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Redistricting gives Republicans an edge, but affordability will decide the midterms
Republicans may be winning the redistricting war while losing the voters they need to build a lasting majority. The latest Fox News Power Rankings reveal a serious warning for Republicans. The new maps favor the GOP, but the political environment favors Democrats. The GOP could gain a dozen seats, including up to nine in Florida and Texas, due to redistricting. However, House Democrats expanded their midterm target list to 58 Republican-held districts, adding 12 seats in territory President Donald Trump carried. While expanded targets do not guarantee Democratic victories, they signal that Democrats see an opening among dissatisfied voters.
Republicans must confront this challenge before the November midterms, but they must also recognize the opportunity to strengthen the party for future elections. Redistricting can give overlooked voters a stronger voice, attract better candidates and provide Republicans the stability needed to govern, but it cannot generate public confidence or voter enthusiasm. Current polling signals the urgency. Seventy-five percent of voters said inflation had caused financial hardship, while 54% expected the economy to worsen.
Democrats lead the generic congressional ballot 53% to 46%, with voters preferring them on inflation by 10 points and the economy by nine. Democrats also hold an enthusiasm advantage, with 68% saying they are extremely motivated to vote in November compared with 57% of Republicans. In counties likely to determine control of Congress, where Trump and Kamala Harris finished within 10 points in 2024, Democrats lead the congressional ballot 59% to 41%. A separate Reuters/Ipsos poll found voters preferring Democrats over Republicans on the economy for the first time in nearly a decade. While the advantage is only one point, it is significant because Republicans risk losing their historic advantage on the issue that often determines elections.
IT’S NOT THE ECONOMY, STUPID. AMERICANS VOTE BASED ON THEIR PERSONAL ECONOMY
There is no doubt that Republicans should use every lawful political advantage available to them. Democrats certainly will. Republicans deserve credit for pursuing redistricting that was both strategic and necessary to secure fairer representation for voters who had previously been trapped in gerrymandered districts. Republicans now have an enormous opportunity to make the case for the promises they have already kept, including securing the border and delivering historic tax relief through the One Big Beautiful Bill. The next step is to explain what additional measures Republicans will take to confront the affordability crisis.
Republicans cannot redistrict their way out of an affordability crisis because congressional maps will not lower grocery bills, make housing affordable or reduce the cost of gasoline, childcare and healthcare. Map victories will not convince the younger generation that hard work will lead to homeownership or reassure a small-business owner whose revenue is being overtaken by higher labor, energy and borrowing costs. Voters judge the economy through weekly bills, not maps. Even voters who agree with Republicans on immigration, crime and cultural issues may conclude that the party in power has not delivered.
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Republicans must govern on affordability by producing economic results Americans can feel. The path is clear: continue lowering energy costs, restrain federal spending, remove barriers to home construction, protect small businesses and provide additional tax relief for working families. Every Republican measure should answer a simple question: Does this make life more affordable for Americans? Republicans won the presidency by promising safety, security and the restoration of the American Dream. Voters will measure delivery at the grocery store, the gas pump and the kitchen table.
There is a difference between holding a majority and earning the public’s trust. A majority gives Republicans enough votes to elect a speaker, but public trust gives them the support needed to lead the country. Redistricting buys Republicans time to protect the majority, but that time is valuable only if used to govern. If Republicans deliver affordability, security and economic opportunity, they can build a lasting coalition. If they mistake favorable district lines for voter approval, today’s safe districts could become the epicenter of tomorrow’s political earthquake.
Aussie tennis star Nick Kyrgios hit with suspension after testing positive for cocaine at ATP event
Former Wimbledon finalist Nick Kyrgios has revealed that he has been provisionally suspended from tennis after testing positive for cocaine.
The 31-year-old Australian shared a statement on Instagram about the failed drug test that took place during the Mallorca Open in June, explaining that he takes full responsibility for the "huge mistake" he made. Kyrgios, often labeled tennis' 'bad boy', also shared that he has "felt helpless and alone" in recent years as injuries have kept him off the court for the most part.
"I'm sorry to my fans, my family, my sponsors and everyone close to me," Kyrgios wrote in an Instagram Story. "Above all, I'm sorry to the kids who follow me. I know the example this sets and I'm deeply disappointed in myself.
SERENA WILLIAMS CRITICIZES 'GRUELING' ANTI-DOPING PROCESS AHEAD OF WIMBLEDON RETURN
"I'm not going to make excuses, but I do want to give some context about where I've been. The last couple of years of injuries have taken a huge toll on me, both physically and mentally. My body hasn't been able to do what my mind expects it to do, and coming to terms with being near the end of my career has been harder than I ever imagined.
"I've always said I didn't choose tennis - tennis chose me. But letting go of something that has been my whole life is one of the hardest things I've ever had to face. At times I've felt helpless and alone."
Kyrgios now faces a ban of up to four years after testing positive for the banned substance, although a lighter sanction is to be expected. British player Dan Evans tested positive for cocaine at the 2017 Barcelona Open and ultimately served a one-year suspension.
Kyrgios has not appealed the mandatory provisional suspension that was applied on Aug. 4. His positive test and suspension comes after he publicly slammed tennis stars Jannik Sinner and Iga Swiatek for failing doping tests in 2024.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency has said that Kyrgios' sample was taken on June 22, with the positive result not being confirmed until July 17, after Kyrgios lost an opening-round doubles match at Wimbledon.
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Kyrgios suffered a knee injury in October 2022 and played just once over the course of the next two years. He got back on the court in 2025, but posted a 1-4 record and was featured in just one Grand Slam, losing a first-round match at the Australian Open.
In December 2025, Kyrgios defeated four-time Grand Slam winner Aryna Sabalenka in a 'Battle of the Sexes' match held in Dubai.
Turkey accuses Netanyahu of pursuing ‘expansionist’ policies after Israeli strike on Syrian airbase
The Turkish government publicly denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for allegedly pursuing "expansionist and destabilizing policies" after Israel launched airstrikes on a Syrian airbase this week.
Netanyahu's office took responsibility for the Tuesday morning strike on the Abu al-Duhur airbase the next day, saying Syria was on the verge of breaching a security agreement by allowing Turkish troops to deploy from the base, which is near Aleppo.
"Israel repeatedly warned Syria that such a deployment would pose a threat to Israel's security," Netanyahu's office said Tuesday night. "Syria chose to ignore these warnings. Israel will not tolerate threats to its security, and would welcome a return to the status quo."
On Wednesday, Turkey called these allegations from Israel "untenable," arguing that they are intended to legitimize Israel’s unlawful airstrikes targeting Syria’s sovereignty and territorial integrity."
CRITICS SAY TURKEY'S VERBAL ATTACKS ON ISRAEL HAVE CROSSED INTO ANTISEMITISM
"The imputations voiced stem from Netanyahu’s intent to pursue expansionist and destabilizing policies in the region ahead of the elections in Israel," Turkey's government said in a social media post.
"Türkiye, like the vast majority of the international community, stands for the consolidation of lasting peace in our region. The sole path to this objective lies in Netanyahu’s abandonment of his aggressive and coercive policies and in his respect for international law," it continued.
"Türkiye will resolutely continue to cooperate with the Syrian Government on a legitimate basis for the establishment of peace, stability, and prosperity in Syria, and will never allow the destabilization of Syria," the statement concluded.
TRUMP BETS ON FORMER NATO TROUBLEMAKER AS TURKEY'S STRATEGIC VALUE SURGES
The strike on the Syrian airbase, which caused damage but no casualties, also drew criticism from U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, despite a senior Israeli official telling Fox News that "highly sensitive intelligence was shared with the United States in advance" of the attack.
"We are deeply concerned that the confirmed Israeli airstrikes on Abu al-Duhur Airbase constitute an unnecessary escalation that does not advance regional stability," Barrack said in an X post.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has not "adopted a predatory posture nor maintained proxy forces" and has "repeatedly indicated a preference for de-escalation with Israel," Barrack added.
Barrack, who is also the U.S. special envoy for Syria, told Reuters he is working to establish a deconfliction mechanism to ease tensions between Israel, Turkey and Syria.
TRUMP'S TURKEY ARMS SALE PROPOSAL SPARKS CONGRESSIONAL QUESTIONS BEFORE NATO SUMMIT
Al-Sharaa, formerly the head of Al Qaeda's affiliate group in Syria, became the country's new leader in January 2025 after he led rebel forces that ousted Bashar al-Assad from power.
President Donald Trump has expressed strong support for al-Sharaa's government, including by lifting broad economic sanctions on Syria in late June.
But Turkey, which has been training Syria's soldiers to rebuild the country's armed forces, has routinely accused Israel of trying to destabilize the region.
BRIEF ALCOHOL BAN IN DAMASCUS SPARKS CONCERNS ABOUT PRESIDENT AL-SHARAA'S VISION FOR SYRIA
Since al-Assad was deposed in December 2024, Israel has repeatedly struck targets within Syria seeking to prevent the new government from building up its military capabilities near the border.
Netanyahu reiterated in July that he wants the region south of Damascus to remain demilitarized, while also professing a desire to protect the Druze population, an ethnoreligious minority that lives in Syria.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Mystery voicemail scam can hit without your phone ever ringing
It starts quietly. Your phone buzzes with a voicemail notification. The strange part is that your phone never rang. Then it happens again. Before long, your voicemail inbox is filling up with messages you never heard come in. That's exactly what Mike from Westport, Connecticut, is dealing with right now. He wrote to us saying:
"I am so upset. Every 20 to 30 minutes, I am getting voicemails, but what's weird is my phone never rings. After blocking the number, it just rolls over to a new source number. When I go to play the message, there is no audio. Is this a scammer just trying to get me to call them back? Not sure what the endgame is here. What can I do to stop this from happening? I really appreciate your help."
Mike's experience has the hallmarks of automated spam activity, but there is an important distinction. A voicemail that appears without your phone ringing does not automatically mean a scammer used a special "ringless voicemail" system. Your phone's call-screening settings, your wireless carrier's spam filters and automated robocalls can all produce a similar result.
FTC REVEALS WHERE SPAM CALLS HIT HARDEST
The safest approach is to treat repeated unexplained voicemails from unfamiliar numbers as suspicious and avoid calling those numbers back. Here's what may be happening behind those mystery voicemails, why the numbers keep changing and what you can do to make them stop.
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There are several ways a voicemail can appear even though you never heard your phone ring. One is ringless voicemail, sometimes called direct-to-voicemail. This technology can deliver a prerecorded message to a wireless voicemail inbox without making the phone ring. The FCC ruled in 2022 that ringless voicemail to wireless phones qualifies as a "call" under federal robocalling rules when an artificial or prerecorded voice is used and therefore is subject to applicable consent requirements.
Another possibility is that the call reached your number, but your phone or wireless carrier filtered it before you heard it. On current iPhones, for example, calls identified by a carrier as potential spam or fraud can be silenced and sent to voicemail. Apple also allows you to screen or silence callers who are not saved in your contacts. Automated calling systems can also result in extremely short or silent messages when a call reaches voicemail, but the recording never plays properly. So, the symptom alone cannot tell you exactly what caused the voicemail. We discussed this issue in detail on The CyberGuy Report podcast at cyberguy.com/podcast/.
Mike also noticed that blocking one number does not help for long. Another number simply replaces it. Caller ID spoofing is one reason this happens. Scammers can falsify the caller ID information that appears on your phone, making a call appear to come from a local number, a company or even another person's phone.
That means the number you see may have little connection to whoever actually placed the call. In some cases, the displayed number can belong to an innocent person whose number is being misused. This is why manually blocking every number can become a frustrating game of whack-a-mole. Blocking can still help with repeat callers, but broader spam filtering is usually more useful when the displayed numbers keep changing.
AMAZON RECALL TEXT SCAM COMES WITH RED FLAGS
A completely silent message may seem pointless. Sometimes it may simply be an automated call where the recording failed to play correctly. However, unwanted calls can also be designed to get you to respond.
An unfamiliar voicemail notification creates curiosity. You may wonder whether you missed something important and return the call. That's where you need to be careful. The FTC advises people who receive illegal robocalls to hang up, avoid pressing buttons and not call back.
There are also callback scams specifically designed around curiosity. In so-called one-ring or Wangiri scams, criminals place short calls hoping you'll return them. A callback can lead to an international or premium-rate number and unexpected charges. You can read more about unexpected international call scams and why calling back can cost you. A silent voicemail isn’t automatically a one-ring scam. Still, the same safety rule applies. Do not return an unexplained call simply because you want to know who was behind it.
A voicemail merely appearing in your inbox does not prove that you listened to it or that a scammer successfully confirmed you as a responsive target. Engaging is different.
Calling back, pressing prompts or interacting with an illegal robocall gives the other side a response. The FTC specifically warns that pressing a number to supposedly get off a calling list can lead to more unwanted calls. That's another reason to let suspicious calls end with you.
Some robocall campaigns operate at enormous scale. A system can place call after call with little or no human involvement. If the call reaches voicemail, but the recording does not start correctly, you may end up with a blank or extremely short message.
When the same thing happens repeatedly from changing numbers, automated calling activity becomes one possible explanation. However, the voicemail alone isn’t enough to identify the exact system or caller behind it.
Repeated silent voicemails by themselves are not evidence that someone has hacked your phone. The more likely explanations involve calls being routed, screened, blocked or sent to voicemail rather than someone gaining access to the device.
Still, pay attention to other warning signs. If your phone suddenly loses cellular service, you stop receiving verification codes or your carrier says your SIM or eSIM was changed unexpectedly, that is a different problem and could point to a SIM swap scam.
You should also contact your carrier if you notice unexpected changes to your voicemail greeting, voicemail PIN or call-forwarding settings. For the pattern Mike described, however, the immediate concern is unwanted calling activity and what happens if he engages with it.
You may not be able to eliminate every unwanted voicemail, especially when callers constantly change numbers. However, these steps can reduce the disruption and make it harder for suspicious calls to reach you.
If there is no meaningful message, and you do not recognize the caller, there is usually no reason to return the call. A legitimate caller with an important reason to reach you can identify themselves in a voicemail, send you a message or try again. If someone claims to represent your bank, a government agency or another organization, look up the organization's official contact information yourself rather than using a callback number from an unexpected message.
Apple's current iPhone software gives you several ways to handle unknown and suspected spam callers.
Turn on Call Screening
With this setting, calls from unknown numbers are asked for more information before your iPhone rings. Once the caller provides a name and reason for calling, you can decide whether to answer. You can also select Silence , but keep the tradeoff in mind. Calls from unsaved numbers will be silenced and sent to voicemail, while still appearing in your recent calls. That can be useful if you never want unknown callers interrupting you, but it can also mean more legitimate unsaved callers end up in voicemail.
Turn on spam filtering
Calls identified by your carrier as potential spam or fraud can then be silenced, sent to voicemail and moved to the Spam list. That is also one legitimate reason you might find a voicemail on your iPhone even though you never remember hearing it ring. For more ways to deal with these calls, see our guide on sending spam calls to voicemail on iPhone and Android.
Samsung Galaxy phones offer Caller ID and spam protection through the Samsung Phone app on supported devices.
The first option blocks calls identified as spam or scams regardless of risk level, while the second focuses on calls identified as higher-risk scams.
You can also block unknown numbers:
That is a fairly aggressive setting, so consider whether you regularly receive legitimate calls from doctors, delivery drivers, businesses or other people who may not be in your contacts.
Samsung now offers an AI-powered Call screening feature on compatible Galaxy phones running Android 16 with One UI 8.5 or later.
To turn it on:
You can also enable Auto screen calls to automatically screen unknown callers. When Call screening handles a call, Galaxy AI can provide a live transcription so you can decide whether to accept or reject it. Automatic screening can also explain some unusual call behavior because the AI may answer an unknown call before you interact with it. If Call screening does not appear, your Galaxy model, software version or carrier may not support it. For even more options, check out our guide on how to trace and block anonymous calls.
For Mike's situation, where blank messages arrive every 20 to 30 minutes, I would involve the wireless carrier. Tell the carrier that you are receiving repeated silent voicemails from rotating numbers without hearing the incoming calls. Ask what network-level spam controls are available and whether anything can be done to prevent the unwanted callers from reaching voicemail. Your carrier may also have more information about how the incoming calls are reaching your line than you can see from the phone itself.
Call-blocking and call-labeling tools can help identify known spam patterns before you answer. The FTC recommends looking into call-blocking and call-labeling solutions as one way to reduce unwanted calls. Before installing a third-party app, check the company's privacy policy and what access the app requests. We have more options in our guide to getting rid of robocalls with call-blocking apps and privacy tools.
Scammers and marketers can obtain phone numbers in many ways, including databases, people-search sites and data brokers. Some robocalls may also simply be placed randomly, so reducing online exposure cannot prevent every unwanted call. Still, having less personal information publicly available gives strangers fewer places to gather details about you. You can submit removal requests to data brokers yourself or use a reputable data removal service to help manage them. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
Our guide explains how to remove your personal information from the web and keep checking when it comes back. Keep expectations realistic. Removing a phone number from data broker sites will not instantly stop a robocall campaign that already has your number. You can also learn about 9 ways scammers can use your phone number to try to trick you.
Antivirus software will not stop a silent voicemail from reaching your phone, so I would not position it as a robocall blocker. However, it becomes important if the person behind the call follows up with a text message, email, malicious link, fake website or dangerous download.
Strong antivirus protection can help detect phishing attempts, malicious websites and malware before they compromise your device or personal information. That extra layer matters because a suspicious voicemail may only be the first contact in a scam that later tries to get you to click or download something. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
The key is still not to engage with suspicious callers. However, keeping strong security software on your devices can provide another layer of protection if a scam attempt moves from your voicemail to your browser, texts or email. See our guide to what to look for in antivirus software without the jargon.
If you're receiving illegal robocalls, the FTC says to report them at DoNotCall.gov .
When filing a report, it helps to provide:
Those reports can help regulators identify calling patterns and support call-blocking and enforcement efforts. You can read more about what complaint data shows in our report on where spam calls are hitting Americans hardest. If you lost money or gave personal information to a scammer, you can also file a fraud report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
The National Do Not Call Registry can help reduce unwanted sales calls from legitimate companies that follow the law. However, it does not physically block calls and will not stop scammers who are already making illegal calls. Registration is free for both mobile and home phone numbers. If you've registered and wonder why unwanted calls still get through, we explain the problem in the "Do Not Call" list loophole: Why your phone still won't stop ringing.
Getting voicemail notifications when your phone never rang can be unsettling, especially when they keep appearing from different numbers. However, there is no single explanation for every case. Ringless voicemail technology exists, but phone screening, carrier spam filtering and automated robocalls can also result in messages appearing without you hearing a ring. The biggest mistake is letting curiosity pull you into calling an unexplained number back. Delete meaningless messages, use your phone's spam controls and get your carrier involved when the problem becomes relentless. For Mike, the rotating numbers and repeated blank messages make automated spam activity a reasonable concern. Nothing he described, however, is proof that his phone has been hacked. For more on this topic, be sure to listen and subscribe to The CyberGuy Report podcast at Cyberguy.com/podcast/ .
Have you ever found a voicemail on your phone even though you swear it never rang? What did the message say, and did you figure out where it came from? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Louisiana football phenom Peyton Houston credits faith, family for his remarkable success
A young Louisiana football star is dominating on the field and excelling in the classroom, and he recently revealed the pillars that drive his success.
Evangel Christian Academy quarterback Peyton "Pop" Houston joined "America's Newsroom" to open up about his athletic and academic talents and how he achieves his lofty goals. The four-star Louisiana State University (LSU) recruit is a top-10 quarterback in the 2027 class, according to 247Sports.
The Shreveport native is also prominently featured in season 3 of the hit Fox Nation reality series, "God. Family. Football.," which follows the Evangel Eagles' season on and off the gridiron.
CHARLIE KIRK’S MURDER SENDS SHOCKWAVES THROUGH CHRISTIAN ACADEMY IN HIT FOX NATION SERIES
Houston praised his family as a "big reason" for staying grounded and balancing his athletic prowess with a 4.0 GPA. But he also cited his faith as a major driver for his success.
"Every chance I get out there to go display the talent that God has blessed me with, we use it," he told co-hosts Shannon Bream and Bill Hemmer. "I use it as my form of worship, giving it back to him, and with school it's easy. My parents teach me to be a student-athlete and not an athlete student, so staying focused in the classroom is big."
Houston also emphasized the importance of discipline. He said he has half his team come to Planet Fitness at 3:30 a.m. for workouts, calling the decision an attempt to make him "mentally strong."
"It's a mental thing, being able to be mentally strong, preparing your body to fight against itself," he said. "Your body will give up faster than your mind, and your mind controls the whole body. So being able to have a strong mind helps in football tremendously."
Houston was asked about the potential impact of college name, image and likeness (NIL) on his motivation to play, but shut down any concerns that it would affect how he approaches his game.
"I play the game because I love the game," he said. "So I really try not to worry about the money. I tell myself if I'm able to go out there and perform on the football field, that NIL, the attributes outside of football, they'll come your way. So I got to perform and keep the main thing the main thing and work on perfecting my craft, so I'm able to perform on Saturday nights or Friday nights and then all the other things will come too."
Houston went viral in 2024 when he shattered the record for most passing yards in a single National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) game, throwing for 817 yards in a wild 77-76 loss to Captain Shreve. Evangel head coach Denny Duron expressed shock at the stunning performance, calling it "impossible."
The highly touted quarterback also signed a historic NIL deal with Nike ahead of his senior season, becoming one of 11 high school athletes to reach a deal with the apparel giant.
To watch Houston's high school career unfold, make sure to tune into all three seasons of "God. Family. Football." streaming exclusively on Fox Nation.
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Hayden Panettiere’s ex Brian Hickerson reportedly handed police bag of medication after her death
Hayden Panettiere's troubled relationship with ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson had one final, unexpected chapter on Aug. 16.
Hickerson, who had an on-again, off-again relationship with Panettiere in the years before her death at 36, was among those at the South Carolina apartment when she was found unresponsive, according to the police report.
His presence there marked a striking final chapter in a relationship that had previously led to domestic violence charges and his eventual conviction.
Hickerson and his brother had called 911 after finding Panettiere unresponsive, according to the report. Authorities spoke to both Hickerson and his brother, Zach, and executed a search warrant at the home.
The police report, obtained by Fox Carolina, claimed Zach appeared "very emotional" while paramedics worked to revive Panettiere. Meanwhile, Hickerson did not become emotional until the "Ice Princess" star was declared deceased.
Officers were also given a bag of medication Panettiere had allegedly been taking by Hickerson.
Panettiere had an on-again, off-again relationship with Hickerson in the years before her death at 36. Panettiere and Hickerson reportedly met through mutual friends in 2018 shortly after her split from Wladimir Klitschko. Hickerson, who is from South Carolina, worked in real estate before pursuing acting and had a small role in the 2017 thriller "M.F.A."
Hickerson reportedly traveled with the "Remember the Titans" actress from Los Angeles the day before she was found unresponsive at a Greenville, South Carolina, apartment complex on Aug. 16, according to TMZ. The two broke up briefly in 2022, but rekindled their romance the following year. It's unclear what the status of their relationship was at the time of Panettiere's death.
HAYDEN PANETTIERE SAYS FILMING ‘NASHVILLE’ WAS LIKE LIVING THROUGH ADDICTION TWICE
The former couple's relationship was marked by highly public legal troubles. Hickerson was first charged with domestic violence in connection to Panettiere in 2019. He was arrested again in 2020 on eight felony domestic violence charges, including felony charges of corporal injury on a spouse/cohabitant, a felony charge of assault with a deadly weapon and a misdemeanor charge of battery on a spouse/cohabitant.
In 2021, he was sentenced after pleading no contest to two felony charges connected to the domestic violence involving Panettiere. The rest were dismissed due to the plea agreement.
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Panettiere publicly addressed the allegations following Hickerson’s arrest, saying she hoped sharing her story would help others in abusive relationships.
"I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve," she said in a statement, according to People magazine. "I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I’m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life."
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Three days before Panettiere's death, Hickerson appeared in Los Angeles court in an effort to have his felony charges reduced.
"On Aug. 13, the prosecution objected to the defense’s motion to expunge and reduce both counts," a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office told Fox News Digital. "The court denied both."
Hickerson had tried to have the charges reduced once before, appearing in court on July 18, 2025, Fox News Digital confirmed.
Massive brawl erupts at Wisconsin State Fair as seven arrested during chaotic closing hours
Massive fights erupted at the Wisconsin State Fair during its chaotic closing hours Sunday, with viral video showing people in crowds throwing punches and brawling as police moved in to break up the mayhem.
Seven people were arrested in connection with the disturbance, according to Wisconsin State Fair Park. One police officer was "struck" but did not suffer serious injuries, and there were no reported serious injuries to fairgoers.
Fair officials said Wisconsin State Fair Park Police, assisted by officers from Milwaukee and West Allis, responded to disturbances "on and around" the fairgrounds near the close of the annual event on Aug. 16.
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The incidents involved groups fighting on the fairgrounds and people attempting to enter the fair without authorization, officials said.
Law enforcement and security personnel "responded quickly as these incidents occurred," according to Wisconsin State Fair Park.
Officials also pushed back on reports of gunfire that circulated Sunday night, saying law enforcement confirmed there were no gunshots associated with the incidents.
The ugly scenes also spilled into Wisconsin politics, with Republican gubernatorial nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany seizing on video of the fighting to hammer his November Democratic opponent, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley, over public safety.
"This is Milwaukee County under David Crowley. Crime. Chaos. At least one officer punched," Tiffany wrote on X.
"Public safety starts with leadership, and Crowley’s leadership has failed Milwaukee County. Don’t let him fail Wisconsin," Tiffany added.
Crowley did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment on the fighting or Tiffany’s remarks.
Wisconsin State Fair Park officials said the violence was confined to the final hours of an otherwise safe 11-day fair attended by hundreds of thousands of people.
"The incidents Sunday evening were isolated to the final hours of the Fair and are not representative of the experience our guests enjoyed throughout the event," officials said.
"The behavior is always unacceptable and is not what we expect or will tolerate at the Wisconsin State Fair Park," the statement continued.
Officials said additional law enforcement and security were in place throughout the fair, including officers from the Milwaukee and West Allis police departments.
Milwaukee Police District 3, the department’s Major Events Response Team, mounted and bicycle patrols and drones were also used during the fair.
Fair officials declined to say how many officers were deployed, citing security protocols, but said the additional resources helped authorities respond quickly Sunday night.
"We continually review our security plans with our law enforcement partners and look for ways to make the Fair even safer for our guests," officials said.
Wisconsin State Fair Park said the safety of fairgoers, vendors, exhibitors and employees remains its "highest priority," and thanked the law enforcement agencies that responded Sunday.
Fox News’ Patrick McGovern contributed to this report.
PGA TOUR 2026: BMW Championship best bets at Bellerive Country Club for the FedExCup Playoffs
We are down to 50 golfers as the second round of the PGA TOUR's 2026 FedExCup Playoffs heads to Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, for the BMW Championship. After the BMW, the top 30 players of the FedExCup standings advance to East Lake for next week's TOUR Championship.
Bellerive is a long par-70 (7,448 yards) with bentgrass greens that has hosted a few majors, most recently the 2018 PGA Championship won by Brooks Koepka. With rain forecasted to soften conditions even further, expect a birdie-fest where elite driving and dialed-in iron play will determine the winner.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler got the monkey off his back by winning his second tournament this year — his first since the 2026 season opener — at last week's FedEx St. Jude Championship. Scottie absolutely dummied the field, winning the St. Jude by eight strokes, and he was the only guy to shoot double-digit under par.
With that in mind, I'd understand if you bet in the "Winner without Scottie Scheffler" markets. I wouldn't be shocked if Scottie wins the BMW and the TOUR Championship next week, but I just can't bet him at +300 or lower. Instead, I'm wasting 2.19 units (u) on outrights and 2.5u on placement bets on the losers below.
The following odds are from when I bet on the golfers listed below. Subject to change.
🇺🇸 Chris Gotterup +3000 (0.67u) and Top-10 with ties +189 (0.75u), both at Kalshi
🇯🇵 Hideki Matsuyama +3000 at FanDuel (0.67u) and Top-10 with ties +198 at Kalshi (0.75u)
🇺🇸 Collin Morikawa +3800 at DraftKings (0.53u) and Top-10 with ties +265 at Kalshi (0.5u)
🇺🇸 Michael Thorbjornsen +5500 at BetMGM (0.36u) and Top-10 with ties +312 (0.5u), both at Kalshi
One of Gotterup's three wins this season, and his most recent, the John Deere Classic, was at another Midwest course with bentgrass greens. His other two wins this year were the Sony Open in Hawaii and the WM Phoenix Open in the desert, and his breakthrough win last season was the Genesis Scottish Open. I.e., Gotterup's game travels well.
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That said, it doesn't make sense why Gotterup has worse odds than Si Woo Kim, Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Åberg, none of whom have won this year. Gotterup is one of 14 golfers who made the cut at every major this season, and he ranks fifth in my model at Betsperts Golf, ahead of those three guys.
Bellerive is a driver-heavy course, and Gotterup ranks second in this field for Strokes Gained (SG): Off-the-Tee over the last 24 rounds, per Betsperts Golf. Seven of the top-10 at the 2018 PGA Championship at Bellerive ranked in the top-10 of SG: Ball-Striking (driving and approach) that week, and Gotterup is fourth in this field in ball-striking over the last 24 rounds.
The bottom line is Matsuyama’s odds are too long — tied for the 11th at FanDuel — for how well he is playing. My guy, Hideki, made me money again last week by finishing T7 at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. He has six consecutive T14-or-better finishes, including four straight T7s or better.
Also, I want to bet a golfer who is lighting it up because the weather forecast is predicting rain in St. Louis this week, which will make Bellerive softer and easier, aka, more birdies. Well, Matsuyama leads this field in birdie-or-better rate over the last 24 rounds, according to Betsperts Golf.
Furthermore, he ranks second in this field for ball-striking over the last 12 rounds but 31st in short-game (chipping and putting), per Betsperts Golf. I’m more focused on his good ball-striking because that’s more predictive and Hideki has one of the best short-games in the world.
Meaning, as long as Matsuyama keeps pounding fairways off the tee and pin-hunting with his irons, he should continue scoring and contend at Bellerive this week.
These odds are disrespectful. Collin was +2500 at last week’s St. Jude (T52) and +3000 at the 2026 British Open (T18) with deeper and tougher fields. I get that Bellerive is more of a "bomber’s course," but Morikawa’s ball-striking accuracy can help him anywhere.
Morikawa leads the TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach this season and ranks 10th in driving accuracy. He won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February and made the cut at all four majors this year, featuring a T7 at The Masters, and Augusta is one of the most driver-heavy courses in the world.
Bentgrass is Collin's best putting surface. He gained strokes on the greens at Aronimink (host of the 2026 PGA Championship) and Augusta this year, and both have much tougher green complexes than Bellerive.
Ultimately, this is just a good price for Morikawa, who is one of the few golfers with an A-game that can beat Scheffler’s B-game, which is all that matters considering how much win equity Scottie has this week.
Supposedly, the sharps are betting Thorbjornsen. He is going for +5000 or higher at DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and Kalshi. However, Bookmaker lists him at +4274 as of Tuesday evening, and Bookmaker is considered a sharp sportsbook for golf betting.
Thorbjornsen got his first TOUR win at another Midwest, driver-heavy course with bent greens (the Rocket Classic) two starts back. His other best finishes this year were at similar courses to Bellerive, including a T3 in Phoenix, T14 at the Texas Children's Houston Open, 16th at the Charles Schwab Challenge and T7 in Scotland.
He has gained strokes across the board (driving, approach, chipping and putting) over the last 24 rounds. Thorbjornsen is starting to live up to the hype he got after being the 2024 PGA TOUR University valedictorian, and Bellerive fits his game well.
Mayo Cup season standings: 4,386th with $6,003,249
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Ancient shipwreck gives up dazzling treasures after more than 1,300 years underwater
Archaeologists examining an ancient shipwreck recently revealed a trove of gold — and evidence that a wealthy and powerful passenger and his entourage may have been aboard.
The findings were formally presented by the Croatian Conservation Institute this summer after years of underwater excavation, Reuters reported.
The ship dates to the late seventh or early eighth century A.D., and was discovered on the seabed near the Croatian island of Mljet more than a decade ago.
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Systematic underwater excavations of the site have been underway since 2015.
Pictures released by officials show a dazzling collection of jewelry — including an elaborate piece studded with pearls and a green gemstone.
The buckles, decorated with rubies, emeralds and pearls, along with a golden signet ring, suggested the ship was carrying someone of considerable status.
The ring, in particular, "certainly wouldn't be worn by just anyone," Pavle Dugonjic, head of the Department of Underwater Archaeology at the Croatian Conservation Institute, told Reuters.
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The wreck also contained gold coins issued by four emperors of the Heraclian dynasty, which ruled the Byzantine Empire during the seventh and eighth centuries.
The more than 1.3 pounds of gold represents the largest amount ever recovered from a shipwreck in the Mediterranean, according to Igor Miholjek, head of research at the Croatian Conservation Institute, per Reuters.
"This is an impressive amount of gold," he told the outlet.
It's "the largest ever found on a shipwreck in the entire Mediterranean," he added. "It weighs over 600 grams when weighed after cleaning and restoration."
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Justin Leidwanger, professor of archaeology at Stanford University, told Reuters that the Mljet wreck is "the most important shipwreck of its period."
"If you're studying the end of the late Roman Empire and the transformation into the medieval world, this is a critical site for us to understand and to gain insights into how the Mediterranean was held together by its sea routes, how it fragmented, how the empire fell apart," he said.
The Byzantine Empire, the eastern continuation of the Roman Empire, lasted until 1453 and once controlled vast stretches of the eastern Mediterranean.
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The shipwreck is among a number of significant Byzantine discoveries in recent years.
In 2025, archaeologists unveiled a 1,600-year-old Byzantine-era mosaic from an ancient Christian monastery in southern Israel, putting it on public display for the first time.
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This summer, archaeologists uncovered a 1,700-year-old Byzantine city in Egypt, complete with a church and a deacon's home.
Reuters contributed reporting.
Does pot make you a better parent? This 'garden mom' says yes, but the reality is hazy
A new trend has emerged on social media among women rejecting the wine mom culture of generations past and instead smoking marijuana to unwind from the stressors that come with motherhood and life.
They call themselves "garden moms." Fox News Digital spoke with one of these moms, Taylor Mitchem, who goes by @thatgardenmomma on TikTok and Instagram, sharing her typical day-in-the-life as a Colorado mom of a 6-year-old daughter who partakes in smoke sessions.
Mitchem explained that "gardening" is code for smoking weed to be able to make it past the algorithms. These moms have used #gardenmom as a code for videos showing their marijuana use.
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"Why can't I take a hit and then and still come in and be a cool mom?" shared Mitchem.
Dr. Jeremy London, a cardiovascular surgeon who also has a background in functional medicine, spoke with Fox News Digital about this trend and offered warnings about marijuana use.
Dr. London has millions of followers on social media, where he shares health tips. He is also the host of "The London Podcast," has a newsletter, does speaking engagements and has been a guest on top shows like "The Mel Robbins Podcast" and "The School of Greatness," hosted by Lewis Howes.
He acknowledged the desire to find things to help people unwind but said it is important to weigh all the risks.
"Life is really stressful, and it's hard," he said. "But like everything in life, particularly when we're looking at things that we're doing to our bodies, there's consequences."
Mitchem shared that by smoking weed, she feels more clarity and focus as a mother.
"I've always grown up feeling like there was something a little different about me and no medication up or down was going to help that until I found cannabis," she said. "And that's been kind of a battle with me and my husband because he doesn't smoke cannabis at all, doesn't really like the smell of it necessarily, but he has seen the transformation in how it's helped me in just myself and then also as a mother."
The 36-year-old mother embraces the "natural" way to help her on a day-to-day basis.
"I feel like we were the test dummies of the ADHD meds, my generation," she said. "When I decided I didn't want to take them anymore, and kind of phased out of that. I grew into loving the natural ways of the plant and how it just rewired my brain in such a way that let me find peace and balance again without having to take a pill."
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Although Dr. London believes ADHD medication has been overprescribed in the past 20 years, he encourages healthier coping mechanisms.
"You always have to be cognizant of what you're substituting," he warned.
Dr. London said that cannabis can "significantly" increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.
"Smoking cannabis in particular increases your risk of cardiovascular disease significantly," he said. "Really, in the short term, there was a recent study that came out that even if you don't have a history of cardiovascular diseases, particularly blockages in the heart, it still increases your risks significantly of having a heart attack. In the short term, even after smoking cannabis, I'm talking hours."
Dr. London said smoking damages the inner lining of the arteries and impacts the autonomic nervous system, often known as the "fight or flight" system.
He warned that smoking weed is a "dangerous" coping mechanism.
"Heart rate goes up, heart starts beating very fast, starts racing," Dr. London said. "You also have constriction of the blood vessels. And you get release of a lot of stress hormones as well. In addition to causing blockages in a heart attack, it can also increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms. And that's smoking or not, cannabis in general, in any form, increases the risk of having abnormal potentially dangerous heart rhythm."
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Mitchem compared smoking marijuana to how moms would use alcohol to unwind and asked, "Where is our break?"
Dr. London did acknowledge the dangers of alcohol.
"If we look at alcohol and how it affects the body and compare it to THC, the short answer would be that alcohol is toxic to every cell in the body."
Although he doesn’t view marijuana as a healthier alternative.
"Cannabis does not have that level of toxicity (compared to alcohol), but that being said, you are still altering your neurologic function."
Dr. London encouraged healthier habits to cope, such as exercise, including walking, breath work and meditation, and said life is meant to be "lived untampered."
"I think that there's a lot of trendy self-care that's presented on social media these days as the new holy grail, the new shiny button, the way to deal with the stressors that all moms and all of us deal with in various forms in our lives," he said. "And it becomes very tempting to jump on that bandwagon, but my opinion is twofold. One, that life is meant to be lived untampered and when you start to numb those edges, both the highs and the lows, you're losing the human experience."
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Mitchem emphasized that when she is smoking, she is responsible, never driving a car and always putting her daughter first.
"And I feel like it's so easy for people to see a one-minute clip of your day and puzzle it all together in their head, thinking that after I did this one thing, I'm immediately driving my kiddo and, you know, going somewhere, which is the absolute not truth," Mitchem said. "And should there be an emergency, my husband is here. He's coherent completely. He doesn't smoke marijuana. And we also have a hospital directly across the street, which makes it really nice for us as well."
Mitchem said her daughter doesn’t know that she smokes weed, and her daughter knows not to go into the room where she does.
Dr. London, who is a father of three grown sons, said that kids are always watching.
"Always remember that kids are watching what you're doing, and they learn your behavior, your coping skills as the best way to do things," he said. "And I think that if you feel like you have to hide something from your child that you feel is a positive in your life, you might — I want to think about that before you utilize that as your primary coping skill because you think that your kids don't know what's going on. They do, they really do."
While state laws on cannabis vary, the FDA does not evaluate or approve raw cannabis or recreational weed for safety and efficacy. Only select prescription-derived cannabinoid drugs are federally approved.