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Sean McVay offers self-deprecating 'dropped mic' response as Los Angeles Rams are back in Super Bowl chase

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:26:03 -0400

The Los Angeles Rams won their first game of the season Monday night and that allows coach Sean McVay to stop beating himself up about the season-opening loss in Australia.

McVay, you should know, had been stewing about that loss to the San Francisco 49ers abroad for going on two weeks leading up to Monday night's game. He took it personally, and blamed himself, maybe because he recognized he was part of the problem.

McVay finally confessed to that after beating the New York Giants in a game his team showed much more energy and better execution.

RAMS' DISASTER IN AUSTRALIA RAISES THE QUESTION: SHOULD THE TEAM HAVE FOLLOWED THE 49ERS THERE EARLIER?

Why?

"We have the right people," McVay said. "Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn. Sometimes you have a dumbass coach that makes travel plans that put you in a bad spot.

"So there you go. That's a dropped mic."

There it is: The haunting trip to Australia, with its unorthodox travel planning, is now in the rearview mirror. The Rams see themselves back on course as a Super Bowl contender.

It wasn't, excuse the metaphor, an easy road to recovery because McVay took a while to let go of the Australia experience.

He criticized himself afterward for days. He didn't like the way he coached and said, "I didn't do a good enough job getting us ready to go."

And days later, McVay's simmering frustration boiled over when he turned his ire on the country where the game was played.

"We're not playing in Australia ever again, I hope," McVay told reporters. "Not because it wasn't a great atmosphere; that'll get taken out of context."

The context is McVay was unhappy with the Rams' travel schedule. And he was unhappy with himself because he had a hand in setting that schedule and definitely was responsible for approving it.

The Rams flew 16 hours to Australia and played the 49ers the following day. The team flew overnight out of Los Angeles on Tuesday and landed in Melbourne on Thursday morning local time.

The game was played Friday morning local time.

NFL ALLOWS STOLEN LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT DISGUISED AS A WELCOMING CEREMONY BEFORE AUSTRALIA GAME

McVay's goal was to outrun the jet lag by staying completely on Los Angeles time, playing, and immediately flying back home.

The 49ers, also a West Coast team, handled it differently. They arrived in Australia six days prior to the game as part of an acclimation strategy.

San Francisco 27.

Los Angeles 7.

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That result remains etched in the standings but is finally blurred from McVay's mind. The anger, the criticism, and the frustration of missing an opportunity have faded after a victory over the Giants.

The players are happy about that. And they're happy to be home.

"I thought our guys came out and played great," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "We played with a bunch of passion, energy, excited to be back home in SoFi."

FOLLOW ARMANDO SALGUERO ON X: @ARMANDOSALGUERO

Jeffries lashes out after House Dem bolsters Republican candidate on leader's home turf

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:23:22 -0400

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., is harshly dismissing a fellow Democrat who publicly undermined his quest to win the majority in Congress — on the left-wing leader's own home turf.

Jeffries hit back at Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, in a statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital on Tuesday after Golden endorsed Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., a moderate Republican, for re-election in November.

"Mike Lawler is a partisan hack and Trump sycophant who Cait Conley will defeat in November. In desperation, he is peddling an 11th-hour endorsement from a retiring congressmember who represents an out-of-town district more than 400 miles away," Jeffries said.

"This smoke-and-mirrors ploy will do nothing to change the outcome of the race. The election will be decided by the people of Westchester and the lower Hudson Valley."

OUTGOING HOUSE DEMOCRAT BACKS INCUMBENT REPUBLICAN LAWMAKER FOR RE-ELECTION

Jeffries claimed Lawler had "never shown bipartisan courage when it matters" while lauding his Democrat opponent as a "combat veteran and patriot."

DEMOCRAT CHALLENGING MIKE LAWLER WON'T COMMIT ON CAMPAIGNING WITH AOC, MAMDANI OR REJECTING DSA

"Mike Lawler can try to run from his extremist record. We will never let him hide," he said.

But Golden, who has broken from Jeffries multiple times in the past, argued Lawler was among the most bipartisan members of Congress.

JEFFRIES THREATENS 'SERIOUS RESPONSE' AFTER DEMOCRATS HELP GOP ADVANCE ANTI-SOCIALISM VOTE

"I know how bipartisan Mike Lawler really is. I know something about what that takes. I held the most challenging district of any Democrat in the country by earning the trust of Democrats, independents, and Republicans alike," Golden wrote.

"Lawler holds one of just three Republican seats in the country that Kamala Harris carried in 2024. Representing districts like ours forces you to work for people who disagree with you, and it teaches you that those people are not your enemies. They are your neighbors."

HOUSE DEMS OVERWHELMINGLY REJECT ANTI-SOCIALISM RESOLUTION AFTER 2 MODERATES DEFY JEFFRIES

He pointed out that the nonpartisan Lugar Bipartisanship Index ranked Lawler the fourth-most bipartisan member of Congress in its most recent analysis.

"I am leaving Congress in January by my own choice, but I have not given up on the institution, and voters should not either. The Congress we get is the one we elect, and the country needs fewer members who treat the job as a stage and more who treat it as work. In New York's Hudson Valley this fall, that is the choice on the ballot," Golden wrote.

Lawler thanked Golden for the endorsement in his own public statement.

"While we are from different parties and different states, Jared and I have worked during our time together in the House to find common ground on issues that matter both to us and our constituents," he wrote on X. "We share a firm belief that what’s best for the people should come before one’s party, and that if more members on both sides of the aisle took that approach more often, the country would be better off for it."

Lawler is facing long odds of winning a third term in Congress, with most projections favoring Democrats in his district in the New York City suburbs.

But Lawler has defied political gravity before, including most recently in November 2024 when his victory split the ticket with ex-Vice President Kamala Harris.

DEMOCRATS PUNISH MEMBERS WHO PUT WORKING AMERICANS AHEAD OF PARTY LOYALTY

Golden, who is retiring at the end of this year, is known for breaking from his party on a variety of issues. He was one of the only Democrats to praise President Donald Trump's tariff efforts.

He also recently made headlines for publicly defying Jeffries by voting with Republicans on a procedural measure called a "rule vote" alongside fellow moderate Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash.

While Republican lawmakers have weaponized rule votes in recent years to extract promises from House GOP leaders, it was almost unheard of for Democrats to defy their leaders like that on the other side of the aisle.

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It was especially stunning to see Golden and Perez do so twice within one month — with Jeffries attacking the move as a "breach of trust" the first time.

Leavitt pulls back the curtain on Trump's 'tense,' unfiltered private talks with Putin, Xi, Starmer

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:15:20 -0400

Former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described President Donald Trump’s approach to high-stakes diplomacy in a new interview Tuesday, recounting tense phone calls with foreign adversaries and a lunch with former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Speaking on the "Hang Out with Sean Hannity" podcast, Leavitt recalled how Trump spoke bluntly with foreign leaders during calls with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping, as well as with allies like Starmer.

"I sat in on a lunch with the president and Starmer. And we're sitting around the table, and we're all enjoying lunch. And we were in this beautiful place. And the president just starts ripping into him for his policies," Leavitt said.

TRUMP SAYS UK'S STARMER WILL RESIGN, WISHES HIM WELL AMID REPORTS OF PM'S POLITICAL FUTURE

"He's like, ‘Your policies here are so stupid. You need to close your borders,’" Leavitt added. "’You need to deport these people you have in your country. I know your country, I know your people, they hate what you're doing.’"

Leavitt said Trump takes the same candid approach with allies and adversaries and argued that what he told the media about his conversations with foreign leaders mirrored what happened behind closed doors.

TRUMP WAS A 'CAGED LION' ROARING TO RETURN TO WHCA DINNER BALLROOM AFTER SHOOTING, LEAVITT SAYS

"What he says to the media publicly is exactly what he's saying behind the scenes privately, too. In fact, much of what he says privately at some point is going to become public when he speaks to the press, because he's just candid, and he's honest," Leavitt said.

"What he says with these foreign leaders behind the scenes is exactly what he tells the media five minutes later when he does a press conference. There's no games," she added.

BEHIND SUMMIT SMILES, XI GIVES BLUNT WARNING TO TRUMP OF 'CLASHES' AND 'CONFLICTS'

In conversations with Putin and Xi, Leavitt described "tense" phone calls in which she witnessed the president being "very straightforward." When asked about Trump's language during these high-stakes moments, Leavitt said that while the president "curses a lot" in general, he keeps those specific translator-assisted calls direct and professional.

"The president was very honest about the fentanyl coming into the country and the precursors to the fentanyl that were manufactured in China. And he brought that up as a sticking point and said, ‘You have to do something about that,’" Leavitt said of Trump's meeting with Xi in South Korea.

TRUMP HEADS TO BEIJING FOR HIGH-STAKES XI TALKS AS TAIWAN TENSIONS, TRADE DISPUTES TEST US STRENGTH

"And sure enough. You know, a couple weeks later, I think it was Kash Patel who announced that those precursors would no longer be sent here. So, you know, he demanded results on behalf of our country, and he made sure that they were delivered upon," she added.

Leavitt said Trump also pressed China to buy more U.S. soybeans to support American farmers.

TRUMP SAYS FIRST CALL WITH NEW UK PM BURNHAM WENT 'VERY WELL,' PLEDGES US SUPPORT

"Sure enough after the meeting they did," she said. "So, he's always again advocating for what our country needs, what our people need, and he's unequivocal about that."

In August, Leavitt announced her decision to leave her role at the White House to spend more time with her family. She gave birth to her second child in May. Leavitt wrote about the decision in a post on X:

"Serving as the White House Press Secretary over the past year and a half has been the honor and adventure of a lifetime," Leavitt wrote.

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"Most of all, I am thankful to the President for entrusting me with the distinct privilege of speaking on his behalf at the White House podium. I have spoken with great pride about the many historic accomplishments of this Administration, and I have relished holding the liberal media accountable and ensuring the American people hear the truth about President Trump’s successes."

Trump defends US interventions abroad ahead of 'big decision' on Iran: 'Settling years of unfinished business'

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:51:58 -0400

President Donald Trump issued a stern warning Tuesday for Iran to make a deal soon or face severe consequences for its pursuit of a nuclear weapon.

"I have a big decision to make: Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before – maybe one of the greatest in the Middle East or even the world?" Trump told the United Nations General Assembly in his morning address.

"Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? Do I drive them into hell with no chance of survival and no hope of future greatness or generations?"

TRUMP TO ZERO-IN ON IRAN NUCLEAR THREAT, GAZA PLAN AND UN OVERHAUL IN WORLD STAGE SPEECH

Trump expressed hope that a deal with the "cowards and traitors" of Iran will come "right after the election, because it doesn't make sense for them not to."

"They're waiting to see how I do in the midterm election," he continued. "What they don't realize is that I'm not running."

The midterm election result "doesn't even enter my mind," Trump stressed.

"The only thing that does is that Iran will never have a nuclear weapon."

TRUMP WARNS IRAN WILL BE HIT 'REALLY HARD' IF NUCLEAR NEGOTIATIONS COLLAPSE AGAIN

Trump opened with a repeat of his policy of American leadership on the global stage.

"I can report to you with pride that America is back, and our country is stronger today than ever before," Trump said at the start of his remarks. "Our economy is the envy of the world. Our military is the most powerful on earth. Our technology is second to none, and we are leading in virtually everything.

"Our energy is fueling the planet. America is rising. Our nation is growing. Our power is expanding. Our country is doing better than ever before, and our future is very, very bright."

Trump said a rising America lifts all boats around the world.

"The entire world is being lifted by the wealth, strength, spirit and momentum of a newly energized and a very powerful United States of America," he added. "And just as we moved quickly to address problems we inherited at home, we have acted with decisiveness and speed to reshape the world stage and solve problems that have plagued us for far too long."

Trump took pointed aim at Iran amid the conflict that has roiled the Strait of Hormuz and global oil supply lines, denouncing "brazen acts of terrorism against civilian ships."

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"I hope the Europeans realize that Iran's goal was to complete their mad dash to a nuclear bomb from behind this conventional ballistic missile shield," he said. "If they had succeeded, that wicked regime would have been free to spread terror and death forever, knowing that any attempt to stop them would face an arsenal of nuclear annihilation."

Bet365 Bonus Code: Get $365 in Bonuses When You Bet $10 on the Final Week of the MLB Regular Season

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 11:10:37 -0400

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How to Watch Rays vs Yankees (Double-Header)

When: Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2026, at 1:05 ET and 7:05 ET
Where: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
TV/Streaming: ESPN, MLB TV (Game 1); MLB TV, TBS (Game 2)
What’s at Stake: Rays lead the division by six games.

MLB Schedule:

Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (Game 1) — 1:05 PM ET | YES, Rays.TV, MLB.TV
Toronto Blue Jays at Baltimore Orioles — 6:35 PM ET | MASN, Sportsnet, MLB.TV
Washington Nationals at Detroit Tigers — 6:40 PM ET | DSN, NATS.TV, MLB.TV
Milwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies — 6:40 PM ET | NBC Sports Philadelphia, Brewers.TV, MLB.TV
St. Louis Cardinals at Pittsburgh Pirates — 6:40 PM ET | SportsNet Pittsburgh, Cardinals.TV, MLB.TV
Cleveland Guardians at Boston Red Sox — 6:45 PM ET | NESN, CleGuardians.TV, MLB.TV
Tampa Bay Rays at New York Yankees (Game 2) — 7:05 PM ET | TBS (National), YES, Rays.TV, MLB.TV
Cincinnati Reds at Atlanta Braves — 7:15 PM ET | BravesVision, Reds.TV, MLB.TV
Miami Marlins at Chicago Cubs — 7:40 PM ET | Marquee Sports Network, Marlins.TV, MLB.TV
Chicago White Sox at Kansas City Royals — 7:40 PM ET | CHSN, Royals.TV, MLB.TV
New York Mets at Texas Rangers — 8:05 PM ET | SNY, RSN, MLB.TV
Arizona Diamondbacks at Colorado Rockies — 8:40 PM ET | DBacks.TV, Colorado Rockies Local Networks, MLB.TV
Los Angeles Angels at Athletics — 9:40 PM ET | NBC Sports California, ABTV, MLB.TV
Houston Astros at Seattle Mariners — 9:40 PM ET | Mariners.TV, SCHN, MLB.TV
Minnesota Twins at San Francisco Giants — 9:45 PM ET | NBC Sports Bay Area, Twins.TV, MLB.TV
San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers — 10:10 PM ET | SportsNet LA, Padres.TV, MLB.TV

House conservatives unleash multimillion-dollar midterm blitz against Dem 'socialist' insurgency

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:56:51 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The House Freedom Caucus' campaign arm is opening its war chest this week and pouring millions of dollars into Republicans' fight against the budding socialist insurgency on the left.

The Freedom Caucus Fund is blitzing the airwaves with $6 million worth of political advertising in six races across the country, ӣ��Ƶ Digital is learning first.

"Each of their opponents are far-left, socialist Democrats who support amnesty for illegal aliens, wide open borders, repealing the Trump tax cuts to fund welfare handouts for noncitizens, men in women's sports, and their top priority, impeaching President Trump," a spokesperson for the Freedom Caucus Fund told ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "With a little over 40 days until the November 3 election, thanks to this Freedom Caucus Fund ad campaign, voters in these districts will find out just how crazy these Democrats are."

LIBERTARIAN TECH MOGUL TO HIT DSA WITH AN EIGHT-FIGURE SPENDING NUKE

The electoral engines driving the House GOP's rightmost flank have been working overtime this midterm season to promote its chosen candidates in both primary and general elections.

If the strategy pays off, the House Freedom Caucus could play a big role in shaping what the Republicans' agenda will look like for the latter half of President Donald Trump's final term.

OUTGOING REP CHIP ROY SAYS THE GOP HAS ALREADY 'DELIVERED SIGNIFICANTLY,' BUT MUST 'FINISH THE JOB'

The investment could also serve to boost the Freedom Caucus' numbers in the 120th Congress, with many of its key players not returning next year.

Marquee names like Reps. Chip Roy, R-Texas, Byron Donalds, R-Fla., and Ralph Norman, R-S.C., are leaving the House come January. Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., who previously served as the group's chairman, is also retiring to run for governor of Arizona.

EX-HOUSE FREEDOM CAUCUS CHAIR SAYS GOP ISN'T 'A CONSERVATIVE PARTY ANYMORE,' BUT DEMOCRATS ARE 'WORSE'

The ad buy is focused on incumbent Reps. Scott Perry, R-Pa., Nick Begich, R-Alaska, Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., and Eli Crane, R-Ariz. It is also bolstering candidates Brandon Herrera, R-Texas, Mike Beltran, R-Fla., and David Flippo, R-Nev.

Perry, Begich, and Herrera are all running in some of the tightest races across the country this November.

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: HOUSE CONTROL COULD HINGE ON WHETHER THE OLD POLITICAL RULES STILL APPLY

It comes as Republicans are fighting an uphill nationwide battle to keep control of the House and Senate in November.

But Democrats' own intraparty civil war could give the GOP the upper hand they otherwise would not have had. A slew of socialist primary victories in both blue and swing districts have forced establishment Democrats to reckon with the far-left's growing influence in the party.

SOCIALIST VICTORIES SHOW DEMS' DESCENT DOWN 'DEADLY PATH OF COMMUNISM,' JOHNSON WARNS

Republicans have argued that the socialist insurgency is shifting the Democratic Party further left than the majority of Americans are right now, seeking to paint the election as a referendum on "common sense versus crazy."

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Democrats, meanwhile, have accused Republicans of doing nothing to help Americans lower the high cost of living while kowtowing to Trump's partisan whims.

Nolan Wells' friends cleared by grand jury as their lawyers vow to hold online accusers accountable

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:43:32 -0400

After a Mississippi grand jury found that Nolan Wells' death was "consistent with drowning" and turned up no evidence of a crime or racial motive, an attorney for one of the men wrongly targeted online said his client intends to hold the accusers accountable.

Wells, 19, disappeared July 4 after taking a boat trip to Horn Island, a barrier island along Mississippi's Gulf Coast, with a group of friends. Search crews combed the area for two days until a National Park Service ranger discovered his remains at the island's northwestern tip on July 6.

Months later, a Jackson County, Mississippi, grand jury returned a "no true bill" in Wells' death investigation, meaning no indictment or charges will be filed.

"The Grand Jury finds that the position of, the condition of, time of discovery, and location of Mr. Wells' remains is consistent with drowning," the grand jury wrote.

In a statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital, Russell Latino, who represents Bart Edmiston and his family, said: "This story involves two tragedies.

SEARCH CALLED OFF AFTER BODY MATCHING MISSING TEEN NOLAN WELLS FOUND OFF MISSISSIPPI COAST

"The death of Nolan Wells is a tragedy. So too is the way his friends, his community and his state were maligned by unscrupulous charlatans and grifters who spread false and malicious lies," Latino said. "The grand jury, made up of Mississippians of all races and backgrounds, did its solemn duty. But to anyone who knew the actual facts, not reckless garbage spewed on the internet, the result of the process was never in doubt. The Edmiston family looks forward to bringing accountability to those who exploited tragedy to divide and injure. They continue to pray for healing, for the family of Nolan and for their precious community."

Edmiston and other friends of Wells' were subjected to months of online rumors and speculation that they were somehow criminally responsible for the then-18-year-old's death. The grand jury and Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath both concluded those allegations were baseless.

Edward Andrew Paltzik, who represents three of Wells' friends, had a pointed message for attorney Ben Crump.

"@AttorneyCrump NO TRUE BILL. You should apologize immediately to completely innocent young men Warren Hudson, Jax Pitalo, and Morgan Seymour. You have some serious explaining to do!" Paltzik said.

He said he's also sent several legal notices to social media influencers and media figures on behalf of three men he represents.

In a video statement Monday, Jackson County District Attorney Angel Myers McIlrath said there was "absolutely no evidence" that Wells' death was due to his race.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital has reached out to Crump for comment.

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"The narrative that three White boys and a Black boy went to an island and only three White friends returned spread like wildfire. This was false," McIlrath said. "There is absolutely no evidence to support the allegations that Nolan's disappearance and death were racially motivated."

"Nolan's friends loved Nolan and Nolan loved them. Nolan chose to stay on the island that day, and there is not a scintilla of evidence to contradict that," she said.

NOLAN WELLS' HOMETOWN OFFICIALS RALLY BEHIND SHERIFF AFTER 'DERELICT IN THEIR DUTIES' ATTACK

READ THE GRAND JURY REPORT:

McIlrath also sharply criticized attorney Ben Crump's team, which she said knew early on that the death wasn't racially motivated.

"The family, the Crump team, and anyone close to Nolan knew that his disappearance and death were not the result of racial hate or violence," she said. "What I am suggesting is that the Crump team knew better but did not do better."

SEND US A TIP

According to the district attorney, the family's legal team advised her office in August that it had uncovered no evidence a crime was committed against Wells.

"On August 13th, 2026, after the Crump team conducted and released the results of its independent autopsy and after receiving hundreds of tips, they advised my office that they had no evidence of a crime being committed against Nolan Wells," she said.

CAJUN NAVY LEADER WARNS NOLAN WELLS' SEARCH AREA HAS DEADLY 'WASHING MACHINE' CURRENTS: 'LOTS OF DROWNINGS'

Lawyers representing Wells' family disputed the decision in a statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said the state was closing the case before the truth had been established, citing bruising on the back of Wells' head and an independent autopsy that he said documented blunt force injuries to Wells' head and back. Crump said neither the family nor the state has determined how Wells died, and he urged the Justice Department to open an investigation if Mississippi declines to do so.

"Today, the State of Mississippi is attempting to close the chapter on Nolan Wells’ death without getting to the truth," Crump said. "We are releasing the final independent autopsy report in its entirety, so everyone can read it for themselves. This grand jury result leaves us with more questions than answers. Nolan’s family will not rest until we know what happened to him, and neither will we."

LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST

Both the Mississippi Chief Medical Examiner and the family's pathologist, Dr. Roger Mitchell, who performed a second autopsy for the Wells family agreed that while the cause of death is undetermined, "drowning is a diagnosis of exclusion." That means the conclusion was reached by ruling out other causes rather than by direct evidence of drowning.

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The grand jury didn't find any evidence suggesting a crime occurred, or that Wells' death was motivated by race, and also took direct aim at the theories circulating on social media about the people on the boats.

GOVERNOR BLAMES ACTIVISTS IN NOLAN WELLS CASE FOR ‘STOKING DIVISION,’ OFFICIAL SAYS FBI PROBING THREATS

"The Grand Jury finds no credible evidence to support the public allegations that any persons who rode to or from Horn Island on July 4, 2026, on the Triton, the Palm Beach, or the Tideline engaged in any criminal conduct related to the death of Mr. Wells," the grand jury wrote. "The allegations against the occupants of the Triton, the Palm Beach, and the Tideline are not based in truth, and are solely the result of public clamor and private malice."

NOLAN WELLS INDEPENDENT AUTOPSY DOESN'T POINT TO FOUL PLAY, FORMER MEDICAL EXAMINER SAYS

Among the many questions surrounding Wells' death was an apparent injury to the back of his head, where bruising was found. A witness testified that he saw Wells slip off a boat, but the grand jury said it could not confirm the fall caused the bruising.

CALIFORNIA MAN ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY SENDING BOMB THREAT TO JUDGE IN NOLAN WELLS' DEATH CASE: DOCS

"A witness testified under oath that he saw Mr. Wells slip awkwardly off the side of a boat around the time of 3:30 p.m. on July 4, 2026, but could not say whether Mr. Wells struck his head during the fall. The witness testified that Mr. Wells continued to socialize after the fall and did not appear injured," the grand jury report said.

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The 23 grand jurors who heard the case included 12 White people, five African Americans, two Hispanics, two Native Americans, one Asian and one who identified as "other."

‘American Idol’ contestant’s murder case sent cops underground with high-powered magnet to find gun

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:21:38 -0400

Former "American Idol" contestant Caleb Flynn's missing handgun sent investigators into storm drains with a high-powered magnet, underneath vehicles and through attic insulation as they searched for the weapon prosecutors allege he used to kill his wife.

Despite the extensive search, investigators never found the gun, a Tipp City detective testified Monday during Flynn's murder trial in Ohio.

Flynn is accused of fatally shooting his wife, Ashley Flynn, inside the couple's home on Feb. 16 before staging the scene to look like an intruder had broken in. He has pleaded not guilty to aggravated murder and other charges.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

Detective Adam Bernard walked jurors through the lengths investigators went to as they searched for the missing firearm in the days after Ashley's death.

Police searched the backyard and nearby wooded areas before turning their attention underground, where investigators used a high-powered magnet to search storm drains along several streets.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

Bernard testified that investigators removed the drain covers, lowered the magnet inside and swept connecting pipes before he physically climbed into accessible culverts with a flashlight to search areas the magnet may have missed.

They found nothing.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

Investigators later had both vehicles from the Flynn home placed on lifts so they could search underneath them and other areas where something could have been hidden, Bernard testified. That search also came up empty.

Police even rented equipment to remove insulation from the attic as they continued looking for the gun.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

Bernard testified that investigators also tried to trace Flynn's firearm purchase history after Flynn previously said he bought a gun in South Carolina, where he obtained his concealed-carry permit.

The detective said he called nearly two dozen gun stores in the state looking for records that could identify the make, model and serial number of a firearm purchased by Flynn.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

That effort did not identify a gun tied to Flynn or Ashley.

The testimony came after a forensic pathologist walked jurors through Ashley's autopsy and described two gunshot wounds to the back of her head.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

Dr. Bryan Casto testified that the entrance wounds overlapped, and the bullets traveled through Ashley's head on nearly parallel paths. One of the bullets exited her head before reentering her left arm near the elbow, where it was recovered during the autopsy.

Casto said the wounds and the paths of the bullets suggested Ashley was shot at close range, but he could not say exactly how far away the gun was when it was fired.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

The pathologist determined Ashley died from multiple gunshot wounds to the head.

Earlier Monday, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) crime scene investigators walked jurors through evidence collected throughout the Flynn home as prosecutors sought to show the alleged break-in had been staged.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ CONTESTANT’S 100K TEXTS WITH MISTRESS SHOW MOTIVE IN WIFE’S MURDER, PROSECUTORS SAY

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A BCI crime scene technician who had examined between 20 and 30 forced-entry doors testified that the damage to a side garage door did not look like the forced entries she had previously investigated.

She said the damage was on the inside of the door rather than areas she would typically expect to be damaged if someone had kicked or pried their way inside.

Flynn's defense challenged the state's conclusions on cross-examination, pointing out that investigators could not determine when some of the door damage occurred and that no blood-spatter analysis was performed because conditions at the scene were not suitable for one.

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David Hammond, a senior special agent with BCI, also testified that he was not aware of evidence showing blood spatter from Ashley's shooting on Flynn's clothing.

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The defense later pressed Bernard about tips received after the killing, including one from a caller who referenced an alleged "hit."

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Bernard testified that he printed tips received by Tipp City police and passed them to the FBI for follow-up. He said he did not know whether the FBI investigated that particular tip.

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The judge sustained objections when the defense tried to get into some of the caller's specific claims.

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Prosecutors also laid the groundwork Monday for the massive trove of messages they say Flynn exchanged with his mistress.

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Bernard testified that a search warrant served on Microsoft produced 107,655 lines of data associated with an email address belonging to Flynn.

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The records were admitted into evidence over a defense objection.

Jaxson Dart walks off field after injury, creating an instant contrast to Caleb Williams' emotional exit

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:21:34 -0400

Two franchise quarterbacks suffered lower-body injuries in Week 2. One went down with a reported MCL injury to his left knee that could result in him being sidelined for weeks, while the other suffered what is being described as a Grade 1 hamstring strain and, as of this writing, has yet to be ruled out for his team's Week 3 contest.

If you had to guess which of the two quarterbacks walked off the field and into the locker room on his own power, you'd go with the second quarterback. If you were forced to pick which of the two was carted off the field and sobbed with a towel over his head, you'd understandably go with quarterback number one.

And you'd be wrong.

GIANTS' JAXSON DART TRIED TO REENTER GAME WITH KNEE INJURY BUT HAD JERSEY TAKEN AWAY: REPORTS

New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart took an awkward, mid-air hit during the first quarter of his team's eventual loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Monday night and did not return to the game. His left knee was forced into a position that knees are not meant to be in, and it was later reported that he was dealing with an issue with his MCL.

While early reports indicate that Dart and the Giants have avoided a worst-case scenario with the knee injury, it was a gruesome sequence, but it didn't stop the second-year signal caller from walking off the turf with a slight limp.

A quarterback showing his toughness and walking away after a painful injury is a common occurrence, but given what transpired with Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams less than 24 hours earlier, Dart walking off the field created quite the juxtaposition.

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Williams went down with a non-contact injury during the fourth quarter of the Bears' loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon, and based on his reaction in real time, it was very easy to assume he had suffered a very serious injury.

Williams reached back and grabbed his left leg as he slid to the turf, a typical sign of an Achilles injury, and then rolled around on the field, screaming in pain.

The former USC star was then helped onto the back of a medical cart to be taken off the field. As soon as it was revealed that Williams had suffered what was more or less just a pulled hamstring, the emotional scene instantly turned into an all-time great sports meme with folks across social media ripping into the face of the Bears franchise.

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Clearly, Williams was both in serious pain and under the assumption that he had suffered an injury that could derail the rest of his season.

While that is thankfully not the case, his overly dramatic exit from the game has opened him up to fair criticism.

Hayden Panettiere cause of death revealed

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:20:20 -0400

Hayden Panettiere died from the toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, alprazolam, methocarbamol and quetiapine, according to the Greenville County Coroner's Office. The manner of death was ruled an accident.

"On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1:51 PM, a 911 call was received regarding a reported cardiac arrest at 701 Easley Bridge Road in Greenville," the Greenville County Coroner's Office said in a release obtained by ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "First responders and Emergency Medical Services arrived on scene and located a female in cardiac arrest. EMS personnel initiated advanced cardiac life support measures; however, resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful, and the individual was pronounced deceased at 2:32 PM."

"The Greenville County Coroner’s Office responded to the scene and initiated a parallel investigation with the Greenville City Police Department. The decedent has been identified as Hayden Leslie Panettiere, 36, of California. Panettiere was found unresponsive inside the residence, where she had been temporarily staying.

"An autopsy was completed by a Board Certified Forensic Pathologist. At autopsy no signs of trauma were discovered that would have contributed to the death."

"The cause of death has been ruled as toxic effects of fentanyl, 4-ANPP, Alprazolam, Methocarbamol, and Quetiapine. The manner of death has been ruled accident."

HAYDEN PANETTIERE’S REP SLAMS ‘GOSSIP AND SPECULATION’ AS DEATH INVESTIGATION DEEPENS

Panettiere was found dead inside a Greenville residence on Aug. 16. She was 36.

The late star's boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, and his brother, Zach, called 911 after finding the actress unresponsive, according to a police report obtained by ӣ��Ƶ Digital. Hickerson later gave authorities a bag containing medication Panettiere had been taking, according to the report.

The police report said Zach appeared "very emotional" while paramedics worked to revive Panettiere. Meanwhile, Hickerson did not become emotional until the "Ice Princess" star was declared dead, according to the report..

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Hickerson traveled with the "Remember the Titans" actress from Los Angeles the day before she was found unresponsive, according to TMZ. The two broke up briefly in 2022, but rekindled their romance the following year. Hickerson's brother confirmed to police Brian was in a relationship with the actress at the time of Panettiere's death.

ӣ��Ƶ learned the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) had also been contacted and was assisting with the investigation.

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Panettiere's representatives previously condemned speculation surrounding the star's final hours and accused outsiders of turning her death into an opportunity to "fuel gossip."

"Many people who were not close to Hayden are using her death as an opportunity to fuel gossip and speculation about a situation they knew very little about," Panettiere's rep said in a statement shared with US Weekly. "It is deeply disrespectful to her memory and to those who knew and loved her and are actively grieving this tremendous loss."

HAYDEN PANETTIERE DEFENDS GIVING UP CUSTODY OF HER DAUGHTER DESPITE INTENSE 'EMOTIONAL PAIN'

"If you have legitimate information that could be helpful, please contact law enforcement rather than turning to social media to speculate publicly about something you do not fully understand."

Panettiere's team also said that key details surrounding Panettiere’s death had yet to emerge.

"There is much more to this story than what is currently being discussed publicly, and those closest to Hayden are actively cooperating with the ongoing investigation to help ensure that the truth comes to light and that justice is properly served," the statement concluded.

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ӣ��Ƶ Digital's Lauryn Overhultz contributed to this report.

Fun fact: University of Michigan engineers created a microcomputer measuring just 0.3 millimeters to a side

Wed, 24 Jul 2024 14:25:51 -0400

Scroll through the slideshow and be amazed

October Prime Day starts soon — here are the dates, tips to shop and what's on sale now

Tue, 15 Sep 2026 09:24:17 -0400

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days — also known as October Prime Day — returns Oct. 6 and 7. The two-day sale includes deals on everyday essentials, high-powered tech, home must-haves and more. We've lined up everything you need to know, along with a few early deals you can shop before the shopping frenzy begins.

To keep up with the latest deals, sign up for the FOX News Deals newsletter.

When is October Prime Day 2026?

October Prime Day runs Oct. 6 and 7 this year, when you can shop deals across a host of categories, including tech, tools, home essentials and everyday basics.

What is Amazon's October Prime Day?

Amazon's October Prime Day event is a smaller version of its annual Prime Day sale. During the event, Prime members can take advantage of discounts across hundreds of categories. Most discounts are exclusive to Prime members, but a select few are available to nonmembers.

Prime memberships cost $139 a year and give you access to steep discounts, limited-time price cuts and Lightning Deals on Amazon’s most popular products, like Apple AirPods Pro 3 and DeWalt’s drill and driver set.

Do you need Amazon Prime to shop October Prime Day?

Most of the deals happening during Amazon's October Prime Day are solely reserved for Prime members. That said, some deals are still available for nonmembers. When you head to checkout, you'll be able to see if the deal is exclusively for Prime members.

How can you find the best October Prime Day deals?

To get the best deals, here are a few tips to follow while you shop:

Become a Prime member ahead of time: Many Prime Day deals are exclusively available to Prime members. If you sign up now, you can start with a 30-day free trial and be ready to shop as soon as deals drop.

Watch for Lightning Deals: Amazon’s Lightning Deals offer deeper discounts for a limited time and can sell out quickly, especially once the timer runs out. Look for the red "Lightning Deal" label on eligible products, and don’t wait too long if you spot something you want.

Sign up for deals alerts: Set up deal alerts and get notifications from Amazon when they release new deals. You can add items to your watchlist for easy tracking.

Sign up for the FOX News Deal newsletter: Stay informed of all the latest and best deals during October Prime Day with our team's newsletter.

Follow FOX News Deals coverage: Stay on top of the biggest discounts by following FOX News Deals on Facebook, where we highlight standout bargains during major shopping events. Or check out the FOX News Deals page on FOX News.

Early October Prime Day deals you can shop now

Although the event hasn't officially started, there are still steep deals you can take advantage of now.

Keurig K-Mini: $49.99 (44% off)

Original price: $89.99

Make a single cup of coffee while saving some serious counter space with the Keurig K-Mini. It's small enough to keep on your desk at work, in a dorm room or stored away in a small cabinet. Choose from three bright colors, or go with classic black for a coffee pot that blends in.

Anker Prime 3-in-1 wireless charging station: $134.98 (41% off)

Original price: $229.99

Save nearly $100 on Anker's wireless charging station, and power up your iPhone, AirPods and Apple Watch all at once. Boost Mode charges your devices quickly, while Sleep Mode ensures you're not disturbed overnight while your tech charges.

FreAire air purifier: $39.99 (64% off)

Original price: $109.99

Clear out fall allergens with a FreAire purifier, now 64% off — its biggest discount ever. A three-level filtration system traps pet hair, pollen and dust in spaces up to 1,086 square feet.

Michael Kors crossbody bag: $89 (61% off)

Original price: $229.50

The Michael Kors crossbody bag has enough space to carry all your daily essentials while giving you an elevated look. The wide logo strap sits comfortably across your body or over your shoulder. Most colors are on sale, but the black is the highest discount.

Beats Studio Pro Bluetooth headphones: $169.95 (51% off)

Original price: $349.99

If you've been waiting to buy a new pair of headphones, now's the time to jump on these Beats Studio Pro headphones while they're more than half off. Switch on Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and block out the world for up to 40 hours before recharging.

FOX readers' favorite picks from October Prime Day 2025

These products were popular with FOX News readers during last year's event — and several are already on sale again ahead of October Prime Day.

Apple AirPods Pro 3: $199 (20% off)

Original price: $249

These AirPods have Active Noise Cancellation that helps reduce background distractions, while Spatial Audio creates a more immersive listening experience. With up to eight hours of battery life, they're a practical choice for commuting, travel and workouts.

Apple AirTag (2nd Gen): $24 (17% off)

Original price: $29

Keep track of your luggage, backpack, wallet or even your pet with an AirTag. It pairs with your phone via the FindMy app, so you'll always know where your most valuable possessions are at all times.

DeWalt jigsaw: $130 (46% off)

Original price: $239

A popular pick with FOX News readers, the DeWalt jigsaw is nearly half off. It has a bright light that keeps your line lit up as you cut. The variable-speed trigger lets you increase the speed for tougher materials or lower it for more precise cuts.

DeWalt cordless drill and impact driver set: $179 (25% off)

Original price: $239

The DeWalt drill and driver set gives you all the power you need to complete DIY or professional projects. An ergonomic design makes it possible to fit the tools into tight spaces, and the built-in light brightens dark areas.

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

Samsonite Freeform luggage set: $274.99 (43% off)

Original price: $479.99

Prepare early for the holiday travel season with Samsonite's Freeform luggage set, complete with a large suitcase and carry-on. Both have spinner wheels that make it easier to move through the airport. Spacious compartments with straps keep your belongings organized and compress clothes so you can stuff more in.

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

Chicago's half-empty schools reveal a crisis city leaders refuse to confront

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:47 -0400

On the West Side of Chicago, Frederick Douglass Academy had a grand total of 27 students inside a building that was built for 1,000 students. That is only 2% of the building's capacity. The school was one of 13 Chicago schools that had fewer than 100 students. Across the city, 35% of schools are less than half full. The Chicago Public Schools system has lost more than 77,000 students since 2010.

So where are all the students disappearing to? The answer is an indictment of the city and its public school sector.

It is true that many families have left the city because of its rising cost of living. I know many Black families who have moved out, and their numbers are in the tens of thousands. It is also true that the birth rate in Chicago has dropped by nearly 50% in less than 20 years. It is not surprising that many graduates choose to leave the city instead of staying and starting families here.

NEW YORK CITY'S DECLINING PUBLIC SCHOOL ENROLLMENT PROJECTED TO LOSE OVER 150K MORE AS POPULATION DECLINES

But these are not the only reasons why so many public schools are suffering from abysmal enrollment numbers.

The children who live on the West Side and South Side did not all disappear. They chose not to go to their neighborhood public high schools. I cannot blame them. Students stuck in these schools tell me they can't learn because the teachers cannot control the rowdier kids. There's a lack of discipline, and rules are hardly enforced. Some students even tell me that some teachers don't even try and just pass the kids. So kids know that if they challenge the teachers and make trouble, they will often give up and award them a passing grade.

JONATHAN TURLEY: CHICAGO SCHOOLS REWARD PROTEST WHILE STUDENTS CAN'T READ

The students and parents hear all of these stories, and that plays a major role in why they are choosing to enroll in magnet schools, charter schools, parochial schools, and even private schools. CPS still enrolls most of the city's remaining kids, but its share slipped from about 75% to 71%. That is roughly 18,000 children who live in Chicago and chose something else. Parents in Kids First workshops said school quality is one of the reasons families stay or go.

And they are right to do so.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION TOUTS ‘HARD RESET’ FOR AMERICAN SCHOOLS, VOWS TO PUT PARENTS ‘BACK IN CHARGE’

If we look more closely at the statistics, it is easy to see why so many families have opted out of public schools, especially Black families. In the same district, Black students in selective enrollment high schools are three times more likely to read at grade level than Black students in traditional public schools. When it comes to math, the numbers are even starker. Black students are five times more likely to be proficient in math in selective enrollment schools than their peers in public schools. Parents are seeing the data, and they're voting with their feet.

It doesn't help that the Chicago Teachers Union has made a mockery of itself. The head of the union doesn't even send her own children to the public schools that she oversees. The CTU has continued to choose politics over its teachers and schools time after time. In 2025, CTU spent a record $4.2 million on politics and lobbying while spending less than 18% of its total spending on representing teachers. It poured millions into electing Mayor Brandon Johnson, a former CTU organizer. It then used that alliance to freeze school closings and to fight school-choice initiatives that have been a boon to many poor parents.

STEVE MOORE, ED POZZUOLI: STOP FUNDING SCHOOL SYSTEMS. LET THE MONEY FOLLOW THE CHILD

If it couldn't get worse than that, CTU also helped kill Illinois' Invest in Kids scholarships because they allowed kids to escape the public schools. Not only that, CTU has made the national news several times for using "days of action" to turn kids into activists for whatever left-wing cause is in vogue at the moment. So why would CTU be shocked when families see all of this political activity and instead choose to get the best education for their children?

POWERFUL TEACHERS' UNIONS SHARE STRIKING LINK WITH STATES STRUGGLING TO TEACH KIDS TO READ

I want to be clear that I'm not here to slander teachers. Many of them are excellent, but they will tell you, as they have told me, that they are trapped in a system that does not allow them to teach to the fullest of their abilities. One told me, "I want to teach algebra, and I want to experience that joy when I see a child struggling at the beginning of the year only to become masterful by the end of the year — I don't want to teach activism."

That is why the buildings are empty. The people who run these buildings are largely the problem.

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They have created schools that hold little appeal to families. This is America, a capitalist society, where people will always choose what is best for them. No parent wants to drive that extra hour or pay extra fees or tuition, but they will do so for their child's education. If the public schools want to bring these students back, then they have to buck the existing leadership.

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They have to return to the original purpose of the public schools: to develop young minds into educated, upstanding citizens. The empty buildings are a symbol of how far we have strayed from that original purpose.

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Dem reactions within moments of Austin ICE shooting spark viral outrage locally, online: 'Disqualifying'

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 10:00:45 -0400

Democrats in Austin, Texas, are facing criticism both online and from a retired cop who spoke to ӣ��Ƶ Digital after rushing to attack Immigration and Customs Enforcement moments after a suspected illegal immigrant was shot before any investigation had taken place.

An ICE officer shot a man in Austin on Sunday and almost immediately, before basic facts had been established in the case, and before the man had been identified as Wilber Rafael Garces Perez, elected Democrats in Austin were speaking out against ICE, including Rep. Greg Casar, Councilman Mike Siegel, and Mayor Kirk Watson.

"It is awful that this war has come to our doorstep," Casar, a member of the progressive Squad caucus, said during a Sunday press conference in a clip that was highlighted by the White House Rapid Response account on X.

"And as the mayor said, unfortunately it is not a surprise. Just a few weeks ago as we saw the ICE surge come to Austin, especially to north central Austin, I and others said that ICE needed to leave before someone was shot like in Minneapolis or like in Corpus Christi or like in Chicago, and that day is here and so I think the message remains that for Austin to be safe, ICE should end its surge here in our community."

BRANDON GILL UNLOADS ON DEMOCRATS OVER ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CHARGED WITH RAPING TEEN: 'COLLATERAL DAMAGE'

Casar and his fellow Democrats quickly sparked viral social media criticism from conservatives accusing the left of selective outrage when it comes to crime, particularly illegal immigrant crime.

"Where was the outcry from this guy last fall when an illegal alien in Texas used a machete to behead a man in front of his spouse and child?" Tricia McLaughlin, former assistant secretary of Homeland Security for public affairs, posted on X. "The perpetrator reportedly kicked the head of the victim ‘around like a soccer ball.’ "

"There it is," Townhall’s Amy Curtis posted on X. "The Democrats want no immigration laws. They want to destroy this nation. Remember this in November."

"This sort of rhetoric should be disqualifying for any elected official," Texas Republican State Rep. Andy Hopper posted on X. "You cannot faithfully take the oath of office and be for open borders. "

Dennis Farris, president of the Austin Police Retired Officers Association, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital he expects that kind of rhetoric from Casar and Siegel but was surprised to hear Mayor Watson rush to place blame on ICE both in the press conference and on social media.

‘OUT OF CONTROL’ KILLINGS IN SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA REACH ‘INSANE’ POINT AS MIGRANT CHARGED IN STABBING SPREE

"With Casar, it didn't surprise me, that’s Greg Casar, he's a bomb thrower, he's been a bomb thrower and he's been a reactionary known for shooting his mouth off before he has all the facts," Farris said. "He did that when he was on the city council. He did it in the Mike Ramos shooting. That’s just Greg Casar, He's known for his theatrics."

"I've known the mayor a long time, consider the mayor a friend, I was really shocked at how visceral his reaction was, he's usually a lot more measured," Farris said. "I can understand being upset but the way he reacted, I think, raised the temperature in Austin because he is the one that he is, the leader, right? He is the city leader. He's the mayor. He's the one supposed to be trying to keep things calm and I think his reaction yesterday made it worse."

Watson’s post was "ratioed" on social media, yielding far more negative comments and quote tweets than positive ones, with locals and internet users accusing him of fanning the flames before the facts were known.

"Honestly shocking Mayor @KirkPWatson would issue this sort of statement knowing full well the investigation has barely started, Hope he’s not about to make an Adler-esque 2nd term turn," prominent Austin attorney Adam Loewy posted on X, referencing former Austin Mayor Steve Adler who presided over the 2020 George Floyd rioting in the city.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to the offices of Casar, Watson, and Siegel for comment.

Farris rejected Democrat claims that ICE is "surging" in Austin and said that federal immigration authorities, whether ICE or INS, have been conducting deportations in Austin for decades without any fanfare.

"They've been arresting people that were in the country illegally and I think what we're seeing here is that the reaction to it is because of Trump, it's the Trump administration doing it and it's just another way to dislike the president for whatever reason you want to dislike him for," Farris said.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Austin Police said three people were arrested, several police vehicles were damaged, and two officers were injured after hundreds took to the streets throwing rocks, bottles, and piece of concrete at officers, ӣ��Ƶ national correspondent Brooke Taylor reported.

DHS sources confirmed to ӣ��Ƶ on Sunday that Garces Perez is an illegal immigrant from Venezuela with a final order of removal. DHS said Garces Perez illegally entered the United States under the Biden administration. The agency said he was shot during a law enforcement operation.

Perez’s attorney, Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch, claims he was driving for DoorDash when an unmarked truck sideswiped him, chased him and struck his car again before an ICE officer shot him in the back of the neck.

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"Wilber entered through CBPOne seeking asylum," Lincoln-Goldfinch posted on X on Monday. "He was inspected and entered lawfully through a port of entry. He was issued a valid work permit. The issue regarding the deportation order is that he moved and changed addresses. There was a notice for a hearing sent to the wrong address that he missed, which is VERY common. We are working on that. He will be released from detention, his immigration matter will be resolved, and the agencies will be held accountable."

SEE IT: Top Dem operative draws line at ‘deplorable’ Hasan Piker after touting party’s ‘big tent’

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:41:21 -0400

Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin distanced his party from far-left streamer Hasan Piker, calling his past remarks "disgusting and deplorable" while defending Democrats as a "big tent" that encompasses a wide range of political views.

"Let me just say that I think it's absolutely disgusting and deplorable the things that Hasan Piker has said," Martin said. "But he does not represent the Democratic Party, and he certainly doesn't represent the viewpoints of almost every one of our candidates and our elected officials."

Martin made the remarks after ӣ��Ƶ Digital asked how the party is navigating divisions among Democrats as socialist candidates gain prominence, including Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed.

RASKIN CALLS PIKER’S RHETORIC 'IRRELEVANT DISTRACTION' AFTER THE STREAMER SAID HE'D VOTE FOR HAMAS OVER ISRAEL

"Look, no one should confuse unity with unanimity in the Democratic Party, right?" Martin said. "We are a big tent party. We have lots of different viewpoints and ideas and all sorts of issues."

Piker has been scrutinized for a slew of past comments critical of Israel — one of his most controversial comments was claiming that the U.S. "deserved 9/11."

Martin previously joined other party leaders and prominent Democrats in condemning rhetoric blaming Jewish Americans for threats and violence, calling it "dangerous, wrong, and antisemitic," but his statement did not name Piker.

"Criticizing the policies and actions of the Israeli government is one thing," Martin posted to X last month. "Blaming American Jews for the hatred, threats, and violence directed at them is something else entirely. It is dangerous, wrong, and antisemitic."

The comments come as El-Sayed, who campaigned with Piker during Michigan's Democratic primary, has sought to distance himself from the streamer as Republicans make their association a midterm attack line.

EL-SAYED GRILLED ON PIKER, ISRAEL AND SOCIALIST TIES AFTER MIKE ROGERS SKIPS SENATE DEBATE

Martin also called out Republicans for cutting the House’s September session short and leaving Capitol Hill weeks before the midterm elections, telling ӣ��Ƶ Digital there is crucial legislative work that will be left unfinished.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced last week that he was canceling votes scheduled last week and sent lawmakers home one day early ahead of the midterm election recess. Johnson has defended the decision, saying the House had "done its work."

"Republicans… they're afraid to actually come to Washington for a whole host of reasons, right?" Martin said. "They've recessed saying mission accomplished six weeks early when they could actually do something to help the American people."

"What the hell are they doing? Where are they going? You know what, Democrats are here. We're ready to work. We are ready to pass legislation that actually helps get people a chance, an opportunity, a chance to get ahead. Where the hell are the Republicans?"

WHY THE HOUSE LET OUT EARLY IS A MATTER OF DEBATE AFTER JOHNSON SAYS CHAMBER HAS 'DONE ITS WORK'

Martin also predicted Democrats would win control of both chambers in November as the elections inch closer, with roughly six weeks until Americans vote to determine which party will control the Senate and the House.

"Mark my words right here," Martin said. "You heard it here first, right? 47 days left. The Democratic Party is going to take control of the House back, and we're going to control the Senate back, and we're not going to screw around like these Republicans have."

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Lindsay Clancy holdout juror's lawyer torches 'Looney Tunes motion' to investigate him

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:34:27 -0400

Lindsay Clancy's defense team is calling for an investigation into the holdout juror who sought to find her guilty of murder in the strangling of her children and using his refusal to bow to peer pressure to ask a judge to dismiss her charges — prompting a blistering response from his lawyer.

"The 'Looney Tunes' motion filed yesterday by Kevin 'Shooter McGavin' Reddington to investigate Michael is not just an attack on Michael for being the courageous lone holdout juror," attorney Edward Paltzik wrote on X Tuesday morning, referring to the holdout, Michael Desronvil.

"Reddington's motion is actually a full-frontal attack on the U.S. Constitution," Paltzik warned. "Because if the new normal is that jurors are going to face brutal reprisals for disagreeing with a defense attorney, you can kiss the Sixth Amendment goodbye."

LINDSAY CLANCY PROSECUTORS FACE DILEMMA: RETRIAL OR PLEA DEAL IN CASE INVOLVING 3 STRANGLED CHILDREN

He warned that if the judge grants defense demands for an investigation into his client it would undermine the American criminal justice system in the long run.

"If we follow his destructive proposal to its logical conclusion, we're going to have an endless cycle of prosecutors investigating holdouts who oppose 'guilty' and defense attorneys investigating holdouts who oppose 'not guilty,'" he wrote. "Pretty soon we'll end up with... a retrograde justice system that will look a lot like the Hatfield-McCoy Feud: a cycle of carnage so malignant that its origins will fade in importance, replaced by the hopeless death spiral of the cycle itself."

Reddington, in a motion filed Friday, called for a "limited inquiry" into the holdout, for information about his background and potential criminal history, phone records, courthouse surveillance video and more.

Neither Paltzik nor Reddington immediately responded to requests for comment from ӣ��Ƶ Digital Tuesday morning.

LINDSAY CLANCY JUDGE CALLS MISTRIAL, THEN GRANTS DEFENSE ONE HOUR STAY FOR APPEAL

In a separate filing, another attorney for Clancy, Martin Weinberg, argued that Judge William Sullivan's decision to overrule a defense objection at trial should be grounds for dismissing the charges against the 36-year-old defendant on double jeopardy grounds. That motion also centered on the holdout juror and allegations that he ignored the judge's instructions and the law.

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"The jury twice informed the Court that one of its members was refusing to apply the Court's instructions regarding the fundamental concept of reasonable doubt," Weinberg wrote. "After the first such report, the Court asked each juror individually whether he or she was able to apply the law. Upon receiving the second report, the Court tempered its response even further, simply reminding all jurors as a group of their obligation to follow its instructions generally. The Court denied Ms. Clancy's explicit requests to go further."

LINDSAY CLANCY HOLDOUT JUROR MAKES NEW PROMISE AS LAWYER WARNS OF PUBLIC ATTACKS

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Weinberg's motion argued that Sullivan's decision to declare a mistrial before investigating the holdout is improper, alleging that the jury foreperson accused the holdout of making "statements acknowledging doubt but refus[ing] to apply it to the verdict as the law states."

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Paltzik has said he began representing Desronvil last week as the holdout faced mounting public pressure from his fellow jurors, Clancy's defense and her supporters among the public.

JUROR ON LINDSAY CLANCY TRIAL SAYS 'WE LET DOWN LINDSAY' FOLLOWING MISTRIAL

Several other jurors have spoken publicly following Clancy's mistrial, which was declared on Sept. 4. Some, including the jury foreperson, have accused Desronvil of ignoring his own reasonable doubts about the prosecution's case, a claim he denied in his only public remarks.

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"I didn't have any doubts," he said in a statement last week, first made to NewsNation. "As I tried to explain different possible theories during deliberation, I kept getting cut off as if I had doubts based on the evidence present."

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He said that based on the physical evidence, witness testimony and the prosecution's presentations, he "thought it was enough proof that she knew exactly what she was doing and planned."

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Clancy, a former labor and delivery nurse, admitted killing her children — Cora, 5, Dawson, 3, and Callan, 8 months — but argued she was not criminally responsible because she was suffering from postpartum psychosis at the time of the killings. Prosecutors argued she planned the murders and understood that what she was doing was wrong.

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Clancy is due back in court Sept. 29.

Nicole Kidman reacts to shocking 'Lioness' season 3 finale and the twist nobody saw coming

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:33:13 -0400

WARNING: Spoilers below.

Nicole Kidman has plenty of thoughts about the season finale of "Lioness."

The hit CIA/military show created by Taylor Sheridan aired its season three finale on Sunday after a gritty and dark ride focused on the kidnapping of Joe (Zoe Saldaña).

'LIONESS' STAR LAYSLA DE OLIVEIRA REACTS TO THE EXPLOSIVE RESCUE EPISODE IN SEASON THREE

The rescue mission went down in episode seven, and the eighth and final episode of the latest season – titled "The Unraveling" – finally revealed who was pulling the strings the entire time.

It wasn't the Russians, Iran or Ukraine.

It was Aaliyah Amrohi.

The seemingly sweet and innocent woman from season one has become a brutally violent villain out for revenge. It was a full-circle moment for viewers. You can read my full breakdown here.

ZOE SALDAÑA SHARES BEHIND THE SCENES INSTAGRAM POSTS FROM BRUTAL 'LIONESS' TORTURE SCENE

Nicole Kidman reacts to shocking "Lioness" season finale.

Kidman, who plays Kaitlyn, spoke with Entertainment Weekly about the finale and touched on one of the most shocking moments:

The murder of Oleksandra, who ultimately was completely innocent of any wrongdoing.

LIONESS STAR MICHAEL KELLY CALLS TAYLOR SHERIDAN 'ONE OF THE GREATEST STORYTELLERS' IN ENTERTAINMENT

"She absolutely has a moral code and conscience, but she always weighs it up against cost. At the same time, she’s not mired down in regret. She’s a move-forward person, in the same way that when people play sports, you don’t get stuck on a previous point. Because otherwise she can’t do her job; she’s rendered inactive and vulnerable then," Kidman told the outlet when asked if she thinks her character feels remorse over the killing.

Kidman also touched on what might be in the future for her character, and told the outlet, "There’s a lot. We’ll see where it goes, if we get to make a fourth season. It’s just so rich that there’s so many different paths that you can go down. The first season, you’re establishing everything, and the beauty of getting to do multiple seasons is that it becomes more deeper, richer, more complex. Taylor is such a strong writer that he can take things anywhere."

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A fourth season hasn't been officially announced yet, but signs certainly seem to indicate it's going to happen.

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Have you already seen the "Lioness" finale? Let me know your thoughts at David.Hookstead@outkick.com.

Four days in Oxford: Inside the chaotic return of Lane Kiffin to Ole Miss, that turned into pure cinema

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:28:53 -0400

The absolute gem of a weekend in Oxford has come and gone, with a day of college football that could rival anything we’ve seen in recent memory. Ole Miss versus LSU delivered pure cinema, largely because of Lane Kiffin’s dramatic return to Oxford.

Now, all sides can move on until the two teams meet again next year in Baton Rouge. While much of the theatrics surrounding Kiffin’s return felt like an attempt to sell tickets to a show that had already sold itself, the weekend still delivered an experience that will be remembered for decades.

LANE KIFFIN WALKED BACK INTO OXFORD AS THE MAIN CHARACTER, BUT OLE MISS AND PETE GOLDING STOLE HIS SPOTLIGHT

Both Ole Miss and LSU fans will now come to grips with the fact that life goes on, especially during the 2026 season.

Next up, the Rebels will travel to Gainesville for a showdown with the Florida Gators, while LSU will host Texas A&M in Baton Rouge with both teams coming off what could turn into consequential losses as the CFP race heats up.

But to put a bow on one of the craziest ten-month stretches in college football, it might be best to give you a glimpse of what life was like inside and outside Vaught-Hemingway Stadium last week.

LANE KIFFIN’S RETURN TO OLE MISS COMES WITH BETRAYAL, LAWSUITS AND MEMORIES OF HIM TRYING TO BURN IT ALL DOWN

A buildup like none other: Oxford was preparing to host what turned into a circus

In the best way possible, the town was buzzing just as you'd expect for a top-10 showdown between two SEC teams with such a storied past.

Add on the fact that former coach Lane Kiffin was returning to Ole Miss for the first time since he abruptly left the Rebels before their College Football Playoff run, and you had a powder keg of emotions ready to explode with just one lit match.

'HE'S DUST': OLE MISS STUDENTS RIP LANE KIFFIN AS LSU COACH PREPARES FOR HATRED IN OXFORD

I first noticed it on Thursday afternoon, while enjoying an afternoon walk around the infamous "Square" that makes up downtown Oxford. As I sat down for lunch inside Ajax Diner, which encompasses all that is good with southern cuisine, I couldn’t help but overhear two gentlemen who were both wearing Ole Miss polos discussing the upcoming showdown.

"We really need to win this game," one diner attendee said about the upcoming game. "I can't imagine how that bastard will act if they [LSU] win."

In reality, this was one of the more interesting dynamics of the week. The "what if" dilemma that Ole Miss fans were bantering about. Whether that was in the local apparel stores that are located in the downtown area, or the plethora of restaurants within walking distance of the majestic looking government building that sits in the middle of the "Square."

I even found myself in the middle of a conversation about the upcoming game while I was filling up my gas tank.

ELLA LANGLEY, DISTRACTIONS AND LANE KIFFIN: PETE GOLDING CALLS OLE MISS-LSU ‘HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING’

"What ya think man? I just happened to hear you talking on the phone about the game or something you're writing," another Ole Miss asked me while standing at the pump (I guess I was talking a bit loud). We really need to send him a message, but they look damn good as well."

As I gave him my reasonings as to why I thought Ole Miss would end up winning the game on Saturday, it was as if I was also calming his nerves of what could potentially be coming.

"I like the way you think man. Be careful out here this weekend, it might get a little crazy," the Oxford local politely replied.

That's another thing about these college towns that feel as though gets lost on folks who haven’t truly experienced a college football weekend: the buildup with outside noise can be overblown.

Why would I assert that? Mainly because noted analyst, or however you'd like to describe his role, Stephen A. Smith made it a point to say he was not attending the game out of fear of what Oxford would turn into on Saturday.

The need to overcompensate gameday drama turned out to be overblown

I want to make this point very clear: I never once felt my safety was at risk during my time in Oxford.

Sure, this would be an atmosphere that most of us had never covered before, with ten months of buildup filled with hatred and verbal jabs. But, it seems as though a lot was made of potential riots or the safety of Lane Kiffin being at risk was done to sell the game for a television rating.

In reality, this was an Ole Miss fan base that was pissed beyond measure about an airport exit out of Oxford following the Egg Bowl last season. They were upset that Kiffin would essentially try to burn it down on the way out, after not getting what he wanted in coaching the Rebels during their CFP run.

I knew this was going to be a different type of experience as I started my walk to the stadium, with a Louisiana state trooper carrying a bag that contained his sniper rifle. His colleague walked up to a State of Mississippi trooper and politely asked "Hey there, I'm trying to help my guy get his weapon into the stadium. Can you direct me to the right person?"

Outside, where the LSU busses would arrive, stood a large walkway fence that would prevent fans from either side getting close to the team and their head coach.

Standing next to a colleague, we could hear the police radio detailing LSU's eta to the stadium.

"Thirteen minutes out, they are running a little behind. Let's get everyone on the ground prepared," a dispatcher said.

At that moment, security workers expanded the blue fence, creating the walkway for LSU's arrival.

And just like the ones I would hear on my way back to the AirBnB I was staying at in the area, you could hear the police sirens blaring in the distance. The opposing team, along with their flamboyant head coach, had arrived at 4:49 p.m. central time to a cheers and boos from fans hoping to get a glimpse of Lane Kiffin walking back into Vaught Hemingway Stadium.

More than sixteen State Troopers from both Louisiana and Mississippi were in some capacity guarding the Tigers on this day.

They lined the walkway in the same manner as they lined the field as the Tigers head coach would make his grand entrance, waving at fans in an awkward way. It was almost as if this was a red-carpet event, with security that would rival the president's entourage.

Unfortunately for LSU, they could have used a defense like that during the first half against Ole Miss and Trinidad Chambliss, as the Rebels held a 24-7 lead at halftime.

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Luckily for those watching at home, or the LSU fans that made the trip to Oxford, the Tigers would put together a comeback that provided more drama on the field than anything we witnessed off of it.

By now, you've all seen it. Trinidad Chambliss takes one to the house, followed by Ole Miss head coach Pete Golding making the incredible call to go for the two-point conversion that his offense secured. An eight point lead, with LSU getting one final chance to tie it up.

As police officers stood in the end-zone watching for any Ole Miss students that would throw objects onto the field, it was the Rebels defense that sent this crowd into one last frenzy as they intercepted LSU's Sam Leavitt to seal the win.

Defensive players for the Rebels would run past Lane Kiffin and the LSU staff, pointing and glaring, rightfully gloating about how this on-field show would come to an end.

Just as Trinidad Chambliss took a knee to end this magical game, I wondered aloud to a colleague about whether Ole Miss students would storm the field.

Turns out on this night, the celebrations would take place in the stands, and I can't say I was disappointed by the fact I wouldn’t have to worry about being trampled while trying to capture the scene.

Leaving a stadium that was the epicenter of college football

It turned into a cinematic experience.

Walking from Lane Kiffin's postgame press conference, following super-agent Jimmy Sexton into the Ole Miss athletic facility for Pete Golding's availability, the Rebels faithful basked in the glory of what they had just witnessed.

A jubilant crowd walked around outside Vaught Hemingway Stadium. But, they weren’t waiting to get one final glimpse of Lane Kiffin as he walked to the LSU busses.

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No, students and fans were making their way back to the 'Grove' or the 'Square' to celebrate, while we listened to both coaches discuss this wild showdown. It felt as though there was one big sigh of relief that incapsulated the entire area, knowing Kiffin wouldn’t be leaving Oxford with the win, while also understanding that Pete Golding would be just fine moving forward.

Finally, after being on-campus for 14 hours, I finished my story and headed for the parking garage. What was waiting for me back at the AirBnB was on my mind. I had booked this rental not actually investigating its actual location.

Turns out, I was staying in what was essentially a college neighborhood filled with condos and townhouses.

Just as the day I arrived in Oxford, the southern hospitality was waiting for me at the upstairs guesthouse I rented, with seven Ole Miss students watching highlights on the couch.

"Hey dude, that was f—–g awesome. You want a beer man? Come on, have a beer with us!"

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While I appreciated the gesture, and probably could’ve used one or two, I politely passed on the drink

The week, which had been building for ten months, had come to an end. And with that, the circus that was the "Lane Kiffin return" could be closed, at least for a year.

Once again, the cinema around college football delivered.

Elizabeth Hurley reveals how she stays in shape without going to the gym, SoFi brawl & dogs at NFL games

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:12:04 -0400

Welcome to Tuesday Screencaps and the first day of fall. Contrary to popular belief, this IS NOT American's favorite season of the year. According to YouGov.com, SUMMER is by far the most favorite season of the year. 54% of those polled in April said summer is superior.

Fall was in 3rd place. 13% of those polled said it was their favorite season. But...but...but...that poll was taken in April. Of course people would say summer because they were miserable from a long winter.

OK, so let's go back to a Gallup poll from 1947 where 34% of those polled said spring was their favorite season (fall was at 32%). Fast-forward to 2005 and fall had a 27% favorability rating.

PGA WIFE JENA SIMS JOINS THE RESPECT SUMMER FIGHT AGAINST SEASONAL CREEP, URLACHER'S SON IS A STUD & LUCK

Let's face it, the pumpkin spice latte industry has worked HARD to market fall as amazing to suburban women. It's worked — to a point. The pumpkin spice industry reportedly generates over $1.1 billion in annual sales, but people don't actually like fall as much as we're led to believe.

Sorry, ladies. You've been outed.

Screencaps readers write:

• Andy saw this at the Broncos game: Long time reader...but never had anything nuts enough to send in till yesterday. A person in the stands at the Broncos-Jaguars game appears to have snuck in a small dog in the clear bags the stadium allows you to bring food to the stadium. Obviously not a service dog...people are nuts.

Always enjoy your daily columns. One of the few sane parts of the internet that shows there is still some common sense in the USA.

• Dave from Capitola, CA emails: Thanks for your passion and insight. Here's a thought: Let's make offensive holding a five yard penalty instead of ten. With how ubiquitous that call is, I thinks it's too penal. Hell, they say you can find a penalty on EVERY play. I agree, and you don't have to look too hard.

Let's face it, ALL offensive lineman hold, it's there job to not get caught. You see many plays when an OL hold for a second and release, but, it's too late. It's too capricious of a call by officials. One hold on 1st down and now it's 1st and 20. 2 in a row and you're screwed (1st and 30?!). Too punitive. Wouldn't 1st and 15 make the game more interesting? Ergo, more entertaining. Thoughts?

• Eric P. in the PnW is back: Can you imagine what the media would do if the Chiefs and Maholmes , the Rams and Stafford or the Ravens and Lamarr won 12 games in a row including the Rams and 49ers twice and the Superbowl? Or if they held a team to not one play over 9 yards the entire game?

AND put up 31 points with a back up QB and a rookie Running Back not named Love?? Well the Hawks did that on Sunday even after almost every betting prognosticator took Arizona +4 points..As the coach said after the SB.. "We Don’t Care", when speaking of the media disrespect.

• John S. has had enough: I held off on this rant last week but can’t hold back anymore. How more times do we need to see Jason Kelce and his wife do the Sunday Ticket commercial. Literally the over/under has to be 50 from 1-7:30.

Kinsey: As a Sunday Ticket subscriber, I feel like I should have the option to block that commercial on YouTubeTV. If I pay $240, at least let me block those two.

SAILGATING GUIDE: 9 FOOTBALL STADIUMS WHERE FANS CAN ARRIVE BY BOAT INSTEAD OF FIGHTING FOR PARKING

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Elizabeth Hurley is pro-Thursday Night Mowing League...this is all the evidence I need

"I haven’t been to a gym since the 90s and keep active by gardening and strimming hedges, but with no bushes to trim or weeds to pull in LA, I’m taking time to S-T-R-E-T-C-H," Hurley revealed Monday night on Instagram.

I think she means "trimming" hedges, but you get the point. Let's keep in mind that Hurley is now 61 years old. In June, she explained her routine to Hello!. "I spend all day outside wrestling my garden into submission, so, by default, I bend, stretch and lift things all day long," Hurley said. "If I'm not working, I don't set an alarm and wake up naturally – usually between 7am and 8am."

She'll pour a probiotic and let the dogs out to go to the bathroom and then her day begins. "Then I take a few tasty morsels out to James the tortoise and stroke the top of his head for a bit. Once back home I have a few espressos, check my inbox and the rest of the day is usually a whirlwind of cooking, gardening, signing off on projects and the dreaded Zooms," Liz added.

Ladies, you've been doing it all wrong. Go pull weeds and stay off the treadmill.

Are driving habits changing due to gas prices?

• Harvey D. in the 419 asks: Question to the Screencaps masses: With fuel prices what they are, has anyone noticed less traffic and reasonable speeds on the morning commute? You know, not playing Gran Turismo in real-life headed to work down the E way.

I put some miles on per week, and I have noticed a definite shift in velocities and or asshattery on the byways. The state route in front of the estate is noticeably down in volume and or speeds. Just trying to confirm an observation.

Kinsey: I'm not the guy to answer this question. Outside of my recent drives to to Detroit and Buffalo, I spend very little time on the highways.

Question about game day in Green Bay

• Glyn C. asks: Thanks Joe and community, you all make this my daily read. Traveling to Green Bay for a game. I saved the how to get to Green Bay and avoid Chicago route. Taking my son to a Green Bay game this year, life-long dream. We are staying in about 8 miles from stadium. Drive in? Uber? Dinner Friday? Saturday must do? Sunday?

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Kinsey: It's been probably 8-10 years since I attended a Thursday night Packers game. I learned a valuable lesson that night: Uber prices out of Lambeau are INSANE. My dad and I were forced to sit in a hotel lobby waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the Uber rates to drop to a reasonable level. I seem to remember something like $150, which felt like $400 at the time.

As long as you're not going to crush a box of beers, I would drive in.

I'll let others suggest food.

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Typically, NFL analytics dorks drive me nuts, but not this guy

If you aren't following Ryan Paganetti, you should start. His research into the Patriots showing a reverse view of kicks behind the goal posts for visiting kickers was absolutely fascinating and has resulted in video board changes across the NFL this year.

Don't be shocked if this guy is on TV sharing insights very soon. Why aren't there analytics segments during Sunday NFL shows? There are Insider® segments that are pretty much useless. Wouldn't gamblers be interested in Paganetti reports?

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

And with that, the first Screencaps of fall is in the books. Get your blankets out. Let your wife burn her pumpkin candles. Buy her a latte. It's time to think about raking leaves and hunkering down for winter.

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Let's get after it.

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Pentagon unveils battlefield test to ensure new generals are warfighters – not Washington bureaucrats

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:03:19 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: The Pentagon is raising the bar on who gets promoted to general by rolling out a new battlefield-style assessment requiring senior officers to demonstrate how they would solve complex military problems. It's the most significant change in decades for how future generals for every branch are selected.

Internal documents obtained by ӣ��Ƶ Digital show every military service has developed its own version of the new Joint Warfighting Evaluation (JWE), a standardized assessment intended to measure operational planning, decision-making and leadership under simulated combat conditions. The Pentagon says the assessment will supplement existing performance evaluations and become an additional metric considered by promotion boards beginning with the fiscal year 2027 cycle.

The effort grew out of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth's push to overhaul military evaluations and promotions, with a focus on identifying officers who can perform in combat rather than simply build strong career records.

PENTAGON FIRES BACK AFTER MARK KELLY ACCUSES PETE HEGSETH OF TARGETING WOMEN AND BLACK MILITARY OFFICERS

"People figure out they don't have to be the best at their job, they have to be the best at making sure their boss thinks they're the best," Stu Scheller, the senior Pentagon adviser leading the effort, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "And those are actually two very different things."

Under the current system, officers accumulate evaluations from their superiors throughout their careers that become a central part of the record considered by promotion boards.

'WOKE' MILITARY ACADEMIES TARGETED IN NEW BLUEPRINT FOR SWEEPING WARFIGHTING OVERHAUL

"Right now in our current system, we have people that are very good at navigating their careers," Scheller said. "We have very good, I want to be clear, very good military personnel and leaders across the military, but there isn't a stand-alone function that can truly assess the best military commanders on the battlefield."

Scheller said these performance reports will remain the "bedrock" of promotion decisions, while the JWE will give boards a separate measure of how well an officer can solve the kinds of military problems they could face in command.

What that assessment looks like will vary by service.

The Pentagon has developed six versions — one for each of the five military services and another through the Joint Staff — ranging from online simulations to hours-long, in-person wargames, the documents reviewed by ӣ��Ƶ Digital detail.

In some versions, officers will be presented with a military problem and forced to make decisions as an AI-powered adversary reacts to their moves. Another will bring officers into a war college for an in-person wargame, where evaluators will watch how they respond as an enemy counters their decisions in real time.

"You make a move, enemy makes a move, how I react based on a time environment," Scheller said.

The service plans obtained by ӣ��Ƶ Digital show just how different the evaluations will be. The Army plans to put roughly 900 eligible colonels through a remote written assessment followed by a digital wargame, while roughly 1,330 Air Force colonels will take a two-hour online analysis test followed by a one-hour interactive simulation. The Space Force will use the same basic format for roughly 125 officers.

The Navy's version is considerably more intensive. Roughly 308 captains in the unrestricted line and information warfare communities will travel to the Naval War College for a three-hour written assessment followed by a two- to three-hour wargame. The Marine Corps plans an eight-hour remote evaluation for up to 175 colonels using an AI-enabled platform that combines written assessments with situational judgment tests.

Scheller cautioned that none of the exercises can perfectly recreate the pressures of actual combat and said the Pentagon expects to change the assessments as it learns what works.

"Ultimately, no matter how good we get at this, there's no one task that's gonna perfectly replicate war," he said. "We're not trying to come up with the perfect solution right out the gate."

COMMANDING GENERAL OF THE US ARMY IN EUROPEAN AND AFRICAN THEATER IS UNEXPECTEDLY STEPPING DOWN

Scheller stressed that the Pentagon is not replacing the existing promotion system. Performance reports and the rest of an officer's career record will continue to account for the bulk of the evaluation, while the JWE will provide promotion boards with an additional data point.

How heavily that new data point will be weighted has not yet been decided.

"The secretary still has judgment based on how it will be weighted in the board, so we haven't determined," Scheller said. "We're kind of waiting to see how well this thing is rolled out."

The first real test will come next year. Eligible O-6s will undergo the evaluations between roughly February and June 2027, Scheller said, ahead of the services' O-7 promotion boards between July and September.

The Pentagon plans to study the results from that first cycle before determining how much influence the JWE should have on future promotion boards and how the assessments should evolve for the following year, according to the internal documents.

The new evaluation is the latest step in a broader overhaul of how the Pentagon selects, evaluates and retains its senior military leaders under Hegseth.

Hegseth told hundreds of generals and admirals last year that the military's promotion system was being "thoroughly reexamined," pledging to promote top performers faster, push out poor performers more quickly and turn evaluations, military education and field exercises into meaningful tests rather than "box checks."

He has also moved to shrink the upper ranks themselves, ordering a 20% reduction in active-duty four-star positions and a broader 10% cut in general and flag officer positions as part of a restructuring of military commands.

And Hegseth has taken a more direct role in deciding who receives a star.

Earlier this year, he removed several Navy captains from a list of officers selected by a promotion board for one-star admiral after previously intervening in an Army brigadier general promotion list. The Pentagon has said promotions under Hegseth will be based on merit.

Meanwhile, the unusual interventions have drawn criticism and concern from some lawmakers, military officers and outside analysts worried about political influence over the traditionally service-driven process.

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The changes have come alongside significant turnover at the top of the military.

Trump and Hegseth have removed or replaced a number of senior leaders since the beginning of the administration, including former Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. CQ Brown and former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti. Hegseth also forced out Army Chief of Staff Gen. Randy George this year before the scheduled end of his term.

‘Charlie’s Angels’ star Jaclyn Smith lived apart from her husband for 17 years during their 35-year love story

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:00:37 -0400

For Jaclyn Smith, love wasn't waiting in Hollywood — it walked into her father's hospital room.

The actress, who starred as Kelly Garrett on the TV series "Charlie's Angels" from 1976 to 1981, recently penned a memoir, "I Once Knew a Guy Named Charlie." In it, the 80-year-old revealed that she and her fourth husband, Dr. Brad Allen, lived apart for 17 of their 35 years together.

Smith first met Allen, 72, when he helped perform her father's heart surgery in 1991. About two years later, Allen took a job at the University of Illinois in Chicago. He spent the next 17 years there while Smith continued living in Los Angeles.

‘CHARLIE’S ANGELS’ STAR JACLYN SMITH SAYS BEAUTY SECRET ISN’T MAKEUP OR DIET AFTER FANS PRAISE YOUTHFUL GLOW

"It's true, the greatest love comes when you're least looking for it," Smith told ӣ��Ƶ Digital. "He operated on my dad. I remember he walked into the room, and he looked like the guys I grew up with, clean cut and just collegiate. He looked like just the guy down the street. And he was so good to my parents."

After three divorces, Smith said motherhood changed everything. While a romance quickly blossomed, she wasn't willing to gamble on love again. This time, she wouldn't rush walking down the aisle.

"You see, when I met Brad, I had two children," she explained. "It was no longer me going, 'OK, my heart's beating out of my chest, and I'm going to get married right away.' It had to be a three-way decision."

WATCH: CHARLIES ANGELS STAR JACLYN SMITH, 80, REVEALS SECRET TO HER AGELESS LOOK

"Ultimately, we commuted for 17 years," she continued. "We married after seven years. And when we got married, we really knew one another. We knew each other's families. We knew our priorities. We knew what we expected in life. And that is important in any relationship."

Smith and Allen married in 1997. Smith's daughter, then 11 years old, was the maid of honor, People magazine reported. According to the outlet, her son, then 15, gave her away. The outlet reported that Allen closed the distance for good in 2009.

For Smith, the true test of marriage isn't only falling in love — it's building a life together.

"We see life the same rather than your heart just beating out," she said. "Yes, it beats out of your chest at first, but then you have to get down to the nitty-gritty of what makes the world go round, that day-to-day living."

Allen supported Smith through her 2002 breast cancer diagnosis. The star is now cancer-free after undergoing a lumpectomy and radiation.

Smith first married Roger Davis, then a star of "Dark Shadows," in 1968. He proposed to Smith after two dates.

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Two years into their relationship, Smith wrote that she was walking with a friend in New York City to look at an apartment she and Davis were considering renting when she ran into Warren Beatty. The actor asked her to interview for a role in a film he was working on. But moments later, Davis appeared and told Beatty that Smith only did commercials.

Smith wrote she later learned that while she was talking to Beatty, Davis was upstairs having sex with their real estate agent in the apartment. Smith split from Davis after finding him with another woman on their fourth wedding anniversary.

"I knew my marriage wasn't everything I dreamed," Smith said. "I knew there were problems from day one. I think I have a line in the book about love masquerading as foundation, attraction as permanence. And I came from a background of you didn't live with people. It was the '50s. I didn't want to disappoint my parents. And I really believed in that picket fence. Why wouldn't this be great?"

"To fall in love, get married and go the distance — I think that's a wonderful thing," she continued. "There is a bond when that truly happens. I've seen my brother, who fell in love at age 19 or 20, get married. They went on to have three children and were together until my brother passed away. So I do think that's pretty wonderful when that happens. It just didn't for me. And a lot of it was my innocence. I was a romantic. I didn't look beneath the paper. It just looked good on paper. It looked perfect."

Smith said that while they were both actors, her values and Davis' values were vastly different.

"You tend to overlook that big statement, 'love is blind,'" Smith said. "But attraction is blind. Love comes from all your lessons. And listen, today is different. Nothing is left to the imagination on these dating sites. I'm glad I didn't start out at that point. I think values are so important, to share the same values. People tend to overlook that initially and think it's a sure shot."

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When asked if she regretted not taking a chance to work with Beatty, Smith replied, "Things happen for a reason."

"I never had a definite plan for my career," she explained. "I was never overly driving or ambitious. I just wanted to take what came my way at the time. That was shocking to me when Warren Beatty remembered my name and I didn't know too much about Warren Beatty except I loved his movie 'Bonnie and Clyde.'"

"I think whether I did the James Bond movie or the Warren Beatty movie, I think what happened in my life. Everything's unpredictable," Smith said. "And I like the path I took. I really do. Sometimes, it's all about chance. 'Charlie's Angels' was a chance.' Without that, I might have been living in Houston teaching ballet. When it came to my career, I took it day by day. I didn't have huge plans."

Smith married actor Dennis Cole in 1978 after about a year and a half of dating. They divorced in 1981.

"One day, I found a note in his pocket," Smith wrote. "The writer turned out to be a girl I knew. She was his son's girlfriend. I would not repeat the mistake I'd made with Roger. This time, I wasn't going to overlook what I learned, and I was not going to stick around and try to work it out. I didn't rationalize Dennis' actions, and I didn't blame myself. My one and only thought was to get out."

In 1980, Smith met British cinematographer Anthony B. "Tony" Richmond while filming "Nightkill." They married in 1981. They welcomed a son, Gaston Anthony, in 1982, and a daughter, Spencer Margaret, in 1985. Smith wrote the marriage was strained by Richmond's struggles with alcohol and drugs.

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"I'd had enough," Smith wrote. ". . . I was done. I couldn't stay with a man who chose drugs and alcohol over his family. . . . We had a wonderful life when he was sober. . . . [But] I needed to do the best I could for my children, to protect them from the ravages I knew could come from substance abuse."

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Davis and Richmond for comment. Cole died in 2009 at age 69.

"You know, in writing this book, I learned that I'm really strong," Smith said. "I had a great beginning. I had the best parents in the world, but I had marriages that didn't make it. Your heart gets broken here and there. You have successes along the way. And I worked hard to be there for my children more than anything. It's ferocious."

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"You have to give up control when you don't want to because you don't want anything to hurt them. I think of my journey, it's been unpredictable. I come away thinking, 'What would my parents think?' But I'm a girl who stuck to things, worked very hard and just gave it all to my family."

ӣ��Ƶ Power Rankings: For the Democrats, where could it possibly go wrong?

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 09:00:03 -0400

From the moment President Donald Trump completed his comeback in 2024, voters had good reason to think that the Democrats would retake the House this November.

The president’s party has lost ground in all but two elections since 1934, including the two Trump-era midterms, where the party in power lost 40 seats (Republicans, 2018) and 9 seats (Democrats, 2022).

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With Republicans currently hanging by a thread in the House, most of the work has already been done for Team Blue.

The number of seats that will change hands is another question, and here, Trump’s signature policies are playing a big role.

As we enter fall, Democrats are enjoying their widest polling lead of the year. Voters say they prefer the Democrat to the Republican in their district by an average of 7 points in new polls (49%-42%).

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Democrats perform even better among likely voters, with an 11-point average lead (53%-42%).

That’s a larger and more consistent lead than the GOP had this time four years ago.

These polls suggest that we’re heading for a "blue wave" like the one Democrats rode eight years ago.

(That wave probably won’t rise as high as it once did. Thanks to redistricting, there are fewer seats in play for either party, so think of a gain of a few dozen as the modern equivalent of 40.)

Still, there are six weeks until Election Day, and there are some things we don’t know. With all signs currently pointing to a good Democratic night, where could it possibly go wrong?

Will anything change on Iran?

The administration’s decision to go to war with Iran is proving costly for the GOP.

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Gas prices sit at $4.48 today, up 50% from $2.98 at the start of the war, and increasing at a higher rate this month.

Trump’s worst ratings have been on inflation and the cost of living, and 61% of voters called gas prices a "major problem" in last week’s ӣ��Ƶ Poll.

Yesterday, Iowa Rep. Ashley Hinson became the second Republican Senate candidate to call for an end to the war (the first was Sen. Susan Collins, in April). No doubt many vulnerable House GOP incumbents feel the same way.

In an election that looks less like an embrace of Democrats than a rejection of Trump’s agenda, a change of course in Iran would have an impact.

Could the DSA drag down the Democratic vote?

Democrats have presented voters with two economic visions: the first, championed by candidates like Abdul El-Sayed and Troy Jackson, calls for a revolution on healthcare and taxes. The other, more common and less sweeping, is largely about undoing the Trump agenda.

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Voters say they like core parts of the progressive agenda, including raising taxes on billionaires, which makes voters more likely to vote for a candidate by a 34-point margin, according to a new NBC News Poll, and "Medicare-for-all," which has a 17-point margin.

But the movements to which those policies are tied don’t fare as well: voters are less likely to support a candidate endorsed by Bernie Sanders by a 10-point margin, and less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the Democratic Socialists of America by 19 points.

We don’t know yet whether candidates on the left wing of the Democratic Party will be able to thread this needle.

Trump’s economic messaging is broadly unpopular, according to the same poll, including his proposal to send $5,000 checks to voters if Republicans keep control of Congress, as well as sending funding and weapons to Israel. That’s what is likely to get Democrats over the line.

But watch whether the DSA hurts the Dems.

Are there more MAGA votes out there?

The Republicans’ midterm convention is now in the rear-view mirror, and it didn’t make a dent in the polls we’ve seen.

That probably wasn’t the goal for the GOP, who used the "Trumpapalooza" to remind loyal MAGA voters about the president’s wins on immigration and crime, among other issues.

How many of them will show up on Election Day?

In last week’s ӣ��Ƶ Poll, a quarter of voters said an endorsement from President Trump makes them more likely to vote for a candidate. That quarter is mostly the MAGA base, and it’s large enough to impact a race.

MAGA turnout could limit the Democrats’ ceiling.

In this week’s Power Rankings, Kansas’ Senate race gets more competitive and 17 House races shift toward the Democrats. Plus, updates in two gubernatorial races.

Senate: Kansas becomes the ninth battleground state

Democrats can celebrate a shift in the political environment, but every Senate race is different. It’s still a toss-up in this forecast.

Each party has 47 seats, with six in the middle to determine control: Alaska, Iowa, Maine, Michigan, Ohio and Texas.

Races in the "lean" categories are highly competitive, too, and today, Kansas joins New Hampshire and North Carolina to round out the list of nine battleground states.

Kansas has been on the Democrats’ radar for most of the year, thanks to what they believe to be a star recruit in megachurch pastor Adam Hamilton. He is campaigning on gas and diesel prices, which have an outsize impact in the rural and agriculture-heavy Midwest.

Sen. Roger Marshall, the incumbent, got some help last week from a star of the Republicans’ own: Vice President JD Vance, who rallied with Marshall to promote the Trump administration’s manufacturing agenda.

The state hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate in 94 years, but it isn’t allergic to statewide Dems: incumbent governor Laura Kelly is one, and she won in both 2018 and 2022.

Kansas moves from Likely R to Lean R.

Meanwhile, in Georgia, Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff is consolidating support as he seeks a second term. His race moves from Lean D to Likely D.

House: Democrats enjoy a higher ceiling; narrow pathways remain for a Republican majority

The Democrats have made bigger gains in the House, where this week’s set of polls has the most impact.

The party has 215 seats in this forecast, which means they would only need to win 3 of the 19 toss-ups to flip the House.

On a "good night" for Democrats, which would see them win all of those toss-up races, they’d take up to 234 seats, leaving the Republicans with 201.

Narrow pathways remain for the GOP. While this forecast sees an expansion of the Republican House majority as unlikely, a good night for the party would have them hold on to the House with 220 seats.

The shifts are largely a product of the generic ballot polling. The Democrats’ lead among likely voters of 8 to 13 points will be too much for GOP campaigns in some highly competitive areas to overcome. The same is true even for a few districts that Trump won by a healthy margin two years ago.

These changes also reflect the shift among Hispanic voters toward Democrats: from D+12 in the 2024 presidential race to D+29 in Fox’s latest generic ballot survey.

That will make a difference across Florida, where seven races shift towards Democrats, including the 25th District (held by Jared Moskowitz (D), from Toss-up to Lean D), and the 27th District (held by María Elvira Salazar (R), from Likely R to Lean R). It also impacts Texas, where the 34th District, held by Vicente Gonzalez (D), moves from Toss-up to Lean D.

Republicans are running strong campaigns in many of these districts, but if the Dems’ generic ballot advantage lasts, the party’s ceiling could get higher.

Governor: Texas and Alaska drift away from the GOP

Data centers continue to play a major role in gubernatorial races across the country, especially in Ohio, where Fox’s Madison Alworth spoke to voters about the costs of data center construction yesterday, and in Texas, where incumbent Gov. Greg Abbott faces his toughest re-election challenge yet.

Abbott’s competitor, Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa, has put the issue at the forefront of both of their campaigns.

Yesterday, Abbott widened his moratorium on data centers, with the construction of new centers now "effectively halted" until at least December.

The governor has important structural advantages as he seeks a fourth term, but polls keep showing a close race. Texas moves from Likely R to Lean R.

Finally, to Alaska, where new polling shows a close race for Senate, and what at first glance looks like a wide-open race for governor, with the Democrat ahead of three Republican candidates.

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When the GOP candidates are combined, the party runs even with the Democrat in this poll. But Alaska is one of two states with ranked choice voting. If more Democrats mark their second, third and fourth choices than Republicans, it could hurt the GOP’s chances of holding on to the 49th state. It moves from Lean R to Toss-up.

Chinese Coast Guard rams Philippine boat in South China Sea, sparking diplomatic clash

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:47:35 -0400

Tensions in the South China Sea escalated again Friday after a Chinese Coast Guard vessel collided with a Philippine government ship, an encounter captured on video that prompted competing accounts from Manila and Beijing.

The Philippine Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources vessel BRP Datu Magat Salamat was distributing fuel to Filipino fishermen when the collision occurred at 11:13 a.m., roughly 54 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan province — an area Manila says is well within the Philippines' exclusive economic zone.

Footage released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed crew members shouting, "Brace for impact!" moments before the collision. Photographs taken afterward showed bent and detached railings, damaged metal supports and debris scattered across the Philippine ship's deck. No injuries were reported.

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Philippine officials accused Beijing of deliberately ramming a civilian government vessel on what they described as a humanitarian and livelihood mission.

Jay Tarriela, the Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson for West Philippine Sea concerns, said the Chinese vessel first cut across the Philippine ship's stern at a distance of about 33 feet before repeating the maneuver minutes later and colliding with it.

Beijing disputed Manila's account. Chinese Coast Guard spokesperson Jiang Lue said the Philippine vessel "intentionally adjusted its course and suddenly accelerated to cut across the bow" of the Chinese ship after disregarding repeated warnings. China said its vessel had been conducting lawful operations near Sabina Shoal and blamed the Philippine side for the collision.

The incident also drew Washington into the dispute. U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Lee Lipton said the United States "strongly condemn[s] the China Coast Guard's deliberate ramming."

The Chinese Embassy in Manila responded by accusing the United States of backing Philippine "infringement and provocations" in the disputed waters.

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Friday's collision was the latest in a series of maritime confrontations between China and the Philippines. In July, Manila accused Chinese forces of firing water cannons at government vessels near Scarborough Shoal and striking a Philippine Navy staff member in the head with a wooden baton during an encounter at Second Thomas Shoal.

Texas prosecutors take death penalty off the table for man accused of murdering wife and fleeing to Italy

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:00:19 -0400

Texas prosecutors announced they won't seek the death penalty against a man accused of killing his wife and fleeing the country as his trial was set to begin, they told an Italian court, clearing a path for his extradition to the United States.

Lee Gilley, 39, faces a capital murder charge in connection with the October 2024 death of his wife, Christa, who was nine weeks pregnant when she died. The Harris County Medical Examiner's office determined her death was a homicide resulting from neck compression. He pleaded not guilty.

Authorities allege Gilley removed his ankle monitor on May 1 and left Texas before his scheduled trial was to begin. He got to the Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy by using a fake name and forged travel documents, according to court records. He was taken into custody by Italian authorities.

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Gilley's American attorney, Dick DeGuerin, previously told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that Italy wanted a written guarantee prosecutors wouldn't seek the death penalty before considering his return. Italian authorities may also demand assurances against a sentence of life without parole, he said.

The Harris County District Attorney said in a Friday court filing obtained by ӣ��Ƶ Digital that it won't be pursuing the death penalty against Gilley, but stopped short of taking life without parole off the table as a possible sentence.

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"Nevertheless, the State files this unusual notice because the defendant continues to falsely insist to the Court of Appeal of Turin that he remains subject to the death penalty, and that a judge or jury could assess the death penalty notwithstanding the State's decision not to seek that punishment," the filing states.

Harris County prosecutors also accused Gilley's Italian attorney, Monica Grosso, of misleading the Turin Court of Appeal by telling it that commutation is impossible for someone sentenced to life without parole.

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"Should he be sentenced to life without parole, the defendant would be eligible for commutation consideration," prosecutors said. "It is our hope that this notice will put an end to the defendant's charade so that he can be tried by a jury or judge in the United States and the victims receive the justice they deserve."

A hearing was held before the Turin Court of Appeal on Sept. 7. DeGuerin told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that Gilley's extradition was again delayed.

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During a July 15 hearing at the Turin Court of Appeal, Gilley said he is seeking protection in Italy, according to NBC News. The Turin Court of Appeal blocked the extradition request during a hearing on July 20.

Grosso also said the defense contends Christa had a blood disorder and that blood discovered in the couple's bedroom did not align with the prosecution's version of how she died.

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"I am seeking protection in Italy," Gilley said. "They want to punish me, and I am asking for protection for myself and my children."

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Anne Bremner, who advocated for Amanda Knox while she was detained in Italy, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that Gilley made a "very smart choice" in fleeing to Italy, a country that doesn't have a death penalty.

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"It was a very smart choice for him to flee to Italy of all countries because they do not have the death penalty they bought extradite if a death penalty is on the table," Bremner said.

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Bremner said she thinks that prosecutors taking the death penalty off the table "would be enough for the Italians to allow him to come back to Texas," but said it's possible Italian courts may make more demands.

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Bremner said the outcome could set a troubling example for other defendants facing capital charges.

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"There's potential for somebody to look at that and say, 'Well, I guess I could do that too and flee the death penalty that's on the table.' And the answer is yes, because obviously in this case, he jumped bail, had forged documents and made it all the way to Italy before he was caught," Bremner said. "And he's not going to face the death penalty, where it clearly was on the table, or should have been, under the law in Texas."

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Gilley will have another hearing at the Turin Court of Appeal on Oct. 7.

George W Bush raises money for Republicans, but not key Senate candidate

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 08:31:07 -0400

Former President George W. Bush is helping fundraise for Republicans, but not the one who defeated his nephew, George P. Bush, in the 2022 Republican primary for Texas attorney general.

Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, held a fundraiser Monday night for Maintain the Majority with the former president as a "special guest," The New York Times reported. The event did not include GOP Senate candidate and current Texas AG Ken Paxton, who defeated Cornyn in this year's primary.

Maintain the Majority is a PAC that lists Cornyn along with Sens. Dan Sullivan, R-Alaska; Jon Husted, R-Ohio, Susan Collins, R-Maine; Michigan Sen.-nominee Mike Rogers, New Hampshire Sen.-nominee John E. Sununu; and Iowa Sen.-nominee Ashley Hinson as joint fund participants, Minnesota Republican Sen.-nominee Michele Tafoya was a late addition to the Monday night event, according to the Times.

Notably absent on that list are Paxton, Republican Georgia Sen.-nominee Mike Collins and Republican North Carolina Sen.-nominee Michael Whatley, a trio of Senate candidates closely tied to Trump's political orbit.

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Bush and Cornyn have long had a complicated relationship with President Donald Trump and his favored candidates, like Paxton.

Karl Rove, a former senior presidential advisor to Bush, recently declared he would vote for a Texas Democrat, too.

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"Early voting in Texas starts Monday, October 19, 2026 (28 days from today, September 21)," a Cornyn X post on Monday morning read, notably leaving out a mention of Paxton. "It runs through Friday, October 30. The 2026 midterms (Election Day) are Tuesday, November 3, 2026 — 43 days from today."

While the PAC funds might not include Paxton, Trump's own midterm campaign war chest at MAGA Inc. — now under the watchful eye of former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt — has more than $415 million cash on hand, according to the latest FEC filing reported Sunday.

Michigan, Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Maine and Alaska are all rated toss-ups in the latest ӣ��Ƶ Power Rankings in the race to hold the Republican's slim 53-47 Senate majority.

Democrats are looking at flipping seats against Collins, Husted, Sullivan, Hinson in Iowa, Whatley in North Carolina and Paxton in Texas. Republicans are eyeing potential pickups in Michigan, New Hampshire and Georgia.

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While midterms are historically unfavorable to the political party seated in the White House, Republicans holding the Senate could help tamp down Democrat momentum in Trump's final two years in office if the slim 218-214 Republican House majority is lost.

While Cornyn's establishment Republican coffers might not be made available to the man who ousted him in the primary, Republican National Committee Chair Joe Gruters has been confident that Texas' Senate seat will remain in the GOP's hands.

"You got to remember Ken Paxton won this state a couple of times in the general – he won a primary against a strong incumbent that's been there for a long time by a couple hundred thousand votes," Gruters told ӣ��Ƶ Digital last month.

"People want this race to be the biggest race in the country, but it really won't be because, at the end of the day, Paxton has proven time and time again that he's a winner; he's a winner in this state. Texas is ruby red," Gruters said. "Texas is a hardcore Republican state. They're going to send up a MAGA warrior because we have a lot of work to do, including passing the Save America Act."

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While Texas is seeing California liberals flock to the state, Gruters predicted Paxton's statewide campaign strength is going to hold against Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico.

"Texas is a massive state, a lot resources from California are pouring in because these California liberals like Talafreako, but I don't think it's going to help him at the end of the day," Gruters added. "Paxton is going to win this race."

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ӣ����Ƶ Power Rankings: For the Democrats, where could it possibly go wrong?

Will anything change on Iran?

Could the DSA drag down the Democratic vote?

Are there more MAGA votes out there?

Senate: Kansas becomes the ninth battleground state

House: Democrats enjoy a higher ceiling; narrow pathways remain for a Republican majority

Governor: Texas and Alaska drift away from the GOP

Chinese Coast Guard rams Philippine boat in South China Sea, sparking diplomatic clash

Texas prosecutors take death penalty off the table for man accused of murdering wife and fleeing to Italy

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ӣ��Ƶ Power Rankings: For the Democrats, where could it possibly go wrong?