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Six Flags mystery coaster already dominates skyline, with more record-breaking height to come

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:30:47 -0400

A towering new roller coaster currently under construction at Six Flags Great Adventure has officially become the tallest structure at the New Jersey theme park, with more height still to come.

Six Flags Great Adventure confirmed to Fox News Digital that the attraction, currently known as Project Purple, has climbed to more than 320 feet as construction continues ahead of its planned 2027 debut.

"We're excited about the progress being made on what is currently known as Project Purple," a park spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

SIX FLAGS SHUTS DOWN KINGDA KA ROLLER COASTER AS FANS SOUND OFF: 'HEARTBREAKING AND INSULTING'

"To date, the structure has climbed to more than 320 feet tall and continues to rise, already making it the tallest structure at Six Flags Great Adventure. Once complete, it will rank among the tallest roller coasters in the world."

Construction remains on schedule, according to the park, with crews continuing vertical work on the bright purple coaster, which is already visible from miles away.

While Six Flags has not yet revealed the attraction's official name or full ride statistics, the park confirmed it will feature "multiple launches and an innovative ride experience unlike anything else in North America."

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Construction is expected to continue throughout 2026 before the coaster undergoes several months of testing ahead of its planned 2027 opening, reports noted.

Project Purple is being built about two years after the demolition of Kingda Ka, the park's iconic launch coaster that stood 456 feet tall before it was removed in early 2025.

Although Kingda Ka is gone, Six Flags indicated the new attraction is designed to deliver a similarly thrilling experience while introducing several ride elements not currently found elsewhere in North America, according to reports.

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The project has generated growing excitement among roller coaster enthusiasts online as more of the structure takes shape.

"The scale of this ride didn't strike me until I saw it from the ground," one Reddit user wrote in the online forum. "The support structure is so much bigger than I realized."

Others said public opinion appears to be shifting as construction progresses.

"Kinda funny to see the transition from hatred to excitement about this ride," another commenter wrote.

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"It's hard to deny how awesome this looks," another Reddit user commented. "I hope they do something truly bonkers at the top."

This week's best sales: Fourth of July deals on Greenworks, Blackstone and more

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

Retailers and brands are kicking off Fourth of July sales with discounts on everything from an $8 sports bra to $100 off a Made In grill and 82% off Wayfair microfiber sheets. Many of these deals end immediately after the holiday weekend, so shop now before prices go back up.

Best-selling deals worth shopping this week

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

Wayfair Basics microfiber sheet set (82% off)

Grab these lightweight, breathable sheets from Wayfair for less than $25, their lowest price to date. Made from brushed microfiber, they're perfect for year-round use, with a wrinkle-resistant finish that keeps them looking crisp and neat.

Seamless sports bra (80% off)

This stretchy, wireless sports bra offers all-day comfort and freedom of movement. The wide straps provide the right amount of support, and it's currently available for just $8.

DeWalt 20V MAX cordless drill (45% off)

Save $80 on this DeWalt cordless drill set for all your seasonal home projects. It comes with an LED work light, and both pros and DIYers love this drill for its compact build and dependable torque.

Skechers Waterproof Go Walk Flex slip-ins (44% off)

These Skechers combine a step-in design with a water-resistant outsole, and they're now down to $62. Wear them almost anywhere, from long restaurant shifts and health care settings to evening walks.

Embroidered America 250 hat (42% off)

This America 250 cap is a FOX reader favorite and has patriotic design elements that make it stand out. The front is embroidered with symbols of American heritage, such as the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty and a bald eagle.

Caraway cookware set: $425 (37% off)

This includes a 12-set of nonstick ceramic cookware with complimentary storage containers. The set has ergonomic handles for easy use and the pans are clean – free of PTFE, PFOA and PFAS.

YETI Rambler 42-ounce tumbler (30% off)

The YETI Rambler tumbler keeps drinks cold all day and has a coating that doesn't peel or crack. Made of durable stainless steel, it also fits in most cup holders.

Deals we love

Don't miss these standout deals, from classic polo to a major iPhone discount.

Tecovas Men's Pearl Snap polo shirt: $29 (Orig. $65)

Tecovas' soft cotton polo uses Western pearl snap closures and a reinforced collar that helps keep its shape over time. Its versatile length lets you wear it tucked or untucked, making it easy to transition from the office to date night.

Greenworks cordless hedge trimmer: $189.99 (Orig. $249)

At $60 off, this Greenworks cordless hedge trimmer cuts through branches up to an inch thick without an extension cord. The included 2Ah battery and charger get you working right out of the box.

Blackstone 22-inch tabletop griddle with hood: Free with Good Chop order

Blackstone's tabletop griddle preheats quickly, so you can begin cooking sooner. For a limited time, you can get one free after your third Good Chop meat delivery order. The Omnivore Griddle Plate provides even heat, while the rear grease management system makes cleanup simple.

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

This Petlibro automatic feeder has a Smart Refill Mode designed to help keep your furry companions satisfied. An AI camera can recognize which pet is eating, while it automatically logs meals and tracks appetite insights for the right profile. Get 10% off your order when you use code GRANARY10.

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

Verizon is taking up to $1,000 off the iPhone 17 Pro with an eligible trade-in and a new line. Plans start at $2.77 per month, making this one of the strongest carrier offers on the market right now. Apple's flagship smartphone rarely sees a markdown this steep.

SpotOn GPS dog fence: $899 (Orig. $999)

Set a virtual boundary of any shape with this SpotOn GPS dog fence, which replaces a traditional invisible fence by using a network of 151 satellites. No subscription is required, and it covers properties ranging from a third of an acre up to large rural lots. You can also create keep-out zones around spaces you don't want your dog to roam. Use promo code BESTGPS to get $50 off.

Deals ending soon

These limited-time deals won't last long — grab them now before they're gone.

Made In grill: $499 (Orig. $599)

The Made In Grill gives you fine-tuned heat control whether you're cooking at home or camping. Swap the removable stainless steel grate for a griddle (sold separately) to cook everything from pancakes to delicate fish, then clean up easily with the removable ashtray. Use promo code FOX100 through July 6 to save $100.

Instant Pot Vortex Plus 6-quart air fryer: $99.99 (Orig. $159.99)

This Instant Pot Vortex Plus does more than just air fry; it also roasts, broils, bakes, reheats and dehydrates. Its clear viewing window lets you check your food without opening the basket. EvenCrisp technology gives you golden, crispy results with less oil than traditional deep-frying.

EcoFlow DELTA 3 Classic portable power station: $439 (Orig. $599)

The EcoFlow Delta 3 can power high-demand appliances and tools, and it charges from 0 to 80% in just 45 minutes using its AC charging. It runs quietly and is lightweight enough to move when needed. Three AC outlets and three USB ports provide up to 2,600 watts of power.

SharkChillPill 3-in-1 Cooling System: $129.99 (Orig. $149.99)

Beat the heat with a Shark personal fan that can be worn, attached or twisted into a hands-free tabletop mode. Press the cryo plate on yourself for instant relief, dropping skin temperature up to 16 degrees Fahrenheit. Evaporative mist also cools skin without soaking clothes or surfaces.

REI Co-op Swiftland long-sleeve running T-shirt: $36.93 (Orig. $49.95)

The REI Co-op Swiftland long-sleeve tee works well for long trail runs and everyday errands. It's made with SwiftTex fabric that's light, cool and quick-drying. Underarm gussets and flat seams keep the shirt comfortable while minimizing chafing.

Fourth of July sale deals

Retailers like Wayfair and Lamson are offering specific seasonal deals.

Harry & David Simple Chocolate Celebrate Summer basket: $71.99 (Orig. $89.99)

Upgrade your summer desserts with this summer chocolate basket from Harry & David. This basket has everything from sea salt caramels and lemon drops to dipped pretzels and cookies.

Foldable Adirondack chair: $113.99 (Orig. $269)

This Adirondack chair is ideal for solo lounging, with its wide armrests that keep drinks, snacks and books within reach — and it's currently 55% off during Wayfair's Fourth of July Clearance Sale. When not in use, the chair folds for convenient storage during the off-season or while mowing the lawn.

Lamson chef's slotted fish turner: $24.99 (Orig. $49.99)

Lamson has crafted knives and cooking utensils since 1837, and its slotted fish turner is a classic for a reason. The thin, stainless steel blade slides well under delicate foods like fish, while the slotted construction helps drain excess liquid.

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

Best sales from FOX News Deals-favorite brands

Wayfair: Take up to 70% off patio furniture, outdoor decor and more during its Fourth of July Clearance sale

adidas: Save up to 50% off the brand's recently-restocked sale selection

Brilliant Earth: Receive a lab diamond tennis bracelet with a purchase over $1,000 using code TENNIS

Caraway: Save up to 15% with code SAVINGS during the limited time Fourth of July sale

DSW: Take an extra 10% off clearance styles with promo code FANTASTIC

Hill House: Get an extra 20% off select styles during the Semi-Annual Sale, with the discount applied at checkout

Skechers: Buy one, get one 50% off, or get 15% off sale styles with code SALE15

Sur La Table: Take up to 55% off cookware, small appliances and more during the Secret Sale

Bose: Save up to 50% off headphones, earbuds and more audio gear during the Summer Flash Sale

FAQs

What brands are having the best sales this week?

FOX-favorite brands like Skechers and Greenworks are offering early Fourth of July weekend deals. The most notable markdowns this week include 82% off microfiber sheets at Wayfair and more than half off a men's polo from Tecovas.

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

Young psychotherapist mom butchered inside home as cops scramble to find her killer

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:21:04 -0400

A New Jersey mother and psychotherapist was found stabbed to death in her home last month, and now investigators are on the hunt to find her killer.

Investigators discovered Brooke Hanlon, 35, dead in her Chester home on June 6, and have yet to name a suspect.

She worked as a psychotherapist in Bernardsville, according to a LinkedIn profile.

BOYFRIEND ACCUSED OF STABBING DEFENSE TECH ENGINEER 15 TIMES DENIED BOND AFTER 911 CALL PLAYED IN COURT

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office said, "An examination by the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office determined the cause of death to be multiple sharp force injuries and the manner of death as homicide."

A photo posted to social media from December of last year shows Hanlon holding a baby alongside her husband.

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Morris County Crime stoppers posted an ad for a $1,000 reward for anyone who has information that could lead to an arrest.

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The investigation is ongoing.

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WATCH: Nationwide transgender sports law is next step after Supreme Court win, GOP senator says

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:20:34 -0400

Fresh off a U.S. Supreme Court victory for states restricting transgender athletes from girls' and women's sports, Sen. Jim Justice, R-W.Va., is calling on Congress to take the next step by making those protections the law nationwide.

Justice, who signed West Virginia's "Save Women's Sports Act" as governor, said the ruling vindicates the state's approach after years of legal challenges and proves West Virginia "had it right all along."

"To be perfectly honest, it makes me super proud of West Virginia," Justice said in an interview Tuesday. "I'm prejudiced, you know, toward West Virginia, that's for sure. But it makes me proud that the people of West Virginia had it right."

SUPREME COURT MAKES RULING ON TRANS ATHLETES IN WOMEN'S SPORTS

The Supreme Court's twin rulings in West Virginia v. B.P.J. and Little v. Hecox uphold laws in West Virginia and Idaho restricting participation in girls' and women's sports based on biological sex, reinforcing similar laws already on the books in 27 other states.

West Virginia became one of the first states to enact legislation restricting transgender participation in girls' and women's athletics when Justice signed House Bill 3293 in April 2021.

The law requires athletic teams designated for females at public schools and colleges to be based on biological sex. The measure was immediately challenged in court, leading to years of litigation before reaching the Supreme Court.

Justice said he and his administration were willing to take political and legal risks to advance the legislation.

"I'm a coach and I've been a coach forever and I coach women and girls and have done that forever," Justice said. "I see how hard they compete, how hard they try, how valuable Title IX is. I see their dreams being extinguished. And from my standpoint, from my heart, I've been all in from day one."

Although the Supreme Court upheld the laws in West Virginia and Idaho, it did not create a nationwide standard, leaving states to determine their own policies and setting the stage for Justice's push for federal legislation.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION THREATENS KANSAS SCHOOL DISTRICT FUNDING OVER TRANSGENDER STUDENT POLICY

"There's still more that needs to come," Justice told Fox News Digital. "This needs to be national."

Justice's call for a nationwide law comes as the Trump administration has battled Democratic-led states such as California and Maine over policies allowing transgender athletes to compete in girls' and women's sports. President Donald Trump has clashed with Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills over the state's transgender athlete policy and has sued California over similar rules, arguing both states are violating Title IX protections for women and girls.

While Gov. Gavin Newsom has said he does not believe it's fair for transgender athletes to compete in women's sports, California Attorney General Rob Bonta is defending the state's policy in court against the Trump administration's lawsuit.

"The Supreme Court’s decision does not affect California’s laws. The state remains committed to ensuring every Californian, including the LGBTQ community, is met with dignity and respect," a spokesperson for Newsom's office told Fox News Digital.

The Trump administration's lawsuits with both states are still ongoing.

Since taking office in January, Justice has pushed to make West Virginia's policy the national standard by cosponsoring Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville's Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, or S.9. But the bill failed to advance in March 2025 after falling short of the 60 votes needed in the Senate.

Justice indicated Tuesday he will continue supporting legislation to protect women's sports for all girls and women across the country.

"As soon as I was sworn in as Senator I got to work on protecting women's sports," Justice said in a statement. "Our girls deserve somebody willing to stand up and fight for them. That's why I proudly cosponsored Senator Tuberville's S.9 and pushed the NCAA for answers about protecting women's locker rooms. At the end of the day, this isn't complicated. It's just common sense. Let's protect our female athletes, keep women's sports for women, and do what's right."

In the meantime, Justice extended the invitation for families to move to his state, where "commonsense" is practiced.

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"Come to West Virginia and Idaho," Justice said. "For God's sakes, what in the world do you want to be in California for? Because the reason is just right out the window in California, It makes no sense at all. Logic doesn't matter. But in West Virginia, you'll find a lot of good stuff."

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Justice said the debate ultimately comes down to protecting opportunities for female athletes.

"For five years, we've been on this journey and there's been a lot of beautiful, athletic girls and women that have been trying as hard as they can and people have, in many situations, turned their backs on them," Justice told Fox News Digital. "We waited five years too long, and for those that fell through the cracks in those five years, we should all apologize, but we should celebrate today."

Best Fourth of July sleep deals: Save up to 64% on mattresses and bedding

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 00:01:05 -0500

Summer nights call for a cooler, more comfortable bed, and these 2026 Fourth of July mattress and bedding sales are the perfect opportunity to upgrade your sleep setup. Save up to 64% on mattresses from brands like Saatva, Helix, and Sleep Number, with deals on memory foam and hybrid models. You can also save up to 46% on mattress protectors, cooling sheets and pillows throughout the holiday weekend.

Fourth of July mattress accessories deals

Niagara Sleep Solution Bamboo mattress topper: $37.89 (46% off)
Waterproof mattress protector: $9.95 (45% off)
Bedsure cooling sheets: $72.19 (41% off)
Silk pillow cases: $9.72 (35% off)
Cooling waffle blanket: $36.99 (33% off)
Queen storage bed frame: $109.99 (31% off)
Beckham Hotel Collection bed pillows, 2-pack: $59.99 (25% off)

Best mattress bundle deal

Save on everything you need for a better night’s sleep, including a mattress, bed frame and sheets.

Nectar Premier adjustable bed and mattress set: $1,398 (64% off)

Original price: $3,934

What we love: The adjustable base has a number of useful features, including head and foot elevation, a soothing massage function and pre-programmed positions like Zero Gravity and Anti-Snore.

What to be aware of: The adjustable base is not compatible with all headboards.

Nectar's Premier Adjustable Bed and Mattress bundle adds head and foot elevation plus built-in massage, and includes the mattress, bedding essentials and even a 365-night trial. Shoppers can snag up to 64% off on mattresses and bundles, including the popular all-foam Nectar mattress for the Fourth of July.

Mattresses for side sleepers

If you sleep on your side, look for a mattress that cushions pressure points — typically in the medium-soft to medium-firm range.

Nolah Original Mattress: $942 (35% off)

Original price: $1,449

What we love: The quilted top adds a luxurious cooling layer.

What to be aware of: This is a heavy mattress, so it may be difficult to move.

The Nolah Original mattress is currently discounted by 35% during the site's Fourth of July Sale. Six pressure-relieving foam layers support side sleeping positions, while a pillow top, zoned support and cooling technology promote a more comfortable sleep. If you want a firmer option, try the Nolah Evolution.

Saatva Contour5: $2,674 (12% off)

Original price: $3,049

What we love: This mattress has excellent pressure relief.

What to be aware of: It's an all-foam mattress with very little bounce compared to innerspring or hybrid mattresses.

The all-foam Saatva Contour5 mattress comes in medium and firm options and delivers targeted pressure relief with zoned support. Cooling gel and heat-regulating materials help keep you comfortable, while memory foam contours the shoulders and hips. Saatva makes each mattress to order and delivers it full-sized and uncompressed with free white glove delivery.

Siena Signature Memory Foam Mattress: $294 (64% off)

Original price: $812

What we love: All-foam construction contours around the body.

What to be aware of: If you prefer a springier feel, this mattress may not feel responsive enough.

If you prefer a softer, sink-in feel, consider this 10-inch foam mattress. It includes two inches of contouring memory foam for full-body, medium support and delivers comfortable sleep without straining your budget. You can save up to 60% on mattresses during their Fourth of July sale — starting at just $99.

Mattresses for back pain

Back pain can disrupt sleep, and the wrong mattress only makes it worse. The right one can help keep your spine aligned with balanced support and comfort.

Saatva Classic Mattress: $1,904 (15% off)

Original price: $2,229

What we love: A soft surface with lumbar zone coils that are comfortable for various sleeping positions.

What to be aware of: Even the "Luxury Firm" option might feel too stiff for some side sleepers.

Saatva's Classic mattress is designed for sleepers seeking added back and joint support. Its lumbar zone is intended to promote healthy spinal alignment across different sleep positions. The mattress includes a one-year home trial. Each mattress is made to order and delivered full-size with white-glove service. Right now, you can get up to $625 off on purchases over $1,000 with a mattress in your cart.

PlushBeds organic latex mattress: $1,499 (50% off)

Original price: $2,999

What we love: The latex offers gentle contouring that cushions pressure points without the deep hug feeling of memory foam.

What to be aware of: This mattress is heavy and difficult to move.

Combining support and pressure relief, the PlushBeds Botanical Bliss Organic Latex mattress is a smart choice for sleepers with back discomfort. The organic latex makes this mattress buoyant and responsive, critical in keeping your hips from sagging. PlushBeds offers a 100-night trial period for all of its mattresses, and right now you can get up to 50% off all mattresses and 25% off bedding.

Bear Elite Hybrid mattress: $1,484.60 (35% off)

Original price: $2,284

What we love: Zoned support coils and pressure-relieving foams help maintain spinal alignment and alleviate pressure points.

What to be aware of: Lightweight sleepers might find the mattress to be too firm.

The Bear Elite Hybrid mattress is built with back support in mind, especially for back sleepers dealing with pain or stiffness. It comes in soft, medium and firm options, so you can pick the feel that best supports your spine and eases pressure points. The Bear mattress sleep trial is a 120-night period, after which you can return the mattress at no cost. Use code JULY35 at checkout to get 35% off sitewide.

Mattresses for back sleepers

Back sleepers need a mattress that balances support and comfort to keep the spine aligned.

Aurora Luxe Cooling mattress: $1,025.50 (30% off)

Original price: $1,465

What we love: The GlacioTex cooling cover removes excess heat.

What to be aware of: There is a $99 return fee if you don't like the mattress after the 120-night sleep-trial.

Back sleepers will have strong foundational support from the Brooklyn Bedding's Aurora Luxe Cooling mattress. The coil system prevents the midsection from sinking too deeply, and the coils respond independently to pressure for targeted support where needed. It comes in soft, medium and firm options, so you can choose the level that suits you best. Get 30% off your purchase when using the promo code JULY30. The mattress is shipped in a box and comes with a 120-night comfort trial.

Awara Natural Luxury Hybrid Mattress: $999 (31% off)

Original price: $1,445

What we love: The excellent support and spinal alignment this mattress provides.

What to be aware of: Sleepers that weigh less may find this mattress firmer than they prefer.

Awara's Natural Luxury Hybrid Mattress is a solid choice for back sleepers. Individually wrapped coils provide firm, consistent support, while responsive natural latex adds bounce and keeps the spine aligned. Awara backs the mattress with a 365-night trial. You can currently shop for mattresses up to 50% off during Awara's Fourth of July event.

Mattresses for couples

If you share your bed with a partner, child or pet, choose a mattress that boosts comfort and reduces motion transfer.

Sleep Number Climate360 mattress: $8,711.65 (15% off)

Original price: $10,249

What we love: Each side customizes your preferred temperature setting.

What to be aware of: The app and adjustable features may take some getting used to.

If you tend to sleep hot or cold, the Sleep Number Climate360 mattress is worth considering. It uses ceramic gel designed to help draw heat away, offers targeted support for pressure points and lets you adjust the temperature on each side. You can also track your sleep in the app, and it includes a 100-night trial. For a limited time, save up to 20% on mattresses and 30% off pillows and sheet sets.

DreamCloud Classic Hybrid Mattress: $699 (63% off)

Original price: $1,892

What we love: Reinforced perimeter makes it easier to sit or sleep near the edge without sagging.

What to be aware of: The hybrid design may make it too firm for some sleepers.

DreamCloud builds its Classic Hybrid Mattress with six layers, a quilted cover and supportive memory foam, while wrapped springs reduce motion transfer and cooling fibers help regulate temperature overnight. Save up to 60% on mattresses and 66% on bundles during their Fourth of July sale.

DreamCloud Premier mattress: $1,199 (48% off)

Original price: $2,316

What we love: The superior motion isolation makes it easy to share your bed with a restless partner or pets.

What to be aware of: Memory foam can take a bit longer to adapt when you change positions.

Made for pressure relief, the 13-inch DreamCloud Premier is an all-memory foam mattress with a breathable CloudQuilt top. It's also designed for motion isolation, suitable for a range of sleeping preferences. DreamCloud has a 365-night sleep trial, and if you're unhappy with the mattress, you can request a return and receive a full refund. Shop major discounts during the brand's Fourth of July sale.

Siena Premier Hybrid mattress: $389 (61% off)

Original price: $997

What we love: The excellent edge support so you don't roll off.

What to be aware of: This medium-firm mattress may be too firm for some sleepers.

A great option for couples or those who share a bed with a pet, the Siena Premier Hybrid Mattress helps reduce motion transfer with individually wrapped coils and edge support. Siena includes a 180-night sleep trial. Save up to 60% on mattresses during the brand's Fourth of July deals event.

Latex mattress from Birch by Helix: $1,968 (25% off)

Original price: $2,624

What we love: The Birch mattress is comfortable for all sleeping positions.

What to be aware of: If you have a latex allergy, this mattress is not for you.

Latex mattresses feel similar to memory foam but are firmer and sink less. This eco-friendly mattress from Birch by Helix is made with organic cotton that contributes to a cooler sleeping surface. Couples who tend to overheat during the night will benefit. Birch by Helix is offering 30% off with code ELITE30.

PlushBeds Kathy Ireland luxury hybrid mattress: $969 (61% off)

Original price: $2,469

What we love: This mattress is wrapped in a cooling material made for hot sleepers.

What to be aware of: Decorative finishes are pretty but don't change performance.

Save $1,500 on PlushBeds' Kathy Ireland Luxury Hybrid Mattress, which pairs body-cradling foam with supportive coils and luxe details like faux leather trim and a Swarovski-accented monogram. It ships in a box with a 365-night trial, and you can also take up to 50% off mattresses and 25% off all toppers and bedding.

Mattresses for stomach sleepers

If you sleep on your stomach, go with a firmer mattress to help keep your spine aligned and your hips from sinking too far.

Layla The Essential Mattress: $599 (20% off)

Original price: $749

What we love: All-foam construction helps absorb movement.

What to be aware of: The all-foam build, even with cooling features, can feel hot.

Layla's The Essential Mattress is an all-foam design that balances support and softness. It offers a medium-firm feel that gently cushions pressure points without excessive sink while built-in cooling features can help reduce heat buildup overnight. During Layla's Summer sale, you get two free pillows with every mattress purchase and can save up to $428 on mattresses. You can also use the code FOX150 for $150 off all mattresses, or FOX20 for $20 off orders over $100.

Layla Hybrid Mattress: $1,549 (11% off)

Original price: $1,749

What we love: You can flip this mattress to change the firmness level.

What to be aware of: This mattress is heavy, so you will likely need some help if you plan to flip it.

For most stomach sleepers, the firm side of the Layla Hybrid mattress will be the preferred option, as it keeps the hips from sinking too deeply into the mattress. All mattress purchases come with two of Layla's award-winning memory foam pillows. Shop Layla's Summer sale now. You can also use the code FOX150 for $150 off all mattresses, or FOX20 for $20 off orders over $100.

Mattresses for combination sleepers

If you switch positions at night, a hybrid mattress can give you the right mix of support and pressure relief.

Glacier Original Hybrid Mattress: $810 (10% off)

Original price: $899

What we love: The pressure relief, lumbar support and cooling make this an ideal choice for most sleepers.

What to be aware of: This bed-in-a-box is priced on the higher end.

The Glacier Original Hybrid Mattress provides medium-firm support for stomach, back, side and combination sleepers, as well as couples. The mattress ships roll-packed for easy setup and includes a 365-night trial.

Helix Midnight Luxe Mattress: $1,119 (25% off)

Original price: $1,492

What we love: The Helix Midnight has adequate support and contouring for spinal alignment.

What to be aware of: The mattress may be too hot for some sleepers.

The Helix Midnight Luxe offers a medium-firm feel with lumbar and side-sleeper support, making it a strong fit for back and side sleepers. Its cover can help regulate temperature, while foam layers and individually wrapped coils can reduce motion transfer – a helpful feature if your partner tosses and turns. Helix includes a 100-night trial, and you can take 25% off Luxe Collection with the code ELITE30.

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

Mattresses for heavy sleepers

Heavier sleepers should look for a durable, well-built mattress in the medium-firm to firm range.

Titan Plus Luxe mattress: $652.40 (30% off)

Original price: $932

What we love: The mattress is built with higher-density foams and thicker, more durable coils.

What to be aware of: It may feel too firm for lighter individuals.

The Titan Plus Luxe is an excellent mattress for sleepers weighing more than 230 pounds who need robust support. It delivers a comfortable, medium-firm feel and strong pressure relief. Titan's mattress is shipped in a box and with a 120-night comfort trial. Use promo code JULY30 to get 30% off your mattress purchase.

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

Aaron Tippin says patriotism is 'very strong in America' ahead of Fort Campbell 4th of July show

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 10:00:48 -0400

Country star Aaron Tippin is honoring military families ahead of America's historic 250th birthday.

During an interview with Fox News Digital, Tippin — who is hosting an Independence Day celebration in honor of America’s 250th birthday in Fort Campbell, Kentucky — took a moment to speak about the toll that serving in the military has on the families who stay back home.

"I wish they understood more about the sacrifice that the family makes. They don't get deployed. And man, they're just home wringing their hands, thinking about somebody who's out committed to the freedom of this nation and just praying to God that they come home safe," he began.

DISNEY AND USHA VANCE TEAM UP TO HONOR MILITARY FAMILIES AND SURPRISE THEM WITH MAGICAL GIFTS

Tippin continued, "I think that's something that needs a lot of respect and a lot of attention."

The artist shared that he has military service members come up to him after his shows quite often.

"It happens every single night. I mean, I'll be in the autograph line signing autographs and somebody comes up to me and says, 'Hey, Aaron, pulls out a picture, says, last time I saw you, we were in Afghanistan. We were in Iraq.' Or, you know, it goes all the way back to the Bob Hope days with him to Saudi Arabia to entertain the troops in the Persian Gulf," he began.

WATCH: Aaron Tippin wished more Americans understood the 'sacrifice' military families make

"So every single of my career, I hook up with somebody that I saw on the battlefield. So. It's always rewarding to see them home and safe and give them a big hug and thank them one more time," Tippin continued.

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For this Fourth of July celebration, Tippin will be honoring Charlie Daniels during an Independence Day celebration in Kentucky. During the celebration, a state-of-the art-Charlie Daniels hologram will be displayed.

"I can't believe I got the chance to be on this. Of course, it's supporting one of my heroes in the music biz and in life, Charlie Daniels, the legend of Charlie Daniels," Tippin began.

"He was just an awesome guy. I'm proud to say, you know, me and him kind of had the same plan of entertaining the troops, going down range on the battlefield and entertaining our guys and gals," he continued. "He did a lot of that. I did a lot of that with the same lady that would take him down range Judy Seals of Stars for Stripes. And so it's a great pleasure for me to be once again supporting the military."

WATCH: Aaron Tippin talks hosting an Independence Day celebration honoring Charlie Daniels

Tippin has always been outspoken about patriotism. Speaking to Fox News Digital, he explained that his father instilled those values in him at a young age.

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"Well, I first started in country music, and my dad made me a patriot. My dad was an Air Force flight instructor when I was born, and he believed in the military and their service," he shared. "That's kind of where I got it. My career kicked off and got me on the Bob Hope show Christmas in 1990, entertaining the troops, a little song called 'You Got To Stand For Something,' so that's where it started with me."

Tippin explained that patriotism was strong "in those days," adding that the 9/11 terrorist attacks renewed patriotism in America, according to the country star.

"At the time, we had a song called, 'Where the Stars and Stripes and the Eagle Fly,' and I think that, right now, I'll take it today, I think patriotism is very strong in America, and boy, I'm just proud to speak on it," Tippin concluded.

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Empire State Building security under scrutiny after climbers' stunt, tourist reveals possible access point

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:54:05 -0400

A New York City tourist said she watched a daredevil couple slip through what appeared to be a restricted access point at the Empire State Building moments before they climbed the landmark's 1,454-foot antenna, prompting questions about security after the pair staged a high-altitude marriage proposal and were arrested.

Julie Morris told WABC-TV she was on the building's 102nd-floor observation deck Wednesday when she saw two people pass through a mesh gate into what appeared to be a restricted area leading toward the antenna.

"Well, I was on the top, the very top, along come these two people. Opened the mesh. Assumed they worked there and nobody stopped them," Morris said.

Authorities identified the climbers as Angela Nikolau, 33, and Ivan Kuznetsov, 32, a Russian couple known for scaling skyscrapers and other towering structures around the world. The pair gained international attention in the 2024 Netflix documentary, "Skywalkers: A Love Story," which follows their unauthorized rooftop climbs.

COUPLE FACING SLEW OF CHARGES AFTER CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF EMPIRE STATE BUILDING WITH MASSIVE BANNER

The couple climbed the Empire State Building's iconic transmitter, unfurled a banner reading, "When the power of love beats the love of power, the world knows peace," then embraced before Kuznetsov got down on one knee and proposed.

After she said yes, Nikolau admired the ring before the couple continued climbing down the spire, where officers with the NYPD Emergency Service Unit met them and took them into custody.

Police arrested the pair on charges of burglary, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal trespass, criminal tampering, possession of burglar's tools, disorderly conduct and other offenses.

Police are reviewing surveillance footage and believe the pair entered the antenna through a locked maintenance hatch on the 102nd-floor observation deck after apparently watching staff movements, WABC reported. Detectives are also investigating how the hatch was opened.

WATCH THE BODYCAM FOOTAGE:

The Empire State Building did not answer questions about how the climbers reached the antenna or whether they had any interactions with security personnel before accessing the restricted area.

NYPD INVESTIGATING AFTER SURVEILLANCE VIDEO CAPTURES GROUP ENTERING SEWERS THROUGH MANHOLES

In a statement, building management said the climb was "unauthorized" and insisted there was "at no time danger to tenants, visitors, and Empire State Building Observation Deck guests." Management added that the observation deck "does offer a practical way for the most memorable marriage proposals."

The stunt briefly disrupted visits to the landmark, with some tourists evacuated from observation decks while police responded.

"At first, it was kind of like comical and seemed a little bit wild and crazy," witness Laura Staub told the local station. "And then I'll be honest, once you're out on the observation deck, I was like, I feel like we shouldn't be out here. It didn't really seem like super safe."

News helicopter footage showed the couple, dressed in black and without visible safety tethers, balancing on a narrow ledge atop the antenna before climbing back down through the latticework of the spire. NYPD bodycam footage later showed officers greeting the pair inside the structure before escorting them to safety.

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Nikolau later posted images of the proposal and ring on social media.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

China-linked green group training US judges draws fresh heat as foreign ties fuel pressure at home

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:53:37 -0400

A national security group is urging Congress to investigate a prominent environmental-law nonprofit over past partnerships and programming ties with Chinese government-linked organizations, according to a report sent to lawmakers on Tuesday by State Armor, a national security organization.

The Environmental Law Institute, or ELI, has trained more than 2,000 American judges on environmental law through its Climate Judiciary Project since 2018, according to its website. During its decades of China-related work, the organization cultivated relationships with entities the report described as Chinese government-affiliated, CCP-linked or tied to China’s military research ecosystem, according to State Armor.

"Across three decades of engagement, ELI’s work has uniformly advanced Chinese strategic and national security interests while undermining American national security by constraining domestic energy producers and industrial expansion and simultaneously pushing America toward dependence upon energy sources dominated by the PRC," a letter addressed to congressional leadership attached to the report reads.

LAWMAKERS PRESS ELI LILLY FOR CHINA DRUG TRIALS TIED TO MILITARY-LINKED HOSPITALS

State Armor, a national security organization focused on state-level policy responses to foreign threats, is raising concerns that the ties could have domestic implications.

The organization is run by Michael Lucci, a lobbyist, and keeps its donors private to shield them from being targeted by the Chinese government. Lucci said in an April 2025 Wall Street Journal profile that his group refuses funding from corporate and foreign sources to avoid perceptions of conflicting interests.

"The question is not whether judges should receive continuing education but rather whether any educational initiative funded, organized, or influenced by organizations with relationships with foreign entities, particularly a foreign adversary, could affect the perception or reality of judicial impartiality," the congressional letter reads.

TRUMP ADMIN AXES TIES TO DOZENS OF PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN 'DIRECT OPPOSITION' TO MISSION: 'DECISIVE ACTION'

ELI, when asked about its ties to China, told Fox News Digital that its programming in China ceased in 2024 and rejected criticism that its work advanced Chinese government interests specifically.

"For over 50 years, ELI has worked to strengthen environmental protections in dozens of countries," an ELI spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Thursday. "Our programming in China concluded in 2024 but was no different than our typical work — sharing evidence-based best practices on environmental regulation, not advancing any government interests. The Climate Judiciary Project has not conducted any programming in China."

The Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit was founded in 1969 and describes its mission as developing "innovative, just, and practical" environmental law and policy solutions across borders and sectors. ELI launched the Climate Judiciary Project in 2018, which is a judicial-education initiative focused on climate science, climate change and the ways climate science arises in the law.

LAWMAKERS PRESS ELI LILLY FOR CHINA DRUG TRIALS TIED TO MILITARY-LINKED HOSPITALS

Though ELI says it has ceased its work in China, ELI has continued to advance China-related scholarship and partner with individuals linked to Chinese government ventures. Fox News Digital is not aware of any ELI programming that has taken place in China since 2024.

As recently as May, the nonprofit, through its journal, published an English-language paper written by two Chinese academics hailing from state-run universities detailing how China had made progress on environmental protection.

Then, in June, ELI hosted a Chinese legal scholar for a panel discussion with speakers from multiple other countries on global career pathways in environmental law. The scholar, who received training through an ELI fellowship in 2021, "participated in ministry-level projects on environmental legislation and policy of China," according to her biography on ELI’s website.

She also "managed internationally funded programs" to train Chinese "judges" and "environmental law enforcement officers," according to ELI.

ELI did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the paper by the Chinese academics or the panel featuring the Chinese legal scholar.

TOP CALIFORNIA DEM RUNNING FOR OFFICE TIED TO CHINESE SCHOOL ACCUSED OF US DIPLOMA SCANDAL

ELI discloses on its website that it has "worked to improve environmental rule of law, enforcement, and compliance in China" since the "mid-1990s" in light of "the critical role that China, and its 1.4 billion people, has in global environmental protection."

"ELI has worked to improve environmental rule of law, enforcement, and compliance in China in partnership with Chinese NGOs, universities, law firms, businesses, judges and environmental regulators," the organization's website reads. "ELI has held capacity-building workshops, high-level roundtables, seminars and panel discussions on Chinese policy issues, trained lawyers on environmental justice issues, and published articles and books on sustainability, environmental management, and constitutional environmental law in China."

State Armor argued that this kind of knowledge sharing ultimately benefited the Chinese government, to the detriment of the United States. State Armor urged lawmakers to examine the scope of ELI’s cooperation with Chinese entities and review the funding, curriculum development, expert selection and governance structure of its judicial education programs.

WALL STREET BANKS HELPED CHINESE MILITARY-LINKED FIRM RAISE BILLIONS DESPITE RED FLAGS, LAWMAKERS FIND

"Under the banner of ‘improv[ing] environmental rule of law,’ ELI’s China Program provides technical assistance, capacity building, and legal training to Chinese NGOs, judges, and environmental regulators," the report reads.

While ELI has historically provided these services, Fox News Digital could not find evidence that ELI has provided any programming in China after 2024.

To support this assertion, State Armor cited public records showing that some of the organizations ELI worked with are tied to the Chinese Communist Party or the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

State Armor cited ELI’s own website, which states that the organization worked with the Policy Research Center for Environment and Economy (PRCEE), a think tank affiliated with China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment, to improve China’s environmental regulatory system.

State Armor argued that PRCEE’s affiliation with China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment and its stated policy-support role place it within China’s government environmental-policy apparatus.

In 2013, PRCEE worked on a report jointly published by the Chinese government and the United Nations Environment Programme dubbed "China’s Green Long March" — an apparent reference to the CCP’s famous 1934 "Long March" where it strategically retreated inland during the Chinese Civil War.

ELI also states on its website that its China International Business Dialogue on Environmental Governance (CIBDEG) working group provided "information and analysis to the Chinese government regarding environmental regulations in the United States and Europe as well as the concerns of multinational business."

"The working group is designed to facilitate and encourage dialogue between multinational businesses and Chinese environmental regulatory authorities regarding best practices in environmental regulation and performance by governments and industries," the group’s website reads.

ELI joined forces with the PRCEE, the Chinese law firm JunHe and the prestigious American law firm Latham & Watkins to launch CIBDEG in 2018. A press release from JunHe claimed that China’s Ministry of Ecology and Environment was also involved in founding the working group.

NATIONAL SECURITY EXPERTS RAISE CONCERNS AFTER MICROSOFT PROGRAM EXPOSED AS POSSIBLE AVENUE FOR CHINESE SPYING

In addition to PRCEE and the CIBDEG, ELI has also worked with multiple universities that have been scrutinized by the United States government over their ties to China’s military.

ELI, for instance, "trained 265 environmental NGO workers, judges, prosecutors and attorneys from 26 provinces" at Tianjin University in 2018, only for the university to later land on the Commerce Department’s Entity List, an export-control list, over alleged trade-secret theft tied to military applications. ELI was not involved in the purported intellectual property theft.

ELI has drawn sustained scrutiny from Republican lawmakers and conservative activists over its China-related work, foreign partnerships and climate-focused judicial education programs. The critiques have been based on media reports alleging that ELI works closely with the Chinese government as well as with individuals linked to the CCP, not investigative findings produced by U.S. government bodies.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, in particular has waged a prolonged campaign against ELI, alleging that the group has links to the Chinese government and that its operations materially harm the United States.

"We’re witnessing right now a systematic campaign against American energy. There is a coordinated assault by the radical left, backed and paid for by the Chinese Communist Party to seize control of our courts, to weaponize litigation against U.S. energy producers," Cruz said during a June 2025 hearing. "The judiciary itself is being quietly captured and brainwashed as left wing nonprofits host closed door trainings that indoctrinate judges to adopt the ideological goals of the climate lawfare machine."

"Perhaps the most insidious because it strikes at the very heart of the rule of law, judicial capture," the senator continued. "It is being carried out by one organization with near total control over climate-related judicial training, the Environmental Law Institute, and its Climate Judiciary Project … They claim to be science driven but what they are doing is ex parte indoctrination, pressuring judges to set aside the rule of law and rule instead according to a predetermined political narrative."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

In its letter to lawmakers, State Armor alleged that ELI promotes a policy agenda that disfavors American energy interests.

"The jurisprudential frameworks ELI promotes to American judges disproportionately favor regulatory constraints on U.S. domestic energy production, with no commensurate frameworks within China’s system," State Armor’s report reads. "Consciously or not, this is an instance of ELI pushing for American unilateral disarmament in energy security and industrial production."

FOX News Deals Newsletter: Celebrate America 250 and save on heatwave survival gear

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:11:38 -0400

Welcome to your weekly shopping guide, specifically curated by the FOX News Deals team

FOX News may be compensated for or earn a commission if you buy through our links.

America turns 250 tomorrow, and if you're celebrating with a backyard barbecue, parade or fireworks, this $14 commemorative hat is an easy way to show your patriotic spirit. Featuring an embroidered American flag, a bald eagle and the anniversary years, it's a fun keepsake for this once-in-a-generation milestone.

A NOTE FROM THE EDITOR

Feeling patriotic? I know I am. Since I shop for a living, I rounded up the best veteran-owned and American-made brands to support, plus warm-weather essentials to help you beat the heat this holiday weekend. — Caitlyn Martyn, Commerce Editor

Support veteran-owned businesses with everyday essentials like hot sauce, coffee and coolers.

Shop American-made favorites from brands including Tecovas, Lodge and John Deere.

Stay cool with insulated water bottles, portable shade chairs and wearable neck fans.

DEAL OF THE WEEK

Editor's Pick: Wayfair Basics sheets: $23.99 (82% off) from Wayfair.

Why we love it: At 82% off, this is one of the biggest discounts we've seen all week. These lightweight sheets are perfect for summer, come in more than 20 colors and have thousands of five-star reviews. Grab a few sets for your guest room, vacation home or to refresh your own bed for less. Find more deals here.

3 QUESTIONS WITH THE FOX NEWS DEALS TEAM

This week, General Manager of Commerce, Erik Weigel, shares three products he recently bought and recommends.

Q: What's a product you bought that immediately solved a problem you had?
A: My kids play sports, so we have many games and tournaments over the summer. This cooler backpack holds drinks and snacks while walking from field to field.

Q: What's a summer staple you'd recommend?
A: We are a family of seven — five humans and two dogs — so we never have enough towels. I bought this set a while back, and they've held up well.

Q: What's on your Fourth of July shopping list?
A: I love to cook outside for my family year-round, so I’m eyeing a Blackstone griddle that I can make breakfast on.

Check out our "Add to Cart" series to see what our full team bought recently.

SMART BUYS UNDER $25

Portable fire extinguisher ($11.96) — now 40% off: Stock up before your next backyard barbecue or fire pit gathering.

American flag ($14.39) — now 20% off: Show your patriotic spirit with this 3-by-5-foot all-weather flag.

Compression socks, 3-pack ($12.99) — now 38% off: These knee-high socks help keep you comfortable while traveling.

Hanes zip-up hoodie ($16) — now 43% off: Stay warm on cool nights with this super-soft sweatshirt.

Motion-sensor lighting strips, 2-pack ($16.98) — now 23% off: Brighten closets, cabinets and other dark spaces with these magnetic LED strips.

ARTICLES WORTH YOUR ATTENTION

If you're looking for a range of deals, all in one place, check out this week's most noteworthy shopping articles.

The best July Fourth sales we're shopping right now: Wayfair, HexClad and more

Shop Fourth of July mattress deals on Saatva, Nectar and more

World Cup teams move into knockout rounds: Here's how to stream every match without cable

America 250 gear on Amazon: Save on hats, garden flags and more

TOP SALES THIS WEEK

These retailers have some of the best deals we've spotted this week.

Walmart

Shop major markdowns on everything from toilet paper and whitening strips to lawn mowers and grills.

Wayfair

Score up to 70% off patio furniture, grills, gardening gear and mattresses during Wayfair's Fourth of July Clearance sale.

HexClad

Save on cookware sets, curated bundles and kitchen accessories from the Gordon Ramsay-approved brand.

REI

Get up to 50% off hiking gear, footwear and other outdoor essentials during REI's Fourth of July sale.

Paige Spiranac has her golf content dialed in ahead of the Fourth of July, Megan Moroney's at the beach & meat

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:45:56 -0400

We laughed, we cried, and most importantly, we made it through another call to the bullpen in one piece. Joe will be back tomorrow. I'll be preparing for the Fourth of July weekend, but that doesn’t mean I'm mailing it in today.

This edition of Thursday Screencaps has Paige Spiranac and her golf content helping out with some of the prep work for the big holiday weekend. She has her golf content dialed in this summer.

Just when you think you've seen it all from the world's No. 1 golf influencer, she comes up with something new. The classics, like the slow-motion swing, will always be there, and she's never been afraid to pull those out when she needs to.

RORY MCILROY TURNS HEADS AT WIMBLEDON BY SPORTING HIS MASTERS GREEN JACKET AT CENTER COURT

That's the kind of content you have to pick your spots with. It can't be wall-to-wall slo-mo swings. Paige doesn’t need to be told this. She's always been a step or two ahead of everyone else cranking out golf content.

This summer has been no exception. She's been dialing it in and, a few weeks or so ago, she launched new content with other women in golf. The move might seem counterproductive to some, but being at the top has its advantages.

Paige has made it to the point where it's time to use what she's built to give back and use her platform to help out others. It's what you do when you really don't have any competition.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

Screencaps

- Phil S in Florida writes:

Hey Sean. Please pass along a you’re welcome to Mr. CF for me. Glad he enjoyed the Hank JR reference. I love making people smile, and I’m happy to know I did that for him. One thing I love about this daily article is that reader emails are included, both new and longtime readers, and I feel like I know some of these guys and would gladly have a beer or 2 with many of them. Honestly I’d probably get absolutely tanked with a few of them too. Thanks again for filling in for Joe and keeping up the good work. Have a great day, and if you have the chance, do something nice for a stranger, it might make their day.

thx

- Eric writes:

Thank you for not printing one word about the WNBA today.. it’s a clown show that deserves to be shunned.. it has no merit potential whatsoever.

Old theme parks

- Mark writes:

Sean,

While driving the RV back from Disney World in the 80s, we stopped at "Dogpatch" in Arkansas a theme park from Lil Abner cartoon strip. It was on its last legs as some of the rides didn’t work and the parking lot was mostly empty. I’ve got an old snapshot (real film) of me with daisy mae somewhere.

Great job subbing on the column too.

SeanJo

Hey Mark, thanks for reaching out and thanks for the support. My visit to Boardwalk and Baseball came during a visit to Disney World too.

Who knew there were so many theme parks back in the day? We evidently had one for almost anything.

Just getting by

- Homebrew Bill writes:

It's not much, but it will do for dinner tonight.

SeanJo

You know we don't judge around here. It's meat and a grill. That's all that matters. We're not meat-shaming around here.

In fact, we decided to toss some burgers on the grill at the last minute last night. It wasn’t much either. But it was meat, it was a grill, and it was a solid dinner.

Meat and thoughts

- Myron writes:

Sean

I dont care for cheese with peanut butter, prefer thimbleberry jam or bananas, but I love a good slice of cheese. Especially sharp cheddar. Wife bought some 15 year old as a birthday present. Delicious, especially with apple pie.

Remembering the days of Pele in NY, I am excited to see the turnout and enthusiasm for the world cup. Grew up playing pond hockey and soccer is very similar. So I ended up coaching kids and learning some pleasure in watching the game.

Attached is a picture of a pork butt pulled and not pulled yet, along with a picture of a turkey and a very small brisket on the smoker. We will also be doing some poppers and shotgun shells for the 4th. I will try to remember to send more pictures.

SeanJo

Definitely send in the poppers and shotgun shells and anything else you toss on the grill. We're in the middle of prime grilling season.

Also, tell me more about this apple pie and cheese combo. How is this going down? Are you melting the cheese? Do you stick it in the pie before you eat it?

I need the details on this. I'm imagining a bit of pie being chased by a bite of cheese. That can't be how this goes down. Let me know.

WNBA idiocy

- Jim T in San Diego writes:

The WNBA's tone-deaf moralizing cannot be without repercussion indefinitely, and my guess is that many, perhaps most, of the new fans Caitlin Clark brought to the league are already tiring of the constant lectures and false accusations of racism.The ratings are clear, so is attendance, and so are licensed merch sales: Clark drives eyes and dollars.

Not any of the other players that the WNBA and its media apologists assure us are the real reason for the higher ratings and popularity. It's Clark. When she plays, ratings spike. When she's out - or her game isn't being televised - ratings tank.

And the asinine argument that she's only popular because she's white can be disproven in under two seconds: If it was just being white, then Sue Bird, Kelsey Plum or Sophie Cunningham would have become as popular as Clark is. Fans like her not because she's white, but because of her combination of playing style, success, and personality - the same combination that made Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods transformatively popular in their respective sports.

Yet the league not only doesn't protect Clark from cheap shots no other players seem to receive nearly as often, when she is pummeled anyone who protests is branded a homophobe and bigot for daring to notice.

Again, at what point do Clark's fans simply tune out the league? Tire of the nonsense and take their entertainment dollars elsewhere?

Success is not guaranteed - look at NASCAR, which ruled the sports landscape in the 1990s to the point the NFL didn't want to schedule against it. But NASCAR not only banned Confederate flags from its races, but did so in as confrontational manner as possible - not just banning the flags, but making clear that those who had flown them in the past weren't entirely welcome moving forward. They managed to alienate huge swaths of their existing fan base without ever replacing them with the new fans they thought that policy would attract. Or at least not enough of them.

A quarter century later, tracks have closed, and races still feature tons of empty seats.

If the WNBA's new fans simply go away, how long before the league's broadcast partners start demanding refunds based on lower ratings? (Usually built into most broadcast contracts, anyway.) How long before the NBA owners and players association tires of underwriting a league that won't even embrace its best marketing opportunity ever?

It's rare to see this level of incompetence in an established pro sports league. It's almost as if Cathy Englebert has a deal with Rob Manfred to make him look better by comparison.

If the WNBA doesn't get its act together and soon, they'll be back to fighting rugby and indoor lacrosse for bottom position in U.S. pro sports leagues. That a pro basketball league trails its counterpart in soccer in terms of popularity in this country is testament to just how badly the WNBA has been run. It is entirely conceivable that Major League Volleyball could pass the WNBA in the coming years ...

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

Fourth of July

- Gen X Warren M writes:

I just finished Screencaps, kinda late today instead of my lunch break as I had to run an errand. I know a couple of trauma nurses who worked the Fourth of July, or at least they used to when they were younger. The stories they told me. In some parts of South Florida, I’ve heard they’re using mortars, as in stuff you hear about in a war. And somebody will blow their hands off doing that. SMDH

And great work

SeanJo

This is a great reminder. Stick to the simple stuff. You don't need mortars to celebrate the Fourth of July. Keep your fingers and both of your hands.

##########

There you have it, another Thursday Screencaps in the books. Another successful relief appearance in the books. I have to grab more coffee and get going on this week's True Romance.

I'll see everyone in the Screencaps community on Sunday. If you fire up the grills, if you're shooting off fireworks, send it my way sean.joseph@outkick.com.

You can also follow me on Twitter and over on Instagram and slide into the DMs over there. Have a great Fourth of July weekend.

OUTKICK IS NOW ON THE FOX APP: CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD

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Mamdani gets roasted after telling sweltering New Yorkers to set ACs to 78 degrees: 'Commie'

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:41:04 -0400

New York City's socialist mayor Zohran Mamdani sparked viral outrage on Thursday when he responded to a heat wave affecting the city by instructing residents how to set their air conditioners.

The blowback came as New York City expanded emergency heat measures during a historic holiday weekend heat wave, with officials warning temperatures could feel as hot as 112 degrees.

"New York: it's hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool," Mamdani posted on X as the city dealt with sweltering temperatures.

"Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you're not using, and unplug what you can. Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings, dimming/turning off our lights during peak electricity demand, asking private partners to do the same, and powering down non-essential equipment. A stable grid means the AC stays on, and lives are saved. Let's ease demand — and get through the heat — together."

FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTS

Mamdani’s post quickly went viral and was seen over 36.5 million times as conservatives and pundits blasted the mayor over his instructions on what temperature to set their air conditioning units.

"Show us your thermostat, commie," reality TV star and former Los Angeles mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt posted on X.

STEVE FORBES: MAMDANI’S SOCIALIST RENT-CONTROL PUTS NEW YORK ON THE ROAD TO HOUSING RUIN

"78 degrees???" Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy posted on X. "Welcome to communism people! Hope you enjoy! "

"Welcome to socialism, where the government demands you turn your house into a sauna because they can't plan for the super unpredictable fact that it tends to get hot in the summer," Rep. Brandon Gill, R-Texas, posted on X.

"78 degrees?" conservative commentator Matt Walsh posted on X. "My AC does not go above 68 in the summer. This is America for God’s sake."

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

"Turns out socialism actually isn’t free," Arkansas Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders posted on X.

"Do you feel the warmth of collectivism yet?" Red State writer Bonchie posted on X.

Manhattan Institute fellow Daniel Di Martino responded to the post on X with a meme riffing on the 19th-century flag showing American defiance but swapping an AC unit for a cannon with the words "come and take it."

Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s office for comment.

While Mamdani faced accusations of being a communist on social media, his political power is on the rise in New York City, highlighted by last week's primary elections where his slate of endorsed socialist-linked candidates were all victorious.

After those elections, former Vice President Kamala Harris reached out to Mamdani and the two connected by phone, Fox News Digital reported, sending a signal that Mamdani's base will be critical in deciding who becomes the next Democratic presidential nominee in 2028.

Grizzly bear sends a bold Yellowstone wolf packing after it eyes the bear's bison carcass meal

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:29:11 -0400

A wolf thought it was a good idea to attempt to steal from a massive grizzly bear.

As our loyal readers know, nature can be a very crazy place. The spectrum of what exists is wide-ranging.

Sometimes, you see unmatched beauty. Take a trip to rural Maine for proof of that fact. Other times, it can be a wild place full of chaos and carnage.

MASSIVE GRIZZLY BEAR AND WOLF CAUGHT ON CAMERA DEMOLISHING DEAD ANIMAL

Enter a hunger wolf.

Wolf tries to steal food from grizzly bear.

The popular Instagram page @montanawild_ posted a video this week of a wolf attempting to sneak up on a grizzly bear to get a bite of its food.

"Grizzly bear and wolf on a bison carcass in Yellowstone. Another amazing morning! This old bison carcass had some activity yesterday but was the hotspot for wildlife viewing today. This young optimistic wolf learned rather quickly that the grizzly bear does not want to share," the caption on the video reads.

It's an epic video that will give you a bit of a chuckle. Give it a watch below, and let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

TWO KANGAROOS THROW PUNCHES LIKE UFC FIGHTERS IN AUSTRALIAN MAN'S BACKYARD IN VIRAL VIDEO

One person in the comments wrote, "Wolf looks a little light. He could use a good meal. But he’s not ready to die for it."

Another wrote, "Amazing!!"

A wolf might be high on the chart in the animal kingdom for domination, but it doesn't have anything on a grizzly bear.

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It's not uncommon for a grizzly bear to weigh north of 700 pounds. A wolf doesn't often crack 100 pounds. That's not exactly a fair fight at all.

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The wolf made the right call to back off.

Let me know your thoughts on the video and best nature stories at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

HexClad's July 4 sale brings Black Friday pricing to select chef-approved cookware

Sun, 12 Oct 2025 00:01:56 -0400

HexClad, the cookware brand backed by celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, is offering Fourth of July savings from June 23 through July 6. The sale includes discounts on cookware sets, themed bundles, the brand's best-selling individual pans and kitchen accessories like aprons and cutting boards. (FOX is an investor in HexClad).

Latest deals

Double-burner griddle: $149 (25% off)
HexMill tabletop salt and pepper grinder set: $129 (24% off)
Dutch oven: $159 (20% off)
Cocktail shaker: $79 (20% off)
Mixing bowls set: $79 (20% off)
Bistecca plate set: $79 (20% off)
8-quart stock pot: $149 (17% off)
Hybrid pizza steel: $129 (13% off)

Prime Time bundle deals

Get more bang for your buck with these curated bundles.

HexClad Ultimate Everything Collection: $2,179.99 (34% off)

Original price: $3,293

HexClad didn't call it the Ultimate Everything Collection for nothing. This massive bundle includes hybrid cookware, matching lids, a Damascus steel knife set, steak knives and six mixing bowls. If you're looking to overhaul your kitchen in one purchase, this set checks nearly every box.

12-piece hybrid pots and pans set: $599 (40% off)

Original price: $999

If your cookware collection needs an upgrade, HexClad's 12-piece hybrid set offers a strong foundation. The bundle includes three fry pans and three saucepots in a range of sizes, along with matching lids. Oven-safe construction and stay-cool handles add versatility for everything from weeknight dinners to larger cooking projects.

6-piece hybrid fry pan set with lids: $329 (38% off)

Original price: $532

Get every essential fry pan size in one purchase with HexClad's six-piece set. The collection includes 8-, 10- and 12-inch pans plus matching lids, making it easy to tackle everything from eggs to family-sized meals.

HexClad Barbecue Bundle: $469 (16% off)

Original price: $557

Take your grilling setup beyond the basics with HexClad's Barbecue Bundle. The package includes a grill pan, a dual-sided cutting board and a carving set, giving you tools for cooking, prep and serving. The cutting board features separate surfaces for carving and chopping, while the carving knife is built for clean, precise slices when it's time to serve.

Family Pasta Bundle: $299 (25% off)

Original price: $398

Make pasta night a little easier with HexClad's Family Pasta Bundle. The oversized 14-inch fry pan handles everything from meatballs to sauce, while the 8-quart hybrid pot provides room for large batches of pasta. Together, they create a versatile setup for family dinners and weekend gatherings.

7-piece Damascus steel knife set: $389 (50% off)

Original price: $783

HexClad's seven-piece Damascus steel knife set combines eye-catching design with everyday utility. The collection includes a chef's knife, Santoku knife, serrated knife, utility blades and a sharpening rod, all housed in a magnetic walnut block. Green Pakkawood handles give the set a distinctive look that stands out on any countertop.

Pot and pan deals

HexClad's wide range of pots and pans makes it easy to bring give your cookware that pro-feel.

12-inch hybrid fry pan: $139 (22% off)

Original price: $179

The 12-inch fry pan offers an easy introduction to HexClad's signature cookware. Built with the brand's hybrid design, it handles everything from searing and sautéing to oven-finishing. When dinner's over, the dishwasher-safe construction helps make cleanup simple.

Barbecue pan: $89 (44% off)

Original price: $159

HexClad's barbecue pan makes it easier to grill smaller, more delicate foods like vegetables and fish while still allowing heat and smoke to circulate. It's also dishwasher-safe and designed to handle metal grilling tools without fuss.

Hybrid wok: $95 (20% off)

Original price: $119

HexClad's wok is the perfect pan for stir-fry and other single-pan meals — and the Prime Time sale finally drops the price to less than $100. It uses the same hybrid technology as HexClad's other pans to create a nonstick surface that still sears well. The handle stays cool and won't scratch if you use metal utensils.

Hybrid grill topper: $149 (12% off)

Original price: $169

Love grilled food but hate losing ingredients through the grates? This grill topper pan keeps vegetables, shrimp and other smaller foods contained while still allowing smoke and heat to reach your food. The spacious design holds enough for a full meal, and the nonstick surface makes cleanup easier when the cookout is over.

Cooking accessory deals

Find discounts on knives, aprons, cutting boards and other non-cookware staples.

Damascus steel boning and fillet knife: $99 (23% off)

Original price: $129

HexClad's fillet knife pairs eye-catching design with everyday utility. The Demascus steel blade is built for precise cuts, while the green Pakkawood handle helps it stand out from the rest of your knife collection. Use it for fish, meat and other prep work that calls for a sharp, maneuverable blade.

Extra-large Beechwood cutting board: $87 (20% off)

Original price: $109

More than just a cutting board, this beechwood board pulls double duty as a serving piece. Use it for meal prep, bread making and slicing meats and cheeses, then bring it straight to the table for charcuterie spreads and family gatherings. The light wood finish adds a clean, classic look to any kitchen.

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Eco Modern apron: $69 (13% off)

Original price: $79

Protect your clothes in style with this Eco Modern apron. Utility pockets provide space for grilling tools, thermometers and your phone, while leather-tipped straps add a premium touch. The recycled fabric is designed to resist water and cooking oils, making it a practical choice for busy kitchens and backyard cookouts.

Furious residents confront homeless housing leaders as popular beach community hits breaking point

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:00:38 -0400

A coastal Los Angeles neighborhood reached its breaking point this week as more than 100 residents confronted leaders of two supportive housing programs over what they described as rising crime and deteriorating public safety.

One resident told the packed meeting on Monday that Venice, California, neighbors are now "finding dead bodies" during routine cleanups, while others described drug activity, trespassing and fears of letting their children walk the neighborhood alone.

The heated community meeting centered on The Journey Program and Safe Place for Youth, two supportive housing facilities on Lincoln Boulevard that neighbors blame for a sharp decline in safety and quality of life since opening roughly 18 months ago in an effort to address homelessness in the area.

LA BUSINESS LEADER SAYS CRIME, WILDFIRE FALLOUT FUELING PRATT SURGE AS VOTERS SEEK CHANGE: 'PEOPLE ARE ANGRY'

While residents questioned the programs' impact on the surrounding neighborhood, Venice Community Housing says on its website that "providing supportive services in conjunction with stable housing is the proven long-term solution to end homelessness."

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The organization also says it provides "trauma-informed resources and supports" to help tenants secure and maintain housing, improve health, enhance education and thrive in their communities.

"This feels like a lot of lip service and not a lot of action," one resident said as tempers flared.

Residents painted a grim picture of daily life surrounding the facilities.

UCLA SORORITIES HIRE PRIVATE SECURITY AMID TERRIFYING HARASSMENT BY HOMELESS MEN: REPORT

"We're finding dead bodies as we're doing our daily s--- and p--- cleanup every morning," one resident told the crowd.

Another parent said, "I don't feel safe sending my teenage kids out to walk the dogs on their own, and that's ridiculous."

Others described feeling trapped in their own neighborhood.

"We're getting traumatized. Our lived experience is getting destroyed," another resident said.

Neighbors accused the facilities of bringing more crime, drug activity, trespassing, illegal dumping and violence to the area, prompting residents and business owners to demand increased security, stronger oversight and accountability from the organizations operating the programs.

After the meeting, FOX 11 asked Venice Community Housing Co-Executive Director Allison Riley why she declined to answer questions on camera.

"I'm sorry, I don't want to be interviewed on camera today," Riley said.

EX-EMPLOYEE OF TAXPAYER-FUNDED NONPROFIT CAUGHT SELLING FENTANYL NEAR LA PARK: DOCS

When pressed about residents demanding accountability over violence and drug activity spilling into surrounding streets, Riley responded, "We're trying to give that to the community, and we will keep working on that."

Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park said her office has heard complaints from neighbors for months and warned the organizations that future city funding could be jeopardized if conditions fail to improve.

WATCH: Video captures conditions near LA homeless campus critics call a 'Meth Mansion'

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"We are going to continue to fix this and hold these people responsible for providing their own security, for ensuring that the neighborhood around these facilities remains safe," Park said.

"And you know what? Then we will start talking about walking back their future funding."

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In a post on her official Facebook page after the meeting, Park thanked residents for organizing and attending the meeting and said communities are "right to expect accountability" when taxpayer dollars are invested in homeless housing solutions.

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"I'm already taking steps legislatively, and you have our continued commitment to work with LAPD and VCH/SPY, to correct these issues," Park wrote.

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Residents left the meeting unconvinced that enough is being done, saying they want to see meaningful changes instead of more promises.

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"It can't just be an open door," one business owner said. "Actions need to start having consequences."

Fox News Digital reached out to Councilmember Traci Park, Venice Community Housing Co-Executive Director Allison Riley, the Journey Program, Safe Place for Youth and the Los Angeles Police Department for comment.

My mother fled Cuba and found the freedom too many Americans now forget

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 09:00:19 -0400

I've always believed that gratitude is the most underrated of all human traits, and ingratitude is among the ugliest. A person who cannot recognize what they've been given, who cannot feel the weight of unearned blessing, has a hole in their soul that no amount of achievement can fill. It’s true of people and nations.

America, I am sorry that some in this country do not love you. Sad that a record low number of young Americans say they are proud.

This breaks my heart, not because dissent is wrong, but because that failure belongs to the adults who came before. Every generation that failed to explain to the next what was purchased so that they might live freely. Every classroom that taught grievance instead of gratitude. Every voice that spent more time promoting protests and condemnations over preaching unity and collaboration.

WORLD CUP SOCCER FANS ARE DISCOVERING AMERICA’S GREATNESS. IT’S TIME AMERICANS DID, TOO

I’m sorry that so many are rejecting the free enterprise system that lifted more people out of poverty in history for the siren call of socialism.

America we know you aren’t perfect, but something seems to have gotten lost in our national conversation: Birthdays are celebrations, not condemnations. We don't gather around a cake to catalog mistakes and shortcomings. We gather to say you matter, you are loved, and we are glad you are here.

I am glad you are here, America. I am profoundly, irreversibly glad.

DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISM IS SWEEPING THE NATION. VOTERS SHOULD BE ALARMED

Because the real American story is one of breathtaking courage and grit.

The Declaration of Independence was not merely a farewell or protest letter to a distant king. It became a promissory note for every subsequent generation to redeem. Thomas Jefferson wrote the most consequential document outside of Scripture in the history of humanity that turned into the mission statement for a new nation.

We keep going back to it because it keeps being right.

Because the real American story is one of opportunity.

America, you have given more second chances to more people of more faiths, colors, and creeds than any country in the history of the world. That is the most extraordinary experiment in human self-governance ever attempted on this earth and it is still running. Still imperfect. Still striving. Still magnificent.

During the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games when over a hundred countries march into the stadium during the Parade of Nations, only one nation sends a delegation that looks like the entire world. Only one. America.

America, you have given the world a people intensely competitive and intensely generous No nation on this planet gives as much money to charitable causes as the United States of America. When disaster strikes anywhere on earth, the first question is never whether Americans will show up. It is only how soon.

America produced a good, decent, and noble people and a country that has done that deserves to celebrate its birthday.

I know this because of my mother, Miriam Miyares. In 1965, she fled communist Cuba homeless and penniless, with nothing but the clothes on her back and no idea where her next meal would come from. She came to you, America as so many have come to you, not because the journey was easy, but because you were worth the risk.

Almost fifty years to the day after Miriam Miyares escaped a country with a government with no consent from the governed, she walked into a voting booth in Virginia and she cast a ballot for her son, her American son, to represent her in the oldest democracy in the Western Hemisphere, the Virginia General Assembly.

That is the American Miracle.

Today, while the same communist regime in Cuba clings to power as its citizens slide further into a humanitarian crisis, the Miyares Family not only sees the American Miracle, but lives it.

On this birthday, America, I want you to know that my family knows the costs and know the stakes. We know what the world looks like without America because the Miyares Family lived it.

On this Independence Day, it would behoove us all to remember the words of another Virginian, Thomas Jefferson: "If a nation expects to be ignorant & free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was & never will be."

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Happy Birthday, America.

We love you. We are grateful. And we are proud. Let’s all do our part educating the next generation about the American Miracle so it lives on for another 250 years and beyond.

Social media erupts over socialist's 9/11 comments after House primary win: 'Radical lunatic'

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:55:08 -0400

In the wake of her primary victory on Tuesday evening in Colorado’s 1st Congressional District, conservatives and social media users expressed alarm at Melat Kiros’s comments about the 9/11 terror attacks.

"This is light-years worse than AOC beating 10-term incumbent Joe Crowley," Steve Guest, a GOP strategist, said in a post to X, referring to the rise of progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.

"This is the Democrat party," Guest added.

Kiros has suggested the U.S. invited the attacks on the World Trade Center in 2001 that left nearly 3,000 Americans dead. Those views, compounded with other statements that have seemed to rationalize acts of violence, have sparked backlash as she looks poised to capture a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives and further cement the momentum of the far-left flank of the Democratic Party.

MUSLIM MAMDANI-BACKED SOCIALIST PRIMARY WINNER SUGGESTED AMERICA DESERVED 9/11 IN UNEARTHED VIDEO

When asked if the 9/11 attacks had been avoidable, Kiros said she believed the U.S. had made them "inevitable" through its foreign policy.

"Inevitable in the sense that we destabilized a lot of the Middle East. That forced people to believe that another act of violence was the only response," Kiros said in an interview.

"SICK!" the Republican National Committee (RNC) wrote online, highlighting the comments.

Benny Johnson, a conservative media personality, pointed to Kiros’ win as evidence that the Democratic Party had conceded to candidates with extreme positions.

"She is a socialist who was born in Ethiopia. Melat also thinks America deserved 9/11. It isn’t just happening in New York; Democrats are losing their entire party," Johnson said in a post, alluding to the victory of other socialist candidates with similar views.

Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., also echoed Johnson’s thinking.

"One radical lunatic after the next is coming to Washington. Why would we ever want to empower someone who believes 9/11 is America’s fault?"

MELAT KIROS BECOMES 28TH FAR-LEFT CANDIDATE TO WIN A DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY THIS YEAR AS SOCIALISTS AMASS POWER

On her website, Kiros shares platform items that are commonly held by many radical progressives: "Medicare-for-all," ending "all wars," abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and universal childcare.

"As someone who’s working as a barista to pay for school and health care, I know what it’s like to work so hard to get ahead while Washington is so far behind," Kiros said in a campaign video.

But it’s her views on Israel and U.S. foreign relations that have set her apart from many other candidates, including her primary opponent, Rep. Diana DeGette, D-Colo.

Kiros, a Ph.D. student and lawyer, was fired from a New York firm in 2023 after publishing an open letter, arguing that anti-Israel student protesters calling for the elimination of Israel were not antisemitic and appearing to defend Hamas.

She has also described the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks against the Jewish state as the "inevitable consequence of apartheid" and declined to characterize the deadly firebombing of protesters in Boulder last year who were urging the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza as antisemitic.

"I don't know what was in the heart of the perpetrator," Kiros told Colorado's 9News in a recent television interview. "All I know is that he went and attacked innocent people because of what they might have believed."

Like other onlookers, Clay Travis, the conservative founder of OutKick, a sports and pop culture website, said he feared that Kiros’ victory would only lead to more far-left momentum elsewhere.

SOCIALISM GOES WEST AS DSA-BACKED CHALLENGER OUSTS LONGTIME DEMOCRAT

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"That’s four incumbents losing primaries to socialists in a week. Every state now has a Mamdani [and] the Democrat Party is on a rapid descent to Communism," Travis wrote.

Kiros will face Republican Christy Peterson, a local accountant, in the state’s general election on Nov. 3.

A's prospect undergoes spinal surgery after horrifying collision leaves him without feeling in legs

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:30:42 -0400

Ryan Lasko, the No. 18 prospect for the Athletics, is in stable condition today after undergoing spinal decompression and stabilization surgery resulting from a C6-C7 vertebra fracture.

Lasko suffered the injury during a horrific collision in a game earlier this week. While playing center field for Double-AA Midland on Tuesday, Lasko and right fielder Devin Taylor collided while going for a ball in the gap.

Lasko, 24, was down for 10 minutes before leaving the field on a cart and going to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, where he underwent surgery.

REDS' DANE MYERS CARTED OFF FIELD AFTER CRASHING INTO WALL MAKING ACROBATIC CATCH VS BREWERS

The outfielder currently does not have feeling in his legs. Dr. Jonathan Poggi, who performed the surgery, said the hope is that Lasko will regain feeling, although it could take a significant amount of time.

Mark Kotsay offers update on A's prospect Ryan Lasko

Goodness. What a collision. At first glance, it doesn't look that bad. But then you slow it down and watch it back, and it's awful.

Lasko's neck goes straight into Taylor's chest/shoulder area, and he immediately goes down. No movement whatsoever. Nothing. Horrifying.

Fans in attendance commented that Lasko did eventually give the thumbs up on the way out, for what it's worth.

But, clearly, it's going to be a while before he ever sees a ballfield again.

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A's manager Mark Kotsay spoke about the collision before Wednesday's game, saying there was "hope" that Lasko regains feeling in his legs.

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"It's obviously going to take time," he added. "But, the positive in the statement from the doctor is that there was not a definitive statement saying that he was not going to regain feeling in his lower half. Send prayers to him, his family, to the teammate and the team. It's a trying time for them. It's an emotional time for them."

Lasko was a second-round pick by the A’s in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Rutgers University. He spent some time with the A’s this spring in big league camp earlier this year.

After 1,000 days of war: Many Israeli children carry trauma into summer break

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:19:03 -0400

TEL AVIV: As Israel marks 1,000 days since the Hamas-led Oct. 7 massacre, children — many still coping with the psychological effects of the war — are beginning their summer vacation, with some navigating the uncertainties of traveling abroad amid rising antisemitism and others grappling at home with the anxieties of living in a society shaped by nearly three years of war on multiple fronts.

Lilach, 47, of Kibbutz Eilon, jut over a mile and a half from Israel's border with Lebanon in the Western Galilee, told Fox News Digital she hopes her children — Yuval, Amit and Yoni — will finally be able to enjoy a normal summer.

"During the war, there was always concern about leaving home. The kids were barely in school and spent most of their time indoors in front of screens," she said.

"I hope they can now spend time with their friends and enjoy activities together. Tomorrow, Yoni is going to an amusement park. I just want them to have fun, be with their friends and enjoy being kids again," she added.

ISRAEL ANNOUNCES IT KILLED ONE OF THE ARCHITECTS OF THE OCT. 7 ATTACKS

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020, Lilach said, her children have had only one uninterrupted year of school.

"It was hard. They would start school, attend for a month or two, then classes would stop because of the war with Iran or fighting with Lebanon, and then resume. It was difficult to get back into a routine each time. It felt like starting a new school year over and over again," she said.

Despite the repeated disruptions, Lilach said her daughter Amit graduated from high school thanks to her determination and private tutoring. Yoni, however, who has attention deficit disorder, struggled with spending weeks at home during the fighting and will move to a smaller classroom next year to receive additional support.

Evacuated with her family a day after the Oct. 7 attacks, Anat, 50, of Kibbutz Yiftah in the Upper Galilee, less than two miles from Israel’s border with Lebanon, told Fox News Digital that her children changed schools three times before the family returned home in February 2025. During Israel’s recent war with Iran, they were again out of school for about six weeks.

"Every day, having my 10-year-old log on to Zoom for online classes was a challenge. It was very difficult to maintain a routine and continuity in her learning," Anat said.

With the family hoping to travel abroad this summer, Anat said she has tried to shelter her children from the tidal wave of antisemitism that has emerged globally over the past three years of war.

"We don’t talk at home about people around the world who hate us. We love everyone, and we don’t talk about hate, period. For them, traveling is something wonderful that they can’t wait for," she said. "Despite how difficult it has been, our children are strong. They have grown up quickly because of everything they’ve been through and know how to cope. We don’t feel sorry for ourselves—we’re fighters."

EXPERTS URGE EXTREME CAUTION ON IRAN'S 'CROWN JEWEL' HEZBOLLAH — TERROR GROUP WITH US BLOOD ON ITS HANDS

Nufar Bar Lipshatz, a developmental psychologist in the Northern District of Clalit Health Services, Israel’s largest healthcare provider, said many children continue to show signs of trauma.

According to data she cited from Israel’s National Insurance Institute, 25,274 children had been officially recognized as victims of hostile acts between Oct. 7, 2023, and the end of 2025. She also referenced a joint study by the Goshen organization and the Israeli Pediatric Association showing that 84% of Israeli children exhibited signs of emotional distress by late 2023 following the cross-border terror assault from Gaza and Hezbollah’s entry into the war from Lebanon the following day.

"We see many symptoms that are connected but manifest differently in each child, whether it’s a child who can’t speak, wets their pants or develops [nervous] tics," Bar Lipshatz said. "Trauma is real, and children can’t always express it with words, so they act it out. They reenact running to shelters, their father being deployed, war, aggression and kidnappings during play."

She recalled treating a girl who became unable to ride her bicycle because she constantly looked over her shoulder, checking whether someone was behind her.

While summer vacation may offer temporary relief, Bar Lipshatz warned that long breaks from routine can reinforce anxiety.

"We know from research that children need stability and routine because it helps them feel safe. During school breaks, children may feel safer because they are avoiding situations that trigger stress, but over time they are also avoiding facing their fears," she said. "We need to give parents and children the tools to cope with stress because it will not disappear simply by staying at home."

Bar Lipshatz, who also works with autistic children, said travel itself can be challenging because unfamiliar sounds and crowded environments may trigger traumatic memories.

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"When you go on vacation, you go to places with lots of people and noise. What we think could be fun can actually become a trigger," she said, recalling a trip to Romania where bear-warning sirens in a national park sounded identical to Israel's missile alerts.

She noted that one of her young patients told her she feared traveling abroad because, despite the war, Israel felt more predictable than an unfamiliar country.

In a bid to maintain a sense of routine and help students catch up on lost time, the Israeli Ministry of Education told Fox News Digital that it will continue operating throughout the summer through programs serving approximately 1.12 million students, supported by an investment of about $270 million.

For the first time, middle school students will participate in summer programs focused on artificial intelligence, STEM subjects, mathematics, science, and English. The ministry said the highest participation rates are in northern and southern communities affected by the war.

It also said it will continue providing emotional support through its Psychological Counseling Service, expand psychological services for students in need, and keep its "Voice for All" support hotline operating throughout the summer.

"The education system will continue to support Israeli students during the summer vacation to ensure educational, emotional and social continuity for every student who needs it," the ministry said.

FROM HOMEROOM TO HATE: HOW JEWISH STUDENTS ARE FACING A NEW KIND OF PRESSURE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Children affected by the war are also attending summer camps such as those led by OneFamily, an organization that supports victims of terrorism and war and their families.

More than 400 children — each of whom has lost an immediate family member to terrorism or war, most since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attacks — will take part in OneFamily's annual summer camp from July 8 to July 13 in the Golan Heights, where they will spend time with other children who share similar experiences of grief and loss.

A central focus of the camp is helping children build resilience while learning to cope with their grief. This year, the organization's founding director, Chantal Belzberg, received the Israel Prize for Lifetime Achievement.

Activities include swimming, competitions, sports, but also therapeutic group dialogue circles. On the last night, some campers share stories about their lost loved ones and their own journey to healing, followed by a big concert.

"Children who have lost a parent, both parents or siblings to terrorism or acts of war don't always want to go to therapy. But when you bring them together with other children who have experienced the same loss, it gives them strength and creates a therapeutic environment," Belzberg told Fox News Digital.

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"They come to have fun, and through the activities they meet other children who have gone through the same thing. That's when they begin to talk. Traditional support services are not always places where children want to go," she continued.

"We bring them together so they meet children who truly understand them. They realize they are not alone and can build a community where they don't feel isolated. One of the greatest challenges after trauma is isolation," she added.

Vatican excommunicates breakaway Catholic bishops who defied Pope Leo XIV

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:08:34 -0400

Pope Leo XIV's first major showdown with a breakaway Catholic movement ended Thursday with the Vatican declaring the Society of St. Pius X in schism and excommunicating bishops who defied the pontiff by ordaining new bishops without his approval.

The Vatican acted one day after the Society of St. Pius X (SSPX) consecrated four new bishops at its seminary in Écône, Switzerland, despite a personal appeal from Leo urging the group to abandon what the Catholic Church called a "schismatic act."

In a decree released Thursday, the Holy See excommunicated the four newly consecrated bishops as well as the two bishops who took part in the ceremony, declaring the ordinations a schism, or an intentional break from the Catholic Church.

The decision comes after decades of efforts by successive popes to reconcile with the traditionalist movement, which rejects many of the reforms adopted during the Second Vatican Council in the 1960s, including allowing Mass to be celebrated in local languages instead of Latin.

POPE LEO PLEADS WITH BREAKAWAY CATHOLIC GROUP NOT TO COMMIT 'SIN OF EXTREME GRAVITY'

Only the pope has the authority to approve the consecration of Catholic bishops, a practice meant to preserve the Church's unity and its line of succession from the apostles.

The sanctions also reverse concessions the Vatican had granted the SSPX in recent years as it tried to bring the group back into full communion with Rome. According to the decree, the group can no longer validly administer the sacraments of confession and marriage, and the Vatican urged Catholics attending SSPX Masses to separate themselves from the movement.

The action comes just days after Leo made a rare personal appeal to the group's leader, the Rev. Davide Pagliarani, urging him to cancel the consecrations.

"I plead with you and ask you with all my heart: please turn back!" the pope wrote in a letter to Pagliarani on Monday, warning the planned ordinations would deepen the decades-old division between Rome and the SSPX.

The dispute is the first major test of Leo's pontificate. Since becoming pope, the American-born pontiff has emphasized healing divisions within the Catholic Church, including reaching out to conservatives and traditionalists who felt alienated during Pope Francis' papacy.

POPE LEO SENDS UNMISTAKABLE MESSAGE ON IMMIGRANTS DURING VISIT HONORING AMERICA'S FIRST SAINT

During Wednesday's consecration ceremony, Pagliarani insisted the ordinations were carried out not in opposition to the pope but in service to the Church.

"We are accused of not respecting the pope," Pagliarani said. "But it is precisely because we love the pope as the vicar of Christ, as the head of the church, that we don’t want to see the pope humiliated anymore, on the side of false shepherds representing false religions."

Founded in 1970 by French Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre, the Society of St. Pius X has long opposed what it considers theological errors introduced by the Second Vatican Council. Lefebvre was excommunicated in 1988 after consecrating four bishops without the approval of Pope John Paul II in a nearly identical confrontation.

Those excommunications were lifted in 2009 by Pope Benedict XVI in an effort to restore dialogue, though the SSPX never returned to full communion with Rome and has remained outside the Church's formal structure.

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Despite that status, the society has continued to grow, reporting hundreds of priests, seminarians and religious members serving followers in dozens of countries, making it one of the largest traditionalist Catholic movements operating outside the Vatican's authority.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:08:52 -0400

Dead fitness trainer’s taxi ride becomes key piece of puzzle in mysterious disappearance, death: docs

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:00:59 -0400

A newly obtained incident report traces a South Carolina fitness trainer's final movements before she disappeared.

Elena Katherine Moore, 39, was found dead almost a week after she disappeared on June 11 after she went to a Planet Fitness gym in Lexington, South Carolina. The Lexington County Coroner's Office said on June 22 that investigators found no signs of bruising, lacerations, gunshot wounds, stab wounds, blunt force trauma, strangulation or other external injuries during a forensic autopsy.

While the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division continues to investigate what led to Moore's death, an incident report obtained by Fox News Digital has shed light on Moore's final movements before disappearing.

SOUTH CAROLINA FITNESS TRAINER TOLD FRIENDS SHE WANTED TO LEAVE HER NOW-HUSBAND YEARS BEFORE BODY WAS FOUND

Moore's husband, Brannon Slice, went to the Lexington Police Department on June 12 to report his wife missing. He told officers she had been released from an undisclosed facility on June 11, before 2 p.m., according to the incident report. The facility's name was redacted in the incident report, but Sondra Campbell, one of Moore's close friends, told Fox News Digital that Moore had been released from a mental health facility at the time.

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According to the incident report, someone arranged a taxi for Moore after her release, and she asked the driver to stop at a local CVS in Lexington. That stop was the last time the cab driver saw her. When Moore did not return outside, the driver went into the store but was unable to locate her.

Slice told the officer he want to the Planet Fitness where she frequently visited, where an employee told him that Moore singed in at 6:38 p.m. on the 11th. After that, Moore wasn't seen again and was found dead on June 19.

SOUTH CAROLINA FITNESS TRAINER TOLD FRIENDS SHE WANTED TO LEAVE HER NOW-HUSBAND YEARS BEFORE BODY WAS FOUND

No one, including her husband, has been accused of any wrongdoing or charged with a crime. Lexington Police Department Inspector Missy Silcox told Newsweek late Tuesday that Slice "is not a person of interest at the current moment."

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Sondra Campbell, who was close friends with Moore, previously told Fox News Digital that Moore tried to leave the relationship in the past.

Campbell said that something felt "very different" the last time she saw her on May 31.

SOUTH CAROLINA FITNESS TRAINER TOLD FRIENDS SHE WANTED TO LEAVE HER NOW-HUSBAND YEARS BEFORE BODY WAS FOUND

"She was scared for her life. She actually said those words to me," Campbell said. "Elena is one of my best friends. I've known her over probably 10 years now. We're really close like tell each other everything. She's been that person for me for a long time."

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According to LPD Chief Terrence Green, authorities found the body after getting a tip that led investigators to a new search location.

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Moore was last seen walking through the Publix parking lot at 100 Old Cherokee Road in Lexington on the night of June 11.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Slice for comment.

Rahm Emanuel warns new generation of Dem socialists don't like America

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:00:35 -0400

Former Chicago Mayor and possible 2028 contender Rahm Emanuel blasted the recent wave of Democratic socialists who have risen in his party.

Democratic socialist candidate Darializa Avila Chevalier was one of three candidates backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who won shocking primary victories in late June. Her history of controversial far-left rhetoric and policies has caused a wave of outrage among more traditional Democratic figures, such as strategist James Carville, who have responded by calling for a formal party schism.

"She has attacked interracial relationships and the American flag. Lady, I ain't in the same party as you. I'm sorry," Carville said in a recent viral statement on his podcast. "I’m just not, and I actually do think it's time for Democrats to talk ‘the S-word.’ ‘Schism.’ I really do."

CNN host Wolf Blitzer played a clip from this podcast as he spoke to Emanuel, asking if he agrees with Carville’s take.

JAMES CARVILLE SAYS SOCIALIST DEMOCRAT SHOULDN'T BE IN THE PARTY, CALLS HER VIEWS 'A BRIDGE TOO FAR'

Emanuel responded by saying he believes in flipping red areas to blue areas, not flipping blue areas to a deeper blue.

"There are candidates out there, specifically like in New York City, who don't like America," he said. "I happen to think being an American means you win the lottery ticket of life."

He went on to argue that as flawed as America may be, the democratic socialists fail to appreciate it for its inherent good.

"There are challenges in America that it's not living up to its potential, as outlined here on the 250-year anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, where America falls short, but you always struggle for that better," he said. "There are people in the Democratic Socialist Party who literally do not like America, think it is a bad country."

MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS

"They don't have any identity," he continued. "And that is not the Democratic Party that I'm a part of, it is not the Democratic Party that struggles to make sure that other people get a chance to be in the winner's circle."

Emanuel warned Democrats that if they want to win victories at the federal level, they need to win over Republicans and centrists.

"Winning something on the Upper West Side doesn’t help you flip the Upper Peninsula of Michigan," he said. "And that is the only way to not only advance progressive agendas, win and unlock the electoral map that has kept Democrats out of the White House, but it also allows you to hold this administration accountable."

"Unless we start flipping red to blue, you’re going to just hear it get red in the face, and that’s all the only other red you’re going to see," he cautioned. "So I’m not impressed with flipping blue districts."

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Taylor Swift's wedding sparks holiday weekend etiquette debate for guests

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:00:34 -0400

To loyal fans, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's wedding — rumored to be taking place on July 3 as part of the long holiday weekend — is not a surprise. The popular occasion has long been part of Swift lore, thanks to headline-making July 4 parties at her Rhode Island estate.

But with the ceremony and reception reportedly so close to July 4, the timing has fueled an etiquette debate: Should marrying couples ask their guests to give up a prime summer holiday weekend just for them?

"Holiday weekends often mean higher travel costs, crowded airports and giving up time with family. But every couple has the right to choose a date that's meaningful to them," California-based etiquette expert Lisa Mirza Grotts told Fox News Digital.

TAYLOR SWIFT'S CONTROVERSIAL WEDDING RULE HAS FANS DEBATING WHO SHOULD MAKE PLUS-ONE LIST

"Celebrity weddings are naturally different," she added. "Many guests will gladly rearrange their schedules for an event of this significance."

Even so, holiday weekends can be tricky. "Many people travel or spend time with family," said Florida-based etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore. "If you choose one of those weekends, give your guests plenty of notice with a ‘save the date’ so they can plan ahead."

It is likely their closest friends have been aware of the wedding date for quite some time, many believe — enabling these friends to make travel plans in advance.

TAYLOR SWIFT'S UNUSUAL WEDDING GIFTS RULE IGNITES ETIQUETTE DEBATE: 'HONOR THEIR WISHES'

Actor Bradley Cooper, Gigi Hadid's longtime boyfriend, owns a historic 5-story town house in the West Village of Lower Manhattan, where they can stay.

But Selena Gomez and others spend most of their time on the West Coast.

The NYPD is preparing to lock down a city block outside Madison Square Garden, the apparent location, according to a source with knowledge of the event, as Fox News Digital previously reported.

TAYLOR SWIFT, TRAVIS KELCE REPORTED MSG WEDDING PLANS CALL FOR 1,000 GUESTS, STREET CLOSURE AT MSG: SOURCE

The source detailed an event spanning multiple days of setup, with 1,000 guests expected to attend.

Even so, this year's Independence Day marks America's 250th anniversary. For some guests, this consequential occasion may hold even more meaning.

ROCK STAR SLY STONE'S 20,000-GUEST MSG WEDDING SET THE PRECEDENT FOR TAYLOR SWIFT, TRAVIS KELCE NUPTIALS

"Even if it's for one of the biggest pop stars in the world, good etiquette gives guests permission to decline graciously, without guilt or explanation," Grotts of California said.

Texas-based etiquette expert Diane Gottsman agreed on that point.

"Summer weddings have their own challenges, with family vacations being planned," she said.

"Some people may not mind, and others will choose to skip the occasion."

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It seems unlikely, however, that many invitees have declined.

Swift’s ties to Independence Day are well documented.

Fourth of July parties at her Rhode Island home have featured red, white and blue outfits, plus barbecue and baked treats, according to reports.

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Over the years, guests have included Hadid, the Haim sisters, Blake Lively, Emma Stone and many others, as E! News has reported.

While many surely view Swift and Kelce's wedding as a can't-miss event, the larger question is this: Should non-celebrities ever consider a July 4 wedding?

"I think a lot of people [in the U.S.] have traditions and routines surrounding this holiday. I also think it’s a day many people want to be outside, near water, drink[ing] beer and [enjoying] BBQ with friends and family," one Reddit user wrote.

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Another person wrote on the platform, "It will be fine with some people, and may still reduce your attendance rate."

A third said, "I went to one wedding on the 4th of July years ago ... It was horrible because I could've spent an entire weekend on a boat at my friend's beach house."

Yet another said, "Personally, I wouldn’t go to a [July] 4th wedding. The night before, yes. Day of or day after, no."

Still, etiquette expert Grotts said that, all things considered, guests should not get too hung up on the date.

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"The most memorable weddings aren't defined by the schedule," she said. "They're defined by how guests are made to feel."

Michael Ruiz and Janelle Ash of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

Country star Chris Janson says respecting the flag is the number one lesson he wants his kids to learn

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 08:00:21 -0400

Chris Janson hopes to instill in his children pride in their country.

"I want my kids to respect the flag and honor our country and be proud of where you come from and be honest and be respectful," the country star told Fox News Digital ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.

The multi-platinum singer recently collaborated with five-time Grammy winner Steven Curtis Chapman for a new rendition of "America the Beautiful."

The song made its live debut last month with the children’s choir featured on the track at the Grand Ole Opry.

RILEY GAINES SAYS MOTHERHOOD INSPIRED HER NEW CHILDREN'S BOOK CELEBRATING AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM

"Truth – even in song – the truth always wins," Janson continued. "So if you're just telling the truth you don't have to go back and lie about anything. You don't need to cover up for anything. You don't have to think about it twice. You just tell the truth the first time, whether it's good, bad, or indifferent, the truth is the truth. So those are the things I would like to instill in my kids."

The 40-year-old continued: "I love this country. I've said it so many times, like, we have freedom here like no other place. It's really amazing. So number one is you respect your flag."

Janson remembered a pivotal moment from his childhood when his fourth-grade teacher explained the importance of having deference to the flag.

WATCH: CHRIS JANSON REVEALS THE PATRIOTIC LESSONS HE HOPES TO INSTILL IN HIS KIDS

CARRIE UNDERWOOD SHARES PATRIOTIC VIDEO OF AMERICAN FLAG DISPLAY NEAR HER TENNESSEE PROPERTY

"It was my turn to go take the flag down," he explained. "I brought the flag down off the pole and I wrapped it around my shoulders like a superhero. I didn't think a thing of it. He was a veteran, and he came out there and he scolded me hard, and I did not understand what in the world I was in trouble for."

He said his teacher explained to him that he was letting the tips of the flag touch the ground.

"‘Don't you ever let that touch the ground again," he said his teacher told him, "and I was like blown away. I didn't understand this until I was an adult. Until I really understood what freedom meant."

COUNTRY STAR ZAC BROWN WARNS ‘POVERTY OF SPIRIT’ AND LACK OF STRUGGLE ARE RUINING AMERICAN KIDS

Traveling around the world, he said, can remind Americans how lucky we are to live here.

WATCH: STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN EXPLAINS WHAT BEING AN AMERICAN MEANS TO HIM

"Coming from a pretty low-class kid here from a trailer park, it's a – I remind my kids all the time," he said. "Yeah, we got it pretty good, but don't forget it's a big deal to get to go out to dinner. You get to do that. It's a big deal to walk to the fridge and have whatever you want at the snap of a finger. It's a blessing."

He added, "And it's something not to be taken for granted. But we are in a free country and we do have the honor and the privilege provided by our great servicemen and women to have a luxury of freedom, to have luxury to live the American dream and man, that's really important."

GRAMMY-NOMINATED SINGER ANNE WILSON SAYS SPEAKING ABOUT JESUS COST HER OPPORTUNITIES, BUT SHE WON'T BACK DOWN

Chapman said that traveling around the world has made him realize how lucky he is to be an American.

"Music has taken this country boy, two country boys that constantly look and go, ‘How in the world did we get here except the grace of God?" Chapman told Fox News Digital, calling himself a "boy from Paducah, Kentucky."

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Chapman remembered singing Christian songs once at a Hard Rock café in Beijing, China, and worrying that at worst the government might force him to stop, but realizing that the real danger is for the Chinese fans who want to listen to his music.

THE VIRTUE AMERICA FORGOT: WHY GRATITUDE STILL MATTERS FOR OUR NATIONAL CHARACTER

"You encounter that in places and suddenly your eyes are open to just what an amazing gift it is that we have" in the United States, he said.

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Chapman also mentioned his grandfather, a World War II veteran who earned a Purple Heart, who got a mention in their version of "American the Beautiful."

"I grew up just loving and respecting him and probably in many ways because of his service and his love for our country, a deep love for America and for the freedom that we have," he said. "And it is an incredible gift. And with any gift that we have, it's something to be stewarded. It's something never to lose the gratitude for, even with the brokenness and even with, you know, the things that we don't have easy answers for."

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He continued, "Gosh, to just be grateful, gratitude just makes such a difference in my own heart, personally," adding, he recognizes "what a gift we have, the gift of freedom" to be able to sing songs about his faith "in a country where, you know, anyone can do that and sing about the things that are important or speak about the thing that they believe and are important."

"And it's a great, great, beautiful thing, and I'm very grateful for it," he said.

Trump admin axes 'Green New Scam' appliance rules as Europe bakes in brutal heat

Thu, 02 Jul 2026 07:44:49 -0400

The Trump administration is set to unveil a sweeping overhaul of federal appliance efficiency rules that officials say will end "Green New Scam" appliance mandates, restore consumer choice, and block future federal crackdowns on gas stoves, fluorescent lightbulbs, HVAC systems, and other household appliances.

"In America, you should be able to choose between a drying machine that takes multiple cycles to dry your clothes and one that does it on the first try — unfortunately, past administrations thought otherwise," Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News Digital.

The Department of Energy is expected to propose a sweeping rewrite of federal appliance regulations that would change how energy-efficiency standards are written, creating what the Trump administration says is a permanent safeguard against future efforts to regulate household appliances. The proposal was viewed by Fox News Digital.

TRUMP ADMIN AXES TIES TO DOZENS OF PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN 'DIRECT OPPOSITION' TO MISSION: 'DECISIVE ACTION'

"For too long, the American people paid the price for mandates that restricted consumer choice and drove up costs. President Trump promised to end this nonsense and that is exactly what we are doing. This proposed rule will preserve the American people’s ability to choose home appliances and equipment that actually work — at prices they can afford. It’s called commonsense."

Officials said previous Obama and Biden administrations interpreted Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) standards as requiring increasingly stringent efficiency standards that made some appliances more expensive or less functional.

Biden-era changes in 2021 and 2024 that loosened the Trump administration’s 2020 rules by making the procedures non-binding and removing several provisions, including a significant energy savings threshold and other procedural requirements.

FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTS

The proposal is open for public comment for 30 days before being made an official rule. It comes as the U.S. and Europe face a major heat wave.

Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar recently released a statement blaming the United States for the deadly heat wave over France by saying the issue is climate change – not the lack of air conditioning in Europe.

"Dear American journalists and social media 'influencers': for days, some of you have been criticizing and making fun of Paris because the city does not have A/C in every room. OMG, this is so rich!" she wrote on Instagram.

BIDEN-HARRIS STILL HATE YOUR GAS STOVE, YOU WON'T BELIEVE HOW MUCH

Due to regulations, only 20% of households have air conditioning compared to 88% in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

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She added, "As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing. Your cities '90% air-conditioned' are not unrelated to this. In Paris, we take responsibility."

Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.