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Pete Davidson calls out NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani over highway mess

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:22:57 -0400

Pete Davidson didn’t hold back while delivering a blunt message to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.

On Monday night, the 32-year-old comedian appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" where Kimmel, 58, told him that Mamdani, 34, would be his next guest. The late night host then pointed out that Davidson was a "lifelong resident of this city" and asked if he had any questions for the mayor.

"Yes, could he fix the "f-----g BQE, please?" Davidson said in a clip shared on the show's Instagram page.

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The BQE, short for the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway, is a major New York City highway that runs through Brooklyn and Queens and has long been criticized for traffic congestion and aging infrastructure.

Davidson's request was immediately met with cheers and thunderous applause from the studio audience.

"You hit on something," Kimmel noted.

"Look at that," Davidson said, gesturing toward the crowd.

"That's the loudest response I've ever gotten," he added with a laugh.

The "Saturday Night Live" star went on to explain that his frustration stemmed from the seemingly endless construction and what he described as a lack of visible work at the site.

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"The BQE has been under construction since before I was born. And here’s my problem with it," Davidson said. "They’re never doing anything. Someone’s just standing there eating a sandwich or on the phone, and there’s all these cones around."

"So I don't know what mob front or whatever, who's getting money from whatever, but just fix it, please," he added.

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"I'm going ask him about it. I will ask him about it," Kimmel assured Davidson, who replied, "Yeah, please!"

At the end of Mamdani's appearance on the show, Kimmel presented the mayor with Davidson's question.

"One more thing," Kimmel told Mamdani.

"Hit me," Mamdani said with a smile.

"Pete Davidson wants to know what's going on in the BQE," Kimmel said. "He says he drives by it and he sees nobody doing anything. He said it's been like since before he was born."

Mamdani responded by highlighting his office’s BQE Central Project, a $4 billion plan to rehabilitate the city-owned section of the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway between Atlantic Avenue and Sands Street, with construction expected to begin in 2030.

"We're gonna be putting a multi-billion dollar plan to actually repair the part the city owns," Mamdani said. "Which is the part that is currently the most at risk and that's going to be proceeding over the next 10 years. Full safety. No diversion of traffic into local neighborhoods and actually bring it back."

"So you’re saying Pete’s daughter will also be complaining about this," Kimmel joked as Mamdani and the audience laughed.

Fox News Digital reached out to Davidson's and Mamdani's reps for comment.

Mamdani, a Democratic socialist, emerged as a surprise winner in New York City’s mayoral race last November after building a strong following through social media and grassroots campaigning. He took office on Jan. 1 when he was sworn in as mayor.

Davidson has mostly talked about politics jokingly, but he has openly criticized President Donald Trump and supported the Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 election.

After Clinton lost the 2016 election, Davidson posted an angry pro-Clinton message and later got a tattoo of the former Secretary of State, calling her his "hero."

In an interview with Variety that was published Wednesday, Davidson discussed how he is in the process of removing nearly all of his almost 200 tattoos.

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"One, they were f----n' horrible," he said of his tattoos. "Two, it was a business decision. I hated coming into the makeup trailer three hours early to spray-paint over horrible f----n' tattoos. And third, I was like, ‘I’m not this dude.’ I got these when I was in an immense amount of pain and I was trying to show people my pain."

Davidson admitted that some of his tattoos were a result of his past struggles with self-harm, saying he initially used the ink to cover scars.

"I used to cut, so some of [the tattoos] covered up the cuts," he told Variety.

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However, Davidson confirmed that he would be keeping his Clinton tattoo despite removing most of his other ink.

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"She stays," he said of the tattoo depicting Clinton in a power suit on his right leg.

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"That’s my dog," Davidson added of Clinton. "I love Hillary, man. She’s awesome and a good friend."

Netanyahu praises heroic bystander in bloody cockpit attack for preventing ‘another 9/11’

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 22:13:07 -0400

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed the bloody cockpit attack that occurred on a flight headed from Dubai to Tel Aviv during an exclusive interview with Fox News on Wednesday.

Netanyahu recounted how the event unfolded and praised the "unbelievable courage" of passengers who quickly corralled the alleged attacker and stabilized the plane, specially crediting Yaniv Chayon, the man who broke into the cockpit and tamed the attacker.

The prime minister said he prevented the world from a disaster of "unbelievable proportions."

"The passengers, including 30 children, are already saying their prayers. They know they're gone from this world," he told "Hannity." "And this young man just acts with incredible, incredible heroism and saves the day."

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"He acted with coolness of judgment and heroism… just tremendous courage that prevented another 9/11."

The 9/11 terrorist attacks killed nearly 3,000 people.

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A pilot aboard the Israel-bound FlyDubai flight allegedly stabbed another pilot and apparently attempted to "crash the plane" with more than 100 people onboard — an incident authorities describe as a suspected hijacking.

The wounded captain unlocked the cockpit door, letting in passengers who worked together to subdue the attacker and stabilize the nosediving aircraft.

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Netanyahu met with Chayon earlier on Wednesday, lauding his act of courage and praising him for taking control of the plane under "impossible" circumstances.

"I met with this Israeli, this unbelievable Israeli. His name is Yaniv, who did this thing," he explained. "And I asked him, ‘How did you do it?’ And he said, ‘Well, I just had to do it.’"

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"His family was there, 174 passengers, most of whom were Israelis, were there. He had to save them."

Netanyahu blamed "hatred" for the attack and said it was rooted in antisemitism and that many have "fallen prey" to what he described as "propaganda" that vilifies Israel.

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"I don't know the exact background of this person, the attacker, but he obviously hated Israelis because he was going to kill about 170 of them on this plane, killing himself, too," the prime minister said.

"That's fanaticism and hatred of an incalculable level."

While the captain was incapacitated, the aircraft dropped from 30,000 feet to 17,000 in roughly one minute before it diverted to Saudi Arabia, according to flight radar. Other pilots aboard the aircraft took control and landed it safely.

The pilot of Flight 1073 has been identified as Capt. Smit Machchhar. Netanyahu says he is "fighting for his life" after sustaining severe injuries.

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"Apparently, he stabbed him, or he hit him with an ax. He was bleeding profusely. The plane began to go out of control and began a nosedive," Netanyahu said.

"The pilot who was there was an Indian pilot with sort of a very badly wounded. He's fighting, I think, for his life right now, but in an act of unbelievable courage, he managed to unlock the door to the cockpit."

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Netanyahu told Reuters that the alleged cockpit attacker was arrested after the plane made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. An Israeli official identified the co-pilot as an Omani national.

FlyDubai cautioned that the suspect’s motive remains unknown and declared that all flights in and out of Israel will be suspended while the investigation is carried out.

Israeli officials say investigators are working to examine the co-pilot’s motive and whether he acted alone.

"Just think about it... If you're next hijacked, make sure an Israeli is sitting next to you," Netanyahu said.

TikTok couple charged with arson after house fire causes $10K in damage

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:53:36 -0400

A TikTok couple was arrested Tuesday for allegedly setting an abandoned West Virginia home on fire, possibly causing more than $10,000 in damage to a nearby church.

Dakota Harper, 21, and Felicity Eatmon, 22, were each charged with first-degree arson and one count of conspiring to commit an offense that carries a potential life sentence, according to the Kanawha County Magistrate Court.

The pair is known for posting videos together on social media and have amassed 28,000 followers on TikTok.

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A video showing Harper at his arraignment has since gone viral for highlighting his stature. According to court records, Harper stands at 3-foot, 9-inch height and weighs 43-pounds.

At the Kanawha County courtroom, Harper took a seat before an officer approached from behind and tucked his chair closer to the table, leaving his head barely above the desk.

Eatmon, who referred to herself as Harper’s fiancée in their social media videos, also appeared alongside him. She stands at 5 feet, 1 inch tall, records indicated.

According to WCHS-TV, the fire was reported at 11:15 p.m. Sunday in the West Side of Charleston.

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Surveillance footage captured Eatmon giving Harper what appeared to be a piece of paper that was then lit on fire and placed inside the home, the outlet reported, citing a complaint.

Investigators reportedly said the home was abandoned and had no active utilities. The remains continued to smolder into Monday morning.

The adjacent Canaan United Methodist Church sustained significant damage as a result of the blaze, according to the complaint.

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Both suspects are currently being held on a $10,000 bond each.

Actress Monet Mazur's $1.5M Hollywood Hills home targeted by masked suspects in break-in attempt

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:32:34 -0400

Monet Mazur's Hollywood Hills property was the target of a home invasion Saturday, Fox News Digital confirmed.

Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to a "hot prowl burglary" radio call before 11:30 p.m. with the suspects reportedly still at the location, officials told Fox News Digital.

"At least one victim was inside the residence when the suspects attempted to gain entry," authorities said. "The suspects fled the scene before officers arrived."

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The "All-American" actress reportedly spotted three people on security cameras who were dressed in black clothing and wearing ski masks, according to the Post.

The outlet claimed Mazur, 50, "confronted" the suspects before they entered her home, which then prompted them to flee.

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Images obtained from the property appeared to show pepper spray "visible on the doormat outside" of the two-bedroom, $1.5 million property, The Post claimed.

TMZ, however, reported that the actress's alarm was triggered by the suspects when they allegedly tried to open her front door, which prompted them to run off, noting that no one confronted them and nothing was taken.

"Officers searched the location; however, they did not locate any suspects," officials told Fox News Digital. "No suspect description is available at this time. No injuries were reported, and officers completed a burglary report."

Mazur's representatives did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

Last month, Olympian Simone Biles told TikTok followers her Chicago home was robbed earlier this year after three suspects allegedly stole her Porsche GTS, which was later recovered by authorities.

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Biles told followers about the "absolute insanity" surrounding the theft, and admitted she debated sharing more with followers in an upcoming "storytime."

In response to the intrusion, Biles, 29, and husband Jonathan Owens increased their home security by acquiring a Doberman Pinscher.

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After another celebrity residence was targeted by suspects, U.S. Army veteran Stephen Scott, founder of Scott's K9, told Fox News Digital professionally trained protection dogs can provide an added layer of defense for homeowners.

"A protection dog in a situation of a home break-in, they're gonna hear way before you, they're gonna smell way before you," Scott said.

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"The biggest thing that they're going to do is they're going to buy you a lot of time."

Scott noted that a trained K-9 will "start barking" at the sight and sound of an intruder and essentially provide more time for an owner to assess any situation.

WATCH: EXPERT EXPLAINS HOW PROTECTION DOGS CAN HELP DURING A BREAK-IN

"They're gonna go to where the person's coming through the door," he said. "It's gonna give you a chance to grab the kids, grab a gun, or call 911 ... these dogs definitely buy you a sense of time."

When questioning a particular vulnerability some homeowners may have, Scott noted digital footprints can add to unnecessary access.

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"They post everything online when they're gone from the house, what time, what their schedule is," he said. "'Oh, going to drop Joey off at school at 7:45. Gotta go back, go on an errand.'

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"That's probably the biggest thing that we've seen an increase in is just online and everyone posting a picture of where they're at. Everyone knows when they're gone."

Patrick McEnroe on U.S. Open weed smell, trans athletes, foreign recruits reshaping college tennis

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:32:06 -0400

Tennis icon Patrick McEnroe is pushing for federal reform in college athletics while weighing in on transgender participation and the mysterious weed stench that hit the U.S. Open this year.

Appearing on OutKick's "Tomi Lahren is Fearless," the former U.S. Davis Cup captain sounded the alarm on foreign recruits dominating American college rosters, calling tennis the ultimate "canary in the coal mine." Watching a marquee matchup between top SEC and ACC teams, McEnroe noticed a staggering imbalance: 21 of the 24 players on court were foreign recruits.

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McEnroe stressed, "So I knew that the numbers were getting pretty high in tennis. I've been in tennis my whole life. I played college tennis, had an amazing experience, and I became, quite frankly, deeply concerned."

McEnroe is taking a stand in order to award the most opportunities possible to American collegiate athletes. The response prompted McEnroe to pen a Wall Street Journal op-ed and take his fight straight to Capitol Hill, meeting with Washington politicians to push a new bill currently heading before the House of Representatives.

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"American universities were put in place, the athletic departments, to help our kids, to educate them, to give them opportunity," McEnroe argued, stressing U.S. schools should prioritize domestic talent over international pros.

McEnroe didn't pull punches on trans athletes in women's sports either. As a father of three daughters, McEnroe wants to protect young girls in sports.

"I'm not for a trans playing in female sports, no, I'm not," McEnroe said.

The veteran broadcaster also weighed in on the marijuana haze that disrupted play at the U.S. Open, urging complaining players to lighten up. McEnroe blamed tournament workers taking quick breaks on the street behind the venue.

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"Instead of taking a break and having some Gatorade, I guess they were taking a little puff," he joked.

Broadcasting one night with brother John, Patrick admitted he actually misses the old days when charcoal grill smoke drifted over the courts.

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"I kind of miss the smell of the burger," McEnroe laughed. "A little weed, if I smelled it in the air, wouldn't affect me as much as a burger, the smell from the charcoal of the burger."

"Get over it," McEnroe declared. "Making a mountain out of a molehill, not that big of a deal."

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Tomi Lahren Is Fearless covers everything from trending political topics and today's pop culture news to sports and everything in between.

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela

Hasan Piker speaks to UT Austin students after backlash from Texas lawmakers

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:28:00 -0400

After much scrutiny, controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker spoke to students at the University of Texas in Austin. Sporting a Longhorn orange tie and pin, Piker began the stream in his hotel room and continued it backstage at UT Austin before he finally took the stage.

On Sunday, the University Democrats said they were forced to "return tickets to thousands of students," claiming that UT Austin refused to give them a larger space and an off-campus venue decided it would not host the event after "internal discussions."

The student group declared it would not cancel the event despite outside pressure to do so.

Piker was welcomed into the event Wednesday evening with loud cheers and applause. The venue looked almost entirely filled. He opened his speech with "Hook 'Em Horns," garnering another wave of cheers. The streamer went on to thank the students for attending the event despite the backlash it received.

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"There was supposed to be 3,000 people here today. Three thousand. It's a real testament to how much progress can be made in even a state like Texas that the people in the national Democratic Party have left behind," Piker told the crowd.

"That's why I wanted to come here today, not just because of the pushback, not in spite of the pushback, but because I know for a fact that there are people who want their voices to be heard."

At the top of his speech, Piker addressed allegations he hates the U.S., saying, "I always tell people that if I hated America, I'd be a Republican." He went on to accuse President Donald Trump of "destroying" the country.

In his remarks, Piker focused much of his ire on Republicans, Trump, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Israel.

The event was hosted by the University Democrats, a student group at UT Austin, and it drew backlash soon after it was announced. Ahead of the event, Texas lawmakers from both sides of the aisle, including Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen. Ted Cruz and Rep. Henry Cuellar condemned Piker's appearance in the Lone Star State.

And Piker condemned all of them at the beginning of his remarks at the university.

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Cuellar raised concerns on X about Jewish students at UT Austin being made to feel unsafe due to Piker's presence.

The Twitch streamer approached their criticism by speaking about the First Amendment and the importance of freedom of speech. However, he argued that those on the left are not given the same freedom as their ideological counterparts on the right.

Additionally, Andrew Mahaleris, press secretary for Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, also chimed in, telling Jewish News Syndicate (JNS), "Terrorist sympathizers have no place in Texas."

In a statement provided to Fox News Digital Sept. 16, Cruz said the event was a statement about the status of the Democratic Party.

"Hasan Piker is an America-hating Marxist who has said that America deserved 9/11 and celebrates political violence against Republicans," Cruz's statement said.

"Americans are entitled to free speech, but it is incumbent upon good people to condemn Piker's incitement. Instead, some Democrats are bringing him to college campuses, while almost all other Democrats are conspicuously silent or worse. It says everything about the state of their party."

In his criticism of the Texas lawmakers, Piker spoke about the First Amendment, claiming that those on the right are often given more freedom than those on the left.

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"I want to talk about the hypocrisy of free speech," Piker said. "It seems to only go in one direction, right? You can't have an opinion that's outside of the permission structure, and the permission structure year over year seems to swing wide in the right direction."

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Despite the bipartisan backlash, the event at UT Austin was relatively smooth and proceeded without any major disruptions. After his speech wrapped, Piker thanked the audience on his livestream and admitted that while he was apprehensive about being in Texas, the turnout proved the demand for progressive voices even in a red state.

Suspect arrested after alleged plot to attack Texas Capitol: officials

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:22:52 -0400

A Texas man was arrested Wednesday after allegedly planning to attack the state Capitol, according to officials.

Benny Caldera Jr., 40, was taken into custody early Wednesday morning at his home in Converse, Texas. He was charged with the felony offense of making a terroristic threat against a public servant and taken to the Bexar County Jail.

The Texas Department of Public Safety said in a news release it received "credible information" Tuesday about someone plotting a "violent attack" for Thursday on the Capitol.

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DPS special agents worked alongside the FBI and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the threat.

Around 3 a.m. Wednesday, DPS SWAT arrested Caldera, who the agency described as the "main suspect," at his home and transported him to jail.

"Outstanding work by @TxDPS. Proud of our @FBISanAntonio team for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with our state and local partners. Within HOURS of the tip, @TxDPS had the main suspect in custody — with @FBISanAntonio and local law enforcement assisting. Threaten Americans or our institutions and law enforcement will move FAST," FBI Director Kash Patel wrote on X.

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Caldera was released on $75,000 bond.

Officials did not outline the specifics of the alleged planned attack or the nature of the credible information they received. DPS also has not publicly identified any additional suspects.

DPS leadership also notified Texas state legislators about the threat and Caldera's arrest. The agency said the Capitol remained open for regular operating hours.

DPS will have an increased presence at the Capitol to protect employees, state officials and visitors.

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The incident remains under investigation.

"Texas DPS and the FBI stopped a planned attack on the Texas Capitol. Texas will NOT tolerate threats of violence against our Capitol. Thank you, @TxDPS, for a job well done," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott wrote on X.

Fox News Digital reached out to DPS for additional information.

Reparations advocates slam cash compensation ‘handout’ label, point to past government remedies

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 21:20:44 -0400

Reparations advocates are insisting that the federal government provide direct cash payments to Black descendants of American slavery, warning that broadening the eligibility scope risks diluting the movement amid growing resistance from conservatives and the Trump administration.

"Cash payments — that’s just a little solution to it, but it’s a big solution because without cash payments, there’s no reparations," Rev. Phyllis Coachman, a supporter of the U.S. Freedmen Project, told Fox News Digital.

"[Slavery] ended in 1865, but so many other things happened after that," Coachman added. "After slavery, the collapse of Reconstruction. We had Jim Crow. We had legal segregation, disenfranchisement. We had lynching

"We had racial terror, destruction of Black property and communities, housing discrimination, redlining, discriminatory lending, barriers to wealth building …. the war on drugs and mass incarceration."

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The U.S. Freedmen Project, an organization representing self-identified "foundational Black Americans," works to educate the public on the distinctions between Black Americans who are direct descendants of enslaved persons in the U.S. and those who immigrated to the country voluntarily.

According to its official website, the group is a nonpartisan organization seeking to fulfill the abandoned missions of the 19th-century Freedmen’s Bureau and the Freedmen’s Savings and Trust Company. Supporters argue that broader reparations bills risk violating constitutional principles, contending instead that state and federal officials must base eligibility criteria strictly on lineage.

The debate comes as several state and local governments explore reparations initiatives intended to compensate Black residents for historic racial injustice. Evanston, Illinois, a Chicago suburb, became the first U.S. city to offer direct remedies, providing up to $25,000 in homeownership grants and cash payments to eligible Black residents to address legacy housing discrimination.

Reparations advocate Annette Wilcox pushed back against critics who frame direct monetary payouts as government handouts, arguing the term is used selectively to delegitimize Black claims.

"My thoughts about people who say cash payments are handouts is this is a government that has given trillions of dollars to all sorts of people as reparations," Wilcox told Fox News Digital.

"We have reparations for 9/11. We've had — even things that aren't reparations after the crash and the Depression, there was an estimated $5 trillion in programs, money and remedies given to people — 90% went to White people at that time. So, handouts are, you know, just, frankly, an insult that people give to Black people.

"The government has a responsibility for what it did to the citizens — the Black people who were enslaved in this country — and it needs to own up to it just like it owned up to what it did to the Native Americans, the Japanese and many other groups that it has given reparations to."

SOME BLACK NEW YORKERS DEMAND CASH PAYMENTS AS ONLY 'TRUE' FORM OF JUSTICE

Fox News Digital previously attended a public hearing hosted by the New York State Community Commission on Reparations Remedies at Hempstead High School on Long Island. During the hearing, residents warned panel officials that expanding the definition of reparations to include recent immigrants or other marginalized groups risks co-opting the movement.

The New York commission was established after Gov. Kathy Hochul signed legislation in December 2023 creating a state panel to examine the legacy of slavery in New York and evaluate potential remedies.

Among those who testified in Long Island, U.S. Freedmen movement supporter Aubrey Muhammad called for an explicit payout amount of $800,000 per eligible individual.

"We need $800,000 for each foundational Black American. That's simple," Muhammad told Fox News Digital. "In New York, that's about the cost of living that'll get you a home, a small business, or help you recover from financial duress."

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However, Devine Prince, president of the U.S. Freedmen Project, noted that such figures reflect broader efforts to address the national wealth gap rather than standard baseline figures. Still, Prince maintained that direct compensation remains non-negotiable.

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"If you count yourself as a true American, then there should be no pushback and no rebuttals for direct monetary compensation for the harm that was done," Prince said. "That needs to be repaired through direct monetary compensation to American freedmen."

AEW airs gripping Jon Moxley promo to start Pac tribute show after wrestler's death

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:54:32 -0400

Hearts were heavy to start All Elite Wrestling’s "Dynamite" on Wednesday as the company and the pro wrestlers on the roster paid tribute to Pac, who died over the weekend at 40.

Pac, whose real name is Benjamin Satterley, died Sunday hours after AEW’s All Out pay-per-view. Wrestlers in the company gathered on the stage as they listened to broadcaster Tony Schiavone give touching words about Pac.

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Schiavone then called on fans and viewers at home to a poignant promo Jon Moxley cut after he lost an AEW World Championship match to Will Ospreay in the main event of the pay-per-view. Moxley was surrounded by his Death Riders stablemates, including Marina Shafir, Daniel Garcia, Wheeler Yuta and Pac. Schiavone noted it was the final time Pac was on AEW cameras.

"I gave everything I had. I took every shot I had to the best of my ability. I have no regrets. Will Ospreay is indomitable. It’s just part of the game, though, man. You’re gonna lose. I don’t care who you are, you’re gonna lose. You gotta know how to lose. You’re gonna lose in wrestling. You’re gonna lose in life. You’re gonna lose people. You’re gonna lose opportunities. You’re not going to get what you deserve. You’re not always going to get what you earned. Things aren’t always going to go your way. But what are you gonna do?

"You gotta smile, get up tomorrow and do it again and just give it your best every single day because every single day is a gift. Do you know what it’s like to walk out in front of a sold out crowd? Chicago? New York? Tokyo? Sold-out crowd like tonight? Surrounded by your friends, teammates, these great people that pay that money they work hard all week for to see you do? The opportunity to be out there in the ring? Out there in the ring, doing this job, the best job in the world? There is nothing better than that.

"Every day is a gift. Look, I’m serious, Will. You won tonight. You were the better man tonight. You are the best in the ring. Congratulations. All you have earned is more hard work. There’s two kinds of eulogies at funerals. One of them is, ‘This is what this guy did.’ The other one is, ‘This is who this guy was.’ When I’m dead, burned up and I’m ashes and I’m in the wind, I know which eulogy I want to have. I know what I want people to say about me at my funeral. I know what I expect from you, Will. After a couple years, I still don’t think anybody sees it, man.

"They don’t see what we have. What this place can be. What we’ve been gifted. What’s at stake. The future of professional wrestling, our craft, what we grew up dreaming of doing, what kids around the world – just like us, nobodies from nowhere – what they’re growing up dreaming of doing right now. We have the future in pro wrestling in the palm of our hands. Whatever pro wrestling is gonna be, it’s going to be what we make it (pointing to his Death Riders teammates), Will Ospreay, anybody else, who has the guts to do what it takes to be great, to really be great, to really grab life by the ba—s, to take this opportunity, to take this gift and do something with it. Do something with it."

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Moxley walked off when he was finished. Shafir, Wheeler and Garcia followed him. On the left hand side of the corner, Pac was brooding with his long hair flowing down his face and his arms crossed.

Pac turned and followed the rest of the group.

Later, Moxley started the night defending the AEW Continental Championship against Orange Cassidy. As he walked out from the side of the arena, a chair was left out in honor of Pac.

Moxley defeated Cassidy to retain the title. As Moxley gathered himself in the ring, AEW legend Bryan Danielson’s music hit. Danielson was clearly emotional given the circumstances of the night. He and Moxley have had long and storied wars in the ring since both of them joined AEW.

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Danielson and Moxley hugged in the ring, putting their differences aside for one moment in honor of Pac.

'Nobody Wants This': Consulting rabbi calls out star's 'ignorant' take on 'genocide' in Gaza

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:41:56 -0400

Rabbi Steve Leder, a technical advisor behind Netflix's "Nobody Wants This," called out the series star Adam Brody on Tuesday for saying he believes Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza.

"Hi Adam, you might not remember me. My name is Rabbi Steve Leder, and I was the technical advisor for Season 1 of 'Nobody Wants This,'" Leder began in an Instagram video to the actor.

"My job was to make sure that your character was authentic and that everything in Season 1 about Judaism was authentic."

Leder criticized Brody and called his comments "ignorant," arguing that Brody had mischaracterized the situation in Gaza and treated the issue flippantly.

BILL MAHER RIPS MACKLEMORE'S GAZA STANCE, SAYS CELEBRITY 'MORAL CONFUSION' IS FUELING ANTISEMITISM

"Your pronouncement the other day about a ‘genocide in Gaza’ was truly shocking," Leder said. "Not only because of your misuse and mischaracterization of your use of the word genocide — there is no genocide in Gaza, there are genocides in other countries happening, but you failed to mention any of them.

"You, by your own admission, are a relatively ignorant Jew, and your ignorance really showed the other day.

"If you’re going to use a word like ‘genocide,’ you ought to know what it means," he added. "And, by the way, being so flippant about a word like ‘genocide’ — ‘Hey, put me down for genocide,’ like you’re asking for a table for two at Craig’s — is disgusting. Here’s some more technical advice: If you know nothing about something, you should say nothing about it."

Brody, who plays a rabbi in the series, recently suggested in an interview with GQ magazine that Israel is committing "genocide" in Gaza.

"Put me down as thinking it's a genocide," Brody said. "Put me down as wanting a free Palestine. It's awful that it's taken so much death and misery, but it does feel like it's reaching a breaking point that it should have a while ago. I'm hopeful that another administration can really do some good and correct some of these policies that are helping that situation be as awful as it is."

Fox News Digital reached out to Brody's representatives for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

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In a comment to Fox News Digital, Rabbi Yaakov Menken, executive vice president of the Coalition for Jewish Values, also called out Brody as "ignorant" for calling Israel's actions in Gaza "genocide."

"One of the hallmarks of antisemitism is to irrationally regard Jews as a threat. While Hamas was holding, torturing, raping and murdering hostages, only a bigot would call the effort to free those hostages ‘genocide.’ An ignorant Jew is no less likely than anyone else to fall prey to hateful indoctrination," Menken said.

"As even photographer Motaz Azaiza now admits, Hamas could have ended the conflict in Gaza at any moment, simply by releasing the hostages," he added. "In no genocide in history have the victims controlled the off switch. On roughly a daily basis, a prominent Jewish leftist goes on X (formerly Twitter) to say ‘As a Jew’ and then follow it by expressing antisemitic nonsense."

MS RACHEL CONFRONTED ON ACCUSING ISRAEL OF 'GENOCIDE' IN PARK INTERACTION WITH PODCASTER

In another comment from the Israeli-American Council, the organization expressed "revulsion at the ignorant and harmful statement" made by Brody.

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"Lies like this are not just fake news, they incite violence that can lead to the murder of innocent Jews. Just today, Israeli passengers narrowly escaped death from what is being called an attempted terrorist attack on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. That's the reality Israelis and Jews live with every day," the organization said.

Georgia college student miraculously survives 8-story plunge after metal bench breaks her fall

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:36:05 -0400

A 21-year-old University of Georgia student survived an eight-story fall from an apartment window after apparently falling through a screen while dancing near an open window, according to a police report obtained by Fox News Digital.

Kristin Sargent fell from an eighth-floor window at the Rambler Athens apartment complex on West Broad Street around 7:37 p.m. Saturday.

Witnesses told police Sargent had been dancing on a couch or air mattress near the open window when she apparently fell through the screen. She landed near a pool in a courtyard on the building's second floor, according to the report.

Police found evidence that Sargent struck a metal bench during the fall. An officer noted blood on the bench's cushion and that one of its armrests had broken off.

WOMAN DIES AFTER PLUNGING INTO UNCOVERED MANHOLE OUTSIDE LUXURY STORES

Lt. Katie Jenkins, a spokesperson for the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, told Fox News Digital that investigators believe the bench helped break Sargent's fall. She said the incident is not being investigated as a criminal matter and that police understand Sargent is alert and conscious.

Emergency 911 audio obtained by FOX 5 Atlanta captured the frantic moments after Sargent fell.

"We’re on the eighth floor. My friend just fell out of the window," a caller told dispatchers. "She's on the ground. She fell out of the window. We were dancing, and she just fell out of the window."

A dispatcher asked whether Sargent was moving.

MAN ACCUSED OF LURING UGA STUDENT WITH ‘WALK HOME’ RUSE BEFORE BRUTAL ASSAULT: POLICE

"Is she moving? Is she moving? No, she's not," the caller responded.

The caller later told the dispatcher she could see Sargent below but could not determine whether her eyes were open.

"No, I don't know. I'm looking down at her on the floor. She's not moving," the caller said.

Emergency responders transported Sargent to a hospital, where police investigators interviewed her and witnesses while forensic personnel investigated, according to the police report.

LAKEN RILEY MURDER EXPOSED GLARING SECURITY LAPSES ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, NEED FOR EMERGENCY BLUE LIGHTS

A responding officer wrote that information gathered at the time suggested the fall was an accident. Jenkins told Fox News Digital police are not investigating the incident as a criminal matter.

The report identifies Sargent as a resident of the apartment where the fall occurred.

Police could not address the window or what safety measures may or may not have been in place.

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Rambler Athens previously said it was reviewing the incident.

Fox News Digital reached out to the apartment complex for additional information about the window and any safety measures in place at the time of the fall.

A representative for the University of Georgia did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for additional information.

Ana Montana, girlfriend to NBA star LaMelo Ball, arrested on felony drug charges in North Carolina

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:29:32 -0400

Ana Montana, longtime girlfriend of new Timberwolves guard LaMelo Ball, is making off-court headlines for all the wrong reasons after getting hit with felony drug charges in North Carolina.

The 36-year-old Instagram model, whose real name is Analicia Chaves, was booked into a Mecklenburg County jail earlier this week following a months-long police investigation into a Charlotte pharmacy trip that went sideways.

According to court records, the legal trouble traces back to February when Chaves allegedly walked into a local Walgreens to pick up a Xanax prescription.

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Law enforcement claims the prescription was filled using a physician's stolen DEA registration and provider credentials.

Authorities officially issued arrest warrants charging her with two felony counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud or forgery, plus two misdemeanor counts for simple possession of a Schedule IV drug.

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Her defense team, led by attorney Matthew Pruden, released a statement insisting Chaves was simply a patient filling an order handed to her by a treating physician. Her legal team maintains she did not forge any paperwork or fabricate prescriptions herself, but rather picked up what she assumed was a valid order at the counter.

The defense statement clarified: "To clarify, the charges allege that a doctor who used a fraudulent DEA registration and NPI number prescribed Alprazolam for Ms. Chaves, and that she used the prescription written by the doctor to obtain the prescribed Alprazolam at a pharmacy."

For Timberwolves and NBA fans keeping track at home, official police records confirm LaMelo Ball isn't named or implicated in any part of the pharmaceutical investigation.

The unexpected legal drama lands right in the middle of a massive year for the couple, who welcomed their baby son, LaOne, back in January before Ball kicked off his offseason routine.

CHARLOTTE HORNETS STAR LAMELO BALL’S BABY NAME REVEAL TURNS OUT TO BE THE DISASTER YOU’D EXPECT

Chaves managed to post bond shortly after being processed, and she is set to face a judge for her court date on Oct. 20.

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ICE arrests illegal alien accused of sexually assaulting children after Fairfax County release: DHS

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:19:35 -0400

A Honduran illegal immigrant facing multiple child sex crime charges is back in federal custody after authorities in Fairfax County, Virginia, released him from an immigration detainer, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) arrested Oscar Evaristo Nunez Sept. 15 during a targeted enforcement operation, DHS announced Wednesday.

Nunez was initially arrested Aug. 27, 2025, on charges of aggravated sexual battery involving children and offenses related to the non-consensual filming of an undressed minor, according to DHS.

ICE lodged a detainer with the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center two days later, but DHS said local authorities did not honor it and released Nunez without notifying the agency.

GUATEMALAN MAN CHARGED WITH CHILD PORN POSSESSION RELEASED BY FAIRFAX COUNTY DESPITE ICE DETAINER, DHS SAYS

The case has become the latest point of contention between the Trump administration and Virginia officials over cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

"Another criminal illegal alien has been taken off the streets by the brave men and women of ICE with no help from sanctuary politicians in Fairfax County," DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin said in a news release.

"This illegal alien from Honduras had been arrested for child sex crimes in August last year, but Fairfax County refused to honor ICE’s detainer and let this creep back out onto the streets.

"Once again, ICE did the job that these heartless sanctuary politicians won’t do: enforce the law and protect American lives. DHS is calling on Gov. Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians to stop putting the needs of illegal aliens over the safety of the American people."

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Spanberger, a Democrat, was not governor when Nunez was arrested, and ICE filed the detainer in August 2025. She took office in January 2026.

Spanberger has moved Virginia away from some forms of state participation in federal immigration enforcement since taking office, including directing state agencies to terminate agreements with ICE under the federal 287(g) program.

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

DHS said Nunez illegally entered the U.S. near Arizona around September 2003.

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Nunez remains in ICE custody pending immigration proceedings.

The Rock shares heartfelt words on Pac following AEW star's shocking death at 40

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 20:15:04 -0400

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson offered a heartfelt tribute to Benjamin Satterley and his family after the All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star died on Sunday at the age of 40.

Satterley wrestled in WWE for a few years and was known as Adrian Neville and simply Neville. He was one of the first wrestlers who joined AEW in 2019 and was known as Pac. He won multiple championships in AEW and WWE over the course of his career.

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Johnson started his Instagram video by sharing love and his light for the Satterley family.

"I was just so sorry to hear this news. As global as professional wrestling is, as global as WWE is, as much as AEW is growing into this phenomenal wrestling company, and wherever you’re wrestling at around the world, Asia, Latin America, Europe, it doesn’t matter," he continued, "as global as professional wrestling is, we’re still a very tight-knit unit and a tight-knit group because we all share the same DNA.

"And that is our love and our passion for the squared circle and to perform for audiences around the world. And we’re a little crazy, and that’s OK. But when we lose one of our own, it hurts. And when they’re young and so insanely talented, it really, it really f---ing hurts, especially when that life is robbed and you don’t get that opportunity to live a full life."

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Johnson addressed AEW owner Tony Khan, fellow wrestler QT Marshall and the AEW locker room, saying he was sorry for their loss.

"For the Satterley family, I wish you love and light as you endure this pain and stay strong."

Johnson is a board member of TKO – the parent company that owns WWE. WWE posted a tribute graphic to Neville before "Monday Night Raw."

AEW was set to have a tribute special of "Dynamite" on Wednesday night in honor of Satterley.

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Satterley was found dead in Illinois on Sunday, hours after he performed at All Out.

Passenger's bizarre use of drinking glass on flight leaves travelers horrified

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:55:06 -0400

An EVA Air business-class passenger left fellow travelers aghast by using a drinking glass to vigorously scratch his scalp while he was seated in the middle of the flight.

The odd incident aboard a recent flight out of Taiwan on Sept. 24 was all caught on video.

The man aboard the Boeing 787 Dreamliner apparently decided that the best way to soothe an itchy head was to vigorously massage his scalp using the rim of a drinking glass.

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The bizarre in-seat grooming routine was spotted by a horrified fellow passenger seated directly behind the amateur masseur, according to news outlet Viral Press.

Watching the traveler drag the rim of the upside-down cup through his hair repeatedly and all across his scalp made the witness feel the premium cabin experience had taken a drastic and unexpected turn.

"This is disgusting. It's a cup, not a massage comb," the appalled witness complained.

Losing all appetite for the upcoming meal service, the passenger who recorded the video said, "No one wants to eat your dandruff. I'm really going to vomit," Viral Press reported.

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The EVA Air flight landed safely, NewsFlare reported.

The company, headquartered in Taiwan, was founded in 1989, according to its website.

Texas-based etiquette expert Diane Gottsman told Fox News Digital that "using a glass to scratch [one's] head is completely inappropriate," particularly while in public and surrounded by other people.

"Any time you see someone scratching themselves with an object, or even scratching themselves with their fingers in a public area — it’s unappealing and somewhat alarming," she added.

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In recent years, several flyers have complained that fellow passengers are crossing the line when it comes to public-facing behavior aboard planes.

In March 2026, a passenger was slammed for putting feet up on a window.

At the time, a Reddit user blasted the other traveler.

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"First time experiencing the feet in my face in five years. Travel monthly. In first class, and this lady put her feet on my arm rest. I shoved them off."

The writer continued, "And five minutes later, she has them up on her window. At least she has socks on. But come on, people! It’s a 4.5 hour flight."

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Said Gottsman, "When you’re in your home, you are in a private space. [But] when you are out in public, there are different standards because you are around other people and must be aware of your surroundings and the comfort level of others."

Anticipation builds as MIke Tomlin prepares to unveil his Minecraft city that's 12 years in the making

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:50:09 -0400

The 2026 NFL season is the first without Mike Tomlin somewhere on the sidelines in decades.

And while the former Steelers coach has moved into the world of TV broadcasting, he's about to become a big deal in a corner of the internet no one would've expected a few months ago.

"Minecraft" streaming.

That's right, the longtime Steelers head coach is about to let fans into the blockified city he has been crafting for the last twelve years.

"It was therapeutic for me," Tomlin said in a video posted to social media. "It allowed me to detach from the pressures and the reality of life. Kind of my secret obsession, and so let's take you all through it."

The video then teased the release of a full video on Tomlin's YouTube channel, which showed an aerial view of a city that had a baseball field, streets, and even buildings with what looked to my eye to be HVAC equipment on the roof.

Mike means business, and I love it.

BREAKING UP TROY AIKMAN AND JOE BUCK WOULD BE A BIG MISTAKE FOR ESPN | BOBBY BURACK

The "NBC Sunday Night Football" analyst revealed in an interview around the start of the season that he was a big fan of the building game that has become a cultural phenomenon over the years.

It makes so much sense to me.

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Being an NFL coach is such a high-pressure job with a lot of noise. How better to get a break from that than by focusing all of your attention on the 8-bit stadium you're trying to construct?

I can't think of one, and it's a pretty healthy way to tune everything out and get yourself focused on the present.

If you're wondering how he was able to handle being an NFL coach for so long, well, for twelve of those years, this is your answer.

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Now that Tomlin isn't leading an NFL team anymore, he's got more time to devote to Tomlinburg (or whatever he calls it), and I expect it to be looking like Tokyo in a few months.

California superintendent candidate calls out teachers union after group leader calls her 'real threat'

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:44:05 -0400

Conservative California superintendent candidate Sonja Shaw told Fox News Digital Tuesday she would not back down from confronting the United Teachers Los Angeles union (UTLA) after a circulated video allegedly showed a union leader calling Shaw a "real threat" and warning that her election "would cause a huge problem for us."

Shaw, the president of the Chino Valley Unified School District board, pointed to Los Angeles student achievement scores as she accused UTLA of protecting the education establishment rather than focusing on academic outcomes.

"I’m not surprised the Los Angeles teachers union sees me as a threat," Shaw said in a statement to Fox News Digital.

"More than half of their students still can’t read at grade level, and nearly two-thirds can’t do math. Instead of working to help those kids, UTLA has fought to keep parents in the dark, excused failure and protected the system that produced these results."

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California’s latest official assessment results lend context to Shaw’s criticism of Los Angeles Unified’s academic performance.

In 2025, 46.46% of LAUSD students met or exceeded the state standard in English language arts and 36.76% met or exceeded the standard in mathematics, according to California Department of Education testing data. That meant roughly 53.5% did not meet the ELA standard and 63.2% did not meet the math standard.

Shaw said the criticism described in the video would not change her approach to the statewide race.

"If putting children and families first is a ‘huge problem’ for their agenda, that tells you everything you need to know. I won’t back down," she said. "They just admitted it. I’m a ‘real threat’ to their socialist agenda. Parents over politics. Kids over ideology. Girls over boys in their sports and locker rooms. Keep calling me a threat. I’ll keep being one."

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In the clip, shared by Corey DeAngelis, a research fellow at The Heritage Foundation, a woman describes Shaw as a "real threat" and discusses efforts to prevent a "MAGA lady" from taking charge of public education.

The woman then warned about what Shaw taking office would mean for the organization.

"That would cause a huge problem for us," the woman said.

The California Post reported the speaker was Julie Van Winkle, the UTLA AFT vice president.

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DeAngelis told Fox News Digital he viewed the purported criticism as evidence that Shaw was threatening teachers unions’ political influence.

"This leaked audio is the best endorsement Sonja Shaw could’ve ever received. When a power-hungry teachers union that fights to protect itself at the expense of kids calls you an existential threat to their socialist agenda, you’re officially over the target," he said.

UTLA has publicly endorsed Shaw’s opponent, San Diego Unified School District Board President Richard Barrera, for California superintendent of public instruction. The union says Barrera has a "proven commitment" to working with educators and families and called for a superintendent who would work with unions on education funding.

Organized labor has also spent millions supporting Barrera.

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California Secretary of State data compiled by CalMatters showed the California Teachers Association Independent Expenditure Committee had spent $5,057,539 supporting Barrera as of Sept. 15, compared with $10,000 in reported outside spending supporting Shaw.

Los Angeles County Republican Party Chair Roxanne Hoge also pointed Fox News Digital to a post from Saturday on X tying the controversy to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s recent overhaul of the superintendent’s authority.

"We knew [Sonja Shaw] was causing good trouble when [Gavin Newsom] stripped the office she's running for of most of its power," she said.

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Fox News Digital reached out to UTLA and Newsom's office for comment.

‘We beat Disney, Fauci, Soros’: Ron DeSantis unleashes ‘Florida model’ in hard-hitting midterm rally

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:40:04 -0400

Pitching his administration’s conservative record as a national blueprint for Capitol Hill, Gov. Ron DeSantis rallied Republicans in Osceola County Tuesday night, portraying Navy veteran Dan Green’s bid for Florida’s 9th Congressional District as part of a broader push to bring aggressive Florida-style governance to Washington.

Speaking before a crowd in St. Cloud, south of Orlando, DeSantis pointed to his administration's high-profile battles on education policy, state spending reductions and corporate pushback and urged voters to bring that same combative, policy-driven mandate to the halls of Congress.

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"I will say that I'm looking forward to y'all getting the congressman elected that has served this country and that has served for the right reasons. Now, I am a big believer that we need term limits for members of Congress. But until we do that, you can show your current guy the term limit by kicking him out of office.

"So, I think what we need is what we've done in Florida. It can be a model for people like Dan going to Washington, other states, you name it, because it's not just about peacocking and putting social media press releases out and never getting anything done. We have fought every big fight that there has been to fight in the state of Florida, and we have won every big fight that there is to fight in Florida."

DeSantis rallied the conservative faithful with a recap, alleging major victories over left-wing institutions, agencies and agendas.

"Just think about it. We beat Dr. Fauci on COVID. We beat Disney on gender ideology. We beat Soros on crime by removing two of his prosecutors. We beat Martha's Vineyard on illegal immigration.

"We just beat the Muslim Brotherhood by banning Sharia law. We beat the teachers unions by enacting universal school choice for all Florida families. We beat SEIU by doing paycheck protection.

"Every single time there was a fight, we would beat and win the fights. And that's ultimately what it's all about. Because leadership — when it's popular, when it's easy — anyone can do that. 'I'll just go with the flow,' all this other stuff. It really matters when it is tough and when you're going to face arrows."

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DeSantis repeatedly emphasized that his top priority was sticking to the courage of his convictions, not seeking political expediency or going along to get along.

"I remember during COVID, I was doing things, and people said, 'Oh, he's not shutting down the beaches. Why does he have these people in school?' And all this other stuff. You know, people come after you, and a lot of people told me that I was frittering away my governorship, that I wouldn't be able to win in '22, and all this other stuff. I don't know if that was true. Who knows, right?

"But when you get in a position to lead, you either do it or you should just sit down. My job was not to be worried about my own political hide. My job was to be worried about protecting the liberty, jobs, and businesses of the people I was elected to serve. So, we started the fire, and we gave them his right."

It is clear that the two-term governor considers his famed battle with Disney to be a particular feather in his cap.

"Nobody in the history of the state had ever taken on Disney in anything. A lot of people told me I was making a mistake," DeSantis said.

"But the reality is, do we want a society in which our 6-year-olds are being told they can change genders, or do we want a society rooted in truth? If you want a society rooted in truth, even if the biggest, most powerful corporation in the state is against you, you've got to stand up and you've got to fight. And we fought, and we won."

As the federal debt has topped a staggering $40 trillion, DeSantis made the case that he has taken the state on a markedly divergent course.

"Just look at the results. For four straight years, Florida has reduced its budget. Is any other state in the country reducing spending? We've done it four years in a row," DeSantis said.

"I was just able to announce today if you take all of Florida's debt for all of our history up until the time I became governor, just in my tenure, we will retire 54% of the state's debt, more than cutting it in half.

"We've been ranked No. 1 for education freedom, and our public university system is ranked No. 1. We have the lowest in-state tuition of any state in the United States, and it's the exact same cost today to students and families that it was the day I took office.

"It did not go up one penny under my tenure. Is there anything else that didn't go up? The dollar menu at McDonald's is all $2.99 now. Everything else has gone up, but that has not gone up."

And DeSantis touts Florida as a national leader in lowering taxes for its citizens and called for voters to back Amendment 3 in Florida, which would pave the way for elimination of non-school property taxes.

"If you look at tax relief, we've done $10 billion over my tenure — more than anyone. Some of it is permanent, like no tax on baby items, back-to-school items and no tax on business rent. But, really, the big enchilada is going to be on the ballot in November when you have a chance on Amendment 3 to vote yourself more control over your own home and not let them tax you to death. So vote yes on 3.

As Republicans face headwinds heading into the midterms in a little over a month, DeSantis drew a parallel between this year's election, and the 2018 election, which propelled him to the governor's mansion by a narrow margin.

"We've done all this stuff, but I think the lesson is this: When I won eight years ago, it was kind of similar to how it is now. People were saying it was a ‘blue year.’ There was a lot of wind in the face of Republican candidates," DeSantis recalled.

"A lot of people thought Florida was a swing state — that we were purple — where one point had decided all these races for the previous decade. A lot of people didn't think I could even win given those circumstances. And even if I won, they said, 'Well, the state's going to go blue. You've got all these people moving from Puerto Rico, the Northeast, anything.' So, I'm running. It wasn't easy, and we won."

DeSantis maintains he has never taken a poll as a means to determine a position on an issue.

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"It was a close race, so I had a choice to make: Do I try to tiptoe around the tulips, not offend anybody, and just try to walk this tight line? Or do I say, 'You know what? I won the election. I got 100% of the executive power, and I didn't get elected to follow. I got elected to lead,'" DeSantis said.

"So, I am going to fly the banner of bold colors, not pale pastels. I'm going to do what I believe in. I am not going to take any polls. I have not to this day ever polled a single issue in my entire time as governor.

"The reason is simple. … It depends on how you ask the question, right? I can tweak the words and get a different result. But also, what does a poll actually mean? Like Popeye said, ‘I am what I am,’ right?"

Supreme Court clears way for teen killer's execution after last-minute reprieve

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 11:50:33 -0400

Convicted Tennessee killer Christa Pike is again set to face execution after the U.S. Supreme Court late Wednesday vacated a last-minute stay that had temporarily spared her from becoming the first woman executed in the state since the early 1800s.

The Supreme Court granted Tennessee's application to vacate the stay issued Wednesday morning by the U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals, clearing the way for the state to carry out Pike's execution.

In a 2-1 split decision, the Sixth Circuit issued a stay "until further notice" as the court weighed motions filed by Pike's attorneys and the Tennessee Attorney General's Office.

The state immediately appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking to have the stay lifted.

MULTIPLE DEATH SENTENCES IN DIFFERENT STATES ARE SET TO BE CARRIED OUT WITHIN 24 HOURS: 'NOT VERY COMMON'

Justice Sonia Sotomayor dissented from the Supreme Court's decision, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson.

Sotomayor argued that the Sixth Circuit should have been given time to consider Pike's pending legal challenge before the execution proceeded.

"In capital cases, "[a]ppreciation of our own fallibility, and respect for the judgment of an appellate tribunal," demand caution before "acting irretrievably.""

She added that the Supreme Court "chooses to overlook that principle precisely when it matters most."

Pike, 50, was 18 in 1995 when she, her boyfriend and another person beat, kicked and stabbed their 19-year-old classmate Colleen Slemmer to death in a brutal "satanic" attack that Pike claimed took between 30 minutes and an hour, according to court documents.

Pike and Slemmer knew each other through a vocational program in Knoxville called the Job Corps Center, the documents state.

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Pike had accused Slemmer of "trying to get [her] boyfriend" and "running her mouth," the case file shows. A day before the killing, she told another classmate she wanted to kill Slemmer because she "just felt mean that day," according to the records. She was armed with a box cutter and a meat cleaver.

Pike and her accomplices lured Slemmer out, telling her they wanted to go to a music store and pick up some marijuana they'd hidden in a park nearby.

Pike attacked her, knocked her to the ground and hit her in the face with her knee and foot, according to court documents.

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At one point, Slemmer broke away from Pike and tried to flee, but Pike's boyfriend, Tadaryl Shipp, grabbed her and held her down while Pike slashed her with the box cutter. The victim begged for her life, but the attackers kept going. At some point, they gagged her with a hair tie.

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Shipp also carved pentagrams into the victim's face and chest.

JUDGE BLOCKS ALABAMA'S NITROGEN GAS EXECUTION METHOD, RULES IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONALLY CRUEL

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At trial, forensic psychiatrist Dr. William Bernet testified that the crime had "satanic elements" but also appeared to involve "the phenomenon of collective aggression, in which a group of people become emotionally aroused and 'the end result is that they engage in some kind of violent, extremely violent activity,'" court records show.

SOUTH CAROLINA INMATE WHO BELIEVES HE IS IMMORTAL CANNOT BE EXECUTED DUE TO MENTAL ILLNESS, JUDGE RULES

Dr. Eric Engum testified that Pike had been diagnosed with "very severe borderline personality disorder" in addition to showing signs of cannabis dependence and depression. However, he said, she had no symptoms of brain damage or insanity.

NEW HAMPSHIRE RESENTENCING GIVES DARTMOUTH KILLER ROBERT TULLOCH A PAROLE PATH AFTER SUPREME COURT RULING

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Pike took a piece of the victim's crushed skull as a trophy and later showed it off in school, recounting that Slemmer had begged the trio to stop, according to court records. Pike told the friend she'd cut Slemmer's throat a half-dozen times and then smashed her head with a rock. She showed off her bloodstained sneakers to another classmate and brought Slemmer's skull fragment to breakfast the next morning.

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Neither Shipp nor the third attacker, Shadolla Peterson, received death sentences. Shipp was under 18 at the time and not eligible for capital punishment. Peterson testified for the state.

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Pike's supporters counter that her defense did a poor job presenting mitigating factors before her sentencing, including untreated bipolar disorder and PTSD stemming from repeated domestic violence and sexual assaults. Just under 25,000 people had signed a petition to Gov. Bill Lee asking him to commute her death sentence to life in prison.

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Fox News' Shannon Bream and Bill Mears contributed to this report.

Phillies force Game 3 as Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper go back-to-back and Alec Bohm homers in 10th vs Braves

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:30:52 -0400

Game 2 of the National League Wild Card Series was deadlocked at 3-3 Wednesday afternoon before Alec Bohm delivered Philadelphia's biggest swing. His two-out homer in the 10th inning lifted the Phillies to a 4-3 victory over the Atlanta Braves and forced a winner-take-all Game 3.

The Phillies had trailed 3-1 before Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper hit back-to-back homers in the seventh. Harper's blast came one inning after he committed a costly fielding error.

Andrew Painter then took over. The regular-season starter worked three scoreless innings to protect Philadelphia's taxed bullpen, stranded two runners in the 10th and struck out Dominic Smith after the Phillies won an ABS challenge.

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Playing under traditional extra-inning rules that don't include designated runners at second base like in the regular season, Bohm delivered his third career postseason home run, a 357-foot shot to right field off right-hander Didier Fuentes.

The Phillies will try to continue their postseason dominance over the Braves in Thursday's Game 3. Philadelphia beat Atlanta in the 1993 NLCS and the 2022 and 2023 NLDS.

In the seventh, Drake Baldwin's double glanced off Harper's glove in right field, driving in Sean Murphy to give Atlanta a 2-1 lead. Harper, who resumed playing the outfield late this season for the first time since 2022, got a poor jump and was leaping for the ball near the warning track. He was not charged with an error. Matt Olson added a sacrifice fly.

"Probably should have been caught, obviously," Harper said.

The Phillies pulled even with eighth-inning home runs by Schwarber and Harper off Dylan Lee, the winning pitcher in the Braves' 5-3 opening win on Tuesday. Schwarber’s drive carried 447 feet and Harper followed with a 418-foot drive.

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Tyler Mahle allowed one run on six hits in seven innings for Atlanta. Cristopher Sánchez allowed three runs in 6 2/3 innings for Philadelphia while throwing a career-high 116 pitches.

The Phillies pulled even with eighth-inning home runs by Schwarber and Harper off Dylan Lee, the winning pitcher in the Braves’ 5-3 opening win on Tuesday. Schwarber’s drive carried 447 feet and Harper followed with a 418-foot drive.

Tyler Mahle allowed one run on six hits in seven innings for Atlanta. Cristopher Sánchez allowed three runs in 6.2 innings for Philadelphia while throwing a career-high 116 pitches.

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The start time for the decisive Game 3 has not yet been determined. The Braves announced that MLB will schedule the game for either 2:15 p.m. ET or 8:15 p.m. ET in Atlanta, with the final time dependent on the conclusion of the other three Wild Card Series Game 2 matchups tonight.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Fetal tissue supplier billed $765 procurement fee per organ, warns records could imply illegal sales: records

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:30:42 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: Newly obtained public records show Cercle Allocation Services billed a UCLA research operation a $765 procurement service fee tied to each individual liver and thymus specimen, while warning in internal correspondence that certain billing language could improperly imply the tissue itself was being sold.

The records, obtained from UCLA through a California Public Records Act request made on behalf of Center for Medical Progress founder David Daleiden, include purchase orders and correspondence between the university and Cercle Allocation Services.

An internal UCLA order form identifies the purchasing operation as part of the David Geffen School of Medicine’s Division of Hematology-Oncology and references the "Mouse Core." UCLA redacted the names and other identifying information of researchers from the record.

The records reviewed by Fox News Digital do not establish that UCLA or its researchers, procurement personnel or other employees engaged in illegal or unethical conduct with the transactions.

'DRUG-DEALING' NETWORK SHIELDED BY BLUE STATES TARGETED IN SCOTUS CHALLENGE

One UCLA purchase order lists seven individually numbered liver and thymus specimens at a $765 unit amount apiece, totaling $5,355. Another lists five specimens from Aug. 18, 2023, each carrying the same $765 amount, for a total of $3,825. Additional purchase orders reflect the same per-specimen amount.

Cercle objected to the purchase orders’ tax treatment and asked UCLA to reissue them, telling the university that the charges reflected procurement services and that sales tax should not be applied. Cercle said tax language could improperly imply that the specimens themselves were being sold.

Cercle does supply human fetal tissue for biomedical research. Peer-reviewed scientific literature has identified the company as the source of human fetal liver tissue used by researchers, providing independent evidence of the type of procurement business described by CMP.

SUPREME COURT UNANIMOUSLY SLAPS DOWN BLUE STATE TARGETING PRO-LIFE GROUP

CMP identified the liver and thymus specimens in the UCLA purchase orders as fetal tissue. Fox News Digital has not independently verified that the tissue associated with these specific purchase orders was fetal. The purchase orders identify the organs by type, sample number and date but do not describe them as fetal.

The records do not establish that the payments were illegal. Cercle characterized the money as fees for procurement services rather than payments for the tissue itself.

But correspondence shows the company was particularly concerned about how those payments were described.

"The overriding issue is the use of terminology that we must not use due to their improper implication that we are selling taxable items, which we are not," a Cercle accounts manager wrote in September 2023. "Due to the nature of our business, we must be very careful and clear that we invoice fees for our procurement services."

The same email said notations referring to sales tax would imply Cercle was "selling the items received," which the company said were "illegal to sell." Cercle instead instructed UCLA that purchase orders should authorize payment for its services while tying individual sample numbers and dates to a unit amount of $765.

The correspondence shows UCLA subsequently prepared revised purchase orders after Cercle objected to the tax language.

One Cercle email said a July invoice totaling $5,355 for procurements on three dates had already been "processed and paid." The company also asked UCLA to replace other purchase orders containing tax language, including one covering five procurements from Aug. 18 worth a combined $3,825.

Federal law prohibits knowingly acquiring, receiving or otherwise transferring human fetal tissue for "valuable consideration," if the transfer affects interstate commerce, while allowing "reasonable payments" associated with transportation, implantation, processing, preservation, quality control or storage.

The records reviewed by Fox News Digital do not establish that Cercle or UCLA violated that prohibition.

Daleiden contends the documents raise questions about whether the uniform $765 charges represented permissible reimbursement for procurement-related costs.

HAWLEY SENDS CRIMINAL REFERRAL OF 'LEFT-WING DARK-MONEY' GROUP OVER MAILED ABORTION DRUGS

He pointed to the uniform $765 amount UCLA assigned to individual specimens on the purchase orders, including multiple organs listed on the same date. Daleiden told Fox News Digital he believes the structure raises questions about whether the payments reflected the procurement-related costs permitted under federal law.

Documents reviewed by Fox News Digital do not contain Cercle’s invoices or underlying cost calculations and do not establish whether the $765 amount exceeded reasonable procurement-related expenses.

Daleiden also said UCLA did not produce Cercle’s invoices in response to the public records request.

The May 2025 request sought the original and most recent materials associated with UCLA IRB No. 11-002504 and records and communications from 2023 forward between the authors of a specified UCLA study and Advanced Bioscience Resources or Cercle. The request covered records, including emails, text messages, notes and fetal tissue logs.

UCLA later said its departments had completed their search and that the September 2026 production represented the final batch of non-exempt responsive records. The university said it redacted certain researcher identities because of concerns about threats and harassment involving sensitive research.

Records also show the UCLA-Cercle relationship continued into 2025.

A February 2025 Cercle ticket involving UCLA was titled "Liver and brain." Cercle responded March 3 that it had been "unable to fulfill your request today" and canceled the ticket. The records do not specify that the requested tissue was fetal or establish that any brain tissue was ultimately procured or transferred.

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Daleiden has spent years investigating fetal tissue procurement after CMP released undercover videos involving Planned Parenthood officials in 2015. His recording operation later became the subject of a California criminal case.

Kamala Harris’ office opened the investigation while she was California attorney general. Charges were later filed under Attorney General Xavier Becerra. In April 2026, a California judge dismissed the final charge and expunged the case.

The records reviewed by Fox News Digital do not establish that the UCLA-Cercle transactions violated federal law. UCLA and Cercle have not been accused or charged by authorities with illegal conduct in the transactions reflected in the public records obtained by CMP.

UCLA and Cercle Allocation Services did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

WNBA commentator Sydney Colson physically restrained after going after Fever fan following A'ja Wilson mess

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:22:43 -0400

Former Indiana Fever player and Amazon Prime commentator Sydney Colson lost complete control during Tuesday’s WNBA playoff game between the Las Vegas Aces and Fever, lunging at a spectator while a staff member physically restrained her.

The chaos began when Aces star A’ja Wilson overreacted to a fan who simply pointed at her and shouted, "It’s on you!" following a foul call. Wilson marched two rows deep into the baseline seats to confront him, earning a technical foul for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Instead of maintaining professional distance as a credentialed media member, Colson and fellow Amazon analyst Theresa Plaisance (also a podcast co-host with Wilson) left their courtside seats and inserted themselves into the altercation.

As arena personnel escorted Colson and Plaisance away from the baseline, a spectator in a red Fever shirt directed a comment toward them. Plaisance pointed back and called him a "little b***h boy." Colson then continued pushing aggressively toward the fan as an Amazon staffer struggled to hold her back. Video footage captured her shouting, "Who do you think you are? B—-, who the f— do you think you are?"

Colson spent the 2025 season in Indiana before exiting the franchise. Ever since packing her bags, taking public cheap shots at her former team has become a habit.

Right on script, the broadcast team immediately scrambled to run cover for Wilson.

Prime Video analyst LaChina Robinson insisted on-air that "something was said" simply because Wilson does not normally react that way.

Aces coach Becky Hammon predictably chimed in, claiming she had never seen Wilson react like that and assuming her star felt "deeply disrespected."

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Wilson doubled down after the game, apologizing to her teammates for picking up the technical foul while insisting the fan’s conduct crossed the line.

"I don’t know if you guys know me, but I don’t get into the bulls—," Wilson told reporters. "I try to play my game, keep it pushing. But if I’m just walking, because I just got the foul, I’m chilling, and if I see a man come at me, taking steps toward me and pointing at me, I don’t give a damn what you said. I don’t give a damn how you said it. The tone, that is unacceptable."

Wilson went further, complaining about how the fan was allowed to return to his seat after security reviewed the incident.

"And how he gets back in the game because they said he didn’t do anything? Of course he did, and that’s fine," she said.

The Fever confirmed that arena security interviewed witnesses and found zero violations of the Fan Code of Conduct.

In August, after Chicago’s DiJonai Carrington was ejected for a dangerous neck hit on Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, Colson publicly targeted her former teammate by sarcastically posting, "Love a trans foul," on social media.

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In any other professional sports league, a credentialed commentator physically restrained from charging a paying fan would face immediate suspension or termination.

Yet Colson remained mic’d up for Amazon’s broadcast during the entire outburst, while the live coverage rushed to defend Wilson without acknowledging that the fan broke zero rules.

Don’t hold your breath waiting for Amazon or WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to do anything about it.

Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela

Gavin Newsom seeks counsel from ‘master’ Bill Clinton as he plots Project 2029

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:17:43 -0400

California Gov. Gavin Newsom is turning to a former president for political inspiration as speculation builds around his potential 2028 White House bid.

"I don’t have a problem fighting," Newsom told Vanity Fair when discussing a potential 2028 presidential run. "Nor do I have a problem getting roughed up and getting back up. I’ve been road tested. It’s not small ball out here in California."

Newsom, who is nearing the end of his second and final term as California governor, named former President Bill Clinton his political model, telling Vanity Fair Clinton is a "master of his craft."

GAVIN NEWSOM SAYS HE WON'T RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2028 IF KAMALA HARRIS RUNS

"I watch videos of Clinton. I seek his counsel, his advice, and even in his absence, do that. I’ve been a student of his from day one," he told the outlet.

Newsom said the relationship extends beyond admiration from afar, revealing that he and Clinton frequently speak late at night about policy, political strategy and how to address California's challenges.

"He calls me late at night, wanting to talk about it, and he goes, ‘I’ve been thinking just nonstop about this. I just think you represent what they fear,’" Newsom said.

He praised Clinton as an exceptional problem solver despite scrutiny surrounding the former president’s past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and a sex scandal with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. Clinton has denied knowing about Epstein’s crimes or engaging in wrongdoing.

BILL CLINTON REVEALS HOW HE FEELS ABOUT UPCOMING MIDTERMS AFTER SOCIALIST VICTORIES

"[There is] no greater problem solver in that respect than Bill Clinton, in my mind. Master of his craft. Next-level," Newsom said.

The California governor's embrace of Clinton also comes as he navigates an evolving Democratic Party, where democratic socialist figures have gained prominence alongside the more moderate political tradition Clinton once represented.

The governor made it clear he does not associate himself with the Democratic "establishment," instead casting himself as a political "disrupter."

"I’m notoriously a disrupter at heart," he told Vanity Fair. "I’ve never been for the status quo. Quite the contrary. I have a record that consistently challenges the status quo, and I tend to take risks to a degree that few elected officials do."

NEWSOM TELLS DEMOCRATS TO BE IN THE 'ADDITION NOT SUBTRACTION' BUSINESS WITH SOCIALISTS

Newsom, who said he won't run in 2028 if former Vice President Kamala Harris does, also discussed a 36-page book he is writing, full of policy ideas for what he calls Project 2029, a governing framework modeled in name after MAGA's Project 2025.

"No one touches these," Newsom said about his pages of ideas. "These are my own little version. This is just policy, not narrative, the kinds of things we need to do: zoning reform, corporate tax, junk-fee stuff, new domestic strategies and tariffs, preschool things, a cap on childcare, family leave, paid sick leave, child tax credits, industrial decarbonization, anti-monopoly stuff, immigration, whistleblower protections."

Democratic strategist Doug Friednash told Fox News Digital Newsom is wise to take after Clinton, while warning if the Democratic Party continues to move to the far left, it could make the 2028 Democratic nominee "toxic."

GAVIN NEWSOM EXPRESSES 'OPENNESS' TO PACKING SCOTUS, CALLS ELECTORAL COLLEGE SYSTEM 'PERVERTED'

"At a time when the Democratic Party brand is incredibly unpopular with Americans, Newsom would be wise to take a page out of Bill Clinton’s playbook recognizing that Democrats need to appeal beyond its progressive left," Friednash said.

"Newsom’s challenge will be authentically casting himself as a disrupter when he has spent decades as part of the California political establishment."

Democratic strategist Kaivan Shroff agreed with Friednash, arguing that Clinton understood the importance of putting the country’s necessities over those of activists or party leaders, an instinct he says Newsom is "clearly trying to learn."

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"Clinton’s lesson was that successful Democrats could move the party in new directions without losing touch with voters who did not speak the language of the activist left," Schroff told Fox News Digital.

"Newsom seems to understand that distinction. The harder question is whether he can actually pull it off."

Ross Chastain questions whether Stephen A Smith could recognize a NASCAR driver after controversial comments

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:17:12 -0400

If you don’t know what you are talking about, it may be best to keep your opinions to yourself.

That is certainly how star driver Ross Chastain feels about Stephen A. Smith after the talk show host said he doesn’t think NASCAR drivers are athletes.

"That’s his opinion. We’ve all got them. He has a microphone and he’s using it, and he got the clicks. I don’t know that he even — I know he doesn’t know me, and I don’t believe, I don’t know. I guess my opinion is I don’t know that he knows a NASCAR driver if one walked in the room, if we didn’t have our fire suit on," Chastain told OutKick in a recent interview.

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"If you don't know the people that you're giving an opinion on, I'm not sure that I can put much credit to it."

Smith said drivers are just getting behind the wheel of a car, not exerting themselves.

"Come on, man. That don’t count. You driving a car!" Smith said in April on his SiriusXM show. "I’m being honest. It’s a great sport. But come on, bro. Getting behind the wheel of a car is not the same.

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"You can be behind the wheel of a car in your 60s and 70s, for crying out loud."

Kyle Larson and Jeff Gordon also took umbrage with Smith’s comments. Chastain said Smith simply doesn’t know any NASCAR drivers or hasn’t met any, while acknowledging his massive reach.

"If you don't know, like you have to, you at least have to know one driver, or have met them more than seeing a clip on TV. That's his opinion. He's got a big, big audience, that he talks to, through his microphone, and those waves go a long way, so that's fine," Chastain said on behalf of Busch Light.

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In Smith’s rant, he also said golfers aren’t athletes.

Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code FOXNEWS350: Bet $20, Get $350 Padres vs Cubs

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 19:01:26 -0400

The least interesting and dramatic of the games yesterday was likely between the Padres and Cubs. Will Game 2 be more competitive? Fanatics Sportsbook is giving you a way to keep it interesting either way with promo code FOXNEWS350, allowing new users to earn $350 on a $20 wager.

The Chicago Cubs are built on their offense, but when the offense doesn’t show up, can they win a game? If yesterday was any indication, they can’t. Chicago gave up two homers in the first inning of Game 1, and this has been a theme for their pitching staff, which has given up more homers than any team in the National League.

The Cubs could only muster three hits in the game. They did have runners on, but they couldn’t find a way to get the runners in, leaving eight on base. They were also 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position last night. The hitting will need to show, and the pitching will have to improve if they want to be successful.

The San Diego Padres were the best team in baseball in the second half of the season, and snuck all the way up to the top Wild Card spot. The hot streak started with Fernando Tatis Jr. playing better, and he had an outstanding game in Game 1. Tatis Jr. was 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run, and three runs scored.

The other guy who made some adjustments and started getting hot for the Padres was Manny Machado, who had a very similar stat line to Tatis. He went 2-for-3 with a walk, homer, two RBI, and two runs. Michael King also turned in seven innings of work, with just one hit allowed.

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How to Watch Cubs vs Padres

When: Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2026 at 10:00 ET
Where: Petco Park, San Diego, California
TV/Streaming: Peacock/NBC Sports Network

Odds for Cubs vs Padres

*Odds are subject to change*