Cast down imaginations & every high thing that exalts itself against God

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lionel-richie-reveals-he-almost-became-priest-before-one-fans-comment-changed-his-life

Lionel Richie revealed that he almost joined the Episcopal priesthood before one encouraging shoutout from an audience member convinced him to pursue a musical career. 

In his new memoir "Truly," the 76-year-old music icon recalled growing up, he was a "disastrously shy altar boy" who considered becoming a member of the clergy and was training for the priesthood.

During a Friday appearance on "Today with Jenna & Friends" to promote his tell-all, Richie recalled the pivotal moment, while performing with his college band, The Commodores, that inspired him to commit to music. 

SINGER LIONEL RICHIE ATTRIBUTES FAMILY, GOD TO HIS GENERATIONAL STAYING POWER

"I couldn’t figure out what the heck to do with my life, couldn’t figure it out," the four-time Grammy Award winner said. "I’m as shy as I can be. And then I realized, maybe the priesthood might be the best way to go."

"Here’s what happened to change my mind," Richie continued. "I joined the Commodores in my second semester of my sophomore year and something amazing happened. A lady on the front row of some club said, ‘Sing it, baby!’"

Richie said that the audience member's comment prompted him to contact church leadership and abandon his training for the priesthood.

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"I called back to the priest and I said, ‘I don’t think I’m going to be college material. I just gotta be honest with you,’" the "All Night Long" hitmaker said. "There’s a moment when you have that moment."

"All of a sudden, I got an acknowledgment from the other side," Richie continued. "From that point on, I kept thinking, now how does this go forward? I didn't know I was a writer, didn't know I was a singer. Thank God for The Commodores because I would have never discovered Lionel Richie."

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Richie admitted that he continued to struggle with his shyness while he was performing with The Commodores. 

"Scared to death, can you imagine having panic attacks on stage?" the "American Idol" judge said. "But I wanted to be in this band so badly, and I wanted to be in this business." 

In "Truly," Richie recalled telling the priests at his church that he had second thoughts about his vocation for the priesthood.  

"They gave me wise words of encouragement and told me that if things changed the door was always open," Richie wrote. "In fact, in the coming years, whenever I worried that the music thing was to be short-lived, I’d talk about returning to my earlier plans." 

He continued, "I even picked out a seminary in Wyoming. Never went. The moment of truth probably arrived when I began to write songs—and realized they were my real sermons.

"Truly" will be released nationwide on Oct. 15, 2025, through HarperCollins.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/lionel-richie-reveals-he-almost-became-priest-before-one-fans-comment-changed-his-life

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/final-respects-paid-forgotten-catholics-300-years-ago-who-valued-religious-liberty-see-photos

Maryland officials reinterred 65 of the state's earliest settlers in a powerful ceremony more than 300 years after the settlers' first burials.

The reinterment was held at Historic St. Mary's City, a colonial town off the western shore of Chesapeake Bay, on Sept. 20. Earlier this year, the site drew national headlines when it opened up a reconstructed 17th-century Catholic church. 

The Brick Chapel was the center of Catholic worship in Maryland until 1704, when the Protestant governor of Maryland shuttered the building's doors. 

TREASURES IN ITALY, INCLUDING 2,300-YEAR-OLD TOMB, UNEARTHED DURING SEWER INSTALLATION

The recent reinterment marked the chapel’s most meaningful use yet. Henry Miller, Ph.D., a senior research fellow at Historic St. Mary's City, spoke to Fox News Digital about the observance.

Sept. 20 marked the day the 65 individuals were finally returned to a new burial vault after their remains had been respectfully studied and preserved.

The event, attended by Archbishop of Baltimore William E. Lori, included a procession, a chapel blessing and the reburial.

ARCHAEOLOGISTS UNCOVER ANCIENT BAPTISTERY IN FRANCE TIED TO EARLY CHRISTIAN RITUALS

Miller painstakingly planned all the period-accurate details, he said, such as the horse-drawn hearse, the cannon salute and the inclusion of "Salve Regina," a hymn that settlers would have known well.

"Having the archbishop was important, as these [settlers] were almost all Catholics," he said. 

"The parts were all planned to create a dignified, memorable and honorable ceremony to return these people to their resting place."

Miller said it took six hours to place all the remains in the vault. To save time, the public ceremony focused on what he called "the most forgotten" — the babies left out of historical records.

ANCIENT CHRISTIAN CHURCH REVEALS MYSTERIOUS 1,600-YEAR-OLD WARNING TO NONBELIEVERS: 'ONLY THE RIGHTEOUS'

"We placed the remains of eight of them in small black boxes wrapped with black ribbon and a sprig of rosemary attached," he said. "They were in the coffin [we carried]." 

He went on, "I found eight pallbearers who are descendants of 17th-century Maryland immigrants …. Once the coffin was brought into the chapel with an honor guard, the archbishop blessed their remains, and each pallbearer was given a box to carry to the burial vault for interment."

Miller added, "I named the pallbearer and their ancestor, and then said what we could about the little baby they were holding." 

All of the details, down to the coffin, were as accurate and respectful as possible, he said.

TOWER OF LONDON DIG REVEALS BLACK DEATH-ERA SKELETONS BELOW POPULAR TOURIST SITE: 'TIP OF THE ICEBERG'

"The coffin itself is a precise reconstruction of one we excavated at the site," Miller said. "We also carefully measured the locations and orientations of all the nails and the soil stains from the coffin wood, so that it was possible to fully and accurately reconstruct it.

"My goal was to honor these long-forgotten men, women and children, showing them dignity and respect at the place they had been buried over three centuries ago," he added. 

Miller also said, "As an archaeologist who helped excavate them, I felt both a professional and personal obligation to see them properly reinterred. It was the proper and respectful way to treat them."

MEDIEVAL KNIGHT'S TOMB DISCOVERED BENEATH FORMER ICE CREAM PARLOR IN POLAND: 'VERY RARE'

Before the burial, researchers studied the remains and gleaned insights on everything from chronic illnesses and dental care to lead ingestion and diet in colonial America — something that Miller says will be the subject of a future book.

He also said the event could serve as a model for how excavated remains are treated elsewhere in the U.S., noting that respecting ancestors "is a deeply seated human tradition."

"I feel we honored them as the founders of Maryland, and as individuals who sacrificed much to do that, giving up all they knew to try for a new life in an unfamiliar land," he said. 

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"All of them have been forgotten for centuries, except by a few historians, and this has allowed us to return them to memory."

Beyond Maryland's history, the archaeologist also used the event to deliver a national message about tolerance and coexistence.

The call came just 10 days after Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk was shot in Utah, a stark reminder of how political violence continues to divide the U.S.

"[Marylanders] learned that people with different viewpoints can live together without violence," Miller said in his speech. "That is a legacy as important in late 2025 as it was in the 1600s."

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Overall, Miller said that St. Mary's City should be recognized as much as Jamestown and Plymouth, considering the colonial settlement's role in pioneering religious liberty.

"These people set the precedent in North America, beginning in 1634, for a core part of the American experience as expressed in the First Amendment, [meaning] no established church and the free exercise of religion," he said. "The first North American introduction of these ideas happened at St. Mary's City."

"That should place St. Mary's on a par with Jamestown and Plymouth as founding places of the American experience."

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/final-respects-paid-forgotten-catholics-300-years-ago-who-valued-religious-liberty-see-photos

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/man-found-dead-arkansas-attack-after-sending-family-photos-bear-his-campsite

A Missouri man was found dead from a likely bear attack this week, just two days after he sent photos to his family of a bear at his campsite in Arkansas, according to officials. 

Police found the 60-year-old man’s body several hundred yards from his campsite near Mt. Judea, Arkansas, on Thursday. The area showed signs of a struggle and had drag marks away from the camp.

The man's son had asked for a welfare check because his dad hadn’t checked in for a couple of days since sending the photos.  

His body has "extensive" injuries "consistent with those expected from a large carnivore attack," the Newton County Sheriff’s Department said in a release. 

ALASKA JOGGER DRAGGED 100 YARDS BY BEAR IN TERRIFYING PREDAWN ATTACK NEAR DRIVEWAY

Search efforts were still underway on Saturday to find the bear, which appeared to be a young male, according to the photos sent by the man. Officials said they weren't sure the bear in the photos was the one that attacked. 

"Until the Arkansas Crime Lab completes the autopsy, we can't 100% say it was a bear, but everything strongly indicates it," Sheriff Glenn Wheeler said in a statement. "We are attempting to find the bear and dispose of it so the Game and Fish Commission can test it for anything that may have led to the encounter."

He added, "We know without a doubt that a bear was in camp with our victim and the injuries absolutely are consistent with a bear attack. This is a highly unusual case. We are very early in the investigation and search and will update as we can. If you are in the area, just be aware and use caution, especially with children. History tells us that once a bear becomes predatory, it often continues those behaviors."

The campground, known as Sam's Throne, has been temporarily closed to the public while the search for the bear continues. Wheeler warned people to be vigilant while enjoying the outdoors: keep food away from where you sleep, don’t approach bears even if they’re small and carry bear spray or some other way to defend yourself. 

WOMAN SAVES HUSBAND'S LIFE WITH BEAR SPRAY DURING GRIZZLY ATTACK IN WILDERNESS

"I don't want this to become open season on any bear that someone may see, as most bears fear humans and run away," Wheeler added. "But, at the same time, don't put yourself or others in jeopardy."

This would be the second bear attack in the state in a month if confirmed. 

A 72-year-old Arkansas man was mauled by a black bear in early September. He later died of his injuries. 

Before that, the last fatal bear attack in Arkansas was in 1892, according to the Arkansas Times. 

"I don’t even know how to put it into words, to tell you the truth. These things just don’t happen," Keith Stephens, the chief of communications for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission, told the newspaper. "It just seems so bizarre. It’s not even in my realm of comprehension. I’m really in shock today. Actually, when I was told about it, I thought they were kidding me just to give me a hard time from the last one. It’s obviously not a joking matter, but it just didn’t seem real." 

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The bear in the first attack was previously euthanized. 

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/man-found-dead-arkansas-attack-after-sending-family-photos-bear-his-campsite

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/hegseth-sets-world-record-navy-football-game-most-people-doing-pushups-same-time

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had a record-breaking presence during Navy's 34-31 win over Air Force Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland. 

Hegseth led a pushup brigade with cadets, officers and fans at the game that broke a Guiness World Record. Hegseth's charge of 3,068 broke the record for most people doing pushups simultaneously for one minute.

Navy not only beat Air Force's football team, but it also took the pushup record from the Air Force Academy.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The previous record was 2,926, achieved by the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on April 20, 2023, according to Guiness World Records.

Hegseth's feat drew praise on social media. 

Hegseth was a big part of the festivities for Navy's football team on Saturday. 

He also joined in on the postgame celebration and gave the players a boisterous locker room speech after their thrilling win. 

TRUMP DECLARES ‘REAWAKENING’ OF ‘WARRIOR SPIRIT,’ UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR MILITARY: ‘I HAVE YOUR BACKS’

The victory gave Navy (5-0) a leg up in holding on to the Commander-in-Chief's trophy, awarded to the winner of the round-robin between the Navy, Air Force and Army service academies. 

Navy will look to clinch the trophy in the annual Army-Navy game Dec. 13. 

Earlier on Saturday, Hegseth fired the navy chief of staff Jon Harrison, who had been appointed in January. 

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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/hegseth-sets-world-record-navy-football-game-most-people-doing-pushups-same-time

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazil-methanol-poisonings-top-120-cases-after-deadly-tainted-liquor-fuels-nationwide-panic

Brazil’s Health Ministry is warning people to avoid cocktails after tainted liquor killed at least one person, blinded others and fueled a nationwide panic.

From chic São Paulo bars to Rio de Janeiro’s beaches, Brazilians are on edge after a wave of suspected poisonings from methanol-contaminated liquor left drinkers dead, blind or in comas.

Officials have confirmed one death from methanol poisoning. The Health Ministry says 127 suspected cases have been reported nationwide with 11 confirmed and 116 under review across at least five states and the capital, Brasília.

Local media said victims included patrons at upscale bars and restaurants. Some lost their sight or fell into comas after drinking famous Brazilian caipirinhas, vodka tonics and other clear cocktails.

MUNICH OKTOBERFEST FAIRGROUNDS CLOSED AFTER BOMB THREAT AND DEADLY EXPLOSION

"I’m definitely not going out to drink this weekend. Things are worrying," said Rafael Martinez, a 30-year-old architect in São Paulo. "For now, I’d rather stick to soda or, at most, beer, which they said is harder to tamper with."

Health Minister Alexandre Padilha urged Brazilians to "steer clear of colorless spirits" and announced new emergency measures, including the purchase of 2,500 doses of fomepizole, an antidote for methanol poisoning, and 12,000 ampoules of medical-grade ethanol. Shipments began Saturday to five states as the government races to prevent more deaths.

According to the ministry, most cases are in São Paulo though cases have surfaced as far as Pernambuco and Mato Grosso do Sul. Padilha said the new stockpile would ensure "no patient goes without treatment" and that both antidotes can be administered even before lab confirmation.

FEDS INTERCEPT 1,300 BARRELS OF METH PRECURSOR CHEMICALS SHIPPED FROM CHINA TO MEXICO

Federal police are investigating a potential link to organized crime groups accused of distributing counterfeit liquor.

Methanol is an industrial chemical that can cause nerve and liver damage and is sometimes found in fake or poorly distilled alcohol.

Restaurant owners are suspending liquor sales to reassure nervous customers. 

"Last night no one bought drinks … even I don’t want to drink," said Nikolaos Loukopoulos, who runs a Greek restaurant in São Paulo. "With a beer, we’re fine in this heat. Why risk it?"

Tourist hot spot Rio de Janeiro has not recorded any confirmed cases, but beach kiosks and restaurants have posted warnings on social media to calm visitors.

Thais Flores, a 28-year-old dental surgeon visiting Rio from São Paulo, said she reluctantly ordered a Corona at a beach kiosk. 

"I don’t really like beer, but because of the latest news, it’s been my drink of choice."

Her friend, Raquel Marques, 29, said she risked drinking a vodka caipirinha anyway. 

"I’m scared, but we took a chance," she said. "The guy said he bought it at the market."

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The scare comes as Brazil prepares for its peak tourism season, raising fears of an economic hit to its beaches and nightlife industry.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazil-methanol-poisonings-top-120-cases-after-deadly-tainted-liquor-fuels-nationwide-panic

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/hegseth-sets-world-record-navy-football-game-most-people-doing-pushups-same-time

U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had a record-breaking presence during Navy's 34-31 win over Air Force Saturday in Annapolis, Maryland. 

Hegseth led a push-up brigade with cadets, officers and fans at the game that broke a Guiness World Record. Hegseth's charge of 3,068 broke the record for most people doing push-ups simultaneously for one minute.

Navy not only beat Air Force's football team, but it also took the push-up record from the Air Force Academy.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

The previous record was 2,926, achieved by the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on April 20, 2023, according to Guiness World Records.

Hegseth's feat drew praise on social media. 

Hegseth was a big part of the festivities for Navy's football team on Saturday. 

He also joined in on the postgame celebration and gave the players a boisterous locker room speech after their thrilling win. 

TRUMP DECLARES ‘REAWAKENING’ OF ‘WARRIOR SPIRIT,’ UNWAVERING SUPPORT FOR MILITARY: ‘I HAVE YOUR BACKS’

The victory gave Navy (5-0) a leg up in holding on to the Commander-in-Chief's trophy, awarded to the winner of the round-robin between the Navy, Air Force and Army service academies. 

Navy will look to clinch the trophy in the annual Army-Navy game Dec. 13. 

Earlier on Saturday, Hegseth fired the navy chief of staff Jon Harrison, who had been appointed in January. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/hegseth-sets-world-record-navy-football-game-most-people-doing-pushups-same-time

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazil-methanol-poisonings-top-120-cases-after-deadly-tainted-liquor-fuels-nationwide-panic

Brazil’s Health Ministry is warning people to avoid cocktails after tainted liquor killed at least one person, blinded others and fueled a nationwide panic.

From chic São Paulo bars to Rio de Janeiro’s beaches, Brazilians are on edge after a wave of suspected poisonings from methanol-contaminated liquor left drinkers dead, blind or in comas.

Officials have confirmed one death from methanol poisoning. The Health Ministry says 127 suspected cases have been reported nationwide with 11 confirmed and 116 under review across at least five states and the capital, Brasília.

Local media said victims included patrons at upscale bars and restaurants. Some lost their sight or fell into comas after drinking famous Brazilian caipirinhas, vodka tonics and other clear cocktails.

MUNICH OKTOBERFEST FAIRGROUNDS CLOSED AFTER BOMB THREAT AND DEADLY EXPLOSION

"I’m definitely not going out to drink this weekend. Things are worrying," said Rafael Martinez, a 30-year-old architect in São Paulo. "For now, I’d rather stick to soda or, at most, beer, which they said is harder to tamper with."

Health Minister Alexandre Padilha urged Brazilians to "steer clear of colorless spirits" and announced new emergency measures, including the purchase of 2,500 doses of fomepizole, an antidote for methanol poisoning, and 12,000 ampoules of medical-grade ethanol. Shipments began Saturday to five states as the government races to prevent more deaths.

According to the ministry, Brazil has recorded 127 suspected cases, with 11 confirmed and 12 deaths still under investigation. Most are in São Paulo, though cases have surfaced as far as Pernambuco and Mato Grosso do Sul. Padilha said the new stockpile would ensure "no patient goes without treatment" and that both antidotes can be administered even before lab confirmation.

FEDS INTERCEPT 1,300 BARRELS OF METH PRECURSOR CHEMICALS SHIPPED FROM CHINA TO MEXICO

Federal police are investigating a potential link to organized crime groups accused of distributing counterfeit liquor.

Methanol is an industrial chemical that can cause nerve and liver damage and is sometimes found in fake or poorly distilled alcohol.

Restaurant owners are suspending liquor sales to reassure nervous customers. 

"Last night no one bought drinks … even I don’t want to drink," said Nikolaos Loukopoulos, who runs a Greek restaurant in São Paulo. "With a beer, we’re fine in this heat. Why risk it?"

Tourist hot spot Rio de Janeiro has not recorded any confirmed cases, but beach kiosks and restaurants have posted warnings on social media to calm visitors.

Thais Flores, a 28-year-old dental surgeon visiting Rio from São Paulo, said she reluctantly ordered a Corona at a beach kiosk. 

"I don’t really like beer, but because of the latest news, it’s been my drink of choice."

Her friend, Raquel Marques, 29, said she risked drinking a vodka caipirinha anyway. 

"I’m scared, but we took a chance," she said. "The guy said he bought it at the market."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The scare comes as Brazil prepares for its peak tourism season, raising fears of an economic hit to its beaches and nightlife industry.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazil-methanol-poisonings-top-120-cases-after-deadly-tainted-liquor-fuels-nationwide-panic

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazil-methanol-poisonings-top-120-cases-after-deadly-tainted-liquor-fuels-nationwide-panic

Brazil’s health ministry is warning people to avoid cocktails after tainted liquor killed at least one person, blinded others and fueled a nationwide panic.

From chic São Paulo bars to Rio de Janeiro’s beaches, Brazilians are on edge after a wave of suspected poisonings from methanol-contaminated liquor left drinkers dead, blind or in comas.

Officials have confirmed one death from methanol poisoning. The Health Ministry says 127 suspected cases have been reported nationwide with 11 confirmed and 116 under review across at least five states and the capital, Brasília.

Local media said victims included patrons at upscale bars and restaurants. Some lost their sight or fell into comas after drinking famous Brazilian caipirinhas, vodka tonics and other clear cocktails.

MUNICH OKTOBERFEST FAIRGROUNDS CLOSED AFTER BOMB THREAT AND DEADLY EXPLOSION

"I’m definitely not going out to drink this weekend. Things are worrying," said Rafael Martinez, a 30-year-old architect in São Paulo. "For now, I’d rather stick to soda or, at most, beer, which they said is harder to tamper with."

Health Minister Alexandre Padilha urged Brazilians to "steer clear of colorless spirits" and announced new emergency measures, including the purchase of 2,500 doses of fomepizole, an antidote for methanol poisoning, and 12,000 ampoules of medical-grade ethanol. Shipments began Saturday to five states as the government races to prevent more deaths.

According to the ministry, Brazil has recorded 127 suspected cases, with 11 confirmed and 12 deaths still under investigation. Most are in São Paulo, though cases have surfaced as far as Pernambuco and Mato Grosso do Sul. Padilha said the new stockpile would ensure "no patient goes without treatment," and that both antidotes can be administered even before lab confirmation.

FEDS INTERCEPT 1,300 BARRELS OF METH PRECURSOR CHEMICALS SHIPPED FROM CHINA TO MEXICO

Federal police are investigating a potential link to organized crime groups accused of distributing counterfeit liquor.

Methanol is an industrial chemical that can cause nerve and liver damage and is sometimes found in fake or poorly distilled alcohol.

Restaurant owners are suspending liquor sales to reassure nervous customers. "Last night no one bought drinks … even I don’t want to drink," said Nikolaos Loukopoulos, who runs a Greek restaurant in São Paulo. "With a beer, we’re fine in this heat. Why risk it?"

Tourist hotspot Rio de Janeiro has not recorded any confirmed cases, but beach kiosks and restaurants have posted warnings on social media to calm visitors.

Thais Flores, a 28-year-old dental surgeon visiting Rio from São Paulo, said she reluctantly ordered a Corona at a beach kiosk. "I don’t really like beer, but because of the latest news, it’s been my drink of choice."

Her friend, Raquel Marques, 29, said she risked drinking a vodka caipirinha anyway. "I’m scared, but we took a chance. The guy said he bought it at the market."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The scare comes as Brazil prepares for its peak tourism season, raising fears of an economic hit to its beaches and nightlife industry.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/brazil-methanol-poisonings-top-120-cases-after-deadly-tainted-liquor-fuels-nationwide-panic

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/wnba-commissioners-past-comments-caitlin-clark-earnings-resurface-after-denying-recently-alleged-remarks

WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert's previous comments about league and Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark's earning potential during a CNBC interview resurfaced on social media Friday.

The previous comments came to light after Engelbert denied telling Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier that Clark "should be grateful she makes $16 million off the court because without the platform that the WNBA gives her, she wouldn't make anything," according to Collier.

While Engelbert denied making that statement during a news conference Friday, her previous comments during an interview at the CNBC Changemakers Summit in April 2024 echoed similar themes.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"Caitlin has the ability to make up to a half-million dollars just in WNBA wages this year. So, of course, they’re just looking at a base which is collectively bargained. And, actually, it’s low because she’s the No. 1 pick. She’ll make a little more than that," Engelbert said.

"She also has millions and millions of dollars [in] endorsements. Because she declared to become pro, her endorsements are higher in dollar value. She has a global platform now, not just a U.S. platform. So, she’s going to do just fine as will the top players in the league as every league does."

Engelbert's made the comments just days after Clark was selected with the No. 1 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft by the Fever. Clark's WNBA base salary that year was just $76,535. 

Clark did sign an eight-year, $28 million deal with Nike that she signed in April 2024, before she ever played a game in the WNBA. And she had previous deals with Nike and other sponsors during her college career at Iowa.

The commissioner faced immense backlash from fans, media pundits and active players after Collier made the allegations that Engelbert said Clark should be "grateful" and "wouldn't make anything" without the WNBA last week, which Collier said came in a private conversation.

Collier also alleged Engelbert told her, "Players should be on their knees, thanking their lucky stars for the media rights deal that I got them."

While addressing the alleged comments about Clark, Engelbert denied making them.

"Obviously, I did not make those comments. Caitlin has been a transformational player in this league. She's been a great representative of the game. She’s brought in tens of millions of new fans to the game," Engelbert said at Friday's news conference.

However, Engelbert did not explicitly deny making the alleged comments about players that "should be on their knees." Instead, the commissioner responded by claiming there have been a lot of "inaccuracies" reported in the media.

"There's a lot of inaccuracy out there through social media and all this reporting," Engelbert said. "A lot of reporting, a lot of innacuracy about what I say, what I didn't say."

INSIDE CAITLIN CLARK AND ANGEL REESE'S IMPACT ON MEN'S BASKETBALL

Engelbert later said, "I'm disheartened. I'm a human too. I have a family. I have two kids who are devastated by these comments. So, all I say is that it's obviously been a tough week, and I just think there's a lot of innacuracy out there."

Still, Engelbert acknowledged that if players don't feel "appreciated," she has "to do better."

"I was disheartened to hear that some players feel the league and that I personally do not care about them or listen to them," Engelbert said before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals Friday night.

"If the players in the ‘W’ don’t feel appreciated and value from the league, we have to do better, and I have to do better."

The WNBA and its players' union, the WNBPA, are in negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

The players’ association and the WNBA agreed to an eight-year agreement in 2020, but the WNBPA voted last eyar to opt out of the agreement early. The current agreement expires Oct. 31. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/wnba-commissioners-past-comments-caitlin-clark-earnings-resurface-after-denying-recently-alleged-remarks

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/elvira-remains-unimpressed-ariana-grandes-apology-diva-behavior-hopes-singer-learns-humility

Elvira is standing by her criticism of Ariana Grande almost a year after calling out the "Wicked" star for her allegedly rude behavior during a past encounter. 

The 74-year-old horror icon, whose real name is Cassandra Peterson, previously accused Grande, 32, of snubbing her during one of her "Mistress of the Dark" shows. 

Grande later apologized, saying she didn’t recall the encounter and attributed it to an anxiety attack she was experiencing at the time.

During a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, Peterson doubled down on her version of events and shared her reaction to Grande's apology. 

ELVIRA CRITICIZES ARIANA GRANDE FOR DIVA BEHAVIOR AT ONE OF HER SHOWS

"I told a story that really happened. She did it. I wasn't making it up. It was very offensive," Peterson said.

"I had all the celebrities who I had ever come to my show — and there was a ton — were always gracious and kind, and, um, she was not. I'm sorry to say that.

"It's disappointing when you hear things like that and learn things like that," Elvira added. "It's sad. But, oh well."

In October 2024, Peterson first spoke publicly about her encounter with Grande, adding fuel to long-running "diva" rumors surrounding the singer.

During an appearance at Knott's Scary Farm, Elvira participated in a Q&A session in which she asked about her worst celebrity interaction. 

In a fan-recorded video, Peterson, who made her character "Elvira" famous beginning in the early '80s, recalled meeting Grande but didn't disclose when the interaction occurred.

Peterson said Grande "came [to my show], and she brought 20 guests. So, she wanted 21 tickets. We're like, ‘OK,’" Peterson started. "She gets backstage, and she asks if I could take pictures with all of her friends and relatives she brought.

"I take a picture with every single one of them. I sign autographs for every single one of them," Peterson explained. "Then I say to her, ‘Could we take a photo together,’ and she goes, ‘No, I don't really do that.'

"And then she left before my show started. All her relatives stayed."

Peterson later posted a screenshot to Instagram featuring an article written about the conflict. A day later, Grande left a comment on the post, expressing her remorse for the interaction. 

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"I’m so disheartened to see this. i actually don’t even remember getting the chance to meet you because i had an anxiety attack and to my memory, left before the rest of my family (this was around 7 years ago and at the time i was really not great with being in public crowds or loud places)… but if i’m misremembering this moment, i sincerely apologize for offending you so," Grande wrote at the time. 

"Thank you for being so nice to my mom, she told me how lovely you were (she might have different feelings about that now but i’ll talk to her… clearly, we all have our days!) sending love always. you’ll always be our queen of halloween!"

While speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Peterson shared that she wasn't impressed with the "We Can't Be Friends" singer's apology, pointing to the line about how "her mom used to really like me, but maybe not now."  

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"What's the word? You know, where you do something, but you really have other thoughts in mind? Like, 'Thank you, not really, thank you,'" Peterson said. 

The "Yours Cruelly, Elvira" star told Entertainment Weekly she and Grande haven't spoken since the Grammy Award winner's apology. 

"After that response from her, no, I just let the whole thing drop," Peterson said. 

Peterson expressed her hope that Grande might learn humility from the experience. 

"I think when you're young, and you're in show business — well, if you last in show business for any amount of time and are still famous — you do learn a lot of lessons along the way, and you get a little more humble," she said. "So, hopefully, that will happen with her."

ARIANA GRANDE DEFENDS HERSELF AGAINST 'DIVA' ACCUSATIONS

Fox News Digital has reached out to representatives for Grande and Peterson for comment. 

Grande has previously spoken out about being accused of diva behavior. 

In May 2020, Grande appeared on Apple Music's "Zane Lowe Show," and spoke about how she was affected by the media's narrative of her.

"I stopped doing interviews for a really long time because I felt like whenever I would get into a position where somebody would try to say something for clickbait or twist my words or blah-blah-blah. I would defend myself and then people would be like, ‘Oh, she’s a diva.' And I was like, ‘This doesn’t make any sense.'"

Grande pointed out that women in her position are often spoken about differently than men. 

"It makes you want to quiet down a little bit. But I'm trying to also say, ‘F--- that.’

"I'm tired of seeing women silenced by it. I think there's this thing where, like, we'll hear something or [someone will be] like, ‘Oh she said this.’ … It really sits with you. And you feel like, ‘Oh wow, should I not express myself anymore, or should I not have this fight that I want to have anymore? … Should I just say, ‘OK’ and let it be? It kind of f---s you up a little bit."

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/elvira-remains-unimpressed-ariana-grandes-apology-diva-behavior-hopes-singer-learns-humility

https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-post-editorial-slams-mamdani-holding-back-gifted-students-name-equity

The Washington Post editorial board slammed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani Friday for "holding back gifted students in the name of equity" following his proposal to phase out gifted education programs in the city.

"Who could have guessed that Zohran Mamdani (D), the leading candidate to become the next New York mayor, would provoke a firestorm by announcing this week that he intends to phase out the city’s early elementary school programs for gifted students in the name of equity? Parents of bright children want access to schooling that meets their needs?" The Post questioned. "Shocking."

In response to a New York Times questionnaire on Thursday, the mayoral hopeful revealed his plans to eliminate gifted programs for public school children in NYC until they enter third grade.

MAMDANI TORCHED OVER 'DESTRUCTIVE' PLAN TO AXE NYC GIFTED PROGRAM FOR KINDERGARTNERS

The headline for the Post's editorial read, "Holding back gifted students in the name of equity." 

The city's current program allows students to enter these gifted programs starting in kindergarten after they have been nominated by their preschool teachers and meet other criteria based on their grades.

As noted by The Post, the city's gifted student program has long faced criticism from those on the left who argue that the program exacerbates segregation in the city's school system.

"Students who come from higher-income families are at an advantage of being selected, resulting in a disproportionate number of White and Asian kids. Black and Hispanic kids, who comprise 66 percent of total enrollment, make up only 21 percent of participants in these programs," the outlet reported.

MAMDANI SLAMMED FOR USING KIDS IN CAMPAIGN VIDEOS AFTER GLOATING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA-FREE CHILDHOOD

The Post was critical of Mamdani and other school systems that have made similar changes to their gifted student programs for not appreciating the fact that "gifted children have different learning needs from their peers, just as children with cognitive disabilities benefit from education plans that are specific to them."

"Parents see the gifted programs as stepping stones toward high-achieving schools down the road. But the solution is not to take away opportunities from children who are currently benefiting from them; it is to expand the program and improve how the city identifies children from underserved populations," the outlet argued.

In closing, The Post warned that politicians "tread on dangerous ground when their pursuit of equity comes at the cost of children’s opportunities."

UNEARTHED MAMDANI COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WRITINGS PROMOTE ANTI-ISRAEL BOYCOTT, RAIL AGAINST 'WHITE PRIVILEGE'

This isn’t the first time The Post’s editorial board has warned about Mamdani’s potential impact on NYC if he were to be elected.

In June, The Post argued Mamdani's socialist policies could bring the city back to the "bad old days" and "discredit" the next generation of Democratic leaders.

"New Yorkers should be worried that he would lead Gotham back to the bad old days of civic dysfunction, and Democrats should fear that he will discredit their next generation of party leaders, almost all of whom are better than this democratic socialist," The Post cautioned.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Mamdani's campaign for comment.

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https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-post-editorial-slams-mamdani-holding-back-gifted-students-name-equity

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-compares-herself-hollywood-legend-elizabeth-taylor-new-song

Taylor Swift is turning the spotlight on fame and heartbreak with her new track, "Elizabeth Taylor."

In the new song from her latest album, "The Life of a Showgirl," Swift draws parallels between her own life in the spotlight and the scandal-fueled legacy of the Hollywood icon.

In "Elizabeth Taylor," Swift channels Taylor’s legendary mix of glamour and chaos. The song is filled with clever references, each serving as an Easter egg for fans who know their Hollywood history. 

TAYLOR SWIFT SHARES INSIDE LOOK AT TRAVIS KELCE’S ROMANTIC PROPOSAL, TALKS WEDDING PLANNING IN RARE INTERVIEW

"That view of Portofino was on my mind," Swift sings in a nod to Taylor’s romance with Richard Burton, who famously proposed in the Italian village in 1964.

"I’d cry my eyes violet," she croons, a direct reference to Taylor’s famous violet eyes, which were as legendary as her love life.

The line "I would trade the Cartier for someone to trust" may have struck a deeper chord with fans.

Taylor’s celebrated Cartier jewels have long symbolized her high-profile romances, but Swift turns the comparison around, asking whether all that glitter can ever replace trust and real connection.

There’s also a shoutout to Musso & Frank Grill, a Hollywood landmark where Taylor often dined, and a nod to Taylor’s signature fragrance, "White Diamonds," with the lyric, "All my white diamonds and lovers are forever."

TAYLOR SWIFT ENGAGED TO TRAVIS KELCE: HOW NFL STAR CROSSED THE GOAL LINE AFTER OTHER STARS FUMBLED

Fans received a message from Swift during the "Official Release Party of a Showgirl," Oct. 3, when she introduced the track in a prerecorded message, according to Elle.

Swift called it "one of my favorite songs" from the album and said it explores "the anxiety provoked by fickle fame" — a feeling both Taylors knew well.

The Grammy winner’s new album, "The Life of a Showgirl," also includes a nod to her high-profile relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce.

On the track "Wood," Swift hints at finding "the one" after years of heartbreak.

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"Girls, I don’t need to catch a bouquet / To know a hard rock is on the way… The curse on me was broken by your magic wand / Seems to me that you and me, we make our own luck."

She even references Kelce’s popular podcast, "New Heights."

"New heights of manhood / I ain’t gotta knock on wood," she sings on the track.

In August, the couple announced their major relationship milestone on Instagram with the caption, "Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married."

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In the series of sweet photos the pop superstar shared, Kelce was down on one knee as Swift caressed his face during the intimate moment.

The "Love Story" singer began dating Kelce in 2023.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/taylor-swift-compares-herself-hollywood-legend-elizabeth-taylor-new-song

https://www.foxnews.com/media/comedy-star-admits-completely-devastated-kirk-murder-calls-outrage-kimmel-hypocritical

Veteran comedian Jamie Kennedy said he was "completely devastated" by the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk despite never having met him.

The "Malibu’s Most Wanted" and "Scream" star and host of the "Hate to Break It to Ya" podcast told Fox News Digital he was shocked not only by the killing of Kirk but by the reactions of people who celebrated his death. 

"And then just to see [the killing] was just, you know, it was beyond shocking. So, that was one level. And then to see people's reactions to it was just – it was just beyond sick. It was just beyond evil, sick, disgusting, and that really messed me up," Kennedy said.

GAVIN NEWSOM FACES BACKLASH FOR 'RECKLESS' POST ABOUT KRISTI NOEM AFTER CHARLIE KIRK'S ASSASSINATION

Like many Americans, the actor and stand-up comic said Kirk’s death Sept. 10 at Utah Valley University hit him "on the deepest of levels."

"I've never been so sad and so mad about someone that I never met. And I was completely, I was just completely devastated by this," he said to Fox News Digital.

Kennedy said he struggled to comprehend that the killing happened during a free speech event on a college campus.

"Why? Why did this happen? Like, where are we at? If you go onto a college campus, right, a place that's supposed to be the epitome of open ideas, OK? And then you go there, and then you're gunned down for a speech."

He said seeing people celebrate his killing revealed to him the "newest low" in human behavior and made him realize how divided things really are in America.

"But then to see people celebrating it, that's just a newest low. And I don't remember seeing this in my 55 years. … So, it changed me because I don't want to be around anybody like that. I don't want to be near anybody like that. I want to be in my own area with people that share my ideas, my values, and let people that share those ideas and those values over there."

'LAST CALL' STAR JAMIE KENNEDY TALKS CANCEL CULTURE: 'THERE'S NO FORGIVENESS ANYMORE'

Despite the shock and horror he felt over Kirk’s assassination, Kennedy pointed to the positive response, which included memorials and religious services held not only in the U.S. but around the world.

He called the positive response to Kirk’s death "the greatest advertisement for Jesus ever."

He pointed to the power of Kirk’s wife, Erika Kirk, forgiving her husband’s murderer at his memorial in Arizona.

"When his wife forgave the murderer, that is literally, she is the living embodiment of Jesus' message. … That was the ultimate forgiveness. I couldn't believe that she did that," he said. "It was the most beautiful act of forgiveness we've ever witnessed."

While talking to Fox News Digital, Kennedy weighed in on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" host Jimmy Kimmel being suspended by Disney and ABC. Kimmel was taken off-air for several days for suggesting that the murder suspect, 22-year-old Utah native Tyler Robinson, could be a supporter of President Donald Trump.

Where many Hollywood figures condemned Kimmel being pulled off the air, arguing it was censorship or a violation of free speech, Kennedy said it was fair because he made cracks at the horrific story that American viewers didn’t want to hear. 

"It's like, ‘Yo, something horrific happened,'" he said. "’There’s 1 trillion things you can joke about. Maybe just not joke about this right now.’ A comedian's No. 1 thing to do is what? Read the room. The second one is to point out hypocrisies." 

Kennedy continued. 

"No one wanted to hear any jokes about that. I still don't. OK? It was just terrible to do, OK? Should a person be canceled for a joke? Obviously not. But here's the thing: The hypocrisy looms large."

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Kennedy explained that while Kimmel got a slap on the wrist for making Kirk’s killer monologue fodder, entertainers like sitcom legend Roseanne Barr and "Star Wars" actress Gina Carano had their careers destroyed by social media posts. 

"Roseanne was on the same network, a comedic icon and a female. So, you get your female, you get your comedic icon on the No. 1 show, 18 million viewers. Canceled for a tweet. She was banished — banished — to her macadamia nut farm in Hawaii, like gone. Never reconsidered."

"Gina Carano in the same company — gone, thrown out for a tweet. So, no, the hypocrisy is ridiculous," he added. 

Kennedy did say he believed Kimmel’s apology for the line that got him suspended was sincere.

"I believe it was a very sincere apology, and I believe that he's truly sorry. And I've done his show many times. He's always been a very good guy to me. He's always been a nice guy."

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https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-portlands-dystopia-delusion-coming-city-near-all-us

It was the perfect coda to my visit to Portland, Oregon, when my phone lit up as I sat at the airport.

Lyft was letting me know that my driver, who had spent 20 minutes lecturing me about how President Trump has laundered money for Russia for decades and that Antifa doesn’t exist, had registered a complaint claiming I had discriminated against him — presumably because I disagreed with his hectoring screed.

The most amazing thing about Portland isn’t actually how far left-wing it is. Everyone has seen episodes or clips from the TV show "Portlandia." It’s how sure the people there are that everything is fine, that occasionally walking past dead bodies on the sidewalk is a normal American experience.

DAVID MARCUS: IN DEMOCRAT PORTLAND, LUXURY, VAGRANCY AND TOTAL DISORDER

And how sure they seem to be that not only is anyone calling themselves a Trump supporter wrong, but immoral.

Tara Faul is a Portland-based photographer who has done excellent work documenting (and often feeding) the homeless addicts in her woebegone hometown. I was struck by something she posted on X while I was there.

"At a Portland concert last night, I heard a guy give the ‘every city is like that, bro’ to an out-of-town couple who had a rough experience in our city," she began, adding, "The wife was like, ‘No, I work in downtown Detroit, and it’s not like that.’ I was there this year and agree. It’s much cleaner."

This perfectly summed up the feeling I had, that the people in Portland are rather like a frog in boiling water. Even as the temperature rises, they cannot seem to feel the change.

Jackie, a bartender whose family has lived in the area for a century — and who is as nice as can be — told me, "You’re only talking about downtown. The rest of the city isn’t really like that."

Sure, every city has nice neighborhoods and not-so-nice ones. But the downtown area is what everyone shares. It’s the face of a city, and in the Rose City, it almost feels like Dickensian London.

Portland is very fashion-forward. There, you’ll see natty three-piece suits, handlebar mustaches and hair colors of such variety that, when in large groups, the heads appear almost like an open bag of Skittles.

Much like the elites of a Charles Dickens tale — tapping walking sticks in their finery while using a nosegay to mitigate the stench of the masses — in Portland, human misery fades into the background, like the quiet but incessant rain.

I could almost hear the hipsters mutter to themselves, "Are there no soup kitchens? Are there no safe injection sites?"

About a quarter of the storefronts, by my count, are vacant. What remains is all expensive. Outside of a class group in a museum, I’m not sure if I saw a child the entire four days I was there. There’s just no life in the place.

But, having said all that, the pickle at the end of the day is that, from what I can tell, most people in Portland think things are fine — great even. And if that’s true, then who are we in the rest of the country to tell them they’re wrong?

That’s where the warning comes in for every American city. When you hand local government over to the far left, and it refuses to maintain order, you wind up with something like "Blade Runner," where the wealthy and protected flourish, the vagrants languish and die and everyone else stays the hell away.

This is how you end up with a city where the local police arrest journalists for daring to cover the fact that Antifa has been given control of the streets. Because, in Portland, if you are anything short of a committed leftist, you can start to feel a little less than human.

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The message I got from Lyft at the Portland airport instructed me to reply by saying I acknowledged the vague complaint against me. Instead, I wrote something to the effect of, "Your driver lectured me about the evils of Donald Trump and was quite rude."

When I arrived at Dulles and tried to use the Lyft app, no drivers would appear for me. I actually laughed — and then just used a different app.

But it isn’t actually funny, because this is how social credit systems work. If you say something supposedly offensive, you can’t have a bank account or get a car. And I do think many, if not most, Portlanders would deep down agree that expressing conservative views deserves punishment.

I can say with certainty that I have no desire to return to Portland, but I can also say, with great trepidation, that I’m a little worried Portland may be coming to me — and to all of us.

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https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-portlands-dystopia-delusion-coming-city-near-all-us

https://www.foxnews.com/media/canada-warns-gender-neutral-passport-holders-may-face-entry-restrictions-traveling-countries-like-us

Canada warned on Wednesday that travelers may face "entry restrictions" if they enter the United States with an "X" gender marker on their passports.

The Canadian government updated its travel advisory this week, cautioning that those carrying passports with the "X" designation could encounter problems traveling to the U.S.

"While the Government of Canada issues passports with a ‘X’ gender identifier, it cannot guarantee your entry or transit through other countries," the advisory states. "You might face entry restrictions in countries that do not recognize the ‘X’ gender identifier. Before you leave, verify this information with the closest foreign representative for your destination." 

The guidance appears under a section entitled "United States travel advice," updated Oct. 1.

CANADIANS CLAIM THEY ARE CANCELING TRIPS TO US FOR REMAINDER OF TRUMP TERM

It continued, "You should also be aware that current systems used by some countries and travel companies may not recognize the ‘X’ gender identifier. You may still be asked to provide your sex/gender information as either male or female when traveling."

Global Affairs Canada told Fox News Digital it had begun updating similar information regarding gender-neutral passports across all destinations' Travel Advice and Advisories pages. 

"The Government of Canada issues Travel Advice and Advisories (TAAs) about safety and security conditions abroad to help Canadians make informed decisions and travel safely while outside of Canada," a spokesperson said.

TRANSGENDER PEOPLE SUE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER NEW PASSPORT POLICY ELIMINATING 'X' GENDER MARKER

According to the U.S. State Department website, a passport with an "X" marker is still valid until its expiration date and can be used for entry into the U.S. 

The Biden administration introduced the "X" designation in 2022.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in January requiring transgender and nonbinary applicants to list their sex as male or female according to their birth certificate when applying for passports. A federal judge in Massachusetts later ruled that the State Department must provide transgender and nonbinary applicants with passports based on their gender identification.

TRANS EUROPEAN TRAVELERS WARNED BY THEIR COUNTRIES ABOUT US TRAVEL AMID TRUMP 'TWO-SEXES' ORDER

The Justice Department has asked the Supreme Court to allow the Trump administration’s order to be enforced while the case is under appeal.

Fox News Digital also reached out to the State Department for comment.

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Canada issued a travel advisory in 2023 warning "2SLGBTQI+" travelers about visiting the U.S., claiming they "could face certain barriers and risks" that could "infringe on your human rights."

https://www.foxnews.com/media/canada-warns-gender-neutral-passport-holders-may-face-entry-restrictions-traveling-countries-like-us

https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-post-editorial-slams-mamdani-holding-back-gifted-students-name-equity

The Washington Post editorial board slammed New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani Friday for "holding back gifted students in the name of equity" following his proposal to phase out gifted education programs in the city.

"Who could have guessed that Zohran Mamdani (D), the leading candidate to become the next New York mayor, would provoke a firestorm by announcing this week that he intends to phase out the city’s early elementary school programs for gifted students in the name of equity? Parents of bright children want access to schooling that meets their needs?" The Post questioned. "Shocking."

In response to a New York Times questionnaire on Thursday, the mayoral hopeful revealed his plans to eliminate gifted programs for public school children in N.Y.C. until they enter third grade.

MAMDANI TORCHED OVER 'DESTRUCTIVE' PLAN TO AXE NYC GIFTED PROGRAM FOR KINDERGARTNERS

The headline for the Post's editorial read, "Holding back gifted students in the name of equity." 

The city's current program allows students to enter these gifted programs starting in kindergarten after they have been nominated by their preschool teachers, and meet other criteria based on their grades.

As noted by The Post, the city's gifted student program has long-faced criticism from those on the left who argue that the program exacerbates segregation in the city's school system.

"Students who come from higher-income families are at an advantage of being selected, resulting in a disproportionate number of White and Asian kids. Black and Hispanic kids, who comprise 66 percent of total enrollment, make up only 21 percent of participants in these programs," the outlet reported.

MAMDANI SLAMMED FOR USING KIDS IN CAMPAIGN VIDEOS AFTER GLOATING ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA-FREE CHILDHOOD

The Post was critical of Mamdani and other school systems that have made similar changes to their gifted student programs for not appreciating the fact that "gifted children have different learning needs from their peers, just as children with cognitive disabilities benefit from education plans that are specific to them."

"Parents see the gifted programs as stepping stones toward high-achieving schools down the road. But the solution is not to take away opportunities from children who are currently benefiting from them; it is to expand the program and improve how the city identifies children from underserved populations," the outlet argued.

In closing, The Post warned that politicians "tread on dangerous ground when their pursuit of equity comes at the cost of children’s opportunities."

UNEARTHED MAMDANI COLLEGE NEWSPAPER WRITINGS PROMOTE ANTI-ISRAEL BOYCOTT, RAIL AGAINST 'WHITE PRIVILEGE'

This isn’t the first time the Post’s editorial board has warned about Mamdani’s potential impact on N.Y.C. if he were to be elected.

In June, The Post argued that Mamdani's socialist policies could bring the city back to the "bad old days" and "discredit" the next generation of Democratic leaders.

"New Yorkers should be worried that he would lead Gotham back to the bad old days of civic dysfunction, and Democrats should fear that he will discredit their next generation of party leaders, almost all of whom are better than this democratic socialist," The Post cautioned.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Mamdani's campaign for comment.

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https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-post-editorial-slams-mamdani-holding-back-gifted-students-name-equity

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/california-volleyball-team-trans-player-stays-undefeated-league-play-first-place-amid-forfeits

A transgender volleyball player in California has helped lead a girls high school team to an undefeated start in league play and first place after multiple opponents forfeited matches.

Jurupa Valley High School's girls volleyball team improved to 6-0 in league play to cement its place at the top of the River Valley League standings with a win Friday over Rubidoux. 

The win also pushed the team's overall record to 14-8 on the season. 

However, eight of the team's wins, including one of its six league wins, came via forfeit. The eight teams that have forfeited games to Jurupa Valley this season have not provided a reason, but it is believed they are in response to trans athlete AB Hernandez. 

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The most recent team to forfeit was Patriot High School, which was the one league rival to forfeit against JVHS and also the first team within the same school district to do so. 

Jurupa Valley is scheduled to face Patriot again Oct. 13. 

Meanwhile, two of Hernandez's teammates have also stepped away from the team this season in protest and have filed a lawsuit against the Jurupa Unified School District (JUSD) over their experience playing with Hernandez over the last three years. 

Jurupa has just five games left in the regular season, including the second Patriot meeting, before the postseason starts. 

Last November, while Jurupa Valley went on to win its league, another high school in California saw a postseason match forfeited. Stone Ridge Christian High School forfeited a semifinal playoff match to San Francisco Waldorf, which had a trans player on its girls volleyball and girls basketball team. Stone Ridge Christin directly cited the trans athlete as the reason for the forfeit to San Fracisco Waldorf. 

"Unfortunately, we were just informed that our opponent, San Francisco Waldorf, has a male athlete playing for their team," the team said in a statement. 

INSIDE GAVIN NEWSOM'S TRANSGENDER VOLLEYBALL CRISIS

"At SRC, we believe God’s Word is authoritative and infallible. It is Truth. And as Genesis makes clear, God wonderfully and immutably created each person as male or female. We do not believe sex is changeable, and we do not intend to participate in events that send a different message. We also have a duty and responsibility to care for the health and safety of our athletes. So, after consulting with our students, coaches and staff, we have made the difficult decision to forfeit Saturday’s game. Standing for Biblical truth means more than the outcome of a game." 

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office recently provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing the state's influx of controversies involving transgender volleyball players, suggesting the situation falls outside his responsibility and deferring fault to the California Department of Education (CDE), California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) and state legislature. 

"CIF is an independent nonprofit that governs high school sports. The California Department of Education is a separate constitutional office. Neither is under the Governor’s authority. CIF and the CDE have stated they follow existing state law — a law that was passed in 2013 and signed by Governor Jerry Brown (not Newsom) and in line with 21 other states. For the law to change, the legislature would need to send the Governor a bill. They have not," the statement said. 

The CIF and CDE are being sued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for refusing to change policies allowing biological males to compete in girls sports. 

On April 1, the California state Legislature blocked two bills that would reverse the current law that allows males in girls sports. 

Every Democrat voted against it, with Assembly member Rick Chavez Zbur arguing that one of the bills "is really reminiscent to me of what happened in Nazi Germany in the 1930s. We are moving towards autocracy in this country. In Nazi Germany, transgender people were persecuted, barred from public life." 

Zbur said this while in the presence of a descendant of a Holocaust survivor, who had to excuse herself from the chamber, according to GOP Assembly member Kate Sanchez. 

"She stood up and left because she was just so disgusted with the comparison," Sanchez told Fox News Digital. 

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https://www.foxnews.com/us/suspect-arrested-charged-shooting-deaths-2-teens-found-dead-months-ago-arizona-wilderness

Authorities in Arizona have arrested and charged a man in connection with the shooting deaths of two teenagers found in a remote area earlier this year.

Thomas Brown, 31, has been charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the deaths of high school students Evan Clark, 17, and Pandora Kjolsrud, 18, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday.

"Murder is one of the most heinous crimes that can be brought on a person and their family," Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Capt. David Lee said at a Friday press conference. "In a way, it's the ultimate theft."

MURDER SUSPECT IN MAJOR US CITY MISTAKENLY FREED FROM JAIL RECAPTURED AFTER MULTI-DAY MANHUNT

The teenagers were found dead on May 27 near Mount Ord in the Tonto National Forest, north of Mesa, after law enforcement received a report that they had not returned from a camping trip.

"The complainant advised [the Gila County Sheriff's Office] that her daughter was out camping with friends, and her last known location was on Mount Ord," Lee said. "The complainant also provided pictures for us of her daughter's camping trip, which she had received."

MANHUNT IGNITES IN MAJOR US CITY AFTER ACCUSED MURDERER WALKS FREE IN 'MONUMENTAL MISTAKE': VICTIM'S MOTHER

In the weeks following the discovery, detectives received numerous tips, including from other campers who said they saw a man behaving "very strangely."

When questioned, Brown allegedly told investigators he had been camping on Mount Ord with his wife, and said he had also been flying a drone and had encountered a young male and female matching the victims’ description.

However, investigators allege Brown’s account was inconsistent with the evidence they had collected.

"Thomas Brown provided false and misleading information regarding his involvement," Lee said. 

MYSTERY OF BABIES ABANDONED AT PARK IN 1989 SOLVED AFTER MOTHER ID'D AS WOMAN FOUND MURDERED IN DESERT

Brown was arrested and booked into Maricopa County jail. He did not turn himself in voluntarily, and there is no evidence suggesting that Brown knew either victim before the killings, according to Lee.

"They were, as far as we know, complete strangers," Lee said. 

At Friday’s news conference, Pandora Kjolsrud’s mother, Simone Kjolsrud, described her daughter as "a beautiful, brilliant light in this world."

"We are all devastated, and we miss her every day," Simone Kjolsrud said. "All of life's beauty feels less bright without her here, but the light and love and beauty she gave us will be in our hearts forever. And the darkness that she encountered on that day, when she met her killer, will not define her life."

The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/suspect-arrested-charged-shooting-deaths-2-teens-found-dead-months-ago-arizona-wilderness

https://www.foxnews.com/media/rep-nancy-mace-demands-death-penalty-south-carolina-murder-suspect-urging-ag-bondi-step

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is calling for the death penalty for Alexander Dickey, a career criminal charged with the murder of college student Logan Federico, whose father supports getting justice for a "lunatic on a rampage."

Dickey allegedly shot and killed 22-year-old Logan Federico during a home invasion in Columbia, S.C., on May 3. Dickey, 30, is a convicted felon with a criminal record that includes 40 arrests, according to Mace. 

"They had their chance with Alexander Dickey, and they blew it. That's why Logan's not here," her father, Stephen Federico, said Saturday on "Saturday in America."

"Logan deserves a fair trial. This is ridiculous," he told host Kayleigh McEnany. "This guy — ‘career criminal' — I don't even know if that describes it the right way. He was a lunatic on a rampage." 

FURIOUS FATHER SLAMS ‘SOFT ON CRIME’ POLICIES AFTER DAUGHTER ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY REPEAT OFFENDER IN SC

Mace shared on social media her letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Bryan Stirling, urging the federal government to intervene in Dickey's prosecution.

"We believe the severity of these crimes, including the murder of an innocent 22-year-old girl, clearly demands the death penalty," Mace wrote. 

The letter details the alleged crimes Dickey committed leading up to Logan Federico's murder.

"On the evening of May 2, 2025, Alexander Dickey fled a traffic stop by University of South Carolina police, smoked methamphetamine, wrecked his vehicle in a residential neighborhood, and then proceeded to burglarize two homes in the neighborhood," it states. 

While burglarizing a third home, according to Mace's letter, Dickey entered Logan Federico’s bedroom armed with a stolen 12-gauge shotgun and shot her at point-blank range. It adds that he stole her credit cards, fled in a stolen vehicle and went on a shopping spree. 

Mace called out the South Carolina attorney general's office for its "soft-on-crime" policies and Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson, who previously said he would not yet pursue the death penalty.

Stephen Federico appeared before Congress in September to plead for stricter crime policies. 

FATHER OUTRAGED AFTER DISCOVERING DAUGHTER'S ALLEGED KILLER SHOULD HAVE BEEN BEHIND BARS YEARS AGO

"Think about your kids," he told lawmakers on Sept. 29. "Think about your child coming home from a night out with their friends, laying down, going to sleep, feeling somebody come in the room and wake them … forced on her knees, with her hands over her head, begging for her life."

In his plea, Stephen Federico cited Dickey's 39 prior arrests and 25 felonies.

NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR MURDER VICTIMS REMINDS US OF ‘SOFT-ON-CRIME’ POLICIES' DEADLY CONSEQUENCES

Mace pointed to Executive Order 14164, in which President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Justice to "pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use."

Mace argued there is sufficient evidence for the DOJ to charge Dickey under the Hobbs Act, which carries a possible death sentence. 

"We are concerned South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who has never prosecuted a death penalty case, has politicized and acted unprofessionally in this matter, which could irrevocably jeopardize the State's ability to get justice for Logan’s family," her letter states. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Stephen Federico echoed Mace's calls for the federal government to intervene.

"The state of South Carolina — the solicitors in any of those offices — don't deserve Logan's case. They failed her already," he told McEnany. "Why do we want to let them fail her again? Period. This is a federal case that needs to be pushed that way, and I applaud Ms. Mace to do that."

Bondi has not yet publicly responded to Mace's letter. 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/rep-nancy-mace-demands-death-penalty-south-carolina-murder-suspect-urging-ag-bondi-step

https://www.foxnews.com/us/newly-released-911-transcripts-capture-chaos-fear-during-minneapolis-church-shooting

Newly released 911 transcripts reveal the fear and chaos that gripped students, staff and clergy inside a Minneapolis church when a gunman clad in tactical gear opened fire on them in August.

The transcripts, obtained by Fox News Digital, include teachers whispering to calm students and staff urging children to stay hidden at Annunciation Catholic Church, while passersby outside describe the gunfire. 

The heroism of educators and staff who kept students quiet under pews and sheltered in a downstairs classroom is vividly revealed.

"Dear God, dear God in heaven, there’s some guns in Annunciation Church, on 54th," Karen McCann, a parishioner hiding in the sanctuary, told a dispatcher.

HAUNTING FOOTAGE SHOWS SUBURBAN MINNEAPOLIS HOME WHERE TRANS GUNMAN PLOTTED SCHOOL ATTACK

"We’re all crouched down under the — it just happened. We’re crouched under the pews. … I’s a whole bunch of people here," McCann said. "He might be coming in the church again."

The dispatcher tried to reassure her, saying, "We have so many responders on the way to you."

The Aug. 27 mass shooting left two children dead and 18 others injured. The alleged gunman, Robin Westman, killed himself with his own weapon, police said. 

In the Minneapolis police offense report also obtained by Fox News Digital, investigators labeled the attack with "no bias" motivation, meaning it was not classified as a hate crime under state reporting standards.

The first 911 calls came from people outside the church who either saw the gunman or heard bullets ring out as early as 8:27 a.m., as students were getting ready to pray.

"There’s gunshots. … There’s like gunshots all over," an unidentified caller said. "Uhm, must have been 20 all together in a bunch of different bursts," the caller said.

Jillian Mai, a parent driving by, described a man "in head-to-toe camo gear" with "black goggles … standing in place next to the church," while neighbor Caitlin Nolan said she saw the shooter across the street.

"He was shooting at the church. … He seemed to be wearing all black and had a black, gigantic [gun]," Nolan said. "[It] had to be automatic."

Inside, the horror was unfolding.

"We need, we need medical assistance ASAP. We got multiple people have been shot," an unidentified woman caller, likely a staff member, told a dispatcher.

Father Dennis Zehren confirmed that children were inside the church and that the gunman was active at the south end of the building.

GIRL SHOT IN HEAD DURING MINNEAPOLIS CHURCH MASSACRE MAKING ‘MIRACULOUS’ RECOVERY

Becca Hare, a fourth-grade teacher, confirmed people were injured.

"I don’t know how many people are here, but there are people hurt," Hare said. "Stay down, stay down, OK … I’m going to go help. I’m going to go help."

The calls reveal dispatchers telling the terrified callers to stay hidden as teachers worked to keep students quiet under the pews.

A teacher named Diane reported that she and her aides were downstairs, where they managed to barricade doors and took in fleeing children, actions that also likely kept the children safe from stray fire.

"We were downstairs having crackers, and, all of a sudden, we heard gunshots. … There’s a whole bunch of kids started coming in ’cause they’re running from everywhere," she said.

"We’re in the church basement, locked in the classroom right now."

At the end of Hare’s call, she told students that the police had arrived, and she began giving commands to others to move out.

"People just asked if someone was hurt, and they said yes," Hare said. "If you’re injured and you can walk, could you walk?" she said as she tried to evacuate the children.

"Injured are going. We are evacuating," she said. "We are going to the school. We are going to the school. It’s OK, I promise."

Outside, two of Westman’s stray bullets also hit the car of motorist Timothy Barnes, who said he was driving by as gunfire erupted.

"I saw a guy start shooting and my car got hit by bullets," Barnes said. 

Barnes described the shooter as being in all-black tactical gear with an assault rifle, standing "between the school and the church in a green space."

In other documents obtained by Fox News Digital, police confirmed that a death by suicide occurred as part of the same case.

Westman is not named in the documents, which were redacted in accordance with Minnesota state law. Minneapolis police, however, identified him by name during a press briefing following the shooting.

Two children, Fletcher Merkel and Harper Moyski, were killed, and 18 people — 15 of them children — were injured. Sophia Forchas, who was shot in the head is making a steady recovery.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/newly-released-911-transcripts-capture-chaos-fear-during-minneapolis-church-shooting

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-portlands-dystopia-delusion-coming-city-near-all-us

It was the perfect coda to my visit to Portland, Oregon, when my phone lit up as I sat at the airport. Lyft was letting me know that my driver, who had spent 20 minutes lecturing me about how President Trump has laundered money for Russia for decades and that Antifa doesn’t exist, had registered a complaint claiming I had discriminated against him — presumably because I disagreed with his hectoring screed.

The most amazing thing about Portland isn’t actually how far left-wing it is. Everyone has seen episodes or clips from the TV show "Portlandia." It’s how sure the people there are that everything is fine — that occasionally walking past dead bodies on the sidewalk is a normal American experience.

DAVID MARCUS: IN DEMOCRAT PORTLAND, LUXURY, VAGRANCY AND TOTAL DISORDER

And how sure they seem to be that not only is anyone calling themselves a Trump supporter wrong, but immoral.

Tara Faul is a Portland-based photographer who has done excellent work documenting (and often feeding) the homeless addicts in her woebegone hometown. I was struck by something she posted on X while I was there.

"At a Portland concert last night, I heard a guy give the ‘every city is like that, bro’ to an out-of-town couple who had a rough experience in our city," she began, adding, "The wife was like, ‘No, I work in downtown Detroit, and it’s not like that.’ I was there this year and agree. It’s much cleaner."

This perfectly summed up the feeling I had — that the people in Portland are rather like a frog in boiling water. Even as the temperature rises, they cannot seem to feel the change.

Jackie, a bartender whose family has lived in the area for a century — and who is as nice as can be — told me, "You’re only talking about downtown. The rest of the city isn’t really like that."

Sure, every city has nice neighborhoods and not-so-nice ones. But the downtown area is what everyone shares. It’s the face of a city, and in the Rose City, it almost feels like Dickensian London.

Portland is very fashion-forward. There, you’ll see natty three-piece suits, handlebar mustaches and hair colors of such variety that, when in large groups, the heads appear almost like an open bag of Skittles.

Much like the elites of a Charles Dickens tale — tapping walking sticks in their finery while using a nosegay to mitigate the stench of the masses — in Portland, human misery fades into the background, like the quiet but incessant rain.

I could almost hear the hipsters mutter to themselves, "Are there no soup kitchens? Are there no safe injection sites?"

About a quarter of the storefronts, by my count, are vacant. What remains is all expensive. Outside of a class group in a museum, I’m not sure if I saw a child the entire four days I was there. There’s just no life in the place.

But, having said all that, the pickle at the end of the day is that, from what I can tell, most people in Portland think things are fine — great even. And if that’s true, then who are we in the rest of the country to tell them they’re wrong?

That’s where the warning comes in for every American city. When you hand local government over to the far left, and it refuses to maintain order, you wind up with something like "Blade Runner," where the wealthy and protected flourish, the vagrants languish and die, and everyone else stays the hell away.

This is how you end up with a city where the local police arrest journalists for daring to cover the fact that Antifa has been given control of the streets — because in Portland, if you are anything short of a committed leftist, you can start to feel a little less than human.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

The message I got from Lyft at the Portland airport instructed me to reply by saying I acknowledged the vague complaint against me. Instead, I wrote something to the effect of, "Your driver lectured me about the evils of Donald Trump and was quite rude."

When I arrived at Dulles and tried to use the Lyft app, no drivers would appear for me. I actually laughed — and then just used a different app.

But it isn’t actually funny, because this is how social credit systems work. If you say something supposedly offensive, you can’t have a bank account or get a car. And I do think many, if not most, Portlanders would deep down agree that expressing conservative views deserves punishment.

I can say with certainty that I have no desire to return to Portland, but I can also say, with great trepidation, that I’m a little worried Portland may be coming to me — and to all of us.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DAVID MARCUS

https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/david-marcus-portlands-dystopia-delusion-coming-city-near-all-us

https://www.foxnews.com/media/bill-maher-criticizes-dave-chappelle-remarks-free-speech-saudi-comedy-festival

"Real Time" host Bill Maher called out comedian Dave Chappelle Friday for downplaying free speech in America during his performance at the Riyadh Comedy Festival in Saudi Arabia last week.

"Dave Chappelle … was in the press today saying that you can speak more freely over here than in America," Maher told comedian Louis C.K., who is set to perform at the Saudi comedy festival on Monday.

C.K. let out a laugh and conceded, "I don't know if that's true."

CHAPPELLE SAYS IT'S EASIER TO SPEAK FREELY AT SAUDI ARABIAN COMEDY FEST THAN IN USA, BRINGS UP CHARLIE KIRK

"Oh, it's not true," Maher said. 

He added that if Chappelle truly believed that Saudi Arabia had fewer restrictions on free speech than America, he should have tested that claim by doing a routine about the Prophet Muhammad.

Reacting to Maher's suggestion, C.K. quickly clarified that Chappelle is a Muslim.

"So, it depends on who you are and what you want to talk about."

BILL MAHER URGES AMERICANS TO UNCONDITIONALLY SUPPORT FREE SPEECH, AVOID BECOMING LIKE BRITAIN

According to The New York Times, Chappelle told an audience of about 6,000 people, "Right now in America, they say that if you talk about Charlie Kirk, that you’ll get canceled. I don’t know if that’s true, but I’m gonna find out."

The Times reported that Chappelle was met with "whoops, cheers and applause" after telling the crowd, "It’s easier to talk here than it is in America."

Comedians performing at the festival have come under fire in recent weeks, even receiving pushback from fellow comedians who argued that Saudi Arabia is using the high-profile event to improve its global image despite alleged human rights abuses.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

In a statement posted on his website, comedian and actor David Cross blasted his peers for taking part in the event, citing the host nation’s "crimes against humanity."

Cross referenced accusations that the Saudi government assisted 9/11 hijackers, that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman allegedly ordered the 2018 murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi and the kingdom’s record on LGBTQ and women’s rights.

Cross wrote he was "disgusted and deeply disappointed in this whole gross thing," accusing the participants of condoning "a totalitarian fiefdom for … what, a fourth house? A boat? More sneakers?"

During a recent episode of "Matt and Shane's Secret Podcast," comedian Shane Gillis revealed he was offered a "significant" amount of money to perform at the event but declined the job. He said the festival's organizers doubled their offer, but he once again turned them down.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

"I took a principled stand," Gillis said. "You don't 9/11 your friends."

Fox News Digital reached out to representatives of Chappelle for comment. 

Fox News' Ashley Hume contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/bill-maher-criticizes-dave-chappelle-remarks-free-speech-saudi-comedy-festival

https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-announces-israel-agrees-gaza-initial-withdrawal-line-3000-year-catastrophe-nears-end

President Donald Trump on Saturday announced Israel has agreed to the "initial withdrawal line" in Gaza, which the U.S. has shared with Hamas.

Pending Hamas confirmation, the agreement will trigger an immediate ceasefire and exchange of Israeli hostages and Palestinian prisoners.

"After negotiations, Israel has agreed to the initial withdrawal line, which we have shown to, and shared with, Hamas. When Hamas confirms, the Ceasefire will be IMMEDIATELY effective, the Hostages and Prisoner Exchange will begin, and we will create the conditions for the next phase of withdrawal, which will bring us close to the end of this 3,000 YEAR CATASTROPHE," Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Saturday. "Thank you for your attention to this matter and, STAY TUNED!"

ISRAEL’S ARMY WILL 'ADVANCE READINESS' FOR FIRST PHASE OF TRUMP PLAN TO RELEASE HOSTAGES

The announcement comes hours after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a statement Saturday morning noting they were "on the verge of a very great achievement."

"It is not yet final; we are working on it diligently, and I hope, with God's help, that in the coming days, during the Sukkot holiday, I will be able to inform you about the return of all our hostages, both living and deceased, in one phase, while the IDF remains deep within the Strip and in the controlling areas within it," Netanyahu said.

Netanyahu claimed that after intense military and diplomatic pressure, Hamas was pressured into agreeing to Israel’s proposed plan — rejecting the fact that Hamas had previously been ready to release the Israeli hostages without a full withdrawal from Gaza.

TRUMP'S PEACE DEAL COULD END THE WAR IN GAZA OR NETANYAHU'S CAREER

In the first stage of the withdrawal plan, he said Hamas will release all Israeli hostages while the IDF redeploys but maintains control over key strategic areas deep inside the Gaza Strip.

Netanyahu will send his negotiating team, headed by Minister Ron Dermer, to Egypt to finalize the technical details of the hostage release, which he expects to conclude within a few days. 

The prime minister emphasized that both Israel and the U.S. intend to prevent any stalling or delay tactics by Hamas. 

NETANYAHU ADDRESSES TRUMP’S 21-POINT PEACE PLAN, CALLS FREEING HOSTAGES AND DISMANTLING HAMAS TOP PRIORITIES

In the second stage of the plan, Netanyahu said Hamas will be disarmed and the Gaza strip demilitarized—either through diplomatic means under the Trump Plan or, if necessary, by military force. 

"I also said this in Washington: Either it will be achieved the easy way, or it will be achieved the hard way—but it will be achieved," he said. 

"Together, we pushed back our enemies' plans of destruction. From Gaza to Rafah, from Beirut to Damascus, from Yemen to Tehran, together we have achieved great things," Netanyahu added. "From victory to victory—we are changing the face of the Middle East together. Together we will continue to act to ensure the eternity of Israel."

Netanyahu thanked Trump for his assistance in dispatching the B2 planes to bomb the nuclear facility in Fordo, and for his "steadfast support."

https://www.foxnews.com/world/trump-announces-israel-agrees-gaza-initial-withdrawal-line-3000-year-catastrophe-nears-end

https://www.foxnews.com/media/rep-nancy-mace-demands-death-penalty-south-carolina-murder-suspect-urging-ag-bondi-step

Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., is calling for the death penalty for Alexander Dickey, a career criminal charged with the murder of college student Logan Federico, whose father supports getting justice for a "lunatic on a rampage."

Dickey allegedly shot and killed 22-year-old Logan Federico during a home invasion in Columbia, S.C., on May 3. Dickey, 30, is a convicted felon with a criminal record that includes 40 arrests, according to Mace. 

"They had their chance with Alexander Dickey, and they blew it — that's why Logan's not here," her father, Stephen Federico, said Saturday on "Saturday in America."

"Logan deserves a fair trial. This is ridiculous," he told host Kayleigh McEnany. "This guy — ‘career criminal' — I don't even know if that describes it the right way. He was a lunatic on a rampage." 

Mace shared on social media her letter to U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and U.S. Attorney for South Carolina Bryan Stirling, urging the federal government to intervene in Dickey's prosecution.

"We believe the severity of these crimes, including the murder of an innocent 22-year-old girl, clearly demands the death penalty," Mace wrote. 

The letter details the alleged crimes Dickey committed leading up to Logan Federico's murder: "On the evening of May 2, 2025, Alexander Dickey fled a traffic stop by University of South Carolina police, smoked methamphetamine, wrecked his vehicle in a residential neighborhood, and then proceeded to burglarize two homes in the neighborhood." 

FURIOUS FATHER SLAMS ‘SOFT ON CRIME’ POLICIES AFTER DAUGHTER ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY REPEAT OFFENDER IN SC

While burglarizing a third home, according to Mace's letter, Dickey entered Logan Federico’s bedroom armed with a stolen 12-gauge shotgun and shot her at point-blank range. It adds that he stole her credit cards, fled in a stolen vehicle and went on a shopping spree. 

Mace called out the South Carolina attorney general's office for its "soft-on-crime" policies and Fifth Circuit Solicitor Byron Gipson, who previously said he would not yet pursue the death penalty.

Stephen Federico appeared before Congress in September to plead for stricter crime policies. 

FATHER OUTRAGED AFTER DISCOVERING DAUGHTER'S ALLEGED KILLER SHOULD HAVE BEEN BEHIND BARS YEARS AGO

"Think about your kids," he told lawmakers on Sept. 29. "Think about your child coming home from a night out with their friends, laying down, going to sleep, feeling somebody come in the room and wake them… forced on her knees, with her hands over her head, begging for her life."

In his plea, Stephen Federico cited Dickey's 39 prior arrests and 25 felonies.

NATIONAL DAY OF REMEMBRANCE FOR MURDER VICTIMS REMINDS US OF ‘SOFT-ON-CRIME’ POLICIES' DEADLY CONSEQUENCES

Mace pointed to Executive Order 14164, in which President Donald Trump ordered the Department of Justice to "pursue the death penalty for all crimes of a severity demanding its use."

Mace argued there is sufficient evidence for the DOJ to charge Dickey under the Hobbs Act, which carries a possible death sentence. 

"We are concerned South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, who has never prosecuted a death penalty case, has politicized and acted unprofessionally in this matter, which could irrevocably jeopardize the State's ability to get justice for Logan’s family."

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Stephen Federico echoed Mace's calls for the federal government to intervene.

"The state of South Carolina — the solicitors in any of those offices — don't deserve Logan's case. They failed her already," he told McEnany. "Why do we want to let them fail her again? Period. This is a federal case that needs to be pushed that way, and I applaud Ms. Mace to do that."

Bondi has not yet publicly responded to Mace's letter. 

https://www.foxnews.com/media/rep-nancy-mace-demands-death-penalty-south-carolina-murder-suspect-urging-ag-bondi-step

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/police-defend-findings-kyren-lacy-crash-investigation-after-attorney-provides-new-evidence

Kyren Lacy's attorney provided potential evidence in an attempt to prove the innocence of the late LSU star over charges he was facing before dying by suicide in April.

Lacy was under investigation in Louisiana for a crash in December that left 78-year-old Herman Hall, a passenger, dead, officials said in January. He was accused of driving recklessly — speeding and passing in a no-passing zone — when the motorist swerved to avoid Lacy and crashed into another vehicle.

However, in an interview with HTV10, Lacy’s attorney, Matthew Ory, provided video that appears to show Lacy's vehicle well behind the crash and that he was more than 200 feet away from the cars upon impact.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM 

"We know from data that Kyren Lacy did in fact pass four cars. There’s no disputing that. Further north, Kyren Lacy passed four cars," Ory began.

"However, he was back in his lane of travel, 92.3 yards — back in his lane — behind Mr. Hall. At the time of impact, he’s 72.6 yards behind the vehicles at the time of impact. Key word: behind the vehicles. That is not how this story was ever painted. Never."

Ory also provided data that showed another vehicle, "vehicle 2," tailgating the truck that crashed into the vehicle Hall was in, going nearly 50 mph just 0.5 seconds behind it and 1.5 seconds before the crash. 

Ory also provided bodycam footage of an officer talking to a man in that truck who claimed that the driver of vehicle 2 "caused" the crash despite police telling the man to write down specifics regarding Lacy in his statement, which was ultimately refused.

ROBERT GRIFFIN III 'THANKFUL TO GOD' AFTER FAMILY GETS INTO 'WORST CAR ACCIDENT OF OUR LIVES'

Louisiana State Police released the following statement to Fox News Digital in response to Ory's evidence.

"Following the crash, LSP conducted a detailed investigation with the assistance of crash reconstruction experts and with all available information at the time. Investigative findings revealed that Mr. Lacy’s reckless driving while approaching oncoming traffic led to the events of the crash. The findings were presented to the 17th Judicial District Court, which approved an arrest warrant based on the evidence collected. As with all investigations leading to arrest, the subjects of the investigation are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. 

"No one disputes that he was behind the crash scene. His swerving, passing cars and reckless operation caused the series of crash events."

Rocky Arceneaux, Lacy’s agent, said in January that his client was cooperating with authorities in the investigation.

Lacy transferred to LSU in 2022. He had his best season in 2024, when he recorded 58 catches for 866 yards and nine touchdowns.

Fox News' Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.

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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/police-defend-findings-kyren-lacy-crash-investigation-after-attorney-provides-new-evidence