games still left on the 2026 NFL schedule, with the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons playing in Madrid, Spain in Week 9.

The New England Patriots and Detroit Lions will play in Munich, Germany in Week 10, while the Minnesota Vikings and San Francisco 49ers travel to Mexico City, Mexico the following week.

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Israel drills for surprise attack with massive military exercise as expert invokes 1973 war

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:42:24 -0400

The Israeli military launched large-scale domestic military exercises on Sunday to counter surprise border infiltrations and ground raids across northern and central Israel, mobilizing multiple divisions and air assets amid rising regional tensions.

The drills, set to continue over 48 hours, came as an Israeli security expert invoked the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when Egypt and Syria used exercises to disguise preparations for a surprise attack, warning that escalating tensions in the region could in fact trigger what he described as a "dangerous miscalculation."

The large-scale maneuvers, the IDF said, involve the Northern Command’s 210th Division, the West Bank Division, and the Central Command’s 98th and 96th divisions, alongside the Israeli Air Force.

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The exercise, scheduled just ahead of Israel's elections Oct. 27, aims to "maintain the forces’ alertness and readiness, strengthen the ability to defend communities, and make full use of aerial capabilities for defense in the area," according to the IDF.

On Friday, the IDF said troops would practice "a variety of scenarios, including a surprise attack and infiltration into Israeli territory by air and land," incorporating lessons learned from the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks on Israel.

"This exercise is mostly about non-state actors with or without Iranian support," Israeli national security analyst Dr. Ehud Eilam told Fox News Digital.

"It's aimed at those in Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan who might try to infiltrate into Israel or send ground raids. Some are supported by Iran; others are not. It could be planned by Iran or be a local initiative."

NETANYAHU PRAISES TRUMP'S 'WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR,' DEFENDS IRONCLAD ALLIANCE AHEAD OF HISTORIC ISRAEL VOTE

"This is a massive exercise, the biggest one in recent years, aimed at protecting the borders," the former Israeli Ministry of Defense researcher added.

"It's all about making sure that the election day on October 27 will run smoothly. It's also a message to Iran and others: don't try to provoke us during election day, so nothing will be disrupted."

The Israeli drills followed a show of force by Tehran days earlier, during which the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) fired roughly 30 ballistic missiles across two distinct weapon classes, according to reports.

That live-fire display highlighted Iranian strike capabilities and sparked renewed alerts about commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and prompted the Israeli military to heighten its alert level while maintaining maximum readiness for a targeted strike against Iran.

TRUMP IS DISMANTLING IRAN’S WAR MACHINE, BUT AMERICA STILL NEEDS AN ENDGAME

During a visit to the IDF's Central Command on Wednesday, Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir warned that the risk of escalation was growing.

"Given the numerous warnings across all fronts and the sensitivity of the current period, the potential for escalation has increased," Zamir said.

"To ensure better operational control on the ground, we have reinforced our troop deployments across all sectors, including moving the 98th Division into the area to strengthen security and stability."

"Part of mutual deterrence: a few days ago, Iran had their own pretty big exercise, and that was actually more intimidating as far as Israel is concerned because they launched missiles and prepared for a war with Israel," Eilam said.

"This exercise on Sunday and Monday is against Iran's proxies and allies at the border of Israel."

Sunday’s Israeli drill also followed an Oct. 19 mission in which Israeli fighter jets and aerial refueling tankers flew 800 miles across Syrian and Iraqi airspace to Iran’s border.

FROM INTELLIGENCE SHARING TO MISSILE DEFENSE, HOW ISRAEL'S PARTNERSHIP PROTECTS AMERICAN SECURITY

Washington was notified in advance and viewed the maneuver as a non-kinetic show of force following the postponement of a broader strike package earlier in the month.

Despite the deterrence signals, Eilam warned that large-scale military exercises carry the "risk of miscalculation" and particularly when troop movements could be mistaken for preparations for an attack.

"During the Cold War, every time the Soviet Union or NATO carried out a major drill, having so many troops in the field meant they might attack if that was the intention," Eilam said.

He pointed to the 1973 Yom Kippur War, when Egypt and Syria used military exercises to help conceal troop buildups along Israel's borders.

Israeli intelligence largely dismissed the movements as routine drills, allowing the two countries to achieve strategic surprise when they launched a coordinated, two-front attack on Yom Kippur.

TRUMP SAYS NETANYAHU NEEDS TO BE RE-ELECTED, OR ELSE US WILL HAVE TO 'FINISH THE JOB’ AGAINST IRAN ALONE

"The classic example in Israel is 1973, when Egypt and Syria conducted a major exercise just before the war that turned into the actual attack," the analyst said.

"Israel and Iran are now watching each other very closely and both sides suspect the other might strike first," Eilam added before stating that there is the chance of what they call "miscalculation — that each side suspects the other and strikes first by mistake."

"It's all about sending messages to each other."

"It remains uncertain whether there will eventually be an Israeli attack on Iran because it depends on U.S. authorization," Eilam concluded.

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"Right now, both sides are signaling: 'We are ready, don't mess with us, but we don't want to start a war right now.'"

Conservative wave hits roadblock in Brazil as Lula holds off Bolsonaro challenge

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:27:54 -0400

Incumbent leftist President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva narrowly defeated conservative Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro in Sunday's presidential runoff, according to The Associated Press. The deeply polarized nation returned to the polls for a second round runoff on Sunday.

Lula’s victory followed chaos at polling places after a Supreme Court justice ordered a last-minute, two-hour voting extension, a move that could face a legal challenge from Bolsonaro.

While the Flavio Bolsonaro campaign had also requested an extension in certain areas impacted by heavy rains, the unusual decision by the court to extend voting hours nationwide by two hours will certainly draw scrutiny.

BRAZIL BECOMES NEXT TEST FOR LATIN AMERICA’S SURGING CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT

Lula petitioned for the extension, claiming that buses were not circulating to take voters to the polls as expected.

"I've never complained about anything in any election before. Whether I won or lost, I'd just accept it and get ready for the next one. But this time, something abominable is happening," Lula argued.

The Bolsonaro camp is likely to claim that the extension favored Lula.

Bolsonaro narrowly won the first round on Oct. 4, with 47% of the vote, to Lula's 45%, but fell short of the 50% majority required to win the election outright.

The victory marks an unprecedented fourth presidential term for Lula, and a remarkable comeback victory. The result is even more surprising given that Bolsonaro had led, albeit by tight margins, in recent polling, and Brazil had recently elected a conservative congress aligned with the Bolsonaro agenda.

Earlier in the day, Lula voted in Sao Bernardo do Campo, Sao Paulo, while Bolsonaro voted in the north of Rio de Janeiro, the state he represents in the Senate.

The first vote tallies came in from Brazilians living overseas, where Lula won a decisive victory in Germany, and Bolsonaro won an overwhelming victory in Japan.

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While Bolsonaro performed well in his southern electoral strongholds, winning by comfortable margins in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Paraná, and Rio Grande do Sul, he won those states by smaller margins than in the first round.

His turnout in the south was not enough to overcome Lula's famed Northeastern firewall; a reflection of the Workers Party dominance in the country's populous "Nordeste" region.

Bolsonaro also turned in a disappointing performance in Minas Gerais, which geographically and politically straddles the Brazilian north/south divide. Often referred to as the nation's quintessential bellwether state, it is fair to say that as goes Minas Gerais, so goes the nation.

While Bolsonaro won Minas Gerais by 5% in the first round, in the second round it was essentially tied.

Bolsonaro had received endorsements from other first round candidates: best-selling author Augusto Cury, former Minas Gerais Governor Romeu Zema, and former Goiás Governor Ronaldo Caiado.

LATIN AMERICA’S CONSERVATIVE SHIFT FACES ITS BIGGEST TEST YET IN BRAZIL ELECTION

However, they were not enough to overcome the much-respected electoral machinery of the Workers Party. Lula has now appeared on the presidential ballot 7 times, winning 4 of those elections.

Heading into the first round, Flavio Bolsonaro was effectively able to make the case to working-class and middle-class voters that the Lula's economic approach was driving up their cost of living.

He painted the Lula administration as bloated, tax-heavy, and given to racking up debt and tied this to inflation and kitchen table economics.

Additionally, his message of hardline law and order appealed to a Brazilian public where voters routinely suggest that violence is the most pressing issue.

Nonetheless, these economic and security concerns were not enough to overcome a generation of loyalty to the Workers Party and its social programs, particularly in the North and Northeast of the country, where Lula won by wide margins.

While Lula will be riding high heading into a historic fourth term in office, he will face a Congress with a center-right and right-wing majority that has been described as one of the most conservative in history.

While Flavio Bolsonaro lost the 2026 election by a narrow margin, the Bolsonaro movement is certainly not going away, and arguably remains an influential force in modern Brazilian politics.

The Lula victory also brings to an end a long string of victories for Trump-backed right-wing candidates across the region. While Trump had not officially endorsed Flavio Bolsonaro, he made no secret of his preference, and enjoyed a close relationship with the Bolsonaro family.

Looking forward to 2030, all eyes will turn to Bolsonaro clan ally Tarcisio de Freitas, who stepped aside this election cycle, in order to clear the way for Flavio Bolsonaro's run. Will the Brazilian right back another Bolsonaro in four years time, or will the popular São Paulo governor also mount a bid?

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In addition to the presidential election, voters in five states, as well as the federal district of Brasília, were also selecting governors in runoff elections. Bolsonaro-aligned candidates appeared poised to win most of those races.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Todd Blanche challenges Dana Bash for only citing part of Constitution during heated election clash

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:11:31 -0400

Attorney General Todd Blanche confronted CNN host Dana Bash on Sunday after the network highlighted only the first portion of the Constitution's Elections Clause during a heated exchange on "State of the Union" over the Justice Department's lawsuit concerning two candidates with similar names in Alaska's closely watched Senate race.

Blanche pushed back as Bash referenced the Alaska Supreme Court's earlier ruling allowing Daniel J. Sullivan Jr., who shares a name with incumbent Republican Sen. Dan Sullivan, to remain on the ballot. The attorney general demanded that CNN display the remainder of the constitutional provision, which grants Congress authority to make or alter regulations governing congressional elections.

"Conveniently, you put up the Constitution on your screen, but you highlighted only the first clause. Why don't you show the next clause to your viewers, which says that Congress is allowed to pass laws to make sure that that happens? Put that back up there," Blanche said.

BLANCHE WON'T RULE OUT DOJ BLOCKING ELECTION CERTIFICATION IN 'DOOMSDAY' SCENARIO

The exchange centered on Article I, Section 4 of the Constitution, which gives state legislatures authority to establish procedures for congressional elections while permitting Congress to enact or modify those regulations.

Blanche argued that the second half of the provision supports the federal government's intervention under existing federal statutes.

"The second clause says that the Congress may at any time by law, and we have a law, and that's the law that we're relying on when we filed suit earlier this week," Blanche said.

The Justice Department’s lawsuit relies on the National Voter Registration Act, arguing that allowing a candidate who, according to the DOJ, intends to confuse voters to remain on the ballot undermines election integrity. The complaint asks the court to delay election certification if votes cast for Daniel J. Sullivan Jr. could alter the final outcome.

The DOJ's complaint accused the challenger of deliberately attempting to mislead voters by using a name similar to the incumbent's.

DOJ OFFICIAL DEFENDS TRUMP'S NONCITIZEN VOTER PROBE ON '60 MINUTES,' ACCUSES SHOW OF EDITING OUT HER ANSWERS

Media Research Center President David Bozell criticized Bash's presentation of the constitutional language in a statement to Fox News Digital, accusing CNN of failing to provide viewers with the complete provision.

"An anchor who hands viewers half a provision on election integrity is running a magic act, and the trick fell apart on live television. Bash's job is to give the audience the full text up front. CNN owes its dozens of viewers the whole clause, and a better editor," Bozell said.

The DOJ lawsuit follows a June ruling by the Alaska Supreme Court allowing the challenger to appear on the ballot despite objections from state election officials. The court left the question of how his name should appear to the state's Division of Elections.

"Daniel J. Sullivan decided to run for Senator in 2026 as a Republican with the intention of misleading supporters of Senator Sullivan into voting for him," the complaint states.

BLANCHE ANNOUNCES CHARGES AGAINST 10 PERMANENT RESIDENTS ACCUSED OF MINNESOTA VOTER FRAUD

Republicans have accused the challenger, a retired teacher from Petersburg, of attempting to siphon votes from the incumbent. Daniel J. Sullivan has denied those accusations and maintained that his candidacy is legitimate.

President Donald Trump also addressed the controversy Friday while speaking to reporters in Florida, acknowledging that he personally encouraged the Justice Department to pursue legal action.

"I'm the one that said, do it," Trump said.

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The federal challenge faces opposition from voting rights groups and the campaign of Democratic candidate Mary Peltola, both of which filed motions to intervene in the case. The American Civil Liberties Union argued that the National Voter Registration Act establishes voter-registration procedures and does not authorize blocking election certification over candidate placement.

Donna Mills, 85, draws the line at unexpected OnlyFans request: ‘I’m not going to’

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 20:01:53 -0400

"Knots Landing" star Donna Mills is revealing the one unexpected request she refuses to fulfill for her OnlyFans subscribers.

During a Friday appearance on ABC's "Nightline," the 85-year-old actress told correspondent Kayna Whitworth that her content largely consists of glimpses into her daily life but asserted that there is one routine she won’t perform for the camera.

"I do the Peloton," Mills said. "Just, you know, they’re the things of everyday life: having a cup of coffee, you know. They say they like it when you brush your teeth…I’m not going to brush my teeth."

DONNA MILLS DOES 100 SIT-UPS A DAY, PLAYS TENNIS FIVE TIMES A WEEK AT 85 BUT WON'T QUIT DORITOS

When asked if she believes that most of the OnlyFans users who are engaging with her are men, Mills said, "I think so. Yeah. Sometimes you don’t know."

While Mills drew the line at brushing her teeth on camera, she appeared more open to sharing racier content with her subscribers. However, she explained that she does not believe full nudity is necessary to be sexy, pointing to one of her past Playboy shoots as an example.

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"I think it’s sexier to be not just totally naked, you know," she said. "And have a little imagination about it."

"One of the pictures in ‘Playboy,’ which I think is one of the sexiest things, is me in the shower, in a dress," Mills added.

CRYSTAL HEFNER FELT 'ABSOLUTELY BRAINWASHED' DURING HUGH HEFNER MARRIAGE, REVEALS STRICT PLAYBOY MANSION RULES

The "Play Misty for Me" star said she believed that the never-before-seen "Playboy" outtakes could be particularly enticing for her OnlyFans subscribers.

"I think the probably the most appealing would be the ones that weren't in the magazine, right?" she said. "Because they're from the shoot, the same shoot, but they weren't in the magazine."

'HARRY POTTER' ACTOR SAYS ONLYFANS VIDEOS EARNED HER MORE THAN HER ENTIRE ACTING CAREER

After Whitworth asked how much she might charge subscribers for one of the previously unseen photos, Mills floated a potential price.

"Boy, I'm not sure," she said. "Maybe I'm not sure — $100."

"$100?" Whitworth replied.

"More?" Mills asked.

DREA DE MATTEO SAYS ONLYFANS BECAME ‘POLITICAL STATEMENT’ AFTER FINANCIAL STRUGGLES THREATENED HER HOME

"We're thinking you could go up a little higher," Whiteworth told her.

Mills surprised her fans when she announced that she had launched an OnlyFans account in July.

WHY WWE LEGEND DAWN MARIE IS HEADING TO ONLYFANS AT 55

The actress, who became a television sensation playing the glamorous and ruthless Abby Cunningham on "Knots Landing" from 1980 to 1989, said the platform would give her a chance to connect with fans in a more personal way.

Mills said fans were hungry for a behind-the-scenes look at her life, which she noted wasn't possible during her TV heyday.

'KNOTS LANDING' STAR DONNA MILLS ISSUES URGENT WARNING ABOUT AGING

"They want to know me," she told Variety at the time. "They want to know what I do during the day when I’m home. They want to see my home. They want to know much more about my personal life than we ever experienced back in the ’80s and the ’90s that, you know, the fans were cut off from."

"I've always appreciated the incredible support and encouragement I've received from my fans over the years," Mills said. "Social media has been a wonderful way to stay connected, but I'm excited to join OnlyFans because it offers the opportunity for a more personal and direct connection,"

However, Mills emphasized that she planned to approach OnlyFans on her own terms.

"It’s simply another platform to spend quality time with the people who’ve supported me throughout my career while staying true to who I am," she said.

Andy Bachman, CEO of Creators, Inc., the talent agency that manages Mills' OnlyFans account, noted that the Hollywood veteran isn't switching up her image.

"This is not about changing who she is. It is about giving her longtime fans more access to the personality, style and behind-the-scenes moments they already love," Andy Bachman, CEO of the talent agency Creators Inc., said.

"Donna has always been fearless and ahead of her time," Bachman added. "She told me, 'YOLO — let's do it,' and that perfectly captures her attitude. She is approaching OnlyFans on her own terms and creating a space that feels authentic, personal and completely true to her."

During an appearance on "TMZ Live" shortly after launching her account, Mills said that she wasn't planning to pose nude but didn't entirely rule out the possibility.

"Who knows? My first answer would be, oh, no, I won’t do that," she said. "But then my second answer is, I don’t know."

"I don’t want to do anything that’s salacious, you know what I mean?" Mills added. "That isn’t my personality. That isn’t what I feel good doing. But if it’s cute and sexy … we’ll see."

In August, Mills appeared on "Creators Inc. Podcast," less than a month after launching her account. At the time, Bachman, who hosts the podcast, shared an update on her page's performance.

"I can say that you are doing incredibly well," he said. "Many six figures, and it’s been early."

Bachman noted that Mills had already received some unusual requests, including "foot kink people" who asked to see the actress "stomping on grapes" with her bare feet in her vineyard.

"I’m gonna do it," Mills said. "I tried to shoot it myself. But you can’t shoot something while you’re stomping, it just doesn’t work."

"I'm going to uh… I'm going to do that very soon… and do it right so that you know people can… really enjoy it," she continued. "I think it's really funny and fun and uh it's the kind of thing that I want to be able to share with the fans."

In an interview with Fox News Digital last month, Mills teased what fans can expect from her future content.

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"I think what the page will be, will be spicy. That’s kind of always been my thing, to be a little spicy," Mills said. "I think they’ll react to that, they’ll like that, and also it’s my chance to communicate with them through the videos and things like that and talk to them."

Mills also explained that part of her motivation for launching her OnlyFans was to prove that getting older doesn't mean life gets smaller.

"When I kind of looked at it a few years ago and said, 'What do I want to do with this portion of my life, this chapter in my life?' I said, 'I’d like to be an inspiration,'" she emphasized.

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"I’d like to show people, and particularly women, that it doesn’t have to be over. It’s just a new chapter. It’s not the end... It’s just something you can enjoy. You should enjoy. It’s part of your life."

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After playing one of television's most famously ambitious villains, Mills already knows exactly how Abby Cunningham would react to her latest move.

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"She would say, ‘Go, girl!’ Without a doubt," Mills said. "Are you kidding? Abby would be all for it. She was for anything that was going to move her forward, that was going to be to her advantage. So, she would be dead on for this. She would love this."

NFL's French national anthem performer Nina Tonji alters words to La Marseillaise, sparking outrage in France

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 19:36:15 -0400

Words often matter as much as actions and amid the civil unrest that France has felt in recent days, some French people are apparently angry and offended over the altering of their national anthem before the NFL game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and New Orleans Saints.

And, yes, this has to do with immigrants in France.

Before the game, singer Nina Tonji performed La Marseillaise at the Stade de France. Although she received a warm round of applause afterward, there has been significant online backlash because she modified the lyrics of the song.

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Tonji changed "Qu'un sang impur abreuve nos sillons!" to "Qu'un sang uni abreuve nos sillons!," and that was clearly done on purpose because it has political and societal ramifications.

"Qu’un sang impur abreuve nos sillons" means "May impure blood water our furrows/fields." In the revolutionary context of La Marseillaise, "impure blood" referred to enemies and traitors – particularly French immigrants fighting alongside foreign armies.

Replacing impur ("impure") with uni ("united") changes the meaning of the passage from from a call for enemy blood to nourish France’s soil into an appeal for national unity and solidarity that includes immigrants to nourish France's soil.

Tonji thus changed the song's tone from violent exclusion of a foreign enemy to a message of unity with foreigners.

She gave immigrants cover that La Marseillaise did not in 1792 when it was written during the French Revolution.

And, yes, this rendition represented a lyrical alteration by the Tonji that departed from the traditional wording of the French national anthem. But it comes at a time when people in France are on edge about immigration and foreigners.

That’s because at least some of the protesters who took to the streets during the past two weeks of civil unrest were immigrants. Some rallied for anti-Israel causes, while others called for the overthrow of the current political system.

So, predictably, there has been an online backlash.

This is where we also inform you that Tonji was born in Montreal, Canada.

Much of the attention she is now getting has come from media accounts with massive followings.

Cerfia posted the song to its 1.3 million followers and highlighted the changes made.

RMC Sport posted it to its 2.7 million followers, saying the change caused "confusion."

Francetvsport also posted the song to its 297,500 followers.

The replies to the viral posts did include some people willing to overlook the change. But a vast majority insulted everything from Tonji's voice, to looks, to the action itself, calling it a "scandal," and "disrespectful" and a "controversy."

Seems some French people have pride in their national anthem.

So here is a common sense approach the NFL should adapt to avoid these public relations black eyes – because the league gets a lot of coverage over national anthem performances that go awry.

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The league, which supposedly has a right of refusal over these pregame and even halftime acts, can easily force the artists to sign binding contracts that demand they perform the songs as written.

Sure, interpret all you want, the league can tell the artists. That's what makes you an artist.

But don't alter lyrics to suit a personal agenda or feeling. Because that makes you an activist.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

DAVID MARCUS: The future of the GOP in New England rides on Maine’s Senate vote

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 19:23:37 -0400

The New England region of the United States comprises six states, more than 15 million people, 21 seats in the House of Representatives, and 12 senators. Yet, of this congressional delegation, only one is a Republican — Sen. Susan Collins of Maine — at least for now.

In the Pine Tree State, Democrat Troy Jackson has a slight lead in the polls. Over her 30 years in the Senate, Collins has pulled a lot of electoral footballs from Democrat Charlie Browns, who thought victory and a Senate seat were a chip shot away.

In Maine, I chatted with Republican State House Representative Laurel Libby — a rising star in the local GOP and possible heir to the kind of centrist Republicanism that Collins has managed to cling to in this mostly blue region.

Libby told Fox News Digital that "[Collins] is great on constituent services and goes out of her way to be in the community," adding, "it's kind of hysterical for Troy Jackson to say she doesn’t hold town halls. Susan Collins is out in the community constantly."

DAVID MARCUS: IN BLUE MAINE, NOBODY BELIEVES SUSAN COLLINS WILL LOSE UNTIL THEY SEE IT

I pressed Libby a bit on what role, especially if Collins holds on to win, the Maine and broader New England Republican Party can play in the post Trump era — which lies just over two years over the horizon. She replied, "I think we need to be providing the long-term solutions for Maine.

"We’ve seen what a Democrat trifecta [in state government] has done for Maine. During Jackson’s time in the Senate, he is responsible for our electricity costs going up 70%," she said. "He supported a budget that went up 50%."

VOTERS PREPARE TO WEIGH-IN ON TRUMP'S ECONOMY AS COSTS CONTINUE TO SURGE

These were concerns that I also heard from Don, a Vietnam veteran in his late 70s who recently moved into Bangor from a nearby farm after his wife passed away.

"All those Democrats south of [the state capital] Augusta, they just think everyone is made of money, and it's really hurting normal folks," Don said.

Among Republican voters in Bangor, and even some Independents, the word "Augusta," is generally uttered with approximately the level of disdain Jerry Seinfeld had when saying "Newman!"

Dan and Tess, a couple in their 30s, were in town from Massachusetts, of which Maine was once a part. They both see Collins as a strong centrist voice for the region.

"It's a problem when every politician in New England is a Democrat," Dan said. "Especially when the Democrats are out of power."

Chris, also from Massachusetts, was in Maine upgrading carrier lines. When asked what Republicans could do to get a foothold in the region, he said, "I don't really know, when the state's been Democratic [for so long]. ... Coming together to the people with things that don't pull sides apart, because they have two sides, but they're supposed to meet in the middle."

This is a point that Libby refined in our conversation when asked about the fact that Collins was campaigning this week with former moderate Democratic Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia, while Jackson barnstormed with far-left New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

KYRSTEN SINEMA QUESTIONS WHETHER MODERATES STILL HAVE A PLACE IN THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY

"It’s absolutely representative of what they both [would] bring to the Senate," Libby told Fox News Digital. "Susan Collins has proven that she is willing and able to work in a bipartisan manner, to get things done, and during his time in the [state] Senate, did the opposite," including Libby claims a few end runs around the Maine Constitution.

Manchin is now out of power, mostly owing to his refusal to bow to the far left zeitgeist of the current Democratic Party. This is thus far a fate Susan Collins has avoided over the past decade when she distances herself from Trump and MAGA populism.

If Troy Jackson does manage to topple Collins, the message to Republicans in Maine and New England will be that centrism doesn’t work, that they need bare knuckle brawlers more like Rep. Brandon Gill of Texas, than bipartisan peacemakers like Collins.

Nationally, there are some hardcore Republicans who would welcome a Collins loss in this respect. They see moderate Republicans as more of an obstacle than an asset. But most in the GOP concede that holding the Senate for Trump’s final two years in office outweighs the broader ideological intraparty fights.

Win, lose, or draw for Collins, in the future it will be younger Republican politicians like Libby, who will have to define what a Republican is in Maine, New England, and to some degree in America as a whole.

Democrats exiled Joe Manchin for his lack of political purity; they are on the way to doing the same to Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., even though, somewhat hilariously, he really could wind up as the 51st vote in a one-seat Democratic majority next year.

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If Maine Republicans can save Susan Collins once again, it will show that the GOP really can, at least in part, and unlike Democrats, embrace moderate and centrist positions — a point that could play heavily in their favor as both parties try to define themselves for the post-Trump age.

Steve Hilton hits Dem governor's 2028 pitch by calling out Newsom's rail record

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 19:13:35 -0400

Republican California gubernatorial candidate Steve Hilton challenged Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear's argument that a Democratic governor should lead the party's 2028 presidential ticket Friday on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher," pointing to California Gov. Gavin Newsom's unfinished high-speed rail project as Beshear touted Democratic governors' accomplishments.

Beshear, discussing potential Democratic presidential contenders, argued that governors could point to tangible accomplishments that would distinguish them from President Donald Trump.

"What Democratic governors have are receipts," he said. "You can look at, have you built the housing?"

"Have you built the high-speed rail?" Hilton asked.

BILL MAHER CLASHES WITH NEWSOM OVER CALIFORNIA LEADERS, SAYS OTHER SIDE WILL ASK, ‘HAVE YOU SEEN THE STATS?'

The exchange came after Maher raised Newsom as a potential 2028 contender, although the California governor has not formally announced a presidential campaign.

Maher acknowledged Hilton's point, suggesting the Republican candidate could use the project's troubled history against Newsom.

"You're going to have a field day with that. No, you're right," Maher said.

Matt Ciepielowski, Hilton's campaign manager, criticized California's continued investment in the project in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"If Andy Beshear thinks California’s high-speed rail is something to brag about, he should try buying a ticket. Billions spent, years behind schedule, and Californians still can’t ride it. Gavin Newsom’s answer is to keep pouring money into it."

Ciepielowski also said Hilton would end state funding for the project if elected governor.

"Steve Hilton will end state funding on day one," he said. "Californians are struggling to pay their own bills. They shouldn’t have to keep paying for Sacramento’s failures, too."

TRUMP BACKS HILTON AHEAD OF CALIFORNIA GOP VOTE, TESTING BIANCO’S GRIP ON PARTY ENDORSEMENT

California state Sen. Tony Strickland, R-Huntington Beach, vice chair of the Senate Transportation Committee, also criticized Newsom's handling of the project, pointing to findings about taxpayer-funded travel expenses submitted by project consultants.

"The high-speed fail should have been defunded when Newsom took office in 2019," he said. "Instead, he doubled down on a project that will never be built as originally proposed to Californians. The latest scandal involving project consultants' misuse of public funds to pay for luxury travel under Newsom’s watch is yet another slap in the face to California families struggling to pay for essentials like gas, food, and rent."

"These are taxpayer dollars, yet project consultants treat them like their personal ATM. This project will go down as one of the most wasteful government projects in California history," he continued.

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California's high-speed rail system has faced years of delays and escalating costs since voters approved nearly $10 billion in bonds in 2008. An April estimate placed the cost of the full project at approximately $126 billion, compared with an original estimate of $33 billion. No high-speed track had been laid as of that report.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority said in its 2026 business plan that completing the initial Merced-to-Bakersfield segment would cost an estimated $35.7 billion, with passenger service targeted for 2033. According to the authority's financial records, approximately $15.7 billion had been spent through February.

The project's financial oversight also came under renewed scrutiny following a September investigation by California's independent high-speed rail inspector general. Investigators identified approximately $81,000 in consultant travel expenses that appeared to violate state regulations and another $543,000 that appeared impermissible under contract terms, with some overlap between the findings. Questionable charges included premium transportation and trips to gyms, a nightclub and an escape room.

The California High-Speed Rail Authority outlined corrective actions, including additional oversight, employee training and efforts to recover payments determined to be improper.

Despite the criticism, the California High-Speed Rail Authority has maintained that construction is advancing. In an October update, officials reported completing 66 major structures and nearly 90 miles of guideway in the Central Valley, while emphasizing the project's expected transportation, economic and employment benefits.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Newsom and the California High-Speed Rail Authority for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

Stolen car slams into South Carolina home as teens bolt, authorities say

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 19:03:48 -0400

A stolen car barreled through neighborhood yards and smashed into a South Carolina home before two teenagers ran, triggering a search involving deputies, K9 teams and a drone, authorities said.

Video released by the Greenville County Sheriff’s Office shows the car slamming into the house before deputies rush toward the wreck and chase a fleeing suspect.

"Is everybody alright?" a deputy can be heard asking as authorities check the home for anyone who might be hurt.

FOUR TEENS KILL COUPLE IN HEAD-ON CRASH AFTER STEALING G-WAGON, LEADING COPS ON HOURS-LONG CHASE: POLICE

The sheriff’s office said deputies attempted to stop the reported stolen vehicle around 2:30 p.m. Oct. 15. The driver fled, but deputies said they did not pursue the car before it crashed into the home on Renwood Road in Simpsonville.

Two teenagers, ages 15 and 16, were eventually arrested and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, authorities said. No injuries were reported.

WATCH: DEPUTIES HUNT WANTED MAN THROUGH CORNFIELD AFTER HIGH-SPEED CHASE CAUGHT ON CAMERA

The video shows one deputy running after a fleeing suspect while another heads toward the damaged home. The passenger was quickly taken into custody, while the search for the driver brought help from above and on the ground.

K9 teams used multiple dogs to track the driver’s path, and drone operators provided an aerial view of the neighborhood, according to the sheriff’s office. The video also shows a dog picking up a scent collected from the vehicle before tracking the driver.

BLOODHOUND K-9 UNIT HELPS BRING GEORGIA MANHUNT TO END WITH ARREST OF SUSPECT ACCUSED OF SHOOTING WOMAN

"When someone decides to run from law enforcement in Greenville County, they quickly learn that our deputies have more than one way to find them," the sheriff’s office wrote in a post accompanying the video.

"You can run, but our deputies have a pretty impressive toolbox. And they know how to use it," the agency added.

For neighbors, the crash brought a frightening interruption to an otherwise routine afternoon.

"I was just putting my baby down for a nap, and I heard a big crash outside," next-door neighbor Rachel Bush told WYFF.

Just minutes earlier, Bush said, she had been walking outside with her baby and dog.

"We were grateful we were back inside before everything happened," she told the outlet.

DRIVER RELEASED WITHOUT CHARGES AFTER PICKUP KILLS BOY, 6, AND MAN ON KANSAS SOCCER FIELD

One of the home’s residents told WYFF that no one was home when the car crashed through the front door. He and his fiancé returned from an errand minutes later to find the damage.

The resident said the car missed another vehicle in the garage by inches, leaving behind an extensive cleanup and repair job.

Another neighbor, Robert Belcher, told WYFF he offered support after seeing what happened.

"I don’t know what to say to you but thank God no one was at home," Belcher recalled telling his neighbor.

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The resident also offered a pointed message to the teenagers accused in the incident.

"Think about what you are doing; you never know if it’s going to impact lives," he told WYFF.

Zelenskyy can leverage Moscow ties from comedy days to make peace deal, says former key aide

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 18:51:42 -0400

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's former spokesperson urged him Sunday to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin face-to-face in Moscow, arguing that his past business and political connections in the Russian capital from years back could help him negotiate a peace deal there.

Iuliia Mendel, who served as Zelenskyy's spokesperson from 2019 to 2021, told Fox News Digital that the former comedian had also made his first millions in Russia and should perhaps leverage those ties to pursue lasting peace.

"When Zelenskyy was an entertainer, he often performed in Moscow," Mendel said, adding that the Ukrainian president "knows a lot of people from Putin's elite."

"He actually professionally grew in Moscow and earned his first millions in Moscow, and today he pretends that he has nothing in common with them," Mendel said.

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"He needs to go to Moscow and needs to agree on compromises that are acceptable," she said, before adding that Zelenskyy "doesn't need to play his maximalist games and to play this noble actor."

Mendel's criticism came as Ukraine, Russia and the United States prepared for another round of technical-level peace talks, potentially in Abu Dhabi or Switzerland, in November.

U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner have helped lay the groundwork for renewed negotiations that officials hope could finally lead to direct talks between the two leaders.

Before entering politics, Zelenskyy had built a successful entertainment career. Beginning in the late 1990s, he performed with the comedy troupe Kvartal 95, competed on the Russian-language comedy program KVN and later worked as an actor, writer and producer in television and movies.

From the late 1990s, he performed on Russian stages and at private parties and appeared in movies shown across former Soviet republics, Mendel claimed.

She said that after Russia annexed Crimea and launched its war in Donbas in early 2014, Zelenskyy traveled to Russia to work on the comedy film "Eight New Dates" which was released in Russian theaters in 2015.

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According to a report by Business Insider, many of Zelenskyy's movies were also in Russian and were marketed to a Russian audience, David Dodson, an American movie editor who worked with Zelenskyy told the outlet.

"He was a well-loved comic, actor and performer in Russia, but after [the 2013-14] Maidan [Revolution], everything changed," Dodson said.

"People need to realize that Volodya’s movies were very big in Russia. Most of his market was in Russia. He’s always been a popular comedy star in Russia," Dobson also clarified to GQ when asked if he directed the former actor in "Eight First Dates" in Russia, released in 2012.

In 2013, the movie received the Russian National Movie Awards as the Best Russian Comedy of the Year.

In 2019, Zelenskyy also promised to relinquish ownership of a Cyprus-registered company operating a film studio in Russia after investigative journalists revealed that he and his business partners still owned three Russian companies, according to the Kyiv Post.

Zelenskyy's entertainment career made him a household name in Ukraine and other former Soviet republics before he entered politics and won Ukraine's 2019 presidential election with roughly 73% of the runoff vote on promises to fight corruption and pursue peace in eastern Ukraine.

Mendel argued that Zelenskyy's promise to bring peace at the time stands in stark contrast to the devastating war that has crippled the country and defined much of his presidency.

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"Zelenskyy became the president with 73% record support," Mendel said. "Because he promised to bring peace to Ukraine."

"And now he has been presiding for almost five years (over) the largest war in Europe since World War II. This shows a lot."

"When his country is bleeding, he needs to make a peace deal for his people," she said before adding that the leader "needs to put the interests of his people first, just for Ukraine to exist as an independent state."

Whether Zelenskyy should travel to Moscow has, in fact, become a flashpoint in efforts to arrange direct peace talks.

In 2025, Putin offered to host Zelenskyy for talks in Moscow, but the Ukrainian president rejected the invitation as Russian forces continued attacking Ukraine.

"He can come to Kyiv," Zelenskyy told ABC News at the time, saying he could not visit Moscow while Ukraine remained under Russian missile attacks.

In September, on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, Russian journalists pressed Zelenskyy on when he would visit Moscow. He replied, "On a missile."

ZELENSKYY CONGRATULATES TRUMP ON TURNING 80 IN BIRTHDAY CALL, VOWS MORE UKRAINE PEACE TALKS AT G7 ON TUESDAY

Mendel, however, argued that personal animosity between the two leaders has become the main obstacle to diplomacy.

"Today there are diplomatic efforts to try to stop this brutal and bloody war that Russia started," she said.

"But what we see now is a personal opposition between Zelenskyy and Putin that continues to grow into constant escalation in which people suffer tremendously, Ukraine's infrastructure, energy grid, and businesses are in ruins, and refugees are fleeing."

Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. More than four years later, peace negotiations are deadlocked over territory, security guarantees and the terms of a lasting ceasefire.

Moscow has demanded territorial concessions from Ukraine, including areas Russian forces do not fully control.

Kyiv has rejected ceding sovereign territory and insists that any agreement include enforceable security guarantees against another Russian attack.

RUSSIA RELEASES AMERICAN TEACHER IMPRISONED ON UKRAINE MERCENARY CHARGES AFTER TRUMP PRESSED PUTIN

Mendel went on to praise President Donald Trump's efforts to break the diplomatic deadlock, calling him the first Western leader to "challenge the status quo" and consistently push for an end to the war.

"For this reason, many Ukrainians place great hope in his ability to bring peace," she said.

"A sustainable peace deal cannot be reached solely between Zelensky and Putin; it requires the involvement and initiative of a strong third party to halt the ongoing devastation."

On Friday, the White House announced that first lady Melania Trump had helped broker a temporary ceasefire in Oleshky, a Russian-occupied town in southern Ukraine's Kherson region, to allow humanitarian aid deliveries, demining operations and civilian evacuations.

An estimated 1,700 to 2,000 people remain in the devastated front-line town, many of them facing severe shortages of food, medicine and other essentials.

The White House said the ceasefire would begin Oct. 29, although Ukrainian and Russian officials have indicated that operations could begin Oct. 27.

Pope Leo also reportedly spoke with Zelenskyy and Putin about the humanitarian crisis, according to Vatican News.

ZELENSKYY ACCUSES PUTIN OF DEFYING TRUMP'S CEASEFIRE PUSH, SENDS POINTED MESSAGE TO WHITE HOUSE

"Melania Trump has become synonymous with the words of a saver and a hero, since she has brokered the deal for Oleshky," Mendel said. "This is something that is going to save around 2,000 people and that neither Ukraine nor Russia could have solved for months and months."

"That is why, you know, what Melania Trump has done is actually a case to show that where two men are fighting, a woman can actually save lives," she added.

"And this is the new approach that would show that peace really should focus on human lives, not on maps and territories."

Mendel also criticized the influence of Zelenskyy's longtime ally Andriy Yermak on his diplomatic approach, arguing that the Ukrainian president has favored confrontation over compromise.

"Mr. Yermak was teaching Zelenskiy to be a strong man in diplomacy. And what today we see is actually diplomacy that doesn't exist," she said.

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"It's a diplomacy of humiliation, diplomacy of constant threats, diplomacy of demands," Mendel added.

Kendal Daniels goes from stretcher to game-sealing fumble recovery in Falcons' win over 49ers

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 18:50:56 -0400

Last week, Atlanta Falcons rookie linebacker Kendal Daniels was stretchered off the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in a very scary situation following a hit.

One week later, Daniels not only was able to play for the Falcons – he made a clutch play that helped them beat the undefeated San Francisco 49ers.

The Falcons were up nine late in the fourth quarter in a game where they weren’t expected to be on the winning side of things considering how well the 49ers have looked to start this season.

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But with less than one minute left to play, Brock Purdy and San Francisco found themselves in desperation mode when tight end George Kittle secured a wide-open pass and started to take it upfield. However, Falcons safety Jessie Bates III was able to trip up Kittle, and as the tight end tried regaining his footing, he lost the football.

With the football, and essentially the win, sitting on the turf, Daniels came flying in and dove on the loose ball. That ball sealed the deal for the Falcons, who moved to 3-5 on the season while handing the 49ers their first loss.

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Daniels also had a career-high 11 tackles in the win, nine of which were solo efforts. And he wasn’t done securing turnovers.

Daniels’ best play was a perfectly timed jump on a Purdy pass in the middle of the field that he tipped and caught for an interception. Daniels was trying to take it back for a pick-six, but he was ran out of bounds before reaching the end zone.

The 49ers had four turnovers that the Falcons forced on Sunday.

Daniels, a fourth-round pick out of Oklahoma, was all smiles with the rest of his teammates after a hard-fought win. And luckily, the rookie was able to play considering the circumstances of last week.

Play stopped for roughly 10 minutes in the Falcons’ game against the Chicago Bears after Daniels delivered a hit on tight end Colston Loveland, where his neck appeared to snap back after colliding with his knee.

While he was moving, Daniels was in clear pain, and trainers came out immediately to assess the situation. He was placed on a stretcher as a precaution, and the Falcons said that he was conscious and moving his extremities.

Days later, Daniels was spotted at practice where he was cleared to participate, setting him up to play against the 49ers.

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"I scared a lot of people. It was a scary play," he said, via the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. "I’m blessed to come out how I did…"

Daniels will look to deliver more key plays for the Falcons next week in a key NFC South matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who got back on track after a blowout win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

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After yet another inexcusable loss to Wisconsin, the Lincoln Riley era at USC looks to be nearing an end

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 18:31:45 -0400

How quickly things can change in the world of modern college football.

Just a few weeks ago, the USC Trojans were seemingly riding a wave of positive momentum. In the Lincoln Riley era, SC has struggled to win on the road, particularly against traditionally big programs. In 2025, for example, the Trojans went 9-3 in the regular season, with all three losses coming at Illinois, at Oregon and at Notre Dame.

But things were supposed to be different in 2026. SC brought in the number one recruiting class in the country. They brought back starting quarterback Jayden Maiava, entering his third year in the program and second full season as the starter. New defensive coordinator Gary Patterson brought a wealth of experience and a history of getting elite performance out of TCU level talent.

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While the schedule looked daunting, thanks to games against Oregon, Penn State, Ohio State and Indiana, 2026 was widely viewed as a turning point for the program. Win 10 games and make the College Football Playoff, or bust. Through early October, despite some underwhelming performances, the Trojans were squarely in position.

Chaos throughout the SEC opened the door for more available at-large spots. Despite an ugly home loss to a diminished Oregon team, SC was 5-1 heading into a big road game against Penn State. And finally, a Riley-coached SC team looked prepared. Even with the "White Out" home crowd, a motivated PSU team, the lengthy road trip to the Eastern Time Zone, and a long litany of injuries, SC won 31-23 ahead of their bye week.

In the interim, Ohio State lost their starting quarterback Julian Sayin, likely for the remainder of the regular season, making their matchup on Halloween look a lot more winnable. SC just had to get through another road game at Wisconsin to set up the biggest home game in years. And boy oh boy did they not get through it.

Almost immediately, the Trojans looked the way they so frequently have under Riley: poorly coached, undisciplined, and unable to overcome when things start going against them. Their offensive line, which was supposed to be a strength, was confused and overwhelmed by a Wisconsin defense that allowed 41 points to Notre Dame. Maiava played one of his worst games as a Trojan, throwing two interceptions, though one was on a deflected pass, and taking multiple awful intentional grounding penalties. One of which set up a much longer field goal attempt, which was promptly blocked.

USC's running game was nonexistent, with minus-17 total yards thanks to Maiava's minus-57 — minus-57!!! — rushing yards. There were multiple drops by the receiving corps. Perhaps most emblematic was the sequence that played out late in the second quarter.

Wisconsin had a nearly eight-minute touchdown drive, kicking the ball back to SC with the Badgers up 10-7, 1:51 remaining and the Trojans still with all three timeouts. Boobie Feaster muffed the kickoff at the goal line, however, and SC started their drive at their own 7-yard-line. After five plays and a first down, they ended the half at the ... 8-yard line.

Then in the second half, Riley made a series of indefensible mistakes.

The Badgers started the third quarter by driving down to the USC 16-yard line, but the Trojans' defense held, setting up a fourth-and-2. Wisconsin came out in an unusual formation, with four wide receivers bunched toward the sideline. Riley decided against calling a timeout, even though his defense wasn't aligned properly, with just two defensive backs on four receivers, and multiple players covering no one in the middle of the field. Predictably, the play resulted in a Wisconsin touchdown, extending their lead to 17-7.

SC's drive to start the fourth quarter was equally bad. The Trojans moved the ball down to the Wisconsin 33-yard line, before Maiava took a sack on second down to make it third-and-20. SC picked up eight to set up a lengthy, 53-yard field goal attempt. A substitution-based delay of game penalty made it fourth-and-17 from the 41-yard-line, and instead of punting, or even just throwing a screen pass to pick up yardage with a slight chance of a first down, Riley chose to attempt a 59-yard field goal. Predictably, it came up about 10 yards short.

The Badgers drove down the field immediately afterward for the back-breaking, game-ending touchdown that not only gave SC their second loss, but seemingly put a bow on Riley's time in Los Angeles.

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Not all the blame for the loss goes on Riley; Maiava was awful, looking hurried, flustered and frequently making poor decisions. The offensive line was atrocious, giving up pressure after pressure and flailing helplessly in the run game too. Once again, the SC defense just wasn't good enough, despite the Badgers' one-dimensional offensive "attack."

Wisconsin averaged just 3.5 yards per play, with only 200 total yards. They had 58 — 58! — total passing yards. Wisconsin barely even attempted plays other than inside or outside zone handoffs or designed quarterback runs. And SC still allowed three touchdown drives.

Explanations for this individual game aside, it's the result that's once again indefensible. Wisconsin is nowhere close to the level of Ohio State, Indiana, Georgia, Notre Dame or other top teams, and SC's offense was completely overmatched anyway. Seven points was the fewest scored by any Riley-coached team. Ever. In year five, it's the same mistakes, over and over again and a defense that can't win games when the offense struggles. Indiana escaped over Michigan 13-6, because their defense can get stops when they need them. That's never been the case for a Riley-coached SC team.

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SC still has an opportunity to reach the playoffs if they beat Ohio State, Indiana, Maryland and UCLA. But it's impossible to believe they'll win those four games. It's hard to believe they'll win more than two. Which sets up yet another disappointing 8-4 or, at best, 9-3 season. For all the money that's been dumped into the program, that's not good enough.

In year five of the Riley era, SC has yet to reach the College Football Playoff, has shown little improvement on defense, and, with Caleb Williams in his final year in LA, finished 7-5 in the regular season. His buyout might be huge, but it's clear that this isn't working and probably never will.

Meanwhile, across town, Bob Chesney has UCLA in prime position to reach the College Football Playoff in his first season. One week after beating Wisconsin 17-7 at the Rose Bowl, with a backup quarterback starting for the Bruins.

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What is there left to see? What more can the SC athletic department do? How many more top recruiting classes does Riley need to avoid these kinds of inexcusable losses?

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Yes, winning in college football is tougher than it's ever been, thanks to NIL and the transfer portal. Yet somehow, programs like Georgia and Ohio State, which USC would like to believe they're similar to in pedigree and track record, are able to consistently win 10+ games. Riley did it once, in 2022. Then promptly lost to Tulane in an absurd fourth quarter defensive collapse.

It's just not good enough. And when the Buckeyes are running away with yet another win next Saturday, those "Fire Riley" chants at the Coliseum are going to be deafening. Probably too deafening for the SC administration to ignore.

Harbaugh credits players, including J.J. McCarthy and Cam Skattebo, and 'Lord God in heaven' for Giants OT win

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 18:30:08 -0400

John Harbaugh was passing out credit for Sunday's overtime win against the Houston Texans immediately after the game. And the New York Giants coach said the credit goes to the players, including quarterback J.J. McCarthy and running back Cam Skattebo, and God.

"First of all, I just want to humbly say, just personally, very grateful to my Lord, High Rock, Protector and Stronghold, the Lord God in heaven," Harbaugh said in opening his news conference. "And our guys, man, that was a player's win."

The Giants are supposed to win this season with their young quarterback and young running back doing incredible things, but who could've predicted McCarthy would be the young quarterback instead of Jaxson Dart, and the young running back would have to get out of the coaching staff's doghouse first.

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McCarthy and Skattebo were outstanding in helping the Giants beat the Texans.

Skattebo rushed for a career-high 124 yards, delivered perhaps the game's defining run in overtime to set up the winning points, and ran so hard throughout the game – get this – on one play he was flagged for unnecessary roughness.

Because he buried an potential tackler.

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On New York's second possession, Skattebo took a handoff from McCarthy and drove through a hole, lowered his head, and ran through Texans safety M.J. Stewart.

Skattebo steamrolled Stewart but the NFL is all about player safety these days so he was flagged because he lowered his head before making contact.

Larry Csonka, Jim Brown and Earl Campbell would have been proud. And the 15 yard penalty that followed would have been foreign and appalling to the all time greats.

Skattebo wasn't done. He scored on a 16-yard run and in overtime got off a 42-yard run that gave the Giants the football at the Houston 28 yard line. A field goal would have won it from there, but Devin Singletary ran in for a TD on the next play and a Giants win.

Harbaugh, who benched Skattebo last week, said his running back played with a "fierce joy" on Sunday.

The coach also noted how McCarthy responded in his start to deliver his first win as the Giants starting quarterback. McCarthy was officially named the starter on Wednesday, succeeding Jameis Winston who had succeeded the injured Dart.

McCarthy, who joined the team 27 days ago when he was traded from the Minnesota Vikings, had a good day.

He was generally efficient, completing 20 of 28 passes for 252 yards. He didn't throw a touchdown pass, but didn't throw an interception and didn't fumble, either.

"I thought he did a great job," Harbaugh said. "He sure didn't play perfect but he played a heck of a football game. He deserves a lot of credit."

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The twin performance by his youngsters left Harbaugh confident his team can answer challenges – some of which he himself posed, including with the benching of Skattebo.

"It tells you who they are," he said. "I thought before the game we're going to find out about our guys."

The Giants are the only team in the NFC East with a winning record. And getting their practically new, young quarterback to perform while rediscovering the team's leading rusher suggests this team will be relevant despite not having Dart.

"We're going to be in it until the end now," Harbaugh said.

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Budget airline expands its footprint with 11 new tropical flight routes beginning in November

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 18:26:53 -0400

Southwest Airlines will add 11 new nonstop international routes to its schedule beginning in November, giving travelers more options for their next tropical escape.

On Nov. 1, the carrier will start offering nonstop service from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) in Las Vegas to Puerto Vallarta (PVR), the New York Post reported.

Southwest Airlines already has command of more than 40% of all flight operations at LAS.

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In February 2027, the airline will begin offering nonstop flights from Nashville International Airport (BNA) to Liberia and to Aruba (AUA) in March.

Demand for travel to Liberia has surged by 11.8% in recent months, according to the New York Post.

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In June, BNA will also begin nonstop service to Nassau (NAS) and Providenciales (PLS).

Southwest Airlines will be the only carrier with direct flights for all four of the Nashville routes.

Southwest will add four new international routes from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS) in June, as well.

Flights will go to San José, Costa Rica, beginning in March, and there will be service to Liberia, Punta Cana and Nassau starting in June.

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Two more direct flights from Columbus (CMH) and Pittsburgh (PIT) to Punta Cana (PUJ) will be available in March and June, respectively.

Southwest Airlines first began service on June 18, 1971, going from Love Field in Dallas to San Antonio and Houston, according to their website.

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Today, the company is the world’s largest low-cost carrier by fleet size and passenger volume, flying several variants of the Boeing 737 family, with the Boeing 737 MAX 8 being the newest.

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Fox News Digital reached out to Southwest Airlines for comment.

NASCAR's Joey Logano rides on his roof, Riley Herbst nails wall at full speed in dangerous Talladega wreck

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 18:00:56 -0400

The "big one" always looms when NASCAR makes its way to Talladega Superspeedway. Whether the race takes place in the spring or fall, the event can have major implications in the chase for the NASCAR Cup Series Championship.

Tight racing at the Yellawood 500 on Sunday saw a big wreck on the front straightaway and Joey Logano and Riley Herbst taking the hardest hits.

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With six laps to go and David Gilliland leading the pack, Logano had Carson Hocevar on his bumper and Ross Chastain in front of him. Logano got loose, spun and nailed the wall. He flipped onto his roof and took a ride upside down as his vehicle crossed the line.

In the midst of the carnage, Herbst seemed to have hit the wall and lost his ability to hit the brakes. Herbst drove into the outside retaining wall and veered to his left. Herbst appeared to go full speed into the inside barrier beyond the apron. He bounced off the wall before his vehicle came to a complete stop.

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NASCAR said Logano and Herbst were both taken to the infield care center for evaluations and released. Logano was sixth in the points standings coming into the race. Herbst was out of contention.

The race picked back up minutes later. Kyle Larson was leading to start overtime and picked up the white flag. He fell off the lead going down the backstretch but motored his way as the pack moved to the final stretch.

Larson, somehow, came away with the victory by 0.041 seconds over William Byron and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. The defending NASCAR Cup Series champion came into the race leading Christopher Bell by five points. But Bell crashed early and set him back a bit.

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Larson’s victory meant he got closer to the title with two races remaining on the schedule.

Rogers fires back at Welker over El-Sayed's Muslim Brotherhood controversy, 'You are giving him a pass'

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 17:58:57 -0400

Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers fired back at NBC's "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker on Sunday over his allegations about Democratic opponent Abdul El-Sayed and the Muslim Brotherhood, accusing Welker of defending his rival during a heated exchange about the Islamist organization.

Rogers challenged Welker after she said that El-Sayed had already disavowed any ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and defended her previous interview with El-Sayed in which he denied any ties to the group.

"No, he has not, he dismissed the question ... I don't know why you give this guy a pass," Rogers said, as the two interrupted each other. "You are giving him a pass on something he should be accountable for."

MIKE ROGERS PRESSES CNN'S DANA BASH ON WHY THE PRESS IS 'EAGER' TO DEFEND ABDUL EL-SAYED

Welker pressed Rogers on his own 2012 remarks, displaying a past quote where he said the U.S. would have to "reach out to and talk to" moderate members of the Muslim Brotherhood and asking whether he acknowledged having once been willing to engage with them.

Rogers accused Welker of twisting his words to defend El-Sayed rather than scrutinize his opponent's record. He explained that, as House Intelligence Committee chairman at the time, his focus was on preserving intelligence cooperation between Egypt and Israel to prevent further regional violence.

"What you're doing now is trying to twist this thing to defend your position for letting him lie to you," he added.

The confrontation intensified when Welker pressed Rogers about President Donald Trump's characterization of El-Sayed as a violent terrorist. Welker challenged the accusation, saying there was no evidence to support it. She also noted that El-Sayed had denied any affiliation with the Muslim Brotherhood and publicly disavowed the organization.

Rogers rejected the suggestion that he had personally described his Democratic opponent as a terrorist.

"I've never called him a terrorist," Rogers said.

MICHIGAN SENATE RIVALS CLASH OVER MUSLIM BROTHERHOOD ALLEGATIONS AS ROGERS DOUBLES DOWN ON EL-SAYED

Rogers' campaign doubled down on his criticism in a statement to Fox News Digital, with spokesperson Abby Ronson questioning El-Sayed's responses and urging national media outlets to scrutinize his record.

"Abdul is an Oxford-trained debater," Ronson said. "Yet every time he’s asked about his support of the Muslim Brotherhood, he deflects, gets angry and dismisses the question. Michiganders deserve an answer on what should be an incredibly easy question to answer."

"Why won’t his campaign put out an equivocal [sic] statement disavowing a terrorist organization? The national media should start asking him why that is instead of making excuses for him," she continued.

Rogers' allegations stem from previously reported connections between El-Sayed, members of his family and the Muslim Brotherhood, including a 2012 letter supporting Egypt's Muslim Brotherhood-backed president, Mohamed Morsi.

The Washington Free Beacon reported that El-Sayed was among 46 Egyptian American community figures who signed a November 2012 letter backing Morsi's decisions and urging him to purge Egypt's police and media. The outlet identified El-Sayed as a signatory to the letter, which was published as Morsi faced criticism for expanding his presidential powers.

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Past social media posts from El-Sayed's half-sister, Eman Abdelhadi, recently surfaced and described their family's history with the Muslim Brotherhood. In one 2012 post, Abdelhadi acknowledged longstanding family connections to the organization.

"My family has long been MB, but I've always felt that it has navigated the political sphere poorly/destructively," Abdelhadi said.

In another post, Abdelhadi described a conversation with her mother about participating in Muslim Brotherhood activism while attending college in Egypt during the 1970s.

El-Sayed has maintained that he was raised by his father and stepmother and has accused Rogers of exploiting his Muslim faith for political purposes. Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.

He denied that he or his family had ties to the organization when Welker questioned him during an Oct. 11 appearance on "Meet the Press."

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"No," El-Sayed said when Welker asked whether he or his family had any connections to the Muslim Brotherhood.

Dolphins avoid 0-17 crisis, pick up first win of season against struggling Jets on the road

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 17:51:15 -0400

As the only franchise in NFL history to have a 17-0 season, the Miami Dolphins are simply not allowed to go 0-17.

There was a large contingent who believed a winless season was in the cards for Jeff Hafley’s rebuilding Dolphins team entering his first season as head coach.

But that crisis was averted on Sunday, as Hafley and the Dolphins picked up their first win of the 2026 NFL season against the New York Jets, 28-25, at MetLife Stadium.

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And while a winless season was avoided, the Dolphins also made sure they didn’t go 0-6 for the first time since 2019.

Quarterback Malik Willis threw for two touchdowns and run for a score to help lead the Dolphins over their AFC East foe, while Miami showed some clear spirit on the road post-bye week.

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The Dolphins scored on their first two drives of the game, with Willis finding rookie Caleb Douglas, who missed the last few games due to injury, for a seven-yard touchdown grab to kick off the scoring in this one.

Then, Ollie Gordon, who has played well since the season-ending injury to De’Von Achane, busted his way into the end zone to cap a 14-play drive, making it 14-7.

Geno Smith and the Jets were hoping to get themselves back on track at 2-4 entering Sunday, and he looked good on the opening drive. He hit Omar Cooper Jr. for a 52-yard catch to flip the field, and tight end Mason Taylor made a highlight-reel grab to tie the game at seven apiece.

But when halftime came around, the Dolphins were up 21-7 after Willis scrambled in from two yards out with just seconds left on the clock.

New York made things interesting late, though, as Smith found Taylor again for a 12-yard score, and the tight end also caught the two-point conversion to make it 28-25 with 3:24 left in the game.

Willis and the Dolphins had the opportunity to seal victory on the ensuing drive. It was the mobile quarterback doing just that on fourth down. He pushed through on fourth-and-1 with the first down needed to start the celebrations.

Of course, the Dolphins need quite the win streak to get back into the playoff picture, but the weight is off everyone’s backs in Miami.

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Meanwhile, Aaron Glenn and the Jets have more questions to answer as they fall to 2-5 on the year after a solid start to the season. Smith was 23-of-30 for 287 yards with three touchdown passes and an interception, but the Jets can’t seem to find consistent play.

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Woman busted in NYC rabbi syringe attack allegedly stabbed another Jewish man hours earlier: report

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 17:23:04 -0400

A Brooklyn woman allegedly attacked two men in Midtown Manhattan before asking a third whether he was Jewish and walking away when he said he was Muslim, according to a criminal complaint.

Anna Mochalova, 32, was arrested Saturday evening, police confirmed to Fox News Digital. She now faces hate crime charges in the attacks, which occurred five minutes apart, according to the complaint, and left one man hospitalized and another with a cut to his forearm.

Manhattan Shomrim Safety Patrol credited its volunteers, the NYPD’s Hate Crimes Task Force, Shomrim groups in Crown Heights and Queens, and tips from the public with helping secure the arrest.

MAN CHARGED WITH ASSAULT, HATE CRIMES AFTER ALLEGEDLY DISRUPTING SHABBAT SERVICES AT NYC SYNAGOGUE

"The suspect wanted for Wednesday’s two hate crime assaults in Midtown Manhattan is now in custody," the group wrote on X.

The arrest followed a public appeal from Manhattan Shomrim seeking witnesses and security camera, dashcam or cellphone video from the Diamond District.

BRONX MAN ACCUSED OF ATTACKING SHABBAT WORSHIPPERS ADMITTED MOTIVE IN RECORDED INTERVIEW, FEDS SAY

The criminal complaint, provided to Fox News Digital by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, places the first attack outside 15 W. 47th St. around 5:50 p.m. Wednesday.

A man dressed in traditional Hasidic Jewish clothing told investigators a woman approached him and began following him, continuing across the street when he tried to get away.

Cornered against a vehicle, he felt a sharp, stinging sensation in his lower back, according to the complaint. He suffered a cut, bleeding and substantial pain.

Police said the 26-year-old was taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition.

NY ASSEMBLYMAN CALLS FOR DOJ TO INVESTIGATE MAMDANI, PROTECT JEWISH NEW YORKERS AFTER STABBING ATTACKS

About five minutes later, a man wearing a yarmulke was waiting to cross at Sixth Avenue and West 45th Street when someone repeatedly pushed into him from behind. He then felt a painful sting in his right forearm, according to the complaint.

The man turned around and saw a woman matching the first victim’s description. He told investigators she threatened him in Russian, warning that she had a gun and would shoot him if he did not leave.

ANTISEMITIC VIOLENCE ESCALATES AS DEADLY WEAPON ATTACKS SURGE IN 2025: REPORT

She allegedly reached toward the inside of her jacket, leading him to believe she had a firearm.

Police said the 37-year-old suffered a cut to his forearm and declined medical attention at the scene.

He also told investigators he saw the woman approach another man nearby and ask in English whether he was Jewish. When the man said he was Muslim, she apologized and walked away, according to the complaint.

The complaint’s timeline places the attacks five minutes apart. The initial NYPD statement listed police response times two hours apart.

WOMAN ALLEGEDLY CHOKED SUBWAY RIDER, YELLED ANTISEMITIC REMARKS IN ATTACK CAUGHT ON VIDEO: POLICE

A Hate Crimes Task Force detective reviewed surveillance video from West 47th Street and created a still image of the suspect. Another NYPD officer recognized Mochalova based on previous interactions with her, according to the complaint.

Mochalova was arraigned on two counts of second-degree assault as a hate crime, one count of second-degree menacing as a hate crime, and two counts each of fourth-degree criminal possession of a weapon and second-degree aggravated harassment, the DA’s office confirmed.

The judge set bail at $50,000 cash or $150,000 bond, half the amounts prosecutors requested. Her next court appearance is Oct. 29.

Her attorney, Legal Aid’s Lila Carpenter, questioned whether police had identified the right person during Sunday’s arraignment, the New York Post reported.

"These allegations are concerning. Whether they’re my client’s is a different story," Carpenter told the court, according to the outlet.

The Post identified the 26-year-old victim as a rabbi and reported that the attacker used a syringe. Neither the police statement to Fox News Digital nor the complaint identified the sharp object as a syringe.

The rabbi told the Post he believed his appearance made him a target. Despite the attack, he returned to the area the next day to continue Jewish outreach, crediting his grandparents, who survived the Holocaust, with inspiring him.

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Advocacy group StopAntisemitism also condemned the reported attack.

"What has happened to NYC, a once safe haven for Jews?" the group wrote on X.

The attacks come as confirmed hate crimes across New York City rose nearly 13% during the first nine months of 2026 compared with the same period last year, according to NYPD figures.

Anti-Jewish incidents accounted for more than half of the city’s 463 confirmed hate crimes. Police recorded 245 anti-Jewish hate crimes through September, up from 242 during the same period in 2025.

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The NYPD confirmed its Hate Crime Task Force is investigating both incidents.

Aaron Rodgers pulls back curtain on bargaining talks with NFL envisioning one week of 16 international games

Sun, 25 Oct 2026 16:22:02 -0400

Aaron Rodgers is an unrepentant fan of the NFL's international games and after the Pittsburgh Steelers won on Sunday in the league's first-ever game in France, the Steelers quarterback decided to offer a lesson on what those games abroad could have been if not for owners and the league not being so focused on money.

Rodgers, in his 22nd and final year in the league, reflected on past collective bargaining negotiations with the NFL after Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints and said opportunities were missed to make international games bigger.

"The reach of the league is fantastic, and I think I always wanted to be a part of it," Rodgers said. "I remember the 2011 CBA (collective bargaining agreement), there was talk about more games, expanding the amount of international games.

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"Didn't really a whole lot until the second CBA, and there was talk about doing a week, an international week where you had games in 16 different places, and you just added an extra bye-week."

Wait, the NFL and NFL Players Association talked about having a full week of solely international games?

That might have caused something of a revolt among American NFL fans wanting to drive down the road to their local team's stadium and enjoy America's game – in America.

"So you'd play 16 regular-season games," Rodgers continued. "You have two bye weeks. One of those weeks would have been an international week. I think it'd been phenomenal for the game."

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Not in America, but tell us more, Aaron. Tell us about the current situation.

"Now that the owners want to push for 17 games for the, you know, extra revenue and because they care so much about player safety, it [the international week] would have been nice," Rodgers said.

Did you notice the passive-aggressive dig at NFL owners? But back to Aaron's wish for the international week to have come to pass:

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"I think there's 16 opportunities," he said. "I mean, you could do obviously in Canada, you could do in Mexico. There's been games in Brazil. You could probably open up another country in South America.

"Obviously, there's a lot of opportunities in Europe, you know, Ireland, fantastic, France, Spain, Germany, multiple games in England. And then who knows?"

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The "who knows," in Rodgers' mind, includes playing in more exotic venues abroad.

"There's, uh, you know, Dubai," he said. "That area has really gotten into the sporting world in a number of ways. You got a boxing and UFC, I think was there yesterday, I believe.

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"So I think there's great opportunities for expansion in those things. It'd be awesome to see them have that international week. Because I think it's great for the game and the expansion of the game."

Despite the fact Rodgers is a major fan of playing games abroad, he does wish the league and its owners would agree to set parameters for them that include travel. The NFL was asked about that possibility last week and was against the idea of imposing travel mandates on individual teams.

But commissioner Rodgers would do it – once he's done taking another jab at those money-grubbing owners.

"I wish there was a mandate, though, from the league, and they would have to open up their pocketbooks too, which, you know, maybe they'll look tight on money and stuff," Rodgers said.

"But, I think they should mandate every team coming over Sunday or Monday to really enjoy the culture and the place you're going. And you can do events in those cities and outreach stuff in community work.

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"But they won't because they're a little tight."

That's truly something when one of the NFL's biggest names and something of an ambassador for the game wants to play an entire week's schedule abroad, but in the next breath says the NFL will never do it because the owners and the league are too cheap.

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO