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Rory McIlroy gets snarky on the return of LIV Golf players to PGA Tour: 'have they brought value?'

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 22:10:10 -0400

Despite the FedEx Cup Playoffs entering their second week, and even more historic dominance from world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the main topic of conversation in golf right now is the future of the breakaway LIV Golf tour.

With Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund pulling their financial support for LIV after the 2026 season and the lack of clarity around the mysterious investors who are reportedly willing to back it, there's plenty of discussion around what comes next.

Some players, like Ian Poulter, have said that time is running out for LIV to arrange more funding. Bryson DeChambeau, arguably the tour's biggest star, has seemingly been keeping his options open. While it appears likely that Jon Rahm, the other big star on LIV, may try to bolt and return to the PGA Tour sooner rather than later. Even if it includes substantial financial penalties.

JON RAHM COULD BE SET TO LEAVE LIV GOLF, PAY MASSIVE PENALTIES TO RETURN TO PGA TOUR IN MATTER OF WEEKS

Given all the discussion, it's not surprising that one of the most prominent figures in the PGA-LIV battle was asked his thoughts about it, again, at the BMW Championship in St. Louis.

During media availability on Wednesday, Rory McIlroy was asked about LIV golfers returning to the PGA Tour and whether they'd provide value by returning, and gave just about the snarkiest possible answer.

"I mean, I’d argue have they brought value to LIV?" he said. "I think the PGA Tour's in a really good spot."

McIlroy added a bit more context, saying that while he's not involved with whatever negotiations might be happening, he's confident that whatever deal they get may not be as lenient as the one Brooks Koepka got.

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"I mean, look, eventually they will," McIlroy said. "I'm not part of these discussions, but I'm pretty sure they're not going to be welcomed back straight away. If they were offered this returning member program back in February, the one that Brooks took, then maybe. But that has sort of come and gone.

"And I think it was said at the time that the deal that they might get going forward, if they do decide to come back, isn't going to be as good as the one that Brooks got. So, yeah, I would say it's going to be a tough, tough road back."

To an extent, McIlroy is right. If Rahm, DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Tyrell Hatton or even Phil Mickelson were enough of a draw on their own, LIV wouldn't be in the situation it's in. On the other hand, some of LIV's apparent failure comes down to the business model itself.

They paid out massive purses and guarantees that were unsupported by ratings and fan attendance, in an effort to entice top stars to leave the tour. They offered equity to players in their LIV team, as though they would eventually become meaningful franchises people were attached to, like the Lakers or Yankees. Even though that might take years, if not decades, if it ever happened at all. An unlikely proposition considering golf is very different from traditional team sports.

Then there was the other problem; fans are used to the courses on the PGA Tour. They know Torrey Pines and Riviera, Pebble Beach and Bay Hill, or TPC Sawgrass and Muirfield Village. LIV went to some very high quality courses, but without the history and tradition that many fans appreciate. International events were popular, including in Australia and South Africa, but that's clearly not enough to support the financial model LIV used.

Still, you could make the case that if those stars were big enough, maybe it would have.

In sharp contrast to McIlroy, Scheffler was asked a similar question and gave a much more magnanimous answer. He said LIV has some "really good" players that would, in fact, provide "a lot" of value in a return to the PGA.

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"When we talk about the best players, LIV has a few players that are really good," Scheffler said. "I think the depth that we have on our tour is unmatched, but I think when you look at the higher levels of LIV Golf there’s definitely some players that would provide a lot of value to the tour, and guys that I love competing against as well."

Rahm and DeChambeau in particular would inarguably provide value to the PGA Tour. They have fanbases, are in the prime of their careers, are consistent contenders in big tournaments or major championships, and in DeChambeau's case, have an existing competitive rivalry with McIlroy.

It's also odd that McIlroy would make this argument when Rahm and Hatton are key members of the European Ryder Cup teams. The narrative on Europe's dominance in that event is that the players are all closer than the U.S. team, and that their desire to win gives them an intangible advantage. Now McIlroy's bad mouthing two of Europe's best players. Doesn't seem like they're that close, does it?

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Regardless, as McIlroy said, it seems inevitable there'll be a reunion. How and when? Well, that's still up for debate.

Idaho county probation officers compile ‘foreign-born list’ to hand over to ICE as critics raise alarms

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:59:25 -0400

A southwestern Idaho county's probation officers have been compiling a list of foreign-born people on probation for federal immigration authorities, even though county officers did not independently verify whether everyone identified was in the U.S. illegally.

In Canyon County, Idaho, more than 140 emails between county probation officers and Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents from May to July 2026 show how the probation department has coordinated with ICE’s Boise office, including by combing through its case files to create a list of foreign-born people on probation to hand over to ICE, according to communications obtained by InvestigateWest.

In May, a probation officer emailed ICE about a man she would meet the next day for his regular check-in.

"His meeting has not changed and he is expected to be here tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m.," Norma Naranjo, a senior probation officer for Canyon County’s misdemeanor probation department, wrote in a May 13 email to six ICE agents.

MISSISSIPPI LAW COULD CREATE STATEWIDE REGISTRY OF UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS

The next day, the man arrived for his appointment a few minutes early, and Naranjo contacted the ICE agents again to ask if they would be coming soon.

"He is here are you guys on your way?" she wrote.

It was unclear from the heavily redacted emails if ICE agents took the man into custody at his probation appointment, according to InvestigateWest.

The list compiled for ICE appeared to have been made without confirming that the people in question are in the country illegally. According to InvestigateWest, one probation officer said in an email that the names he submitted included everyone in his files who had reported being born outside the United States. Foreign birth alone does not indicate unlawful immigration status; foreign-born people can include naturalized U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, commonly known as green-card holders.

Idaho law enforcement agencies have long worked with federal immigration officials to detain illegal immigrants who are in jail or serving their sentence on probation, but immigration attorneys and advocates fear that Canyon County’s foreign-born list could lead to probationers in the country legally being detained, particularly as ICE agents during the Trump administration detained or caught up U.S. citizens and people with lawful or pending immigration status in immigration enforcement actions. Some lawfully present noncitizens, including green card holders, can also be subject to removal based on certain criminal convictions or other grounds under federal law.

Nikki Ramirez-Smith, an immigration attorney with Ramirez-Smith Law in Nampa, Idaho, said the county’s efforts to compile a list of foreign-born people on probation for ICE is "an invasion of privacy."

"It’s one thing to know that someone is "undocumented", it’s another thing to just start targeting every single person who was born in another country," she told InvestigateWest.

Jeff Breach, the director of Canyon County's misdemeanor probation department, said the list includes "individuals whose place of birth is a foreign country — and can also include individuals that have been previously flagged with an immigration hold."

"Verifying and determining legal presence/status, along with any related enforcement, is within the purview of federal authorities," Breach told the outlet.

Breach said ICE has requested a list of people that could be in the country illegally, typically on an annual basis and across administrations. He said the probation department coordinates with ICE the same way it would with any local or state law enforcement agency by providing them "information to carry out their lawful duties."

Steve Cushman, director of constituent services for Canyon County, said he did not know exactly when the lists were first requested and provided, but added that it is his understanding that it goes back as far as the Obama administration.

On June 3, Naranjo told five ICE officers that she would talk to Breach about
the "foreign-born list."

"We are working on a procedure to keep a list current for your agency," Naranjo wrote. "I will get back to you on this as soon as we figure something out."

Two days later, Breach sent an email to his staff directing them to compile a list of illegal immigrants.

"ICE has requested a list of offenders who are in the country illegally," he wrote. "I need you to go through your caseload this month and send me a list of names of offenders who you believe are in the country illegally. I’ll review the names and put together a list that can be sent to ICE so that they can look into if the person is in the country illegally and if they want to take any action."

The email shows ICE requested offenders believed to be in the country illegally, rather than all foreign-born probationers. Subsequent messages, however, show at least some probation officers used foreign birthplace as a way to identify people for review.

Most of the emails from May 1 to July 10 are heavily redacted, but they show how probation officers used information in their case files to compile the list.

"That’s everyone in my cabinet that filled out (an) intake form and stated not born in US," Brandon Black, a Canyon County probation officer, said in an email back to Breach on June 8.

Another officer, Justin Donovan, told Breach that he only identified one person under his supervision who "may be here illegally," adding that the man "only had an ID from Mexico during his last arrest."

More than half of the people on the list were on probation for driving under the influence, five people were on probation for drug-related crimes and nine people for disturbing the peace, according to InvestigateWest. Only seven people were identified as having an ICE hold, meaning the federal government had already identified them for potential deportation.

Probation officers were regularly alerting ICE agents about the dates and times that certain probationers would be arriving at their office, according to the emails. In some cases, probation officers asked ICE if a person who had missed check-ins was in their custody. In two instances, officers emailed ICE just before and during the appointments to verify they were on their way to detain a probationer. One officer also gave ICE agents the home address and make, model and license plate of a probationer’s car.

Breach estimated that in the last three months, ICE agents have been at one or two probation appointments per month.

"All the law enforcement agencies we work with prefer to meet with offenders up in the office due to it being a controlled environment, which means it is safer for the offender, the officer, and the public," he wrote. "There is an expectation from law enforcement agencies and the public that probation officers work cooperatively with law enforcement to ensure the safety of all parties involved."

Pressed on whether the department is concerned that U.S. citizens or others with legal status could be included in the list, Breach referred to a previous statement that verifying a person’s status "is within the purview of federal authorities."

"ICE may still target someone if they think the conviction is a deportable or removal offense even if they (have legal) status. Sometimes, ICE doesn’t get that right," Alycia Moss, an immigration attorney with Fennemore Law in Coeur d’Alene, told InvestigateWest, noting that ICE agents should know if someone on the list is deportable or not but may still target people who are in the U.S. legally.

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Canyon County has faced criticism in the past for its attempts to help ICE.

In 2019, staff at the Canyon County Sheriff’s Office were told to notify immigration officials of "all foreign-born inmates" who were booked into the jail. Some of the people they alerted agents to were U.S. citizens who had posted bond, according to the Idaho Press. If inmates served jail time and posted bond, staff were directed to contact immigration officials.

That year, Canyon County faced three lawsuits from people who said they were illegally held in jail, despite posting bond, because the county refused to release them over their immigration status. The county settled with at least one man for $13,000.

The sheriff’s office is also facing a lawsuit from the ACLU of Idaho over allegations that the county and other law-enforcement agencies involved in an October 2025 ICE raid racially profiled Latino attendees and unlawfully detained people at a horse-racing venue. The allegations have not been adjudicated.

Fox News Digital has reached out to the county's probation department and ICE for comment.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Chinese national in blue state charged with illegally voting in federal election under another man's name: DOJ

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:39:20 -0400

A Chinese national living in Massachusetts was arrested Wednesday after federal prosecutors said he impersonated another Chinese national to register and vote in the 2024 presidential election then reported the alleged victim to immigration authorities for illegally voting.

Yupeng Sun, 33, of Andover, was charged with one count of fraudulent voter registration and one count of fraudulent voting, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts.

The criminal complaint alleges Sun admitted during a July interview with federal investigators that he registered the victim to vote and later cast a ballot using the man's identity.

"I tell you the truth, I register," Sun told investigators when shown the victim's voter registration information, according to the complaint.

CANADIAN NONCITIZEN ACCUSED OF ILLEGALLY VOTING IN FEDERAL AND STATE ELECTIONS

After investigators showed Sun a photograph of the early voting ballot envelope submitted at Malden City Hall on Oct. 31, 2024, Sun allegedly responded, "I used his name to vote."

Massachusetts voter records show the ballot cast under the victim's name was accepted for the 2024 presidential election, according to the complaint.

Sun previously rented a room from the victim and his family in Malden, and investigators allege he also impersonated the victim and his wife in immigration documents requesting that they abandon their legal permanent resident status.

When the couple returned from an international trip in June 2024, their green cards were confiscated, and they were placed into removal proceedings.

An immigration judge restored their legal permanent resident status in January 2026 after finding their testimony credible and receiving forensic evidence that they had not signed the forms, according to the complaint.

ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT LEARNS FATE AFTER USING STOLEN IDENTITY TO VOTE IN US ELECTIONS FOR DECADES

Federal investigators say Sun later submitted anonymous tips to Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services accusing the victim of illegally voting in the 2024 election.

Sun allegedly acknowledged sending the tips when investigators interviewed him.

"I went to post office and, uh, to report the father vote," Sun said, according to the complaint.

Sun is a citizen and national of China who entered the U.S. in September 2020 on a B-2 tourist visa that expired in March 2021, according to the complaint. He has deferred action status based on a U-Visa application submitted in February 2022.

DHS DIRECTS ICE TO DEPORT ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS WHO VOTE IN AMERICAN ELECTIONS UNDER NEW DIRECTIVE

The Massachusetts Secretary of State's office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Each voter fraud charge carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Prosecutors said Sun could also face deportation after completing any sentence imposed.

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U.S. Attorney Leah Foley and Jeff Grimming, acting special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, announced the charges. The Lexington and Andover police departments assisted in the investigation.

AJ Brown says there's been silence between him and ex-teammate Jalen Hurts since his move to New England

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:38:13 -0400

A.J. Brown experienced a reunion of sorts this week when his new team, the New England Patriots, hosted his former team, the Philadelphia Eagles, for joint practices during training camp.

After an uneven 2025 season for both Brown and the Eagles' offense, Philadelphia traded him to the Patriots for a pair of future draft picks amid signs that his once-close friendship and productive on-field partnership with quarterback Jalen Hurts had deteriorated.

While more than two months have passed since Brown's move to New England, questions about his relationship with the Eagles quarterback resurfaced Wednesday. Following the latest Eagles-Patriots joint practice, Brown confirmed that he has not spoken with Hurts since changing teams.

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"No," Brown said in a one-word response when asked whether he had a conversation with Hurts since June. He otherwise kept his comments about his former Eagles teammates upbeat.

"Honestly guys, none of that stuff even matters, man. You all should want to report something positive. You know asking the question is going to turn negative," Brown said when reporters pressed him with follow-up questions about his relationship with Hurts. "So let's not get into that. Let's keep everything positive. It's love my way."

Meanwhile, Hurts offered a similarly warm assessment of Brown. "I've got a lot of love for him and always have," the Super Bowl LIX MVP said.

FORMER EAGLES COACH REVEALS THE TWO THINGS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE TEAM'S MAJOR REGRESSION LAST SEASON

Brown did note that he could eventually reconnect with Hurts at some point during the joint practices in Foxborough.

Brown set the two highest single-season receiving yardage marks in Eagles history, with 1,496 yards in 2022 and 1,456 in 2023. Philadelphia was eliminated in the wild-card round in January, losing at home to the San Francisco 49ers. Brown then told the Eagles' front office he wanted a change of scenery, general manager Howie Roseman said at the time. Sources told ESPN that part of Brown's frustration centered on Hurts and a belief that he was not being targeted enough when he faced zone coverage.

Brown also made several social media comments and comments during media sessions during the 2025 season that appeared to reflect frustration with his role in the offense.

During breaks in practice and after the session ended, Brown was seen chatting with former teammates Saquon Barkley and Cooper DeJean.

Brown caught all six of his targets from third-year quarterback Drake Maye during 7-on-7 and team drills. He was unable to come down with a pass during a one-on-one rep against All-Pro cornerback Quinyon Mitchell.

Brown said that while his chemistry with Maye is still developing, he has already seen what makes the young quarterback special.

"There's definitely been some challenges, but he's very special, and he makes my job a lot easier. Just learning how he sees the game and getting on the same page," Brown said.

Brown also made clear he did not view Wednesday’s moment with the Eagles as a sign of closure, saying his affection for Philadelphia remains even as his focus has shifted to New England.

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"It's love. I won a Super Bowl ring with them. It will always be love no matter how anyone feels. I love Philly and I will always love Philly but I'm here now," said Brown. "That's where my feet are and that's what I'm focused on."

The Eagles open the regular season Sept. 13 at home against the Washington Commanders. The Patriots, meanwhile, visit the reigning Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9 to open their 2026 season.

RNC warns Democrats face 'political suicide' after DSA praises Fidel Castro, demands Rubio's prosecution

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:14:43 -0400

The Republican National Committee warned Wednesday that the Democratic Socialists of America's online tribute to Fidel Castro would damage Democrats in November after the group praised the late Cuban dictator and demanded U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's prosecution over the Trump administration's pressure campaign in Cuba.

"Democrats are openly embracing the same policies that left the people of Venezuela, Cuba and China with empty shelves, no electricity and their freedoms stripped away," national press secretary Natalie Baldassarre told Fox News Digital. "Their embrace of this poisonous ideology is political suicide, and it will be their downfall in November."

Rubio, the son of Cuban immigrants, condemned Castro's legacy in a post on X last Thursday about Castro's death. He did not mention the DSA by name.

CUBA'S FOREIGN MINISTER ACCUSES MARCO RUBIO OF LYING TO AMERICANS TO JUSTIFY ACTION AGAINST CUBA

"Fidel Castro was a complete failure at everything except destroying Cuba and impoverishing, jailing and murdering his own people," Rubio said.

"I strongly suggest that anyone tempted to try and follow his example should carefully reconsider, because if they do they would be dooming themselves to failure as well."

The DSA statement described Castro, who ruled Cuba for nearly half a century after the 1959 revolution, as a model of anti-imperialist resistance.

"Fidel was an organizer, a fighter, and endures as a stalwart symbol of anti-imperialist struggle and self-determination for the Global South," the organization said.

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The DSA said U.S. restrictions had blocked critical resources from reaching Cuban civilians and constituted genocide under Rubio’s leadership.

"By intentionally imposing conditions calculated to kill a civilian population, Marco Rubio is leading a genocide," the organization said.

The group demanded an end to what it called a U.S. blockade and threats of military action, normalized relations, reparations for what it claimed were trillions of dollars in damage and Rubio's prosecution for crimes against humanity.

The White House rejected DSA’s characterization of Rubio’s Cuba policy and blamed Cuba’s communist government for the island’s economic hardships and human rights abuses. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said in a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday that the administration was prepared to pursue a new relationship with Havana.

"The Cuban regime exemplifies everything that’s wrong with communism as its population suffers from food shortages, blackouts, poor standards of living and egregious human rights abuses," Kelly said.

"Secretary Rubio wants a better future for the Cuban people, and the United States is ready to open a new chapter in the relationship between our two countries. The only thing standing in the way are those who control Cuba for their own gain."

RUBIO WARNS CUBA HAS INFILTRATED US WITH SPIES, CALLS COMMUNIST REGIME AN 'ESPIONAGE SUPERPOWER'

The administration’s pressure campaign expanded in June when Rubio designated five entities that he said generated revenue for Havana, including three associated with the military-controlled conglomerate GAESA, as well as a member of Castro’s extended family. The action followed a May executive order authorizing sanctions against those deemed responsible for repression in Cuba or threats to U.S. security.

A State Department report released last month called Cuba the "capital of 21st century communism" and named DSA among organizations it alleged helped sustain pro-Cuba activism in the United States. DSA rejected the report three days before its tribute, saying it organized independently of the Cuban government and accusing the administration of trying to silence its movement.

Castro died in 2016 at age 90, 10 years after illness led him to hand power to his brother, Raúl.

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

Parents seek six figures from surrogate who refused abortion after baby’s heart diagnosis: report

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:11:08 -0400

The biological parents of a baby born after their surrogate refused their request for an abortion are now seeking more than $100,000 from the woman who carried their child, alleging she breached their surrogacy agreement.

TMZ reported Wednesday that it obtained the countersuit filed by Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed against surrogate McKenna West, weeks before she gave birth in Texas Aug. 12.

The couple is seeking more than $100,000 for alleged breach of their surrogacy agreement, along with unspecified damages over what they call West's "malicious, outrageous conduct."

The couple alleges they paid West $60,000 during the pregnancy under the surrogacy agreement, which included provisions addressing termination, TMZ reported. The counterclaims accuse West of breaching that deal and causing the couple emotional distress.

SURROGATE GIVES BIRTH IN TEXAS TO BABY WITH HEART DEFECT AFTER PARENTS REQUESTED ABORTION

The filing comes after the pregnancy became the subject of a multistate legal fight. The baby was diagnosed around 20 weeks with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS), a severe congenital heart defect. Gilkar and Ahmed allegedly asked West to terminate the pregnancy after the diagnosis, according to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's office. West refused and later traveled to Texas to give birth.

YOUTUBER SPARKS OUTRAGE AFTER ANNOUNCING HE AND WIFE TERMINATED PREGNANCY OVER DOWN SYNDROME DIAGNOSIS

West denies wrongdoing and is asking the court to dismiss the counterclaims, TMZ reported Wednesday.

Live Action founder and President Lila Rose, whose pro-life organization has been working with West, sharply condemned the lawsuit in a statement to Fox News Digital.

OUTCRY OVER YOUTUBER'S DOWN SYNDROME ABORTION PROVES AMERICANS ARE 'REPULSED BY EUGENICS,' ACTIVIST SAYS

"The people who ordered McKenna to abort this little boy because of his heart condition are now dragging her into court, trying to punish and financially ruin her for refusing to kill him, while demanding custody of the same child they ordered to be killed," Rose told Fox News Digital.

"This lawsuit is retaliation against a courageous woman who is barely a week postpartum after carrying this baby and fighting to save his life."

The biological parents have disputed allegations that they threatened or tried to force West to terminate the pregnancy. The Texas Tribune previously reported that, in a court filing, their attorneys claimed West initially agreed to terminate and made the appointment before later changing her mind.

TWO FAMILIES SUE NORTH DAKOTA HOSPITAL ON ALLEGATIONS BABIES WERE SWITCHED AT BIRTH

The dispute has since played out in Alaska, California and Texas, with West asserting parental rights and the biological parents prevailing in key parental proceedings. West calls the baby "Gabriel," while Gilkar and Ahmed call their son "Rumi."

The child was born Aug. 12. LifeNews reported Tuesday that he underwent a Norwood procedure Monday, the first of three surgeries typically required for children with HLHS.

NEONATOLOGIST SOUNDS ALARM OVER MASSACHUSETTS ABORTION LAW ALLOWING PROCEDURES UP TO BIRTH: 'VERY DISTURBING'

Rose said the baby's survival underscores why West was right to refuse the abortion.

"This child is alive today and recovering from his first life-saving surgery because McKenna had the courage to say no," Rose said. "No contract can give one person the right to order the killing of another. Women are not incubators for hire, and children are not products to be discarded when they are sick.

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"McKenna acted heroically to save the baby boy she carried, and Live Action will continue to stand with her and defend the dignity and right to life of every child."

Attorney Lee Budner, who represents Gilkar and Ahmed, confirmed the procedure in a statement reported by LifeNews and said the child's condition "remains critical and complex." Budner has also called West's continuing claims of custody "baseless" and said they violate court orders in Alaska and California.

BOARD-CERTIFIED OBGYN WARNS NEW MASSACHUSETTS LATE-TERM ABORTION LAW EXPOSES MOTHERS TO DANGER

The fight over the baby's medical care also drew intervention from state and federal officials. Paxton secured an emergency court order before the birth requiring that medically necessary care not be delayed or obstructed. His office also notified UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Medical Center of Dallas of their obligations to provide life-saving treatment.

"The court has made the right decision in immediately acting to protect baby Gabriel's life and ensure he receives the care he deserves," Paxton said at the time. "My office utilized every tool at our disposal to protect life, and we will not back down in continuing to support baby Gabriel's well-being. Every child in our state deserves to be cared for and protected, and that's exactly what I'll fight for."

The Department of Health and Human Services’ Office for Civil Rights later notified the two Dallas hospitals of their obligations under federal disability law, including requirements barring discrimination in medical treatment based on a patient’s disability.

The parents ultimately authorized the heart surgery, and their attorney has said they are focused on their son's recovery.

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West continues to seek parental rights in Texas. A hearing in the Dallas County case is scheduled for Aug. 25.

Fox News Digital reached out to Budner and Paxton's office for comment on the biological parents' counterclaims.

Iran taps financial lifeline, Russian arms as Trump escalates 'crushing' economic warfare

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 21:09:10 -0400

Tehran is deepening its financial and military ties with Beijing and Moscow, forging a critical lifeline as it seeks to circumvent U.S. sanctions and weather Washington’s renewed "maximum pressure" campaign, regional security analysts warned Wednesday.

As the U.S. continues to ramp up Operation Economic Fury, Iran, they say, has turned to non-Western blocs and alliances to unite further with Russia and China while positioning itself as a "linchpin" in a network that directly challenges American influence.

The warning came as President Donald Trump announced Wednesday what he called the "most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country," threatening sweeping consequences for nations and businesses that provide Iran with an economic lifeline as he seeks to further isolate Tehran.

"This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," Trump said in a post shared on Truth Social.

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"The Islamic Republic is looking to survive, but in order to survive, it needs to adapt," Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of the Iran Program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD), told Fox News Digital.

"It needs to adapt not just to U.S. and Israeli military pressure, but this U.S. political and economic pressure.

"There's no doubt the Islamic Republic is looking to maximize its enmeshment with countries like Russia and China that have been subject to U.S. political and economic pressure in the past."

BRICS, an economic bloc consisting of Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa and several recent expansion nations, and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a Eurasian political, economic and security alliance led by Beijing and Moscow, have become key vehicles for Iran’s outreach of late.

Trump has previously labeled BRICS policies "anti-American," CNBC reported.

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Abdolnaser Hemmati, governor of the Central Bank of Iran, said Tehran will soon join the BRICS-backed New Development Bank, though the bank told Reuters it could not confirm Iran’s membership.

"The most important result of cooperation among BRICS member countries is the establishment of the New Development Bank, and our country will soon become a member of this bank," Hemmati said, according to state media.

"You can see Iran trying to benefit from its role in BRICS, as well as a constellation of other organizations, that really would allow itself to be shielded — or try to make itself more shielded — from U.S. political and economic pressure," Taleblu explained.

"The Islamic Republic is looking to be more formally integrated into economic orders brought about by Russia and China, which are looking to contest the U.S. dollar as much as they're looking to contest U.S. power and influence.

"It is quite key and important for policymakers in Washington to wake up and see how interconnected these state threats are becoming.

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"These are independent relationships that have been coming together. They have differences, but as an authoritarian axis, these are countries that are better able to manage their differences at present than it seems like America and the liberal western order are able to handle their differences."

NBC News also reported Aug. 17 that Russia is supplying Iran with ammunition, drone components and TNT via Caspian Sea shipping routes, citing a European government document verified by a Western official.

The report comes amid indications that Tehran is relying on Russian technology and military support to adapt to U.S. military and economic pressure.

"Even limited technology and military flows from Russia to the Islamic Republic help it fight to survive, adapt and live another day to combat the U.S. order in the region," Taleblu said.

"In the short term, there is less transaction cost on this anti-American authoritarian order that is fast emerging than there is on the pro-American order."

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Taleblu also highlighted Iran’s dual role in what he terms the "Axis of Aggressors," a coalition of hostile, authoritarian states including Russia, China and North Korea, and the "Axis of Resistance," Tehran’s network of regional proxy groups including Hamas, Hezbollah, the Houthis and Shiite militias in Iraq.

"They all have hostile intentions towards the U.S. and the liberal world order. They are authoritarians at home and creditors abroad.

He also noted that even if Tehran’s economic goals within BRICS fail to fully materialize, the political and military backing it gets from Moscow and Beijing is significant.

"So, even if what the Islamic Republic wants from the BRICS countries, particularly the likes of Russia and China, doesn't happen, that doesn't mean that political, economic and military support to this regime at a critical time is not happening.

"The linchpin between the state threats that the U.S. faces in the 21st century, from the Axis of Aggressors and the non-state threats in the Middle East, is the Islamic Republic of Iran," Taleblu clarified.

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"It is actually a bridge for capabilities, money and technology from states to flow to non-state actors."

Hayden Panettiere death: DEA reportedly joins probe into what happened to late star

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:46:29 -0400

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has reportedly joined the investigation into actress Hayden Panettiere's death.

TMZ is reporting that the DEA has agents assisting parallel death investigations that are already underway.

Panettiere died Sunday at the age of 36. She was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest at an apartment in Greenville, South Carolina. Resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful and the "Nashville" and "Remember the Titans" actress was pronounced dead.

Preliminary autopsy results found no signs of trauma that contributed to her death, Fox News Digital confirmed.

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A police report obtained by Fox News Digital revealed Panettiere's on-and-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach, called 911 after finding the actress unresponsive. Hickerson later handed authorities a bag of medication Panettiere had allegedly been taking.

Hickerson was among those at the Greenville apartment when Panettiere was found, and authorities executed a search warrant at the residence, according to the report. Police also conducted a welfare check Wednesday at a South Carolina home linked to the Hickerson brothers, but no one answered the door.

Panettiere’s death came just weeks after the actress spoke publicly about her past struggles with addiction and the difficult decisions she made while seeking help.

The New York native began acting as a child, landing a role on the soap opera "One Life to Live" at just 4 years old. She later appeared alongside Denzel Washington in the 2000 football drama "Remember the Titans" before becoming widely known for her role as Claire Bennet on NBC's "Heroes."

Panettiere went on to star as country singer Juliette Barnes on "Nashville," a role that earned her two Golden Globe nominations.

The actress had also been candid about her history with alcohol and opioids. In a 2022 interview with People, Panettiere said she was first given "happy pills" at age 15 ahead of interviews and later began drinking and occasionally using opioids as her career accelerated.

"As I got older, the drugs and alcohol became something I almost couldn’t live without," she told the outlet at the time.

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Panettiere revisited some of those struggles in her memoir, "This Is Me: A Reckoning," and recently spoke with Fox News Digital about her decision to allow her daughter, Kaya, to live with her father, former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, in Europe.

"I just knew that if I wanted to... I knew how bad a place I was in," Panettiere told Fox News Digital last month. "I hid it from my daughter as much as I could."

She said she ultimately decided against fighting Klitschko over custody because she believed doing so would hurt their daughter.

"I said, ‘You know what? Let her grow up here,’" Panettiere said. "I know she's safe. I know she's well taken care of — beyond well taken care of. She has an incredible life."

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Just weeks before her death, Panettiere also filmed what would become one of her final public campaigns, partnering with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals to condemn the captivity of dolphins and other marine mammals.

PETA released the video following her death as a tribute to the actress, who had advocated for marine mammals for nearly two decades. Her activism gained international attention in 2007 when, at 18, she paddled into waters near Taiji, Japan, to confront dolphin hunters during an annual hunt, an episode later featured in the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove."

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In the recently recorded campaign, Panettiere urged the public not to patronize marine parks that keep dolphins in captivity.

"Vow today to never go to a marine park that keeps dolphins in extreme captivity," Panettiere said in the video. "Together, we can end this cruelty."

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Panettiere is survived by her daughter, Kaya.

Fox News Digital's Tracy Wright and Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.

Harvard agrees to $53M settlement with families after donated body parts were stolen, sold on black market

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:41:00 -0400

Harvard University has agreed to a proposed $53 million settlement with families who accused the school of negligently handling its anatomical gift program after a former morgue manager stole and sold body parts from remains donated for medical research and education.

Massachusetts Superior Court Judge Debra A. Squires-Lee on Tuesday granted preliminary approval to the class action settlement, which would establish two funds totaling $53 million to resolve claims against the university.

A final approval hearing is scheduled for Dec. 9, 2026, when the court will consider whether to grant final approval of the settlement.

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The litigation followed the 2023 arrest of Cedric Lodge, who managed Harvard Medical School's morgue for nearly three decades and who prosecutors said stole and sold parts of cadavers donated to the school for medical research and education.

Lodge pleaded guilty to interstate transport of stolen human remains and was sentenced to eight years in prison. His wife, Denise Lodge, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison.

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Lodge admitted that, from 2018 through at least March 2020, he participated in the sale and interstate transport of human remains stolen from the Harvard Medical School morgue, including organs, brains, skin, hands, faces, dissected heads and other parts from donated cadavers after they had been used for research and teaching purposes but before they were disposed of in accordance with anatomical gift donation agreements.

He transported the remains to his home in New Hampshire without the knowledge or permission of Harvard, the donors or their families, officials said.

Harvard condemned Lodge's conduct in a message to the school's community Monday.

"His violations … were despicable, abhorrent, and a flagrant betrayal of our values as a medical community," George Daley, Harvard's dean of the faculty of medicine, and Bernard Chang, dean for medical education at Harvard Medical School, wrote in the letter.

The university noted that the federal indictment said Lodge acted "without the knowledge or permission of HMS."

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Harvard said the proposed settlement also includes a pledge by HMS to provide a statement to claimant families reaffirming that Lodge's criminal acts were "morally reprehensible and inconsistent with the standards that Harvard University and HMS expect for the treatment of anatomical donors and their loved ones."

The university also said it will establish an annual financial aid scholarship for medical students beginning in the 2027-2028 academic year in appreciation and honor of its anatomical donors.

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"We hope that this resolution ensures that this never happens to another family ever again," John Morgan, whose law firm, Morgan & Morgan, represented families in the litigation, said in a statement.

Fox News Digital's Alex Koch and Reuters contributed to this report.

Ex-New York Magazine writer announces he will 'take some time away' after plagiarism scandal

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:39:45 -0400

Former New York Magazine writer and The Metropolitan Review editor-in-chief Ross Barkan apologized once again after several plagiarism allegations against him and revealed Wednesday he plans to "self-reflect" with some time away.

"Let me first begin by saying I'm sorry. I truly am sorry for the mistakes I made," Barkan wrote on X.

"None of them, genuinely, were willful or intentional. In the course of writing many columns a week, I did not use citations as aggressively as I should have and did not paraphrase well enough. I never intended to crib from anyone's work. I promise all of you that. I recognize, though, how I failed. I am sorry to the journalists whose work I did not properly cite.

"I'm going to take some time away and self-reflect," he added. "I promise to do a much better job going forward."

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Barkan originally hinted at an event in September through the Metropolitan Review in an X post last week but has not provided any updates since then beyond his new statement. He has not yet clarified whether he will retain his position at the Metropolitan Review.

Fox News Digital reached out to Barkan and The Metropolitan Review for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

The controversy originally began in May when Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell accused Barkan of lifting from his report about conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and his outlet, The Daily Wire, for one of his columns.

After Harwell highlighted the similarities between the two articles, New York Magazine updated its piece with an editor's note crediting The Washington Post, though Harwell explained he wasn't "entirely sure what happened."

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NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn found additional examples of what appeared to be Barkan lifting similar phrases and descriptions from The Intercept and Compact Magazine in other reports.

Barkan initially denied these accusations, calling them "ridiculous," but New York Magazine announced Friday it would be severing ties with Barkan after an investigation found he "did not adhere" to editorial standards of proper citation.

"After an independent editorial review, New York found that Ross Barkan did not adhere to our editorial standards, and we have updated 67 columns that did not include proper attribution of language, information, and/or sourcing," the publication said in a statement obtained by Semafor.

"We have updated our archives to include proper attribution in all of the stories that our review found previously inadequate, noting that those updates were made, and are committed to addressing any other instances that come to light."

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In a statement to Fox News Digital at the time, Barkan wrote, "We've decided to end the column, and I send all the best to New York Magazine. In the course of nearly 250 pieces, there were times I should have been more careful with citation. I'm sorry about these errors and will work to do better, more careful in the future."

UK Home Office guide tells asylum seekers not to rape, harass women or make kissing noises

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:23:18 -0400

A guide published by Britain's Home Office reminds asylum seekers not to rape women or sexually harass people, while noting that women are allowed to "earn their own money" and "make their own decisions about their lives."

The nine-page document is among the resources provided to asylum seekers seeking refuge, though it appears to target mostly men.

The guidance is meant to foster an understanding of expected behaviors for those arriving from other countries. Aside from earning a living, women are allowed to attend school, choose who they marry, travel freely and generally make their own decisions.

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"Women do not need permission from a husband, father, brother, or any other man to do any of these things," the guide states.

Sections of the booklet cover gender equality, domestic abuse, sex and consent, respect in public, getting help and living in the U.K.

The section on domestic abuse warns of arrest and prison time for committing physical or emotional abuse against a partner.

"We expect everyone who comes to the U.K. to abide by our laws," a Home Office spokesperson told GB News. "If they do not, they will face consequences, including the refusal of their asylum claim and removal from the U.K."

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"Returns of failed asylum seekers have reached their highest level since 2010 under this government," the spokesperson added.

The booklet notes that asylum seekers are expected to "treat your partner and family with respect," "let them make their own choices," and "never physically or verbally abuse or control them."

In public, one must not direct sexual comments at people, even if they think it's appropriate, follow someone or block their path to refrain from whistling or making kissing noises at someone, it states.

A section on consent adds that both people must consent to sex without threat or pressure and that anyone can change their mind at any time.

"If you have sex with someone without their consent, this is called rape. Rape is a serious crime in the U.K. You could go to prison, lose your support and accommodation, and it will affect your asylum claim," the document states.

Anyone under the age of 16 is considered a child and cannot legally consent to sex, according to the guidance.

Support hotline numbers for victims of sexual and domestic abuse are provided at the end of each section and at the back of the booklet.

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Nearly 70,000 illegal immigrants and foreign criminals have been returned or deported from the United Kingdom since the Labour Party came to power in July 2024, the BBC reported.

"Instead of trying to train these mainly young, male illegal immigrants to behave in a civilized way towards women, they should be deported," Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp said.

Pennsylvania AG asked whether Penn State could face action over alleged fraternity drug ring

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:30:53 -0400

Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday addressed whether his office would take action against Penn State after authorities uncovered an alleged cocaine trafficking ring running through the university’s fraternities.

Authorities said about 1 kilogram of cocaine moved through the drug operation every other month as part of what Sunday described at a news conference as an "upper-level trafficking organization."

"This was a very sophisticated endeavor. This wasn't just a couple kids at college who were sharing drugs with each other," Sunday told "The Story" Wednesday.

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"It was a lot of drugs, and it was done in a very serious and very sophisticated manner," the attorney general added.

Fourteen individuals, including current and former Penn State students, face felony or misdemeanor charges stemming from alleged illicit activity between 2023 and 2024.

Prosecutors identified Agostino Abbatiello, 24, and Thomas Robinson, 23, as the suspected ringleaders. The alleged drug kingpins reportedly made regular trips to Philadelphia and New York to pick up "large quantities" of powder cocaine, arranged drug deals via Snapchat and accepted payments through Venmo.

"As the attorney general, obviously I have a lot of concern when you have organizations like this that run for as long as it did," Sunday told Fox News.

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The attorney general said pledges at the Delta Upsilon and Sigma Chi fraternities were allegedly instructed to cut and package cocaine as part of their initiation, pointing to peer pressure as a factor in their involvement.

"When you're young … and this isn't an excuse, but, peer pressure is one of the most powerful forms of motivation in the world," Sunday said. "And there's a lot of peer pressure that was involved here."

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Penn State said it is "horrified" by the accusations and placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension. The university does not recognize Sigma Chi as an organization because the fraternity operates outside of the university’s oversight.

The allegations come nearly a decade after another fraternity-related case brought national scrutiny to Penn State. In 2017, 19-year-old Tim Piazza died after being served excessive quantities of alcohol during a hazing incident at the Beta Theta Pi fraternity.

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Fox News anchor Martha MacCallum asked Sunday whether his office would take action against Penn State in light of the alleged cocaine drug ring and the university’s history of fraternity-related incidents.

"My hope is that Penn State will take the appropriate actions under these circumstances," the attorney general said.

"Up to this point, the university has been very open to collaboration," he continued. "And that is my hope and belief moving forward, that maybe we can help remedy some of these issues collectively and collaboratively together."

In a statement to Fox News Digital, Penn State said it is "fully committed" to cooperating with law enforcement in "any way we can" while maintaining that Sigma Chi, one of the two fraternities involved in the ring, is unrecognized by the university.

"We are grateful the authorities have found those responsible for these actions, and, as noted previously, Penn State is fully committed to cooperating with law enforcement in any way we can," the statement reads in part. "As soon as the University became aware of these serious charges involving two off-campus fraternities, we immediately placed Delta Upsilon on interim suspension while our Office of Student Accountability and Conflict Response investigates. In addition, we also will address these allegations through the individual student conduct process for current students.

"The Sigma Chi chapter is not a recognized organization and operates outside of the University's support and oversight, however, the national headquarters of Sigma Chi continues to recognize and support the chapter in State College."

Heather Graham flaunts fit physique in bikinis on romantic Italian escape

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 20:12:29 -0400

Heather Graham soaked up the sun in style while enjoying a romantic Italian vacation with boyfriend Michele Civetta.

The 56-year-old actress stunned in a series of bikini photos she shared on Instagram as she gave her fans a glimpse into her picturesque getaway in the famed village of Positano on Southern Italy's Amalfi Coast.

"I love Positano and pasta Nerano! 🇮🇹❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️And @mcivetta 💕," Graham wrote in the caption of her post on Sunday, tagging Civetta and adding the hashtags #positano, #italy and #summer.

In the first photo of Graham's carousel, the "Boogie Nights" star showed off her fit physique in a royal blue string bikini and sported a pair of black sunglasses as she strolled down the shoreline towering cliffs and lush greenery behind her.

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Graham also rocked a burgundy string bikini with white polka dots in several other images she shared. The actress's two-piece featured a plunging halter top and matching bottoms that tied at the hips. She wore the swimsuit, which she paired with oversized black sunglasses, while wading through the waves of the Mediterranean Sea.

The "Hangover" star also modeled the polka-dot bikini while posing on the beach in another image. Graham accessorized with a straw hat and a pair of yellow flip-flops as she stood in front of a boat with colorful umbrellas and lush mountains in the background.

In one photo, Graham donned a brown string bikini, wide-brimmed sun hat and black sunglasses while standing on a pebble beach against a backdrop of Positano’s colorful cliffside buildings.

She also wore the swimsuit in a selfie she took with Civetta. The couple posed together on the beach with Graham flashing a peace sign as they beamed at the camera.

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Graham's slideshow also featured photos in which she took a dip in the sea while wearing a dark brown polka dot bikini with black cateye sunglasses.

In another snap, the "Austin Powers" star slipped on a sleeveless, sheer white floral cover-up over a white bikini along with a straw hat and tortoiseshell sunglasses as she posed against a sweeping view of the Mediterranean.

Graham and Civetta were also enjoying Positano's cuisine and exploring the village in several photos that the actress shared, including one in which they were seen dining on plates of pasta.

The duo were also pictured enjoying a night out in Positano with Graham donning a yellow sundress and Civetta sporting a brown-printed shirt with white pants and brown shoes.

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In another photo, Graham and Civetta posed together on a walkway overlooking a beach. Graham wore a pink satin slip dress with lace detailing as she wrapped her arm around Civetta, who was clad in a tan T-shirt, white shorts, burgundy slip-on shoes and sunglasses.

Graham and the Italian filmmaker were first publicly linked earlier this year and made their relationship Instagram official in March.

The Wisconsin native, who has never married or had children, previously opened up about her romance with Civetta during an April interview with Us Weekly.

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Graham told the outlet she and Civetta share similar views when it comes to relationships.

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"I feel like I’m unconventional," she said. "Most people are, like, ‘I need to get married. I need to have kids.’ I’m just not totally feeling that, and he’s kind of similar. He was married, and he’s not opposed to marriage, but he feels like an unconventional person as well. It’s nice."

Thousands of North Korean IT workers are infiltrating corporate America

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:21:07 -0400

Thousands of North Korean operatives posing as IT workers are applying for remote jobs at U.S. companies, and many are getting hired.

Using stolen American identities, U.S.-based "laptop farms" and artificial intelligence to write résumés and help answer interview questions, Kim Jong Un’s regime is exploiting the remote work economy to get its workers inside American companies.

In 2024 alone, the sprawling, state-directed workforce generated nearly $800 million for North Korea, according to the Treasury Department, helping the heavily sanctioned regime fund its weapons programs.

"The North Korean regime targets American companies through deceptive schemes carried out by its overseas IT operatives, who weaponize sensitive data and extort businesses for substantial payments," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in a statement.

The threat goes beyond the paycheck.

Once hired, the workers gain legitimate credentials and trusted access to corporate networks, potentially opening the door to theft, espionage, extortion and more sophisticated North Korean cyber operations.

Fox News interviewed Michael "Barni" Barnhart, a former Army intelligence specialist turned cybersecurity threat hunter who tracks North Korean IT workers for a living.

Barnhart said the workers are so pervasive that when he recently sampled 20 Fortune 500 companies, he found evidence that North Korean IT workers had applied to, worked for or targeted 18 of them.

Barnhart has spent much of his career hunting America’s adversaries.

He joined the Army as a teenager, training in human intelligence before moving into signals intelligence and counterterrorism and deploying to Iraq.

He later moved into cybersecurity, eventually helping build Mandiant’s North Korea-focused threat hunting operation before the company was acquired by Google. Now at cybersecurity firm DTEX, Barnhart focuses on nation-state insider threats, including the sprawling North Korean IT worker operation.

His pursuit of North Korean hackers has even left a permanent mark.

Barnhart has tattoos on his feet commemorating North Korean hacking groups he has helped investigate, including APT43 and APT45, groups tied to operations targeting U.S. think tanks and healthcare organizations.

Another tattoo says "IT workers rich experience," a reference, he said, to language that repeatedly appears on résumés used by North Korean IT workers.

"Anytime we knock off a North Korean hacking unit, I get them tattooed on my feet," Barnhart said.

Barnhart said North Korea begins building its cyber workforce remarkably early. The regime can identify children with an aptitude for math, science, technology and problem-solving and funnel them into specialized training beginning as young as seven years old.

"For a communist regime, everything's a little different," Barnhart said. "If you look like you're gonna have some sort of potential or some sort of potential later on, you're going to get swept in that pipeline."

By college, some are already working on technology with military applications, Barnhart said, including drones and anti-drone technology. The most talented can be funneled toward North Korea's elite hacking units, while others become part of its sprawling overseas IT workforce.

And the scheme is evolving.

As American companies become better at spotting suspicious overseas applicants, North Korean operatives are increasingly recruiting people in the U.S. and other countries to become their faces in job interviews, host company laptops or lend them their identities.

They are also turning to AI.

North Korean operatives are now using generative AI and interview-assistance tools to help them answer questions during job interviews in real time. He said they are also using deepfake and other AI technologies as companies become more adept at identifying suspicious applicants.

"They're using AI, a lot of times, in their actual interviews, using that generative AI to help do it, using interview AI assistance," Barnhart said.

The technology helps address one of the weaknesses that previously made the scheme easier to spot.

An applicant claiming to have been born and raised in the United States might struggle with basic questions about the city where he supposedly lives, speak with an unexpected accent or appear to be reading answers from another screen.

But as employers learn more about these warning signs, Barnhart said, North Korean operatives are changing their tactics.

North Korean operators are increasingly working through people in countries, including Pakistan, India and Nigeria, Barnhart said, adding even more layers between the North Korean worker and the company being targeted.

They can also exploit third-party contractors, potentially allowing them to reach a company's network without ever coming directly through its front door.

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"As soon as everyone has a lead on them, they like to switch," Barnhart said.

These schemes can rely heavily on people thousands of miles away from North Korea.

Often, companies mail a work laptop to a new employee. An address in North Korea, Russia or China, where some of these workers are, would immediately raise red flags. To create the appearance the employee is actually working from inside the United States, North Korean operatives recruit Americans to receive and host the computers. Some Americans host dozens of computers for dozens of companies. These are called, "laptop farms."

The Justice Department has prosecuted a growing number of Americans and other facilitators for participating in such schemes.

In some cases, the participants knowingly help overseas workers deceive American companies. In others, Barnhart said, people can initially be "hoodwinked" into believing they are simply helping a foreign developer or earning easy passive income.

North Korean operatives scour social media, messaging apps, job sites and online forums for potential recruits, Barnhart said, including Reddit, Discord, Telegram, WhatsApp and Craigslist.

The targets are often people struggling financially.

"They like them poor because you need that incentive to dangle in front of them," Barnhart said.

A person might initially be offered a few hundred dollars to host a laptop, lend an identity or become the American face of an overseas developer. The requests can then escalate.

"All I got to do is have this laptop in my house, and you're going to give me money," Barnhart said, describing how an unsuspecting participant might view the arrangement. "Little by little you can start to see over the years the schemes get larger or the asks get bigger."

Barnhart provided Fox News with an actual recruitment message obtained from a real operation showing how someone was asked to impersonate a job applicant during interviews.

"In my past experience, hiring managers liked my skills and experience, but they were not moving forward with me because of my lack of English level. We are looking for a native English speaker/software developer to collaborate closely with me.

"You will be joining all meetings (Google or Zoom) with the given profile name to do interviews with clients and pretend to be someone else during interviews."

The use of Americans and overseas intermediaries creates another problem for investigators. The person whose identity, address or laptop is being used may not necessarily be the person actually doing the work.

Federal prosecutors have documented schemes involving both witting and unwitting third parties, stolen identities, proxy computers and U.S.-based laptop farms.

Recent Justice Department cases have also shown facilitators allowing overseas IT workers to create fraudulent résumés in their names, participate in employer vetting and remotely access company-issued laptops from abroad.

In 2025, Arizona resident Christina Chapman was sentenced to more than eight years in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and conspiracy to launder monetary instruments.

Chapman helped North Korean IT workers get jobs at more than 300 U.S. companies, including several Fortune 500 corporations. The companies included a top five major television network, a Silicon Valley technology company, an aerospace manufacturer, an American carmaker, a luxury retail store and a U.S. media and entertainment company, according to the Justice Department.

Chapman operated a "laptop farm," receiving computers from U.S. companies at her home and helping deceive those companies into believing their employees were located in the United States. She shipped 49 laptops overseas, including to China. More than 90 laptops were seized from her home after the execution of a search warrant in October 2023.

Chapman organized and stored the company laptops in her home, even including notes identifying which U.S. company was associated with each computer so she would not confuse them.

North Korean workers are stealing the identities of normal everyday Americans.

The Wall Street Journal recently profiled a victim of identity theft, Michael Brown. North Korea used Brown’s identity to get jobs in at least two companies, according to the WSJ.

"North Korea is not just a threat to the homeland from afar. It is an enemy within. It is perpetrating fraud on American citizens, American companies and American banks. It is a threat to Main Street in every sense of the word," U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro said in a statement.

The threat, however, is not limited to the money North Korea collects.

Barnhart said he initially viewed the IT workers primarily as a revenue-generation operation and focused his attention instead on North Korea's more sophisticated hacking units. Then investigators began finding the IT workers intertwined with those hacking operations.

"They're not just fraudulent hires," Barnhart said. "You really got to watch out."

Once a fraudulent worker has been hired, the dynamic changes dramatically. Instead of a North Korean hacker trying to break through a company's defenses from the outside, the company itself may have handed a North Korean operative credentials, a laptop and trusted access to its systems.

Barnhart said he has seen evidence of workers inside organizations with strategic intelligence value to North Korea, including critical infrastructure, defense-related organizations, research and development and other sensitive sectors.

"Do they have the placement and access to do it? Yes, I can tell you right now, verified," Barnhart said. "I've seen them in places we do not want them to include critical infrastructure as well."

Barnhart said North Korea's approach is essentially scattershot: place thousands of workers inside organizations around the world. At an ordinary retail company, the primary objective may simply be collecting a paycheck. But a worker who lands inside a defense contractor, pharmaceutical company, government organization or critical infrastructure operator can suddenly become far more valuable.

The worker could steal information or potentially provide an opening for more sophisticated North Korean cyber operators, Barnhart said.

That possibility is one reason the IT worker operation represents something different from ordinary employment fraud.

"These are not just insider threats," Barnhart said, describing them as insiders who can potentially "open the door" for more skilled North Korean hackers.

"This is going to supply a weapons program for a regime that is sanctioned to their eyeballs."

North Korean IT workers had already started targeting remote jobs at U.S. companies before the COVID-19 pandemic began. Barnhart said the operation can be traced back more than a decade, with the threat accelerating in the mid-2010s.

Then, millions of Americans suddenly began working remotely.

"Once the pandemic hit, it became absolute gasoline on a fire," Barnhart said.

The remote work revolution gave North Korean operatives something they previously lacked at scale — the ability to get hired by an American company without ever physically entering an American office.

For North Korea, the operation also offers a critical way around international sanctions.

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Barnhart contrasts the IT workers with North Korea's massive cryptocurrency thefts. A hacking unit might steal millions of dollars in a single operation, drawing immediate international attention. The IT workers instead provide thousands of legitimate-looking paychecks arriving little by little.

"The IT workers are a slow, steady paycheck," Barnhart said.

Spread across thousands of workers, those salaries create a steady stream of money flowing toward one of the most heavily sanctioned governments in the world.

"It's a bypass sanction because this is a country that's sanctioned to their eyeballs," Barnhart said.

And the money generated by the scheme may have consequences far beyond the Korean Peninsula. The Treasury Department says the North Korean government uses most of the wages earned by its IT workers to generate hundreds of millions of dollars to support the regime's weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs.

And North Korea is now increasingly intertwined with Russia's war in Ukraine.

Earlier this month, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia was preparing to deploy an additional North Korean contingent and has received additional ballistic missiles from Pyongyang. Russia is increasingly dependent on North Korea for its war in Ukraine.

"For the first time in its history, Russia cannot wage war without reinforcements from North Korea," Zelenskyy said.

Zelenskyy warned the relationship also gives North Korea something valuable in return: an opportunity to test its troops and weapons under real battlefield conditions and improve them.

"The more North Korean strikes there are here in Ukraine, in Europe, the more their missiles and soldiers are used, the more they correct their shortcomings and blind spots, the greater the danger will later be for Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines and other countries in the region," Zelenskyy said.

Barnhart argued that Americans should understand the chain connecting the remote work scheme to North Korea's expanding military relationship with Russia.

Western companies can unknowingly pay North Korean workers. Those workers generate hard currency for a regime under extensive international sanctions. North Korea uses revenue from overseas workers and other illicit schemes to support its government and weapons programs. Pyongyang, in turn, has supplied weapons and troops to Russia.

TRUMP TEASES POTENTIAL KIM JONG UN MEETING LATER THIS YEAR

"If the Western dollars and ally dollars are going to North Korea to help their weapons program, and they in turn are giving those weapons to the Russians to help with their Ukrainian conflict," Barnhart said, the implications become much broader.

The connection shows why U.S. officials increasingly view the fraudulent-worker operation as more than an employment scam. It is a mechanism for generating hard currency for a sanctioned regime that is simultaneously expanding its military support for Moscow, Barnhart explained.

Barnhart warned companies cannot rely solely on federal law enforcement to stop the threat because of the sheer scale of the operation and because the North Korean workers themselves are often beyond the reach of U.S. authorities.

"It's on us to trust but verify," Barnhart said.

He said companies need to rethink remote hiring and identity-verification procedures, particularly for employees who will receive access to sensitive networks, intellectual property or critical systems.

One way companies can do this is to run identity checks as well as background checks on potential employees.

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While a traditional background check looks into an applicant’s record, an identity check can determine whether the person sitting down for the interview on the computer screen is the same person whose face is on the identification and credentials that were submitted.

"We have to change," Barnhart said. "We can't just rely on law enforcement. They're only gonna go so far. We have to rely on our own policies and our own verifications in being able to stop them."

Geno Smith's Jets reunion is 'like a Hollywood script,' says former teammate Ryan Fitzpatrick

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:35:13 -0400

Geno Smith is back with the New York Jets this season, and he’s certainly hoping his second stint with the team that drafted him goes more according to plan.

When Smith was taken in the second round out of West Virginia, he had just two seasons in the starting quarterback role, where the team went 11-18 in those games, and an infamous locker room punch ultimately led to Ryan Fitzpatrick stepping in during 2015 as the team’s starter.

Fitzpatrick, now out of the game and serving as an analyst for "Thursday Night Football," believes the Jets are getting a completely different Smith this time around. And he thinks it’s coming at the perfect time for a franchise in desperate need of veteran leaders.

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"This is like a Hollywood script that you wouldn’t even believe," Fitzpatrick told Fox News Digital, while highlighting his partnership with VRST, the men's activewear and apparel brand from DICK'S Sporting Goods . "Demario Davis is back, too. I have a couple of teammates that are back there. But I think the one thing they’ve been craving for years now is leadership, and hopefully Geno’s able to come in and provide that."

Smith’s career took the path of a backup, one many believed he would be moving forward, never again reaching the heights of a starter unless necessary with the team he signed for. He infamously got the nod for one game in 2017 for the New York Giants, which ended Eli Manning’s 210 consecutive starts streak.

Then, after a stint with the Los Angeles Chargers, Smith landed as the backup to Russell Wilson with the Seattle Seahawks. It was in the Pacific Northwest where Smith got his big break, staying on as the team’s starter in 2022 when Wilson was traded to the Denver Broncos. He won the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, and the veteran proved he can still be the franchise leader on offense.

RUSSELL WILSON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM NFL AFTER 14 SEASONS

Smith earned two Pro Bowls with the Seahawks, while throwing for over 4,300 yards during the 2024 season. However, he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders to reunite with Pete Carroll in a one-and-done season for both quarterback and head coach.

The Jets wanted a reunion of their own and traded for Smith in March for a sixth-round pick. Now, it’s up to Smith to rewrite what Jets fans knew about him during his time in New York.

Fitzpatrick believes he’s equipped now to do just that, even as critics say this will simply be the same old Jets in 2026.

"The biggest thing he’s gonna provide is stability and professionalism. I think it’s cool for some of the people in the building who were there with Geno in his younger days to see him come back and see how much he’s grown as a person, as a player. That professionalism is something that team really needs," Fitzpatrick explained.

"Obviously, bringing in a guy like Demario Davis, how he’s still doing it. I mean, you talk about a physical position and a guy who has been as physical as somebody, to still enjoy going out there and thumping heads on every down. He’s also going to bring a professionalism to that locker room, and I like what [head coach] Aaron Glenn did there. These are two pieces, one on offense and one on defense. We’re going to show you what you need to do every single day to become a professional and a good NFL player. I think they’re on the right track there."

On paper, the Jets have pieces that Smith can utilize on offense, which is being called by new coordinator Frank Reich. Garrett Wilson, despite being on one of the worst teams in the NFL since he was drafted in 2022, had three straight 1,000-yard seasons before injuries hurt his production in 2025.

There’s also running back Breece Hall, though dealing with a groin injury, who will be pivotal in the team’s rushing attack under Reich. He’s also a solid pass-catcher out of the backfield, and someone Smith can rely on during the season. The Jets also spent two of their three first-round picks on Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq and Indiana wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. David Bailey, the second overall pick out of Texas Tech, will be featured at defensive end on their defense.

Smith has pieces to succeed if they can find the right chemistry. And just like a Hollywood script, Fitzpatrick is rooting for his old teammate to write that happy ending as he gets a second chance with New York.

INSIDE THE NEW YORK JETS' REVAMPED PERFORMANCE FACILITY AND PLAYER DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

COOL AND COMFORTABLE WITH VRST

In the coming months, Fitzpatrick will be all over with the "Thursday Night Football" crew, providing his best analysis on the featured early game of the NFL schedule. It's quite the active lifestyle, especially when he also has to throw in his family duties on top of that.

Fitzpatrick partnered with VRST because of how well he feels the activewear's performance and style fit exactly what he's going to be doing no matter what the day throws his way.

"For me, the authenticity of it — it just captures my vibe," he said. "It’s not just the resort wear, it’s the active lifestyle stuff. The Limitless pants — there’s a lot of stuff that I’m pulled in a lot of different directions whether it’s running to a kid’s soccer game, or driving a carpool, or flying somewhere for ‘Thursday Night Football.’ All the different things I do, to be able to look good and feel comfortable, I think those are the two biggest things for me that made this a no-brainer for this partnership.

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"It fits my active lifestyle and it actually looks good."

Fitzpatrick is known for his vibrant colors and patterns with his TNF fits, which VRST is helping him out with this season. But no matter the occasion, he knows he has options that will be comfortable, while also showcasing that evolved men's style fit for today.

"You can wear it in so many different situations. That’s the biggest thing for me," he said. "I’ll have people come up to me and ask me about the shirts, or ask me about the pants. Look, I just got off a plane, I’ve been flying all morning. I feel comfortable. I’m standing out here at a soccer practice in the same thing feeling great and looking great."

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Pastor and wife spread Gospel nationwide before abuse case exposed disturbing reality

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:26:58 -0400

A Tennessee pastor who spent years traveling the country for his ministry will spend the rest of his life behind bars after a jury convicted him of raping a child, while his wife was found guilty of facilitating the abuse, authorities said.

Benjamin Garlick, 35, was found guilty Monday of seven counts of aggravated rape of a child, six counts of aggravated sexual battery, one count of solicitation of sexual exploitation of a minor and two violations of Tennessee's Child Protection Act after a two-week trial in Rutherford County.

Circuit Court Judge Barry Tidwell sentenced Garlick to life in prison without the possibility of parole on the aggravated rape convictions, according to the Murfreesboro Police Department. He still faces sentencing on the remaining convictions on Nov. 10.

Garlick's wife, 32-year-old Shaantal Garlick, was convicted of two counts of facilitation of aggravated rape of a child and two counts of aggravated child neglect. She is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 10.

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The case began in August 2023, when the Murfreesboro Police Department's Special Victims Unit launched an investigation into the sexual abuse of a child who was just 5 years old at the time. Police said the abuse had occurred over several years.

As detectives dug deeper, they identified two additional victims, according to police.

Investigators also determined that Shaantal Garlick knowingly neglected a victim in a way that affected the child's health and welfare and assisted in the sexual abuse, police said.

"The Murfreesboro Police Department thanks all members of the Child Protective Investigative Team (CPIT) for their tireless work throughout this investigation and trial, ensuring the victims’ voices were heard and justice was served," Det. James Wilkinson, lead investigator, said after the convictions.

"The children of Rutherford County are safer because of the compassion, dedication, and commitment each member of the CPIT Team brings to their roles every day."

FORMER GEORGIA CHRISTIAN SCHOOL TEACHER LEARNS FATE FOR SEXUALLY ABUSING 15-YEAR-OLD STUDENT

Garlick's life outside the courtroom stood in stark contrast to the crimes for which he was convicted. Murfreesboro police said their investigation showed he had spent several years traveling as a minister, primarily focused on the Hispanic community, and that he and his wife had traveled across the country.

WSMV previously reported that Garlick helped run La Espada, a Murfreesboro-based ministry for Spanish speakers. The station reported that videos and images posted online showed Garlick and his sermons connected with churches in Florida, Indiana, Minnesota and Texas.

FORMER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL TEACHER SENTENCED AFTER PLEADING GUILTY TO CHILD SEDUCTION CHARGE

The couple also described deep family ties to the ministry in biographies that appeared on La Espada's former website and remain available through the Internet Archive. The site said La Espada was founded by Garlick's grandfather, Rolando Garlick, and showed Benjamin working with the ministry under the direction of his late father, Daniel Garlick, by at least 2015.

Benjamin Garlick wrote that he began traveling with his father as a child, felt drawn to the ministry at a young age and later became an evangelist. Shaantal Garlick wrote that she met Benjamin at a youth conference when she was 18 and described her calling as serving God full time alongside her husband and working with La Espada to reach the Hispanic community with the Gospel.

FBI AND TEXAS AUTHORITIES ARREST 276 SUSPECTED CHILD PREDATORS, RESCUE 89 CHILDREN IN SWEEPING OPERATION

Benjamin and Shaantal Garlick were arrested in September 2023. The case continued to grow, and a Rutherford County grand jury reindicted the couple in March 2024, according to Murfreesboro police.

As investigators pursued the case, Special Victims Unit detectives publicly urged potential victims to come forward, particularly people in the Hispanic community, police said.

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Shaantal Garlick, who had been free on bond, was taken into custody following Monday's verdict, police said. Both she and her husband are being held at the Rutherford County Adult Detention Center.

Trump threatens 'unprecedented' economic consequences for any nation aiding Iran

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:23:08 -0400

President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a stern warning to any nation thinking about offering a lifeline to Iran after announcing the launch of a U.S. operation he likened to an "economic D-Day."

"Today, I am announcing the MOST CRUSHING ECONOMIC OPERATION EVER TAKEN AGAINST ANY COUNTRY! This will be Economic Warfare and Isolation on an unprecedented scale," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

"I am also announcing that ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences.

IRAN DEAL CLOCK HITS ZERO AS TRUMP DEMANDS ‘WHITE FLAG’ WITH NEW PRESSURE CAMPAIGN LOOMING

"Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies — It all needs to stop NOW," he continued. "You know who you are. This will be an ECONOMIC D-DAY, and we need all of our Allies to stand with the United States of America to isolate, and defeat, the Iran threat. These maniacs are on the ropes, and these HISTORIC MEASURES will cripple them and their ability to project terror worldwide."

Trump said Iran's navy and air force are destroyed, while their production facilities have all been reduced to "rubble."

The president added Tehran's currency is "worthless," and the country as a whole "is hanging by a thread."

Wednesday's announcement came amid a pressure campaign from Washington, including a naval blockade, to get Iran to capitulate. Earlier in the week, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei accused Washington of relying on economic sanctions when diplomacy fails, calling it an "addiction," according to Yemen's state-run news agency.

KEY CHINA-IRAN INFRASTRUCTURE EXPOSES CRITICAL HOLE IN TRUMP'S WAR STRATEGY

Iranian leaders on Wednesday warned neighboring Gulf states against assisting the U.S. military.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE), a close U.S. ally and regional power, on Wednesday severed all financial and economic ties with Iran, citing a military escalation by Tehran with incoming missile fire. Iran has attacked its neighbors in similar fashion in the months since the war began.

Amid the war with the United States, Tehran has relied on regional groups and proxies to fight back, though the country is traditionally allied with China and Russia.

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On Monday, Trump threatened to bomb Oman if the country acts as a barrier to reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a major point of contention on both sides of the conflict.

He said the U.S. may return to talks with Tehran "maybe at some point" and that the Strait of Hormuz is "not going to be quite as important as it was in the past" as several states explore alternative sources for oil.

Minneapolis City Council moves to pass dress code ordinance to fight velvet rope discrimination

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:18:28 -0400

The Minneapolis City Council is one step closer to approving a dress code ordinance for businesses citywide after a committee passed a new ordinance Tuesday to counter what City Council members described as efforts to "discriminate against people."

The ordinance, which received unanimous support from the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee, would require any business licensed to sell liquor or beer to post any required dress code near its entrance.

This new ordinance would not cover the "no shirts, no shoes, no service" rules because those are health and safety policies regulated by the state.

If passed by the full City Council, the ordinance would go into effect Jan. 1, 2027. The City Council is expected to discuss the ordinance Aug. 27.

SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY REQUIRES BUSINESS SUITS, BANS DU-RAGS AND OTHER HEADWEAR IN NEW DRESS CODE

According to members of the committee and City Council, the ordinance will combat what is known as "velvet rope discrimination," or barring entry of someone into a facility based on race, gender or orientation.

According to KSTP, Councilmember Jason Chavez described it by saying, "I think about the high-profile case that happened at a downtown bar here in Minneapolis. There was a White man that was allowed entry wearing a Twins shirt and a Black man not allowed entry wearing a Twins shirt."

Chavez, who identifies as LGBTQ, also says he personally experienced this discrimination before becoming a council member after being denied entry into a bar while wearing a rainbow pouch. He said an individual who was "wearing similar clothes" but with a black pouch was allowed access.

"I can understand why some people may not understand racism exists in this country, but it does." Chavez added, according to FOX 9. "What we're trying to do here is make sure that people are transparent about their dress code to help prevent that discrimination."

Fellow council members Pearll Warren and Jamal Osman also voiced support for the ordinance as a way to counter discrimination based on appearances.

"Picking and choosing based on your look or your dress or your culture should not be tolerated. We’re not in the 1950s here," Osman said, according to KARE 11.

Warren denied there should be any issues, saying, "If an establishment is saying no ball caps, and jerseys are allowed in this establishment, then have that posted outside that says that otherwise you cannot discriminate against people coming in with ball caps and jerseys."

Speaking to Fox News Digital, Council Member Michael Rainville said he believes the ordinance will eventually pass based on the unanimous support from the committee and hopes it will alleviate concerns from community members.

"I am not in a position to disagree with my fellow council members of color that this racism persists in the bars and restaurants. You know, I don't have that personal experience, so I rely on their judgment. And if this will alleviate some concerns by merely posting dress code rules, then so be it," Rainville said.

OUTRAGED CRUISE PASSENGERS BLAST COMPANY'S 'IDIOTIC' NEW DRESS CODE CRACKDOWN

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Fox News Digital reached out to the Business, Housing & Zoning Committee for comment and other members of the Minneapolis City Council but did not immediately receive a response.

Ketel Marte's unexplained absence gets stranger as Diamondbacks fight for NL wild card spot

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 19:00:06 -0400

One of the weirdest stories of the 2026 Major League Baseball season just keeps getting weirder.

The Arizona Diamondbacks had a tough start to the year, but have battled back to put themselves squarely in postseason contention. Led by Corbin Carroll, Geraldo Perdomo, Gabriel Moreno and a resurgent Nolan Arenado, the Diamondbacks as of Wednesday afternoon found themselves just 1.5 games out of the third wild card spot in the National League.

Importantly, they finish out the season with three games against the team they're chasing, the San Diego Padres. Perhaps even more importantly? They might have to chase those Padres down without one of their best players, infielder Ketel Marte.

SAN DIEGO PADRES STAR MANNY MACHADO IS WRONG TO COMPLAIN ABOUT MODERN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL

Marte's had a down season, by his very high standards, but still leads the team in home runs with 21, strikes out just 15% of the time, and typically contributes solid to above-average defense. There's just one problem: he didn't show up to the game a few days ago, and nobody seems to know exactly why.

Monday afternoon, the Diamondbacks were set to start a series against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Each game vitally important, a series against a tough opponent on the road, and Marte just... didn't show up. With no explanation.

Arizona waited until 20 minutes before game time to put Marte on the restricted list, and the story got even stranger afterward. Manager Torey Lovullo was asked about Marte's absence after the game and said he tried talking to his star infielder but "there was very little coming back."

"It's been a crazy day. All I know is he's dealing with a personal issue," he said postgame. "We're trying to figure that out. He didn't show up today, and he was put on the restricted list. That's as much as I know right now.

"I'm sure in time we'll start to uncover and unravel some information. But I knew that there was something going on today. … I still believed he was going to be here. He just didn't show up."

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Lovullo also seemed uncertain that Marte was even in Boston at all.

That personal matter, whatever it is, then turned into him getting an MRI for some undisclosed injury. After not showing up on Monday, he was absent once again on Tuesday, meaning he wasn't seen by the team's medical staff or coaching personnel. Once again, Lovullo seemed completely unaware of what was happening with the 32-year-old.

"I think he's headed back to Phoenix to get some exams done on his left knee," he said.

Lovullo went on to essentially say the team has moved on from worrying about Marte's status, instead focusing on trying to win games.

"That's what I've been told," he added. "But overall, my focus has shifted. My focus yesterday was squarely on this topic, but right now it's on the 26 players that are inside of the clubhouse right now. That's my responsibility and that's what we have to do in this game. We've got to shift our focuses and be present for what's most important. And the most important thing to me right now is going out to win a baseball game."

They lost 9-4 on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, Marte's agent, Charisse Espinosa-Dash, issued a statement to MLB reporter Jon Morosi, reiterating that he's dealing with an undisclosed "personal matter," as well as repeating that he'll get an MRI on his knee.

MLB STARS ADDRESS SALARY CAP, OWNERS SAYING BASEBALL IS BROKEN AHEAD OF ALL-STAR GAME: 'BAD FOR THE GAME'

"[Marte] is currently managing a personal matter and will be undergoing an MRI on his knee tomorrow. Ketel appreciates the unwavering support from fans, teammates, the Diamondbacks organization, and Torey Lovullo during this time. He remains optimistic about his recovery and looks forward to returning to the field to contribute to the team as soon as possible," the statement said.

So to sum up, Marte didn't show up to the stadium on Monday, didn't tell his team he wasn't going to show up, his manager wasn't sure he was even in Boston, he's dealing with a personal matter, and he now has a knee injury that requires an MRI — though he apparently didn't come to the ballpark to tell team medical staff about it or get the MRI during the road trip. Bizarre, to say the least.

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This isn't the first time that Marte's had an odd absence from his team. In 2025, he missed three games after the All-Star break and went home to the Dominican Republic, reportedly frustrated that his home had been burglarized.

He's also asked for games off, something the team has acknowledged, though the "load management" model has been less of a problem than simply not showing up. Several outlets have reported that his teammates are frustrated with his absences or missed games, though Lovullo has repeatedly denied it.

When asked about it, teammate Geraldo Perdomo said he didn't get a response to a text asking Marte what happened. He did say that he's had a knee issue since mid-July.

"I texted him and asked him what happened, and he didn't respond to me yesterday," Perdomo said. "But today I just texted him about how his knee feels, because I know it's been bothering him since the [All-Star] break. And he told me he felt a little uncomfortable and was going to get an MRI. So, that's the conversation that we had."

No one would fault Marte for missing games due to a knee injury. And obviously, personal matters can be extremely serious and justify being away from the team, regardless of the time of year or postseason ramifications. But not showing up to the ballpark, with no communication? That's inexcusable. The worst part for the Diamondbacks and their fans? Nobody seems to know when to expect Marte back, if at all.

Jon Ossoff's controversial Trump jab sparks media feeding frenzy over White House aide Natalie Harp

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:57:18 -0400

A White House aide is becoming a household name due to a feeding frenzy by liberal media stemming from a comment by an ambitious Democrat.

Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., who polls currently suggest will win re-election in November and has already been generating 2028 presidential buzz, went viral over the weekend for a jab he made at President Donald Trump, heavily suggesting Trump was having an inappropriate relationship with his personal aide, Natalie Harp.

Ossoff claimed Trump would rather "build a ballroom and travel with Natalie" than do his job as president.

The comment drew instant backlash from conservatives. When asked about it on MS NOW, Ossoff insisted he referenced her merely as Trump's "security blanket" and nothing more, leaving conservatives to pummel him as a "coward" for not standing behind what they considered to be sexist innuendo.

JON OSSOFF DODGES ON WHY HE INVOKED TRUMP AIDE'S NAME DURING GEORGIA CAMPAIGN RALLY

Still, that hasn't stopped the media from obsessing over the 35-year-old White House aide.

The New York Times published a profile on how Harp "emerge[d]" in the national spotlight after Ossoff's comment.

"She never takes a day off, not even on Sunday," the Times began the profile. "She works out of the Oval Office, and she’s got a regular seat on Marine One. She texts with world leaders on the president’s behalf. She stays up late with him drafting social media posts. She rarely speaks on camera, and yet she is never not there, ever-present with a wide smile and her eyes fixed on the president.

"She is a platinum blonde geyser of positivity, there to buck him up when the going gets rough," the paper wrote, adding how she's often referred to as Trump's "human printer" for giving him hard copies of documents with her portable printer.

WHITE HOUSE PUSHED FOR PROTOCOL TO PRESERVE CORRESPONDENTS' CREDIBILITY AFTER TRUMP'S SECRET PLANE SWITCH

Harp has received overwhelming coverage on cable news. Her name has been mentioned at least 86 times on MS NOW since Monday, according to Grabien transcripts. CNN has mentioned her at least a whopping 132 times in the same period.

CNN made headlines with a story, citing unnamed sources, alleging Harp "jumped into an SUV trunk" to ride with Trump for an October 2023 court appearance because she "wouldn’t take no for an answer" when the vehicle didn't have enough room.

The network also drew intense backlash for interviewing Harp's estranged brother on air.

CNN's Brian Stelter said it "mounts to a victory for Ossoff," crediting him with "the art of the viral clip."

"His 'travel with Natalie' line ... showed a sophisticated understanding of the social media environment. It titillated, provoked and enraged different audiences simultaneously," Stelter wrote.

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The Daily Beast ran a tabloid-esque story alleging first lady Melania Trump is "locked in a secret power struggle" over her husband with Harp, citing speculation from anti-Trump author Michael Wolff. Rolling Stone declared in a headline, "Nothing About Trump and Natalie Harp Is Normal," while Forbes went more suspicious with its headline, "Natalie Harp Seen Everywhere With Trump Lately—Why That’s Raising Questions."

The far-left publication Salon tied Harp's presence to Trump's health, running the headline, "Trump aide Natalie Harp nurses his decline."

"Whatever the case, the rumors have served to draw more attention to Trump’s age," Salon wrote.

"But the simple fact that he requires a woman to linger around him most of the time, ready to express her devotion and that of his most ardent followers, isn’t a great look. When considered alongside the extraordinary medical privacy exerted by Trump and the White House, it cuts against his failing efforts to position himself as virile and robust."

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Others, meanwhile, are reveling in the media discourse set off by Ossoff. Axios examined how his one-liner is testing "Democrats' appetite for going low" ahead of 2028.

"Some battleground candidates are going viral for shooting from the hip. Jon Ossoff is doing it from a carefully controlled script," Politico wrote.

"Ossoff’s campaign appearances are marked by pithy stump lines that are prone to catch fire online and aggressive jabs at Trump and his Republican opponent that appeal to Democrats’ desire for fighter candidates. But behind his bold persona on the trail is a senator who is hands-on in all aspects of his campaign, including messaging."

Conservative critics are blasting the rampant coverage of Harp.

"So Jon Ossoff and some very online Dems make catty and suggestive remarks about Natalie Harp and so all the major news orgs scramble to follow ‘the story,’" Washington Free Beacon reporter Chuck Ross reacted.

"The egregious sexist attacks on Natalie Harp are absolutely insane — and they’re coming from prestigious journalists. What is wrong with everyone?!" podcast host Meghan McCain posted on X. "Every president has close aides and sometimes they are females. Like what year is this?! Should women never go into politics?!"

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the White House called Harp "one of the most loyal and hardest-working aides on President Trump's team."

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"The Fake News’s continued attacks on President Trump and his administration prove exactly why trust in media is at historic lows," White House spokesman Davis Ingle said.

"The media should get back to reporting real news and stop regurgitating Trump-Deranged liberal talking points."

John Stamos celebrates turning 63 with a thirst trap that has fans saying 'have mercy'

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:53:36 -0400

John Stamos is celebrating his birthday with a steamy mirror selfie.

The 63-year-old "Full House" star took to Instagram to celebrate his birthday with a mirror selfie featuring him in his birthday suit, which he captioned, "63."

Fans went wild in the comments section, with many making references to his character in the popular '90s sitcom, Uncle Jesse.

While his phone blocked his face, the black-and-white photo showed off Stamos' toned abs and gave fans a peek at the tattoo on his left shoulder.

SOFIA VERGARA SIZZLES IN RED BIKINI WHILE CELEBRATING 54TH BIRTHDAY ON YACHT IN ITALY

"More like Uncle Yes-se! 😂 Happy Birthday!❤️" one fan wrote, while another added, "HAVE MERCY," which was his character's catchphrase in the show.

Other comments included catchphrases from the show, with one writing, "You Still Got It Dude 😎👍🔥🥵" and another adding, "✂️ it outttttt! 🔥"

Another fan added, "Not John Stamos with the thirst trap 🪤," while his former "Full House" co-star, Candace Cameron Bure also chimed in in the comments section, writing, "Happy birthday Uncle J 🥳."

Stamos debuted the tattoo on his shoulder in March in an Instagram video showing the tattooing process with the words "Guess who got his first tattoo" written across the video.

In the caption, Stamos explained the significance behind the tattoo, which features a Native American horseback rider looking skyward, in his caption.

"The Beach Boys placed this image: ‘Appeal to the Great Spirit’ over Brother Records as a symbol of artistic freedom and trust in a higher creative path," he wrote. "Lately I’ve felt that same pull in my own life. Stepping into this new chapter of my career, taking bigger swings, following the work wherever it leads."

During a recent appearance on "The Bobbycast" podcast, Stamos shared why he has declined to compete on "Dancing with the Stars" despite being asked by producers a number of times.

"What makes that show good is people suffering and looking like fools," Stamos began. "They’re breaking their feet, calluses. I don’t want that."

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He later added that after repeatedly being asked to compete on the show, he finally told producers, "Don’t ever ask me again," telling podcast host Bobby Bones, "I'm never gonna do that show."

Bones notoriously won the show in 2018 with his pro partner, Sharna Burgess, a win which sparked backlash on social media.

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Prince Harry, Meghan Markle planning to move back to UK with children 6 years after royal exit: reports

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:52:21 -0400

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are planning to move back to the United Kingdom with their two children later this month, six years after stepping away from royal duties and settling in California, according to multiple reports.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex intend to relocate to a private residence outside London, the BBC reported Wednesday, citing earlier reporting from The Telegraph and The Sun.

Their children, Prince Archie, 7, and Princess Lilibet, 5, are enrolled to begin attending a British school in September, according to the BBC.

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King Charles III was informed of the move Sunday and reportedly welcomes the opportunity to spend more time with the Sussex family privately. Prince William and Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, have also been informed.

The move is not expected to change Harry and Meghan's royal status. They reportedly have no plans to resume duties as working royals and will remain private individuals.

Royal author Simon Vigar recently told Fox News Digital that Harry had envisioned a different arrangement when the Sussexes stepped away from royal duties in 2020.

"Harry did think that there was a hybrid version that they could do. And I think, in years to come, there will be a hybrid version. I think he's right. There has to be a hybrid version of this where people don't get accused of cashing in but can support their cousins or their brother or whatever," Vigar said.

"The [Sussexes] thought they could have a hybrid role of having a business life and a private life, while also spending a few months in the U.K. supporting the queen. Harry believed that was an option, which was whipped away from him."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Archewell, which oversees the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment.

The development follows a July reunion between the Sussexes and Charles at Highgrove House, the king's private residence in Gloucestershire. It marked the first time Charles had seen Archie and Lilibet in person in more than four years, according to the BBC.

KING CHARLES HOPES TO REUNITE WITH PRINCE HARRY, BUT QUEEN CAMILLA IS DRAWING ONE FIRM LINE: EXPERTS

Harry and Meghan had not visited the U.K. together since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral in 2022.

The couple left royal duties in 2020 and ultimately settled in Montecito, California. Their relationship with the royal family became increasingly strained after they publicly discussed their grievances in interviews, their Netflix docuseries and Harry's 2023 memoir, "Spare."

Harry has repeatedly expressed a desire to reconcile with his family, but security has remained a major point of contention.

The Duke of Sussex lost a legal challenge in 2025 over the level of police protection available to him and his family while in the U.K. He has previously said safety concerns prevented him from bringing Meghan and their children to Britain.

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Despite the planned return, royal experts previously told Fox News Digital that reconciliation with Harry's family would not necessarily mean a return to royal duties.

"There's always room for Harry to support his family privately as a son and brother," Kinsey Schofield, host of YouTube's "Kinsey Schofield Unfiltered," told Fox News Digital. "That's very different from supporting the monarchy publicly as a working royal. The monarchy has successfully adapted to a smaller working team."

8-year-old boy killed after tree falls at YMCA summer camp in Massachusetts

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:39:20 -0400

An 8-year-old boy was killed after a tree fell on multiple people Tuesday morning during summer camp at a YMCA sites in Massachusetts, officials said.

The incident, which also injured a camp counselor, happened at the YMCA’s Camp Chickami in Wayland, fire and police departments said in a joint statement.

The boy was struck by a large branch when a tree fell and struck another tree, creating a domino effect, Fire Chief Neil McPherson said, according to MassLive.

The adult victim was reportedly struck by a smaller branch.

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First responders rushed to the area "to find a child suffering from life-threatening injuries and an adult suffering from less serious injuries," officials said.

The child was then airlifted by medical helicopter but succumbed to his injuries and was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, according to officials.

A YMCA representative told Fox News Digital that the adult victim sustained minor injuries and has since been released from a hospital following treatment.

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After the incident, the camp will remain closed for the rest of the week, West Suburban YMCA President and CEO Jack Fucci said in a statement.

"The entire West Suburban YMCA family is grieving the loss of a young camper when a tree fell at Camp Chickami in Wayland on Tuesday," he said.

"We are keeping the camper’s family foremost in our thoughts at this extraordinarily difficult time. We are making grief counseling and other support resources available to camp staff, campers, and their families. "

Wayland officials also extended their condolences after the incident.

"I want to offer our sincere thoughts and support to the family and friends who are facing this tragic loss," acting Police Chief Mark Hebert said in a statement.

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"Our Wayland community is grieving today, and thinking of those who lost so much as a result of this tragic accident," McPherson added.

"I encourage anyone who is experiencing overwhelming grief or anxiety to talk to someone, reach out for help, and to remember that we are the strongest when we stand together as a community."

Bronx man accused of attacking Shabbat worshippers admitted motive in recorded interview, feds say

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:30:14 -0400

A Bronx man charged with federal hate crimes for a violent disruption at a Midtown Manhattan synagogue explicitly admitted to investigators in a recorded interview that his actions were "all a racial thing" and "all religious motivated," according to federal prosecutors.

During the recorded post-arrest interview, Larry Montes, 46, of the Bronx, allegedly made several antisemitic and derogatory remarks including, "F--- the Jews ... It’s racial," and "I will never affiliate with no filthy f------synagogues, either here or in f------ Israel."

Montes, who was charged with two counts of committing hate crimes and one count of destruction of religious property resulting in bodily injury, faces up to 30 years in prison, according to the Justice Department.

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Prosecutors claim Montes brazenly assaulted two people and shouted obscenities at parishioners during the Jewish Sabbath service at the Central Synagogue in Midtown, which was attended by 375 people.

During the Shabbat service, Montes stood up, began shouting and physically struck and damaged two ceremonial silver candlesticks with gold accents, authorities said. As the head of security attempted to remove him from the sanctuary, Montes screamed, "F--- you people" and "I don’t f--- with you people," according to prosecutors.

Montes then punched a female congregant with a closed fist and assaulted a security guard who was attempting to handcuff him, authorities said.

MAMDANI SLOW TO RESPOND TO SUSPECTED ANTISEMITIC STABBING AS HOCHUL, OTHER NY OFFICIALS CONDEMN ATTACK

He allegedly directed a racial slur at the guard, who is Black, before spitting in his face and headbutting his left eye socket, prosecutors said. Montes also threatened to return to the synagogue at a later date.

In addition to the federal charges, he faces state charges related to the incident. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the woman and the security guard who were assaulted are doing well.

After the attack, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani expressed shock over the violence.

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"I can only imagine the pain and fear an attack like this, during Shabbat services, causes for the congregation and for Jewish New Yorkers across our city," he wrote on X. "Every New Yorker must be able to observe their religion without fear of violence."

Montes remains in custody.

Drew Brees calls Hurricane Katrina 'defining moment' of career, credits faith and community for perseverance

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 18:17:56 -0400

Drew Brees said two words at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio earlier this month that started a loud roar through the seats during his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction speech.

New Orleans.

Brees said he and his wife were scared, yet excited to embark on the next chapter of his NFL career in a city with which he would become synonymous — through the good and the bad.

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As Brees joined the New Orleans Saints before the start of the 2006 season, Hurricane Katrina had devastated the city. The Hurricane created a total of $125 billion in estimated damage and was the deadliest American hurricane since 1928 with 1,392 deaths. Football was the last thing on the minds of those trying to rebuild their beloved community in New Orleans, but it became a pillar of hope and positivity, something to rally around thanks to Brees and his teammates.

After a 20-year stay in the NFL filled with ups and downs, Fox News Digital asked Brees in a recent interview if joining the Saints while dealing with Hurricane Katrina was a defining moment in his Hall of Fame career.

"It was definitely a defining moment in my career," Brees responded quickly, while highlighting his partnership with DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS. "Honestly, most of the defining moments in my career, especially as it pertains to football, came on the heels of something devastating happening, or something that was a difficulty, a challenge, a failure. Something where I felt like maybe it was being taken away from me. Injuries give you that feeling in sports.

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"Hurricane Katrina, everyone in New Orleans felt like they were losing everything, losing the entire city, and truly having to start over. So, that’s where the bond was created."

Repairs were eventually made to the then-Louisiana Superdome, and the Saints held their first game against the Atlanta Falcons on Sept. 25, 2006, for a community that was still trying to come back but screamed their heads off for their home team after they spent weeks away to start the season. Brees couldn’t help mentioning in his Hall of Fame speech the famed blocked punt early in the first quarter by Steve Gleason that sent the stadium into rapture.

Not only was it years building back the city, but the Saints were building something special at the same time. Years later in Super Bowl XLIV, Brees won the game’s MVP after leading the Saints to a 31-17 victory over the Indianapolis Colts. It was a true culmination of perseverance, strength, support and courage that led to Brees lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy up in the air in Miami for not just his entire team, but an entire city that had his back through even the worst of times.

"I’ve always taken the approach with those events that it’s your opportunity to come back stronger," he explained. "It’s your opportunity to maybe learn from the things that happened before, and apply the lessons learned that are going to help you come out on the other side better, stronger, both mentally, physically, spiritually, emotionally. So, you do. You need those things. It’s hard to manufacture those things in any other way. It’s just the mindset you have around it, that I’m always going to come back stronger from those moments. It’s not if those moments are going to happen — it’s when. Then, the approach I’m going to take around using it as fuel. It’s very necessary."

Brees also noted how important his Christian faith was throughout his career, but especially during that time when Hurricane Katrina wrecked the lives of so many in his city.

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"To me, that’s what got me through so many of those tough moments, knowing that God has a plan and this is just equipping me for what is to come next," he said. "So, I need to use this to be strengthened, to be molded, and just to believe there’s a higher calling. There’s a higher purpose. That this is here for a reason. It’s so true.

"I mean, every one of those moments, especially going to New Orleans because you look at that on the surface. To the average person looking from afar, you would think, ‘How does that city overcome this situation?’ Yet, you pull all these pieces together and you have this belief. You have this faith, you have this trust. You see what happened when you get people who come together with that mindset."

As Brees put it in his Hall of Fame speech: "You trusted me with the soul of the city, and I would’ve died to protect that calling."

SPORTS ALL IN ONE PLACE

Outside of football, Brees is also a businessman, being a co-owner and partner in Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux, one of the fastest-growing sports bar franchise concepts in the country. It began in Louisiana, has grown to 80-plus units, and it continues to pave its way through the country.

As a sports bar concept, there’s nothing that matters more than having any game, any time, for customers walking into the establishment.

Football is king in the Southeast, as well as throughout the rest of the country, and DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS makes it easy for those like Brees to bring together live TV and streaming networks all in one place. More than 300,000 bars and restaurants have access to local, national, college and pro games for fans to watch through DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS, which includes NFL Sunday Ticket.

"We pride ourselves on Louisiana-inspired cuisine. It's unbelievable food," Brees said of Walk-on’s Sports Bistreaux. "My kids crave it all the time. But like a really family-friendly atmosphere, you know, whether it's date night, bring the family, bring the little league after the game — something for everybody. Obviously, it’s sports, and high energy, and excitement on the TV all the time. Thanks to our partnership with DirecTV for Business, that's what allows us to basically have access to every college and pro game around the country. And that's not just football. We're talking basketball, baseball, hockey, soccer. So big events like March Madness and the Kentucky Derby, Masters — you name it. So, we're really appreciative of that DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS partnership. It allows us to help create that energy and excitement around our establishments.

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"And for the fans themselves, sportsbarfinder.com allows them to find those sports from DIRECTV FOR BUSINESS at their local spot anywhere in the country, which Brees loved to see.

"There's a saying: fans have more friends. You know, they really do. You step into your local sports bar wearing the local jersey. Man, all of a sudden, next thing you know, you're high-fiving everybody, and you just made 100 more friends. That's the kind of atmosphere and that's what sports does, it brings people together," he said.