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California mom has both legs amputated after suspected impaired driver plows into her restaurant lunch table

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:16:25 -0400

An elderly California mother had both her legs amputated after an alleged impaired driver crashed into the outdoor dining area of a restaurant where she was eating lunch.

Cristina Vargas, 81, was enjoying lunch at a sidewalk table outside Los Cinco Puntos in Los Angeles' Boyle Heights with her daughter, Gabriela Vargas, and their male friend when the SUV plowed into them at around 3:30 p.m. on July 7.

Surveillance footage obtained by KTLA shows an SUV veering onto the sidewalk and into the outdoor dining area.

Screeching tires were heard just before the SUV hit the group, sending patrons, the table and other items flying.

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"I remember I just heard screeching and I was lifting up my head and I just saw headlights and a bumper and I heard a big boom," Gabriela told KTLA. "The next thing I knew, I was airborne."

Cristina’s lower body was pinned under the vehicle and Gabriela suffered a head injury and a deep laceration on her knee. The two women and their male friend were rushed to a hospital for treatment.

Gabriela and the male friend have since recovered from their injuries, but Cristina's injuries were significantly worse and faces a long road to recovery.

Cristina underwent three surgeries and later had both of her legs amputated. She said she is thankful to be alive and has maintained a positive mindset.

She has been undergoing physical therapy at a rehabilitation center and will soon be allowed to go back home.

Cristina, a widowed mother of two, said she is looking forward to being surrounded by her family and friends.

"My goal is to give her the best quality of care from here on out," Gabriela said of her mother.

A police report alleges that the driver was impaired at the time of the crash. The unidentified woman was arrested and charged with multiple felonies, according to KTLA.

A GoFundMe created by a friend for the Vargas family has raised more than $30,000 as of Sunday night. The fundraiser said the family is facing massive medical bills, ongoing rehabilitation and daily living expenses.

"Cristina will need significant support to adapt to her new disability, including making their home accessible and covering the costs of specialized care. The road ahead is long and challenging, but with your help, they can focus on healing rather than the overwhelming financial stress," the fundraiser reads.

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The fundraiser described Cristina as a "vibrant and social person with a true lust for life."

"She loved to dance and was a regular at events at the senior center, bringing joy and energy wherever she went," the GoFundMe reads. "Her vivacious spirit and love for connecting with others made her a beloved member of the community. This sudden change is especially heartbreaking for someone who has always embraced life so fully and actively."

In an Aug. 17 update, Gabriela thanked supporters and said the recovery was progressing slowly.

"Thank you everybody for your love and support. We greatly appreciate it. It's a slow recovery but day by day we're getting through it. My mom's spirits remain hopeful as do mine. Recovery is very painful but she's giving it her all," Gabriela said.

Hasan Piker insists Abdul El-Sayed asked him to 'stump' for Michigan campaign amid backlash

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 21:07:21 -0400

Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said that Democratic Michigan U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed asked him to "stump" for his campaign during an interview Friday following the intense backlash the Democratic politician has faced for appearing with him.

Piker spoke to Semafor columnist David Weigel about the backlash he has received from Democrats since appearing on the campaign trail with El-Sayed, which he claimed was El-Sayed's idea, not his.

"He asked me to stump for him, and I had not considered that ever before," Piker said. "I'd never really delivered a speech like that before."

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Piker added that he had previously decided to get more involved with politics through New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's campaign but did not face significant backlash for that effort compared to campaigning for El-Sayed. He explained that after campaigning for El-Sayed, establishment Democrats and think tanks like Third Way came out to attack him.

"I'll admit I didn't realize how much the media would think that this is different," he continued. "I had no idea that in the mindset of, you know, people in D.C., in the mindset of like, establishment media, doing a rally with a politician was apparently far more consequential than flying out to Dearborn and, like, working out with him, doing profiles, fundraising for him. I didn't realize that it was a very different thing," Piker said.

He continued, "I did not realize that people would get so mad about it because, from my perspective, who cares if I'm doing a rally with a politician? I'm like, I've already had the guy on, like, a hundred times on the broadcast. You know, I've fundraised for him. I like him a lot. I have my disagreements with him, too, of course. But that was when the onslaught came in."

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Fox News Digital reached out to El-Sayed's campaign for comment.

El-Sayed has received intense scrutiny for campaigning with Piker despite the far-left Twitch streamer's history of controversial statements, such as claiming America "deserved" 9/11.

More recently, El-Sayed has attempted to distance himself from Piker after he suggested Jewish Americans were "making antisemitism worse" by voicing their support of Israel. El-Sayed has since repeatedly referred to Piker as "a streamer from California" with no relevancy to the race.

"I am not interested in a conversation about a social media person in California. And to folks who want to make this about a social media person in California, let’s not forget what actually matters in our politics, what our politics are really about," El-Sayed told reporters during Saturday's state Democratic Party Nominating Convention.

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He added, "I don’t ever want my comments to hurt anybody’s feelings. It’s important to me that people understand that I take serious [sic] the pain of all communities in this state. But I don’t want to have a conversation about a Twitch streamer in California. This is not a serious conversation."

In a comment to Fox News Digital, El-Sayed also apologized for his past comments made in response to an attack on a Michigan synagogue in March, where he remarked, "Hurt people, hurt people."

"To anybody who feels like my comments may have been hurtful, I’m really sorry. That was not my intention. We condemned that terrorist attack. We condemned it outright," El-Sayed told Fox News Digital. "What I was trying to do was offer context for why it happened, but it wasn’t the time for context and you don’t ever want to trample somebody’s pain."

Nicolás Maduro flashes peace signs in first prison photos since US capture in Caracas

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 20:56:53 -0400

Ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro appeared in photos posted to his social media accounts Sunday, offering the first known glimpse of him inside a New York prison since his capture by U.S. forces in January.

Maduro, who was flown to the U.S. following a major military operation in Caracas, has been in custody for eight months at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn while facing drug trafficking charges.

In the photos, shared to Maduro’s X account, the former dictator wore a matching gray sweatsuit with white sneakers and appeared noticeably thinner as he stood against a plain wall.

Maduro said he shared the images as a small gift of hope to his family and supporters, assuring them that "we will remain strong, serene, and confident" and that "Venezuela will be reborn."

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"I send these photos as a small gift to all my grandsons and granddaughters, to the boys and girls, and to all the noble people who love us," Maduro said.

"I want you to know that we stand firm, with our hearts full of your love, that love that reaches us transformed into prayer, into constant action, into solidarity and true support. Infinite thanks for every word, for every gesture, for every blessing."

"Enjoy this small gift with joy and hope. Cilia and I embrace you forever, with our souls devoted to you and with our faith in God intact," he added, referring to his wife, who was also flown to New York on related drug trafficking charges.

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While Maduro made the post Sunday morning, timestamps on the two photos indicate they were taken June 25, just one day after two major earthquakes killed more than 6,500 people in northern Venezuela near Caracas, according to The Associated Press.

The images were released just two days after President Donald Trump announced a breakthrough in U.S.-Venezuela relations, with Venezuela agreeing to give the U.S. majority control over 65 billion barrels of oil from the nation’s reserves.

The deal marks a major development for the American oil market as the ongoing war with Iran continues to push up prices at the pump.

Since being detained, Maduro has reportedly spent much of his time reading the Bible, according to his son, Nicolás Maduro Guerra, who spoke with El País in May.

He added that the former leader has 510 minutes a month, or 8.5 hours, for conversations with people outside the prison, according to the report.

Maduro and his wife are expected to go on trial in New York in June 2027. Both have pleaded not guilty and face potential life sentences if a jury finds them guilty of conspiring to send cocaine into the U.S.

Alex Palou clinches fourth straight IndyCar title and fifth overall in doubleheader at Milwaukee Mile

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 20:33:49 -0400

Àlex Palou officially clinched the 2026 NTT IndyCar Series championship on a doubleheader weekend in Milwaukee that turned into an unusual partial doubleheader on Sunday.

The 29-year-old Spaniard qualified well for both races, but served an engine penalty in the first, which got underway on Saturday.

Rain, however, caused a red flag at the 90-lap mark, and the rest of the race was postponed to Sunday morning.

Come Sunday morning, the track was still too wet, which led to an unusual schedule for the day: Race 2 would get underway at noon local time, finish, and then Race 1 would resume in the late afternoon.

Palou started on pole for Race 2 — which was now kind of Race 1.5 — and came home in fifth, with Arrow McLaren's Pato O'Ward winning the race.

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No biggie, because Palou just needed to have a championship lead of more than 54 points when the checkered flag fell on Race 1 (which, again, ended after Race 2; weird, I know), to clinch the title with one race left on the schedule.

Palou played it safe for the remaining 160 laps, keeping his nose clean and getting his yellow No. 10 Chip Ganassi Racing Honda back in one piece.

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He did it, coming home tenth in a race that Pato O'Ward won, meaning he pulled off the rare feat of winning two races in one day.

But the big story was that Palou had built a big enough points buffer to claim his fifth career title in six years, and his fourth straight.

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It's an unbelievable run of form for Palou, who is now third on the all-time list for career championships behind AJ Foyt with seven, and his CGR teammate for one more weekend, Scott Dixon, with six.

Don't think for a second that Palou will take it easy in the season finale now that he has the title locked up. The season ends at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, one of his best tracks.

That race will get underway Sept. 6 at 2:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

Billions in US aid to Ukraine under microscope as corruption rocks Zelenskyy’s inner circle

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 20:30:48 -0400

Washington is relying on extensive safeguards and dozens of oversight agencies to scrutinize and protect billions of dollars in U.S. aid to Ukraine amid the country’s continuing struggle with corruption, a regional security expert said Sunday.

The oversight comes as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s inner circle faces renewed political pressure from widening investigations, with several senior officials and aides resigning, being dismissed or facing investigations since 2025.

Zelenskyy dismissed Iryna Mudra, a deputy head of the presidential office, on Aug. 19 as anti-corruption investigators pursued a money-laundering case involving another deputy head of the office.

Investigators have not named Mudra as a suspect, The Associated Press reported.

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"Of course, in all of the former Soviet Union countries, there is significant corruption," former Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Carrie Filipetti, now executive director of the Vandenberg Coalition, told Fox News Digital.

"A lot more work needs to be done. But we know, at least on the U.S. side, as we're providing support for their military, we have a lot of mechanisms," she said before explaining how dozens of agencies are working on oversight of U.S. aid to Ukraine.

The U.S. committed $67.8 billion in defense articles and services to Ukraine from February 2022 through March 2026 through the Presidential Drawdown Authority, the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative and Foreign Military Financing, congressional reports show.

That support is part of a broader U.S. response to the war.

About $195 billion has been appropriated for Operation Atlantic Resolve, including funds to replenish U.S. weapons stocks, support U.S. military operations in Europe and provide economic, development and humanitarian assistance, according to the Council on Foreign Relations.

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"Over 24 federal agencies are involved in oversight," Filipetti said. "To make certain that there are no consequences to the U.S. taxpayer, to our equipment in terms of the corruption issue, U.S. contributions are very much protected."

In recent months, however, senior Ukrainian officials have resigned, been dismissed or faced scrutiny by the country’s independent anti-corruption bodies, including NABU.

Those developments include Andriy Yermak’s Nov. 28, 2025, resignation after investigators searched his premises and Mudra’s Aug. 19 dismissal during a money-laundering probe.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Olha Stefanishyna was dismissed by Zelenskyy as Ukraine’s ambassador to the U.S. on Aug. 3, two days before a suspicion notice was served against her, according to the Kyiv Post.

He also fired Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov on July 15 in a broader reshuffle over internal wartime disagreements which sparked protests across the nation.

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In interviews after he left government, Fedorov also complained about what he described as ingrained corruption and patronage networks, Reuters reported.

"We've seen that Zelenskyy is taking really seriously the criticisms of corruption, and every time there is an allegation, he moves very swiftly to remove those individuals from the government," Filipetti said.

"And the fact that there are these independent bodies is, I think, really important. They're listening to them. They're making sure that they're trying to root it out as much as humanly possible."

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Zelenskyy has pushed back on suggestions that the investigations implicate him personally.

"The heads of anti-corruption agencies have zero questions for me," Zelenskyy said in remarks published Aug. 23 regarding the investigations. "They understand perfectly well that I am not involved in anything like that."

A February 2024 USAID inspector general review also found that the agency did not independently verify some Ukrainian health workers’ salary claims before reimbursement, though Filipetti said U.S. economic aid is now reimbursed only after verification.

"A lot of what the United States has been providing, we're making sure that everything is through a reimbursement mechanism," Filipetti said.

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She said U.S. aid has not been tied to the money-laundering allegations and remains protected as Ukraine works to combat corruption.

The scrutiny also comes as Kyiv faces shortages of Patriot interceptors amid intensified Russian strikes and a need for air defense interceptors.

Zelenskyy said he wants to secure 300 additional interceptors for the coming winter, while Ukraine’s air force has requested 360.

"One of the most urgent needs that the Ukrainians have right now is interceptor missiles," Filipetti said. "This is why this idea of sending Patriot capabilities and allowing them to produce them on the ground in Ukraine has become so important to Zelenskyy."

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President Donald Trump has expressed reluctance to further deplete U.S. missile inventories, saying the United States also needs the weapons, while pressing European allies to shoulder more of Ukraine’s defense burden.

"We want missiles too," Trump said Aug. 6 when asked about Zelenskyy’s requests for long-range missiles and Patriot systems. "Biden gave him so much, Biden gave $300 billion worth of ammunition."

Filipetti also said Ukraine’s anti-corruption efforts remain an important consideration for its NATO aspirations.

"I think every country has been really adamant that the Ukrainians move forward in their anti-corruption mechanisms," Filipetti said.

"Obviously, if Ukraine ever wants to be a formal member of NATO, that's something that they will need to prove and demonstrate."

Abbey Gate survivor describes chaos before attack, says pullout was botched from the start

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 20:16:01 -0400

Abbey Gate bombing survivor retired Marine Sgt. Tyler Vargas-Andrews said Saturday on "The Big Weekend Show" that U.S. Marines were forced to improvise their way through the chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan after inadequate preparation and support left them facing overwhelming crowds in the days leading up to the deadly attack.

Vargas-Andrews, who lost his right arm and left leg in the Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing, said Marines at Hamid Karzai International Airport were left to adapt on the ground despite warnings from leadership about how dire the evacuation could become.

Vargas-Andrews told Fox News that the failures leading to the attack began well before the first explosion and renewed his call for accountability.

"Everything we were doing while we were there was like figuring it out on the go," he said, even as he acknowledged that Marines are trained to "adapt, improvise and overcome."

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"We were lacking in the support. We were giving [the refugees] our food. We were giving them our water. There was no tent set up to process refugees," Vargas-Andrews said.

He recounted that day, comparing it to something out of the movie "World War Z," saying, "It was just hundreds of thousands of people. And if I filled up the whole room with sand, that's how many people it felt like [were] there."

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"We were just put in a very, very precarious situation that could have been better prepared for over the weeks and months prior leading up to that," Vargas-Andrews recalled. "And that decision was never made."

Vargas-Andrews said troops had received intelligence warning of a threat, but maintained that nothing was done proactively to prevent it. He did not place responsibility on any single person or group, instead pointing to multiple administrations, the State Department and other organizations and citing "decades of action and inaction and just poor decision-making."

Vargas-Andrews welcomed the recent recognition by the Department of War of Marines who served during the evacuation, but said he did not want these awards to overshadow the fact that there has still been no accountability.

"It's a good step in the right direction, is what I will say. I think that the real important things still haven't happened, but we hope it does and we pray that it does.," Vargas-Andrews said.

San Diego Padres swept by Rays after outfielder drops fly ball over the fence for a home run: WATCH

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 19:59:35 -0400

With the calendar set to turn to September, the San Diego Padres are fighting for their playoff lives.

Entering a tough weekend series against the Tampa Bay Rays, San Diego had a 16-8 record in August, including an impressive sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. Their slumping offense had finally come alive in recent weeks, with Fernando Tatis Jr. breaking out of a power drought, Jackson Merrill turning around his year, and Ty France continuing to be a surprising offensive force.

Their typically aggressive front office improved the pitching staff by bolstering the starting rotation with trades for Casey Mize and Robbie Ray. Mason Miller looked like an unstoppable force on the mound, encountering easily movable objects in the opposing batters box.

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Despite the Arizona Diamondbacks hanging around, the final wild card spot in the National League looked like the Padres' to lose. Fast forward to Sunday evening, and the Padres are suddenly on the outside looking in after a sweep in Tampa. That's frustrating enough, but what's worse for the team and their fans is how it happened. Particularly Sunday's 5-4 loss.

Entering the bottom of the ninth inning, the Padres had the Rays right where they wanted them, a 3-1 lead with Miller on the mound.

Junior Caminero led off the inning with a 78mph single to center, before Miller rebounded to strike out Liam Hicks and get Chandler Simpson to line out. Then, with two outs, Miller got outfielder Jonny DeLuca to hit a fly ball to left field. Samad Taylor had a beat on it, tracked it down into the corner, caught the ball as he ran into the fence and just...dropped it. Game-ending out turns into game-tying homer.

Even more infuriating for Padres fans? DeLuca's fly ball had no business being a home run. With an exit velocity of just 90.7mph, the ball traveled 319 feet, with Taylor's help. That's a home run in literally one out of the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums, good for just an .010 expected batting average. Hits with those exact characteristics are outs 99% of the time, and the one percent turns into a game-tying home run.

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It wasn't the last mistake San Diego would make.

In the 11th inning, the Padres took a 4-3 lead on a Ty France fly ball, and reliever David Morgan got superstar Junior Caminero to strike out to start the bottom of the inning. Liam Hicks poked a bloop single to center, and San Diego walked Chandler Simpson to set up a double play after Hicks stole second.

Then DeLuca, again DeLuca, tapped a weakly hit grounder to shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Bogaerts had an easy out at home to get the second out and keep the game 4-3 and flubbed it, tying the score and putting the winning run at third with one out.

Jorge Mateo immediately laced a walk-off single to left for the sweep, ending a brutal game and weekend for San Diego.

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The loss dropped the Padres to 72-65, and if the season ended today, they'd miss the postseason after two straight appearances.

It's hard to pin the outcome on Miller; he got DeLuca to hit what amounts to a routine fly ball to left to end the game, but the unique dimensions at Tropicana Field and a fluky misplay by Taylor led to the ball going over the fence. Bogaerts is typically sure-handed, but couldn't come up with a play he makes 99% of the time. That's what makes baseball so impossible to predict, and so exciting to watch. The margins between teams, games, and playoff appearances is often razor thin.

While the team's fans will be lamenting a missed opportunity, for neutral baseball fans, the race for the final NL wild card spot is set to provide incredible drama. The Diamondbacks and Padres are separated by just half a game, they're tied in the all-important loss column, and the two finish the regular season by playing a three-game series against each other in San Diego.

Even better, the season series between the two is tied at five apiece, meaning that final series will determine the tiebreaker. And thanks to the left-field fence in Tampa, it might be the most exciting three-games of the year.

Curacao wins second Little League World Series in country's history, first since 2004

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 19:47:43 -0400

A dream 22 years in the making has become a reality, as Curaçao has captured its first Little League World Series title since 2004.

The tiny island nation of less than 200,000 citizens rode a dominant pitching performance and an offensive onslaught to an 11-2 victory over Nevada in the championship game.

It was the second championship in the country's history, coming on the heels of their shutout victory over Japan in the International final.

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Nevada was looking for its first world championship after winning the U.S. title, and even took an early two-run lead in the second before Curacao would prove to be too much for The Silver State.

Curaçao would immediately tie things up in the third before breaking the game wide open and scoring a combined nine runs in the subsequent three innings.

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The game wasn't without its drama, though, as Nevada had the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth inning with a loud out to straightaway center field that carried to the warning track.

If that ball flies a little further, perhaps the Curaçao players start to sweat a bit more, but even then, a five-run gap would likely have been too large a gulf to overcome for the American team.

Long viewed as a Little League World Series powerhouse, Curaçao legitimized those claims by running roughshod through the entire tournament, and, in the process, becoming only the second team in LLBWS history to win a title with the country’s name on its uniform, joining Japan.

Japan would claim a prize of their own in this tournament, taking Ohio down by a score of 4-2 to claim a victory in the consolation game.

Curaçao has been on a historic run with regard to international sports, as their soccer team also made it to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in program history and even recorded a point in the group stage.

Congratulations to these young men for seeing their hard work come to fruition.

Airport chaos erupts after driver suddenly smashes through fence, hits plane and tractor: police

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 19:27:05 -0400

A New Hampshire airport was allegedly breached Saturday after a teenager fleeing police crashed through a perimeter fence, striking a parked plane and nearby tractor, authorities said.

The incident unfolded at Portsmouth International Airport shortly after 8 p.m., New Hampshire State Police (NHSP) said Sunday.

The suspect was identified as Wyatt Seely, 17, of Rochester, who officials said was found intoxicated following the crash.

According to authorities, the pursuit began when officials were searching for "a vehicle related to reported crimes in other local jurisdictions."

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A trooper attempted to stop a black 2008 Ford Mustang on Durham Street in Portsmouth. The driver then allegedly fled the scene, NHSP reported.

"The Mustang, which did not have its lights on at the time, then crashed through a perimeter fence of the nearby Portsmouth International Airport and traveled across an aircraft parking apron," officials said in a release.

The vehicle then struck a Kubota tractor and a small, unoccupied, stationary plane before coming to a stop, NHSP said in a post on X.

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Seely was taken into custody by state troopers and transported to an area hospital for evaluation, police said.

No one else was injured.

The teen was charged with misdemeanor counts of driving while intoxicated (DWI), aggravated driving while intoxicated, disobeying a police officer and conduct after an accident. He was also charged with a violation-level offense of reckless driving.

He is scheduled to be arraigned in Portsmouth District Court on Sept. 9, 2026.

The Portsmouth Police and Fire departments, the Newington Police Department, and Pease Fire and Emergency Services assisted during the incident.

Fox News Digital reached out to Portsmouth International Airport for more information.

Evan Kung wins Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River in a tournament for the record books

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 19:23:11 -0400

What a finale to the 2026 Bassmaster Elite Series regular season.

Nine different anglers crossed the 100-pound mark this week at the Bassmaster Elite at St. Lawrence River — the most Century Belts ever awarded at a single smallmouth event in Bassmaster history.

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And shockingly, that historic number almost wasn't even the most exciting thing that happened.

Evan Kung made a furious final-day charge from behind to run down leader Trey McKinney and steal the tournament win right at the finish, capping a week in which he entered with his Elite Series career on the line.

Kung came into the St. Lawrence needing a strong finish just to keep his card in the Bassmaster Elite Series. Instead, he built a lead through four days of consistent fishing and closed it out with a Phoenix Boats Big Bass award (6 pounds, 13 ounces) on top of the tournament win.

"It was a crazy week," Kung said. "I knew every day going in what I needed to catch just to stay in the Elites. Once I had that locked up, I went out today wanting the Century Belt. Once I had that, I just went looking for big ones."

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He described a gutsy final-day gamble that paid off: "I went to the lake for three hours, didn't catch a fish, came back in the river and caught that big one in the last 20 minutes. It was a crazy week."

His pattern all week was simple and repeatable — about 95% drop shot, including several fish on a still-unreleased Great Lakes Finesse prototype bait.

"It's coming out soon," Kung said.

Kung entered the final day trailing McKinney's overnight lead of 83-5 by a pound and a half. He weighed in first among the two leaders and delivered a final-day bag of 27-12 — enough to vault him into the lead at 109-9 for the first time all week. That put the pressure squarely on McKinney, who needed 26-8 to answer and reclaim the win. He came up two pounds short, sealing the title for Kung in the tournament's final minutes.

"It was a tough year on me, so it's great to end it like this," Kung said after the win. "I couldn't have thought of a better ending. I'm kind of at a loss for words right now."

He thanked a support system that traveled with him all week — sponsors, friends, his mother, and his girlfriend's family.

"It's extra special to have them all here to see it," he said.

McKinney (2nd, 107-9) fell just short of the win but left Clayton with a much bigger prize waiting — Progressive Bassmaster Angler of the Year.

Tucker Smith (3rd, 107-1) and Cory Johnston (4th, 106-7) both joined the Century Club with two of the heaviest four-day totals of their careers, finishing within a pound of one another.

Cole Sands (5th, 105-10) delivered one of the week's best personal stories. The Tennessee pro spent a month and a half scouting the river ahead of the event and treated it almost like trout fishing.

"I wanted one of those Century Belts so bad for so long, and I finally got one," Sands said. "And to get it with smallmouth at the St. Lawrence — this might be my favorite bass fishery on earth."

On his approach: "I chose not to go to the lake — I saw in practice that the river had plenty of big smallmouth, and you just have to know how to read the current. It's almost like trout fishing, the way you have to drift your bait. I kept it real simple — a drop shot and a minnow bait — and it led to a great finish. No complaints."

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Rounding out the Century Club: Brandon Cobb (6th, 103-14), JT Thompkins (7th, 103-0), Bryant Smith (8th, 101-3) and Fisher Anaya (9th, 100-5), who claimed his own belt on the final cast of a week that carried much bigger stakes for him (see below). Only Easton Fothergill (10th, 99-8) narrowly missed joining the club.

Nine Century Belts in a single weigh-in is proof that the St. Lawrence River is one of the best bass fishing spots in the country. Between the goby-fed smallmouth population and a stacked Elite Series field pushing each other all four days, this event will likely be remembered as one of the heaviest, most competitive smallmouth tournaments Bassmaster has ever run.

Kung's name goes on the trophy. But on a leader board where 99 pounds wasn't even enough to crack the top nine, this was a win for the whole field — and for a river that delivered on every promise made about it heading into tournament week.

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Family sues after 6-year-old girl dies when badminton racket shaft pierces skull

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 19:06:31 -0400

The family of a 6-year-old New Jersey girl who died after a badminton racket came apart and pierced her skull during a Maine vacation is suing the Massachusetts-based maker of the sports equipment.

"This case represents a parent’s worst nightmare," Attorney Charles P. Hehmeyer, who is representing the family, said. "The Morgan family was enjoying an idyllic summer vacation here in Maine when they lost Lucy due to what we allege was a dangerous and defective piece of sports equipment."

The wrongful death and product-liability lawsuit alleges Franklin Sports sold a defective and unreasonably dangerous badminton racket that failed during normal use and turned its metal shaft into a projectile.

Lucy Morgan was vacationing with her parents and siblings in Limerick, Maine, on June 1, 2024, when the tragedy unfolded.

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Maine State Police said Lucy’s 10-year-old brother was playing outside when the aluminum shaft became dislodged from the wooden handle. The shaft struck Lucy in the head and pierced her skull, authorities said.

Lucy was taken to Southern Maine Health Care in Sanford before being airlifted to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where she died June 5, 2024, police said.

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According to a copy of the complaint reviewed by WCVB 5, the Franklin badminton set had been supplied at the family’s rental cottage.

The lawsuit alleges the racket’s handle and metal shaft were not adequately secured, the adhesive joining the pieces was defective or insufficient, and the design lacked a secondary restraint that could have prevented the metal portion from flying free. The family also alleges Franklin Sports failed to warn consumers about the risk.

Hehmeyer told WCVB 5 that the case was not Franklin Sports’ first issue involving a racket separating. He said a child in New York lost an eye when a racket came apart, and alleged the company knew of that case but failed to make a fix.

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"The company knew that but chose not to correct this with something as simple as a pin in the handle, which would cost pennies," Hehmeyer told the outlet.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages, though it does not list a specific dollar figure. The family is seeking funeral expenses, emotional distress damages, loss of comfort, society and companionship, and other relief permitted under Maine law.

According to the complaint obtained by PEOPLE, Lucy’s three siblings witnessed the incident and suffered "severe emotional distress." Her parents heard her screaming and ran to her aid, the complaint alleges.

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Lucy’s father, Jesse Morgan, a pastor at Green Pond Bible Chapel in Rockaway, New Jersey, previously wrote that the family had been spending its final full day at a lake cottage when the children decided to play badminton in the front yard.

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In the days following Lucy’s death, Jesse Morgan shared the faith that sustained his family through their grief. He told Fox News Digital that a friend returned Lucy’s backpack after the family came home from Maine, and inside was the prayer journal she had received about a month before she died. The journal contained drawings, Bible-themed notes and messages about her belief in God, her father said.

Jesse Morgan told Fox News Digital he had no doubt Lucy "loved Christ and loved God," and that God welcomed her into heaven. He described discovering the journal as one of the "most beautiful gifts" amid the family’s loss, adding that he believed his daughter had "the faith of a mustard seed."

Franklin Sports told Fox News Digital it "extends its deepest sympathies to Lucy Morgan’s family and all those affected by this tragic accident."

"Because litigation is pending, we cannot comment on the specific allegations in the lawsuit," the company said. Franklin Sports added that it takes product-safety concerns "very seriously," is committed to product quality and safety, and is reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Fox News Digital reached out to attorneys for the Morgan family for comment.

Fox News Digital's Sarah Rumpf-Whitten contributed to this report.

Scottie Scheffler turns hot-mic F-bomb into motivation, rallies for Tour Championship win

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 18:52:00 -0400

Scottie Scheffler shot a bogey-free 66 during Saturday’s third round at the Tour Championship and still looked frustrated throughout the round.

After missing a putt at East Lake, Scheffler’s emotions finally boiled over and they were caught on a hot mic.

"How does it go back that way? F---ing grain’s over here," Scheffler said.

Scheffler’s inability to convert longer birdie looks in the third round left him three shots behind Viktor Hovland entering Sunday’s final round.

But, as is often the case with the world’s best golfer, the minor struggles were covered up by stretches of incredible dominance. One day later, the putts started dropping and frustration turned into another Tour Championship trophy.

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The world No. 1 came from behind on a punishing afternoon at East Lake, shooting a 4-under 66 to finish at 16-under and win the Tour Championship for the second time. Scheffler's Sunday 66 tied the low round of the day. No other player in the final three pairings shot better than 1 over.

When Scheffler's tap-in par hit the bottom of the cup on the final hole, the tournament had effectively ended, even with four players still on the course.

It didn’t take long for Scheffler to let the entire field know that if they wanted to win the Tour Championship, they were going to have to outplay the top player on the planet.

Scheffler nearly made an ace on the 211-yard par-3 second hole and easily tapped in for birdie.

Meanwhile, Hovland made bogey on No. 1 and Ryan Gerard, who began Sunday one shot behind Hovland in the final pairing, doubled the opening hole.

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Within minutes, Scheffler had turned a three-shot deficit into a one-shot deficit.

Most people could probably figure out where this was heading next.

Scheffler birdied Nos. 2, 4, 8, 10, 13 and 16, with bogeys at Nos. 7 and 14. His birdie at No. 13 gave him the outright lead for the first time in the tournament.

The bogey at No. 14 briefly brought him back into a tie with Hovland, and Chris Gotterup had a birdie putt that would have moved him within one shot of the leaders. Gotterup missed it, nearly hit his tee shot into the water at the par-3 15th and made bogey after a poor chip. Another bogey at 16 ended his chances.

That left the Tour Championship where it had felt headed for much of Sunday: Scheffler versus Hovland.

Scheffler's birdie at No. 16 stretched the lead to two. Hovland had a chance to answer, but another birdie putt caught the lip and stayed out. The Norwegian dropped his putter in frustration, knowing that his chances of hoisting the trophy had all but ended.

Hovland’s last real chance disappeared at No. 17, when he thinned his approach over the green and made another bogey.

Hovland parred the final hole to close with a 2-over 72 and finish solo second at 13 under, three shots behind Scheffler. Gerard finished solo third at 12 under and one shot ahead of a seven-way tie for fourth that included Rory McIlroy.

Hovland rode his putter to the Sunday lead.

He made 141 feet, 3 inches of putts in the opening round, including seven from at least 10 feet, and closed Saturday’s 65 with six straight makes from at least seven feet.

Sunday was the opposite.

In the final round, Hovland’s longest made putt was a 6-foot par save. His 18-foot par putt at No. 13 lipped out after he appeared to think it was in and began walking after it. Birdie tries at Nos. 15 and 16 also caught the lip.

Hovland’s driver didn’t help. He hit five of seven fairways on the front nine, then missed four straight on the back and five of seven over the final nine holes.

JUSTIN ROSE SLAM DUNKS HOLE-IN-ONE DURING FINAL ROUND OF TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP ON EXTREMELY DIFFICULT PAR 3

His No. 13 bogey also brought the day’s biggest controversy.

CBS showed an ultra-close replay that appeared to show Hovland’s club touch the sand as he began his backswing on a bunker shot. PGA Tour rules official Mark Dusbabek said the Tour received "several inquiries" about the shot but could not determine with certainty that the club made contact. No penalty was assessed.

Under Rule 12.2b, touching sand with a club during the backswing for a shot from a bunker results in the general penalty of two strokes.

The replays and still images appeared to show a mark in the sand behind Hovland’s ball, ensuring the decision will be debated despite Scheffler’s late separation. While it didn’t ultimately affect the winning score, it carried major payout implications.

A two-stroke penalty would have moved Gerard into solo second and dropped Hovland into an eight-way tie for third at 11 under, which would have cost Hovland just over $3 million.

The victory also gave Scheffler revenge against Hovland after their earlier showdown at the Travelers Championship.

Hovland’s only 2026 PGA Tour victory entering this week came at the Travelers, where he and Scheffler played together in Sunday’s final pairing before Hovland beat him in a Monday playoff.

This time, Scheffler was not beside Hovland in the final group. He started three back, chased him down, and ultimately beat him by three shots.

It was also a very different Tour Championship victory for Scheffler.

His only previous Tour Championship win came in 2024, when he began at 10 under par due to the FedExCup Starting Strokes format. The PGA Tour eliminated starting strokes in 2025, putting every player at even par to begin this week. Scheffler’s 2024 win came with a built-in advantage. This one came after a three-shot deficit on Sunday.

The title gives Scheffler three wins in 2026, along with 13 top-five finishes in 20 starts. He had already won The American Express and FedEx St. Jude Championship, while adding runner-up finishes at the Masters, RBC Heritage, Travelers Championship and 3M Open.

He did not win a major this season, his first major-less year since 2023, but the Tour Championship gave Scheffler’s year a defining win and a strong case to win his fifth consecutive PGA Tour Player of the Year.

Wyndham Clark is the main challenger after winning three times, including the U.S. Open and BMW Championship. But Scheffler’s ridiculous consistency, along with winning two FedEx Cup Playoff events in the past three weeks, makes it a tight race that could easily go either way.

It was also a needed win for American golf. Europe won last year’s Ryder Cup, and non-Americans claimed three of the four majors this season. With the Presidents Cup next month, Scheffler delivered another reminder that the United States still has golf’s most reliable big-game player.

Ex-Pentagon official urges US to ‘squeeze’ UK on defense amid Falklands furor

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 18:44:36 -0400

A report that Washington could use the Falkland Islands to pressure Britain into meeting its NATO defense commitments drew a swift rebuttal Sunday from a former Pentagon official, who insisted the long-standing U.S. neutrality on the islands remains unchanged.

Morgan Murphy, a former press secretary in the War Department, told Fox News Digital that while Washington has not altered its position on Falklands sovereignty, he believes the Trump administration may apply heavy diplomatic leverage over London's military budget.

"You don’t take the security and skip the bill. That is free-riding," Murphy said, before adding: "Friends tell friends the check is due. Squeeze is accountability."

The Falklands' dispute escalated after reports emerged that U.K. Chancellor John Healey is expected to announce that the government will drop its target of spending 3% of gross domestic product on defense by 2030 when he delivers his first budget in October, according to The Financial Times.

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The tension comes amid a six-month Pentagon review of U.S. troop deployments in Europe led by Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby, according to Reuters.

As Washington pushes European allies and Canada to take greater responsibility for NATO’s conventional defense, the U.S. is expected to retain a supporting role, including its nuclear deterrent, according to The Associated Press.

"We can’t ‘withdraw support’ for sovereignty of the Falklands that was never there," Murphy said. "Policy experts know the difference between an unsourced whisper to a British paper that ‘nothing is being ruled out’ and an official word from the White House."

Murphy said the U.S. remains neutral on Falkland sovereignty and continues to recognize British administration of the islands.

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Addressing reports from April of an internal Pentagon email suggesting the U.S. could review its position on the islands, Murphy noted the lack of confirmation.

"I have not seen that email. The Pentagon did not confirm it. The official word that followed was the same U.S. position we have now: neutral on sovereignty, recognize British administration," Murphy said.

"I no longer work at the White House and can’t speak in any way for the administration, but I can say that the islanders voted 99.8% to stay British in 2013," he said of Falkland Islanders, who voted in a referendum that year to remain a British overseas territory.

Murphy emphasized that Washington, however, would maintain other diplomatic options without altering the status quo in the Falklands and said the U.S. is actively pressuring Britain on defense obligations.

Under current projections, U.K. defense spending would reach 2.7% of GDP by 2030, with the government expected to set a new timeline for reaching 3% on its path toward NATO’s core defense-spending target by 2035.

According to the 2025 Hague Summit Declaration, NATO allies agreed to spend 5% of GDP annually on defense and security-related expenditures by 2035, including at least 3.5% on core defense requirements, and to submit annual plans charting a credible path to meet NATO capability targets.

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"Last year in The Hague they signed up for 5% by 2035, which won headlines, but Britain still will not lock 3% by 2030," Murphy said. "I’ve watched this town treat a treaty like a suggestion. Friends don’t let allies cheat. So yes, squeeze London on the number."

He added: "This is the habit: put a number in a communiqué, then treat it as optional. They signed the pledge. They still slide."

Describing potential U.S. pressure on London as "leverage, not abandonment," Murphy said pushing Britain to increase defense spending would be "in the best national security interest of the U.S. and the U.K."

"After Wales in 2014, most of Europe missed the 2% guideline while the U.S. shouldered the load as usual," Murphy added.

"The United States extends the nuclear umbrella, the intel, the industrial base, the special relationship … You squeeze a budget with tools that move a budget," he said of Washington’s process.

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"Public pressure from the president. Annual Hague reviews. A dated 3% by 2030, or a funded path to 3.5% core by 2035, before the next UK defense budget. The special relationship is a privilege, not a welfare program.

"Tariffs if the White House wants them," Murphy warned.

"The UK is playing a central role in NATO and strengthening collective defence across Europe," a U.K. government spokesperson said, according to Sky News. "We are NATO's third-largest cash spender on defence and the only European NATO member to commit our nuclear deterrent to the alliance."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Pentagon and 10 Downing Street for comment.

Mamdani turns on New York City teachers union with lawsuit blocking pay raises for educators

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 18:22:09 -0400

The United Federation of Teachers (UFT), New York City's largest teachers union, is fighting back against Mayor Zohran Mamdani's efforts to block a city-backed pay raise for education paraprofessionals, after the group previously endorsed him last year.

Last month, the New York City Council unanimously passed the "RESPECT Check Act," which would offer up to a $10,000-bonus for education paraprofessionals.

Though Mamdani supported a version of the bill in the past, he has since spoken out against it, arguing that it violates New York state's Taylor Law, which protects public employees' rights to negotiate issues like compensation. His administration later filed a lawsuit to stop the law from being enacted Aug. 19.

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In response, the UFT filed a motion to intervene last week, preparing to take the issue to court if Mamdani continues to fight the measure.

"We knew this lawsuit was a possibility, and we were prepared," UFT President Michael Mulgrew told Fox News Digital in a statement. "The RESPECT check law, which was unanimously passed by City Council on July 16, was carefully drafted to make sure that it did not violate the state’s Taylor Law, which governs collective bargaining."

He added, "The City Council would not have introduced — let alone passed — this bill if it were illegal, and we would not have supported a bill that threatened our collective bargaining rights. This moment is an opportunity for Mayor Mamdani to create a new, fairer system and build the kind of city he said he wanted to lead. This administration must keep its promises, and we won’t stop until it does."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani's office for comment but did not immediately receive a reply.

In a statement to Fox News Digital, the city council pointed to a joint statement made by City Council Speaker Julie Menin and council member Carmen De La Rosa on Mamdani's lawsuit earlier this month.

"Every member of the Council, in a unanimous and bipartisan vote, supported the RESPECT Check Act because it is unacceptable that paraprofessionals who support some of our highest-need students are earning as little as $32,000 a year. This law is not only the right thing to do, it is also the fiscally responsible thing to do, helping address the staffing shortages that contribute to the City’s $1.5 billion in Carter case costs. The Council will vigorously defend the law," the statement read.

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The UFT previously endorsed Mamdani after he secured the Democratic nomination for New York City mayor in July 2025.

Despite the lawsuit, Mamdani said in a news conference last week that discussions with Menin and the UFT have been "productive," adding that he does not oppose a pay raise for paraprofessionals.

"The relationship [with Menin] continues as it’s been, and the talks [with the UFT] have been productive," Mamdani said. "They’ve been productive because we have a shared understanding of the critical role that paraprofessionals play in our public school system and in our city."

Border czar Tom Homan fires back after Democrat Chris Murphy claims ICE is ‘terrorizing little kids’

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:45:06 -0400

White House border czar Tom Homan fired back on Sunday's "State of the Union" after Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., accused U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement ("ICE") of targeting parents at school bus stops in Danbury, Connecticut.

"Trump says ICE is targeting criminals. They aren't. It's a lie," Murphy posted to X on Friday. "In Danbury, they are just targeting parents sitting at school bus stops just to terrorize little kids."

On CNN's "State of the Union", Homan rejected Murphy's characterization of ICE operations.

"ICE isn't in the business of terrorizing children," Homan told host Dana Bash. "That's just political fire. ICE is out there enforcing the law that was enacted by Congress. Did we arrest illegal aliens [that are] parents? I'm sure many are. But we're not out there to terrorize children."

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Homan went on to say that he was unaware of the bus-stop arrest but would seek more information. He acknowledged that ICE no longer operates under its former sensitive-locations policy. DHS rescinded the Biden-era guidance in January 2025, restoring officers' discretion to conduct enforcement in or near schools, hospitals and houses of worship.

A DHS spokesperson also fired back at Murphy's comments and accused the Democratic senator of trying to score political points while immigration officers face increased threats of violence.

"Any claim that ICE targeted parents at a school bus stop is FALSE," a DHS spokesperson said in a statement.

"Unsurprisingly, Senator Murphy’s narrative is a work of fiction aimed at scoring cheap political points at the expense of our officers, who are facing a 1,300% increase in assaults against them, a 3,200% increase in vehicular attacks against them, and an 8,000% increase in death threats against them," the spokesperson added.

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"Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, if you break the law, you will face the consequences," the official continued. "Illegal aliens are not welcome in the U.S. We will find you, we will arrest you, and we will deport you whether Connecticut’s pro-criminal illegal alien senator likes it or not."

DHS identified the man arrested in Danbury as Leonel Geovanny Morocho-Arteaga, 28, and said he entered the country illegally before Border Patrol arrested and released him in 2021. Agents found a large kitchen knife in his center console during Wednesday’s targeted vehicle stop, according to the department. DHS added that a child connected to the case remained under her mother’s guardianship without explaining their relationship.

Federal court records show Morocho-Arteaga filed a habeas corpus petition in Connecticut on Wednesday, the day of his arrest. DHS did not identify the other people whom Danbury United for Immigrants described as parents or provide a total for the week's operation.

Danbury Mayor Roberto Alves said close to 50 community members were detained last week and described ICE activity near schools and a daycare, with an advocacy group saying four parents were taken while school buses were present.

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Christie Brinkley and Sailor Brinkley Cook twin in denim at John Mayer's show in New York

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:32:27 -0400

Christie Brinkley is proving her genetics is strong in new photos with her daughter.

The 72-year-old model and her 28-year-old daughter Sailor Brinkley Cook attended John Mayer's live performance for SiriusXM in New York on Wednesday, Aug. 26 looking like twins.

Cook stunned on the red carpet in a denim on denim look with jeans and a denim jacket, paired with a black tank top showing off her midriff.

Brinkley also sported denim jeans, but chose to pair it with a loose black tank top with lace designs on the neckline and sheer cutouts throughout, which she paired with a green jacket.

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Hello! Magazine shared video of the two of them at the event on their Instagram, featuring the two of them smiling for cameras and waving at fans.

"Wow no way can Christie be 72 more like 22😍," one fan wrote in the comments section, while another added, "Two beauties ❤️."

Fans recently mistook Brinkley for her daughter in the comments section of her Instagram post featuring a carousel of photos of herself posing next to a vintage truck to promote her new zero-sugar prosecco line.

In the photos, Brinkley is wearing a navy blue long-sleeved top with an asymmetrical neckline, paired with matching high-waisted shorts with large gold buttons, showcasing her toned legs.

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"I thought you were your daughter for a second!" one fan wrote in the comments section, while another added, "Please dear lord let me age like @christiebrinkley."

Last year, Brinkley opened up about dating while on Kristin Davis’ "Are You a Charlotte?" podcast, where she revealed she and Cook were matching with the same men on dating apps, despite their 44-year age difference.

While on the podcast, she shared that her daughter signed her up for a dating app without her knowledge, and was shocked to see the results.

"[Sailor] said, ‘Mom, you’re right not to go on [dating apps] because the same guys that, you know, said yes to me are saying yes to you,’" the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model revealed.

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Brinkley, who has been married four times, also shared with Davis what she has learned about relationships over the years.

"I find that what men like to do is sort of be able to find somebody… that'll be impressed by every little thing that they do," said Brinkley. "Like, ‘Oh really? Oh, you're taking me to that restaurant? Ooh!’"

Urgent search underway for more than a dozen people after Grand Canyon flash flood

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 17:00:38 -0400

Fifteen people may be missing or unaccounted for after a major flash flood tore through a remote area of the Grand Canyon, prompting an urgent public plea from the National Park Service.

Grand Canyon National Park said 62 people had been evacuated as of Sunday morning from Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area, where significant flooding hit on Aug. 29.

Officials are asking for the public’s help to account for approximately 15 people who may have been in the affected area during the flood.

"Additional evacuations are planned today," the park said, warning that more thunderstorms and heavy rain are possible Sunday and Monday, raising the threat of further flash flooding, debris flows and rockfall.

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The flooding struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Aug. 29, according to the National Park Service, adding that nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said state emergency officials are coordinating with federal and local authorities as the search continues.

"My heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon," Hobbs wrote on X. "DEMA is coordinating with NPS and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts."

She also thanked first responders "working to keep our communities safe when disaster strikes."

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the flash flooding "devastating" and thanked first responders for searching for those still unaccounted for and evacuating others from the affected area.

"The physical damage includes a historic lodge near the bottom of the site and untold environmental upheaval," Fontes said in a statement. "I send my prayers to the community as the search for those unaccounted for continues."

Park staff and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are continuing evacuation and response operations as they work to account for people who may have been caught in the affected corridor.

Officials are asking anyone with information about hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along Bright Angel Creek that day to contact investigators.

The request also applies to anyone with a campground reservation in the affected area.

MULTIPLE HIKERS DEAD AMID SCORCHING GRAND CANYON TEMPERATURES

The National Park Service said it is trying to identify people who may have been traveling on the North Kaibab Trail between the North Kaibab Trailhead and Phantom Ranch, staying at Bright Angel Campground or traveling through an area known as "the Box" north of Phantom Ranch.

The agency did not release details about the people who may be missing or unaccounted for, including whether they were hikers, campers or park visitors with reservations in the area.

The American Red Cross is opening a shelter at 8 p.m. at Grand Canyon High School, 100 Boulder St. in Grand Canyon Village, for people impacted by the flooding. Those seeking more information can call 1-800-733-2767.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov.

From FSU to Dan Mullen, here are three 'overreactions' from week zero of the college football season

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:59:31 -0400

The college football appetizer known as week zero has come and gone, and although it wasn't quite as robust as the real opening week that is still to come, it did more than enough to keep football fans satisfied while they wait for the main course this coming Saturday.

Yesterday felt like a return to normalcy for college football fanatics after months of court dates and NIL doomsday prophecies, and it was nice to just sit back and watch some glorious pigskin action without worrying about any of that extracurricular garbage that has been plaguing the news cycle.

One of the telltale signs that the season is underway is the myriad overreactions you will see up and down your social media timeline, and Saturday evening/Sunday morning was no different.

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As you'll see, it's never too early to overreact to your team's performance in the first week of the year, even with an expanded College Football Playoff affording teams more regular-season Mulligans than ever before.

Here are three overreactions you'll see all over your phone screen as you do your Sunday afternoon scroll, and some carry more weight than others.

If I could sum up Florida State's 2026 opener against New Mexico State on Saturday night in one word, it would be "woof."

And I'm not alone in that assessment, FSU fans took to social media for the majority of the past 16 hours and absolutely trashed their beloved Noles.

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It wasn't without merit, either.

The Seminoles were 31.5-point favorites heading into the contest, with New Mexico State coming off a 4-8 season in 2025.

Florida State ended up only winning by 17, and the game got as close as 10 midway through the fourth quarter.

If it wasn't for a bad pick in the red zone to open the game and a drop by a wide open receiver in the end zone, the Aggies might have actually pulled the upset in Tallahassee.

FIVE COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAMS RANKED OUTSIDE THE PRESEASON TOP-10 THAT WENT ON TO WIN IT ALL

The Noles got bullied on the lines of scrimmage by a team much smaller than them and their new quarterback, Auburn transfer Ashton Daniels, was a mixed bag in his debut in garnet and gold.

Fans are already calling for head coach Mike Norvell's firing, but the odds of that happening before the season are slim given his exorbitant buyout.

The truth is, FSU supporters might be in for another long season, and this overreaction might carry some weight.

The UNLV Rebels were a trendy pick to make the College Football Playoff this season as a Group of 6 representative, and while that might still happen, those dreams took a big hit with a 27-21 home loss to fellow G6 Playoff hopefuls Memphis on Saturday.

Head coach Dan Mullen spent the majority of the news conference complaining that his fans were making too much noise while the Rebs were on offense instead of worrying about other things like why his defense was getting torched by a Division II transfer at quarterback.

I've seen a ton of UNLV fans making impassioned pleas to Mullen asking him to fire defensive coordinator Paul Guenther, but plenty of them have come to the realization that it won't be happening.

As a Florida Gator fan, I can confirm Mullen is prepared to go down with the ship as his embattled DC sits right alongside him in the captain's quarters.

This is the fatal flaw of Mullen: he's stubborn and loyal to a fault.

He had a ton of chances to fire Florida defensive coordinator Todd Grantham as he harpooned any chances the Gators had of winning a championship in 2020, and I fear he will do much of the same in Vegas.

Now, the part that makes this an overreaction is the fact that Guenther is in year one as the UNLV defensive coordinator.

Perhaps he turns it around, but getting dissected by a quarterback and head coach (Charles Huff) in their very first game with the program is not exactly a good sign.

File this one under "something to keep an eye on."

If you were on social media at all in the last 24 hours, you are probably aware of USC's attendance problem during their opening game against San Jose State.

The Trojans have arguably their most talented team since head coach Lincoln Riley arrived five seasons ago and have a legitimate shot at making the CFP, but the fans weren't convinced.

Several shots of the Coliseum showed what could, generously, be described as a half empty stadium. So what gives?

Defenders of the program will blame the empty seats on things like a heat wave, or classes not starting yet. Others fire back with screenshots of a home venue packed to the gills with USC fans during similarly hot temperatures just a few short years ago.

Are fans punting on Riley right as he's about to turn things around?

I think the truth is probably a lot more simple and less sinister than that.

Los Angeles isn't a huge sports town, and I think fans need to see proof of concept before they show up to a game and support their team.

I say this as someone who is from a similarly fair-weather sports town in Miami; the Dolphins and Hurricanes will play to a stadium that is barely half full unless they are legitimate championship contenders.

It's just the way it is.

I will say this, for as empty as the Coliseum was on Saturday, the students did their part, as their section of the stadium was packed to the gills and screaming full throat for their Trojans.

This is absolutely an "overreaction," and the minute USC is 4-0 and ranked in the top 10 when they play Oregon, I guarantee you that the building will be rocking.

'We back': Aaron Donald returns to the Rams and a defense now loaded with Myles Garrett and others

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:57:29 -0400

When Michael Jordan announced his return to the NBA in 1995, all he said was "I'm back" in a statement. Well we've come a long way since then because Aaron Donald on Sunday announced his return to the NFL.

And he did it with a full-on video on Instagram.

(There's something to be said for 1995).

Donald must agree with that to some degree because in his official letter to Commissioner Roger Goodell, he quoted Jordan.

"I'm back," Donald wrote. "Sincerely, Aaron Donald."

FORMER RAMS STAR SAYS HE'S KEEPING TABS ON AARON DONALD RETURN AFTER MYLES GARRETT TRADE

One thing 1995 couldn't offer: Instant reaction from the wife.

"I let him out the house y'all," Erica Donald, the defensive lineman's wife, posted on X.

Donald, 35, is indeed returning to the Los Angeles Rams, after being retired in 2024 and 2025, to resume his career which previously spanned 10 years.

"We back," Donald wrote on the announcement page, sort of taking a page out of Jordan's playbook.

Donald has agreed to a one-year deal worth $20 million that can escalate up to $30 million for 2026, per a source.

Donald has been working out in the same intense and urgent fashion that he gained a reputation for utilizing during his previous time in the NFL. Those workouts previously helped Donald become one of the best defensive players of his generation and one of the great defensive linemen of all time.

He's had two official "tryouts" with the Rams as part of that comeback. He's been working out twice daily with his personal trainers for nearly six weeks on top of that. And he's been eating differently, too.

LOS ANGELES RAMS BETTING OUTLOOK: WHY ONE ANALYST IS ALL IN ON A SUPER BOWL WIN AT +550

And all of this came with two goals:

Goal 1: Regain the ability and prowess Donald had before he retired, which is to say, he wants to play at the level that made him a three-time Defensive Player of the Year and a nine-time All Pro.

Goal 2: Win the Super Bowl.

Donald's fire was obviously rekindled by the fact the Rams are going for it this coming season.

BROWNS GENERAL MANAGER EXPLAINS WHY HE CHANGED HIS MIND ON TRADING MYLES GARRETT: 'OPPORTUNITY WAS TOO GREAT'

They added two-time Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett in June.

The combination of Garrett and Donald – and their five Defensive Player of the Year awards – offers the Rams the possibility of having the most epic defensive line in NFL history if both play to expectation and past performance.

The Rams also happened to add corner backs Trent McDuffie and Jaylen Watson this offseason.

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Think of this: The Rams added the two starting corner backs from the Kansas City Chiefs, with McDuffie being a Pro Bowl-caliber player, to be their starting corner backs in 2026.

And that was, like, the third most significant addition to the team's defense this offseason.

All of this on top of the fact quarterback Matthew Stafford is the defending NFL MVP.

So, yes, the goal in Los Angeles with Donald, Garrett, McDuffie, Stafford and others is to win it all after the team fell short against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game last season.

And maybe that works out.

But regardless of that, what an amazing offseason the Rams have put together.

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Scott Wolf's wife says ‘my brain turned on me’ as she apologizes to family for 'profound harm' after psychosis

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:10:43 -0400

More than a year after Kelley Wolf was placed under an involuntary psychiatric hold following reports of erratic behavior, the former reality star is now speaking publicly about the experience and offering an apology to her husband Scott Wolf and their family.

In an Instagram carousel, Kelley said she had been diagnosed with what she called "breakthrough drug-induced mania with psychosis," which she attributed to a combination of stress, past trauma, hormonal shifts, hallucinogens and prescribed medication.

"It’s been a year since I recognized what everyone around me could see: I was not well, and I needed help," Kelley wrote. "I felt like my brain had been hijacked, and the world was moving at the speed of a freight train."

PSYCHEDELIC THERAPY MAY BE COMING TO YOUR DOCTOR'S OFFICE AS QUESTIONS SWIRL

Kelley said she had "no awareness" of her actions at the time and was "completely delusional."

"I think one of mine was that I was in the CIA and that I was running for President!" she admitted.

PEREZ HILTON UNDER INVOLUNTARY PSYCH HOLD AFTER APPARENT SELF-HARM LIVESTREAM: SOURCE

"After a year working with incredible doctors, therapists, psychologists, and healers, I have an answer," she wrote, later adding, "I won’t recount all the chaos, but what has burdened my soul is my need to say I’m so sorry."

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Kelley and the "Party of Five" actor announced in June 2025 that they were ending their 21-year marriage. Days later, she was detained by police in Utah County and taken to a hospital after making comments that concerned others.

JENNIFER LOPEZ TAKES BLAME FOR BEN AFFLECK DIVORCE, SAYS SHE NEEDED TO 'FIGURE' HERSELF OUT AFTER SPLIT

In her new post, Kelley said the behavior that followed caused "profound harm" to those closest to her.

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"My husband of twenty years was taken through a nightmare that wouldn’t even fly in a movie script; it was so brutal," she wrote. "The things I did, said, wrote, and posted caused profound harm and were not based in truth or reality. And they caused pain I could never imagine to the people I love the most."

"My brain turned on me," she continued. "In my illness, I made accusations and did things that make me shudder."

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Her remarks come after Scott, 58, said last year that Kelley had planned to make "false allegations" against him during their divorce proceedings. He shared alleged text messages in which she appeared to say she had been advised to make claims that she did not believe were true in an effort to gain an advantage in court.

At the time, Scott said the claims were "baseless and incredibly dangerous," particularly for the couple’s three children. A July 2025 agreement granted him temporary sole physical custody, while Kelley was allowed supervised visitation.

Kelley directly addressed Scott and the couple’s three children — Jackson, 17, Miller, 13, and Lucy Marie, 12 — in her apology, writing that the pain she caused would "haunt" her.

"It was my job to protect you, honor you, and keep you safe, and I became the cause of your heartbreak," she wrote. "I am sorry."

"You never gave up on me, and you fought like hell until you landed me in safe harbor," she wrote. "I owe you my life. I will work hard to use this life to leave it better, to pay it forward, and to never give up on the power of love."

Scott showed his support by commenting five heart emojis on Kelly's post.

Jena Sims keeps the wholesome golf content coming as she leaves it all on the course doing the worm

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:02:34 -0400

Jena Sims served up a valuable reminder to those making golf commercials that it doesn’t have to be that hard. You don't need to attempt to make some parody that ends up in flames to get people's attention.

The equation isn't a difficult one. She traded in her pants for the Chili's golf club collection, she then smacked a golf ball off a building. The approach was a simple one. This was all about fun.

Jena's having fun, she's all smiles throughout, and she looks great the entire time in the commercial that made the rounds on Friday. That's it. That's all it takes for a fun golf commercial. It's not that hard at all.

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You're going to have to really use your imagination to find something wrong with it and get a bunch of other people worked up. It's not going to happen. Nobody's watching this and reaching for the pitchforks.

That was just the start of the wholesome golf content the swimsuit model and golf wife had in store for the weekend. Jena had a tee time with the girls lined up and another lesson in content for anyone who needs it.

JENA SIMS GETS THE SI SWIMSUIT LAUNCH WEEK STARTED WITH A BEHIND-THE-SCENES BIKINI PARADE

This might aggravate people golfing behind you, but this isn’t something those who take the game too seriously are going to enjoy anyway. This is for the fun and entertainment of it all.

Jena and the girls parked the golf carts, made the song selection, then left it all on the course with their dance moves. She even did a version of the worm that has to be seen to be believed.

Did they receive a warning to increase their pace of play? You had better believe it. But even if they end up skipping a hole or two to catch up, they have this work of art to show for it.

Jena Sims knows content, she kind of knows the worm, and most of all, she knows fun golf content. I think for the most part everyone knows what works. For whatever reason, they choose to get too cute and clever with it.

Ivanka Trump takes surfing lesson in Costa Rica during latest family beach vacation getaway

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 16:00:04 -0400

Ivanka Trump is showing off her athleticism while on vacation.

The 44-year-old former White House aid and daughter to President Donald Trump, was photographed taking a surfing lesson while on a family vacation in Costa Rica.

In the photos, Ivanka is wearing black bikini bottoms and a long-sleeved white rash guard as she took on the waves on her green surfboard.

Some of the photos show her standing up on the board and shredding the waves, while others show her standing next to the surfboard while knee-deep in the water as she waits for the next wave.

IVANKA TRUMP SHARES INTIMATE LOOK AT COOL-WEATHER ICELAND GETAWAY WITH JARED KUSHNER AND THEIR KIDS

This isn't the first time Ivanka has been spotted surfing in the Central American country. She sported a black bikini on the beach in April 2025 while there on vacation to celebrate the Easter holiday.

"Grateful doesn’t begin to cover it. Spending Passover and Easter week surrounded by the raw beauty of Costa Rica was a gift beyond words," she wrote on X at the time. "Time slowed. We surfed under golden skies, zipped through the jungle canopy, leapt into cool waterfalls, read until the sun dipped low, and surrendered to stillness and deep sleep."

Also joining her on that trip were her brother-in-law Joshua Kushner, and his wife, model Karlie Kloss.

Ivanka recently shared a carousel of photos on Instagram from various trips and moments with her family taken over the summer, which featured her husband, Jared Kushner, and their sons, Theodore and Joseph.

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One of the photos show Ivanka sitting in a swimming pool in a black one-piece swimsuit, while others show her posing with her husband and kids, as well as some of her kids golfing and doing archery.

"Summer Snaps," she captioned the post.

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"Authenticity and beauty in one frame.♥️" one fan wrote in the comments section. Another added, "Absolutely beautiful.. we all love the Trump family ❤️."

During Trump's first presidency, Ivanka served as a senior advisor to her father all four years.

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"It's the world's loneliest position [the presidency], the enormity of the decisions you're making on a daily basis, how transactional everyone is with you," she said during an appearance on "The Skinny Confidential Him & Her" podcast in January 2025.

At the time she shared that she was looking forward to taking a step back during her father's second term as president, adding she is happy to be "able to show up for him as a daughter and be there for him...in a very loving way as his daughter."

Does USC's poor opening game attendance mean Lincoln Riley's on the hot seat already?

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 15:57:16 -0400

The 2026 college football season is officially underway, and with it returns one of the greatest sporting traditions: criticizing crowd sizes and attendance.

This season, the culprit was USC, as the Trojans opened their 2026 season at home against San Jose State. Because college football scheduling is no longer based on what makes sense given a location, local time zones, time of year, or weather, NBC picked the 12pm Pacific Time window for kickoff.

That's always a tough time for Southern California locals, because Saturday traffic in the Los Angeles area, particularly for events around downtown LA, makes getting in and out of venues an hours-long slog. Combine it with the $60 parking a mile away, a poor quality opponent, and one of the most brutal weather days of the year, with atrocious heat and humidity, and it's a recipe for reduced attendance.

USC FOOTBALL RIPPED FOR PATHETIC CROWD AT HOME OPENER: 'ABSOLUTELY EMBARRASSING'

That's exactly what happened. And the college football world rushed to do what it does best, roast other programs. The crowd at kickoff was extremely small, though, it did fill in a bit more by late in the first quarter. Unsurprisingly, with the game already decided in the first 15-18 minutes and the awful conditions, it quickly emptied out.

Many commentators rushed to say that the low turnout is why USC will not make the College Football Playoff this year, while adding that Lincoln Riley is officially on the hot seat. And to be fair to those uninformed opinions, there's little doubt that USC's underwhelming performances in recent years contributed to the poor showing. But one thing those commentators, and most fans, completely misunderstand, is that attendance and fan support has quite literally nothing to do with team quality.

This phenomenon though, continues to have widespread support across college football. Fans show up to watch Arkansas on seven days a year, therefore Arkansas must be a good program with good players. Does it matter if the Razorbacks finish 2-10? Does that make them a bad program? Apparently not, because their fans showed up to watch them lose.

Then there's the other, oft-ignored part of this discussion: fan attendance at big programs in hot weather in the heat has often been a problem. Here's how one story covering the Florida Gators' struggles to fill up their stadium for noon kickoffs described "The Swamp."

"As I enter the stadium a few minutes before kickoff, the audio system rumbles through the cement pillars and I’m ready for an overwhelming surge of energy. But when I make it out into the open air, the first thing I notice are empty metal bleachers reflecting rays of bright Florida sun. While the alumni section I’m standing in is filled, the top third of the student section opposite me is mostly empty, a scatter-plot weighted toward the bottom. I was expecting the frenzied vibe of a rave; what I’ve got is more of a buzzy mimosa brunch."

And that was a highly attended game, according to Tyler Nettuno, a reporter for the school paper explained.

"The general admission seats above both end zones are patchy, too. 'For a 12 o’clock game,' Nettuno continues, 'this is the best I’ve seen it.'"

The story goes on to point out that "Ohio State, Virginia Tech and Ole Miss suffered declines of greater than 5%" in attendance. As well as the fact that Clemson didn't sell out a single game in a year they won a National Championship. While Ohio State fans explained they'd rather go sit at a bar with friends or at home instead of watching a blowout win over Florida Atlantic.

In 2025, crowd shots of a mostly empty "Death Valley" at LSU went viral on college football Twitter.

Attendance has little to do with whether a team is headed for a playoff spot. And the reasons behind the national decline in attendance are obvious. It's easier than ever to watch games through streaming services on phones. Ticket prices continue to increase, even as everyday life becomes increasingly expensive. Staying home in bad weather allows fans to track other games instead of being in miserable heat to watch a blowout win. Many younger alumni aren't as dedicated to football either, as schools bolster their academic admission standards or push for more STEM students.

Not to mention that we ran this experiment, on how much crowds impact outcomes in home games during COVID, and found that, at least in the NFL, league average home field advantage essentially stayed almost identical from 2019-2020. Fans and fan noise just don't matter as much as they'd like to believe.

So with that established, did the Trojans 42-26 win over San Jose State tell us anything about their hopes of reaching the College Football Playoff? No, not really.

Opposing fans ready to bury USC and Riley, particularly the ever-disgruntled Oklahoma fans, jumped all over the poor fourth quarter performance. And justifiably so. But when USC's starters were in the game, they dominated.

In the first half, for example, San Jose State had five drives. On four of them, the Spartans gained a total of 36 yards. Their first quarter "offense" was six plays for 11 yards and two punts. They did have one drive go 66 yards on 14 plays before a turnover on downs. But overall, their offense averaged just 3.9 yards per play and gained 102 total yards. Their first drive of the third quarter was a three-and-out with six yards. So while the starters and second string were in the game, SJSU gained 108 yards on 29 plays.

To their credit, the Spartans were able to move the ball against the Trojans' backups and third stringers, with plenty of USC's players held out entirely due to injury concerns. But for those quick to bury them for 2026, we can look at some recent history to show that isn't warranted.

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In 2024, Oregon had a 17-14 lead over Idaho midway through the fourth quarter. They needed their starters to score a final touchdown with five minutes left to win 24-14 as 45.5 point favorites. They made the playoff at the end of that season.

In 2025, the eventual SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs had a two possession lead over FCS team Austin Peay until midway through the fourth quarter, leaving their starters in before securing an unimpressive 28-6 win as 48.5 point favorites.

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Also in 2025, eventual undefeated national champions Indiana beat Old Dominion 27-14 in week one and allowed 218 rushing yards and 314 total yards with nearly seven yards per play. They were 24-point favorites.

So are there reasons for concern around USC? Sure, the backups will be needed throughout the season, and the poor fourth quarter wasn't encouraging. Riley hasn't exactly given fans reasons for confidence at SC, and it's clear that their secondary needs work.

But Jayden Maiava was 25/29 for 286 yards and two touchdowns without playing a particularly impressive game, by his standards. The Trojans spread the ball around, and their impressive freshman defensive end Luke Wafle made national highlights. Nobody knows whether SC can make the leap and make the playoff, despite their difficult schedule. There is one thing for certain though, an understandably bad crowd and fourth quarter didn't tell us anything.

Americans warned against travel plans as terrorism threatens popular destination

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 15:52:22 -0400

Americans planning travel to Israel are being urged to reconsider those plans as the U.S. State Department warns of terrorism and unrest, with some areas carrying an even higher warning due to armed conflict.

The department recently reissued Israel's Level 3 advisory, "Reconsider Travel," though officials said there was no change to the overall advisory level.

The State Department warns that the security environment in Israel is complex and can change quickly.

US WARNS TRAVELERS TO AVOID PICTURESQUE COUNTRY AS SECURITY RAPIDLY WORSENS

"Violence can occur without warning," the advisory states, adding that increased regional tensions can cause airlines to cancel or limit flights into and out of Israel.

Some areas carry the highest Level 4, "Do Not Travel," warning due to armed conflict.

Americans are advised not to travel to areas north of Route 85 to Route 90 south to Route 87, within seven miles of the Gaza Strip or within 1.5 miles of the Israel-Egypt border, except around the Taba border crossing.

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U.S. government employees working in Israel are also restricted from traveling to those areas — and additional movement restrictions could be imposed "with little to no notice," due to increased security concerns or threats, according to the advisory.

The update on Aug. 26 also included a change for family members, who may now join U.S. government employees working in Israel.

For those Americans who decide to travel to Israel, officials recommend they stay aware of their surroundings, avoid demonstrations and crowds, and follow instructions from security and emergency officials.

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Travelers are also advised to know the location of the nearest bomb shelter or other hardened shelter.

They should also have a plan to leave the country in an emergency that does not depend on U.S. government assistance, according to the advisory.

Officials further recommend buying travel insurance and checking coverage for evacuation assistance, medical care and trip cancellations.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for further details.

The warning comes as U.S. officials continue issuing travel and security alerts for destinations around the world.

Fox News Digital previously reported that U.S. officials temporarily suspended government activities and travel to Mexicali, Mexico, last week after receiving information about a potential security threat.

Americans were urged to avoid government buildings, remain aware of their surroundings and follow instructions from Mexican law enforcement.

The suspension has since been lifted and government activities have resumed.

Andrea Margolis of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

JONATHAN TURLEY: University of Pennsylvania professor calls for litmus test for all Democratic candidates

Sun, 30 Aug 2026 15:44:25 -0400

University of Pennsylvania professor Michael Mann is the vice provost for Climate Science, Policy, and Action and has pushed candidates to commit to major environmental reforms. Notably, he seemed to pivot in an interview with Peter Dominick on a podcast last week, calling for all Democratic candidates to face a litmus test on committing to pack the Supreme Court: promise to pack or get the sack.

It is only the latest example of how the hostile takeover of the court is now the priority for many Democrats in removing a barrier to a radical agenda.

"When it comes to Senate races, there should be a litmus test," Mann said. "It isn’t just good enough to be a Democrat. You’ve got to be a Democrat who would be willing to expand the Supreme Court … There’s no way not to be partisan. There’s no way not to be political here. If you care about the environment, you’ve got to vote for the Democrats now."

JONATHAN TURLEY: DEM SOCIALIST RIPS ‘INSTITUTIONALISTS’ AS FAR LEFT TURNS UP HEAT ON DEFENDERS OF CONSTITUTION

Establishment candidates are offering the mob the Supreme Court to show their bona fides as the far left turns on "institutionalists" who support our constitutional system. As I previously wrote, even law professors and deans joined this movement in calling for the rejection of our Constitution on the 250th anniversary of our revolution.

Once packed, the court could greenlight a variety of unconstitutional measures.

Years ago, Harvard professor Michael Klarman laid out a radical agenda to change the system to guarantee Republicans "will never win another election." However, he warned that the Supreme Court "could strike down everything I just described." Therefore, the court must be packed in advance to make these changes possible.

That includes an agenda for extreme measures ranging from wealth taxes, to reparations, to climate control regulations.

MORNING GLORY: END THE FILIBUSTER, PACK THE COURT, KISS THE CONSTITUTION GOODBYE

Mann raised the need to reverse doctrines limiting agency authority — a barrier to some climate control measures. In so doing, he got the underlying law fundamentally wrong: "It was in a conservative Supreme Court decision within the last few years that introduced the so-called Chevron standard. Basically, what they said was that the EPA no longer had the authority to make rules based on the science and its own determination."

In 2024, the Supreme Court actually overturned the Chevron Doctrine in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. It also did not rule that "the EPA no longer had the authority to make rules based on the science and its own determination." Rather, it said that courts would review such decisions without the prior presumptions in favor of agency decision-making. The restored, traditional judicial review is precisely to determine whether agency decisions are based on credible interpretations of the law and science.

Mann has had his own conflicts with the courts. He was sanctioned last year after winning a defamation case against bloggers Rand Simberg and Mark Steyn for attacking his climate control research.

KAMALA HARRIS BACKS MAJOR CHANGES TO THE SUPREME COURT, ELECTORAL COLLEGE AHEAD OF POSSIBLE 2028 CAMPAIGN

At the time, some of us questioned the award, which was just $1 in actual damages but $1 million in punitive damages. In 1996, the U.S. Supreme Court decided a case, BMW of North America v. Gore, striking down a punitive damages award. The case involved the company’s practice of repairing and repainting cars damaged in transit without telling the customers.

The jury in the original trial awarded $4,000 in compensatory damages for the car’s lost value due to the lack of a factory paint job and other damage and then imposed $4 million in punitive damages for the company’s dishonesty.

D.C. Superior Court Judge Alfred S. Irving Jr. reduced the award against Steyn to just $5,000 after finding the original award to be "grossly excessive."

The court later learned that Mann’s defense team had allegedly presented false accounts of his losses after the criticism. Mann’s legal team was accused of presenting a chart listing a grant that Mann allegedly lost due to the defamatory remarks as $9.7 million, when it was later found to be worth $112,000. Irving also found a disparity in the grant income figures given to the jury.

The court found the alleged misrepresentations to be "an affront to the Court’s authority" and sanctioned Mann and his legal team "for bad-faith trial misconduct." After reversing the jury verdict, the court ordered Mann to pay $1.1 million of his critics’ legal expenses.

Now, Mann is calling for all Democratic candidates to pledge to pack the Supreme Court as a condition for running — so any Democrat who believes in our institutions and resists this mob will be a persona non grata in the party as an "institutionalist" captured by "nostalgia."

Mann joins a growing list of figures demanding the hostile takeover of the court — from former Vice President Kamala Harris to former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. The priority is telling.

CARVILLE TELLS DEMS TO QUIETLY PREPARE POWER GRAB WITH DC, PUERTO RICO STATEHOOD AND SUPREME COURT PACKING

Much of what is planned by the far left will be difficult to accomplish due to constitutional limits. You can remove those limits by eliminating an independent Supreme Court and turning this essential institution into a federal version of state courts packed with partisan jurists.

At its base, is a fundamental misunderstanding of the court’s role. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., not only renewed her previous call to pack the court but said the court was illegitimate for rendering decisions against "widely held public opinion." However, the court was meant to be counter-majoritarian to protect minority groups and viewpoints from the majority will.

Mann’s advice is different from that of James Carville, who wants Democrats to hide this intended move from the public — which continues to oppose court packing. Carville told Democratic candidates: "If the Democrats win the presidency and both houses of Congress, I think on day one, they should expand the Supreme Court to 13. F--- it. Eat our dust. Don’t run on it. Don’t talk about it. Just do it."

Mann and others, including former Attorney General Eric Holder, are done with any pretense: "There’s no way not to be partisan. There’s no way not to be political here."

In other words, it is time to make the Supreme Court itself partisan and political. It will then be reduced to just another partisan institution in an age of rage.