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Americans detained in Venezuela freed and returning home after prisoner exchange
Ten Americans are returning to the U.S. after being released from custody in Venezuela, the Secretary of State said on Friday.
"Thanks to President [Donald] Trump’s leadership and commitment to the American people, the United States welcomes home ten Americans who were detained in Venezuela," Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. "Until today, more Americans were wrongfully held in Venezuela than any other country in the world. It is unacceptable that Venezuelan regime representatives arrested and jailed U.S. nationals under highly questionable circumstances and without proper due process. Every wrongfully detained American in Venezuela is now free and back in our homeland."
Rubio also thanked the State Department, inter-agency partners, and El Salvador President Nayib Bukele.
"Our commitment to the American people is clear: we will safeguard the well-being of U.S. nationals both at home and abroad and not rest until all Americans being held hostage or unjustly detained around the world are brought home," he added.
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He said the U.S. also welcomes the "release of Venezuelan political prisoners and detainees that were also released from Venezuelan prisons. The Trump Administration continues to support the restoration of democracy in Venezuela. The regime’s use of unjust detention as a tool of political repression must end. We reiterate our call for the unconditional release of remaining unjustly and arbitrarily detained political prisoners and foreign nationals."
The release is part of a prisoner swap in which Bukele agreed to release hundreds of Venezuelans being held in a maximum-security prison in Tecoluca, El Salvador, in return for Salvadoran prisoners being held in Venezuela.
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The U.S. sent the Venezuelans to El Salvador in March through the 1798 Alien Enemies Act to deport alleged Tren de Aragua members without going through immigration procedures. Many of the deportees’ families and lawyers denied the gang connections.
"Today, we have handed over all the Venezuelan nationals detained in our country, accused of being part of the criminal organization Tren de Aragua (TDA)," Bukele said. "Many of them face multiple charges of murder, robbery, rape, and other serious crimes."
Bukele added that the "operation is the result of months of negotiations with a tyrannical regime that had long refused to release one of its most valuable bargaining chips: its hostages. However, thanks to the tireless efforts of many officials from both the United States and El Salvador, and above all, thanks to Almighty God, it was achieved. In this, as in other matters, I remind you: patience and trust."
The Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs posted a photo of the hostages on social media along with the message: Ten Americans are are their way home from detention in Venezuela! Thanks to @POTUS @SecRubio @usembassyve @aboehler and many others for your support bringing Americans home."
Christian Casteneda, whose brother Wilbert, a Navy SEAL, was arrested in a Caracas hotel room last year, said in a statement: "We have prayed for this day for almost a year. My brother is an innocent man who was used as a political pawn by the Maduro regime."
Lucas Hunter, whose family said he was kidnapped by Venezuelan border guards in January, was also among the 10 Americans released.
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"We cannot wait to see him in person and help him recover from the ordeal," his younger sister Sophie Hunter said in a statement.
This comes months after U.S. Air Force veteran Joseph St. Clair's was released from Venezuelan custody in May after being held there for around six months.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
Athletics' Brent Rooker responds to ESPN star's list of preferred swing-off participants
Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker's week kicked off in Atlanta, the host city for the 2025 MLB All-Star game.
On Monday, Rooker participated in the annual Home Run Derby. The next day, Rooker was one of the three players American League manager Aaron Boone selected to compete in the All-Star game's first-ever swing-off.
Rooker went 2-for-3 in the historic Home Run Derby-style tiebreaker. However, Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber scored three points in the swing-off to help the National League win the thriller.
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Several notable power-hitting All-Stars were noticeably absent from the unprecedented swing-off. The AL lineup was represented by Rooker, Jonathan Aranda and Randy Arozarena. Schwarber, Pete Alonso and Kyle Stowers stepped up to the plate for the NL
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The list of names left some observers puzzled, which sparked some questions about the selections. ESPN MLB reporter Jeff Passan was among those who weighed in on the player selection for the swing-off and offered his preferred lineup.
"What could have been: Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. vs. Shohei Ohtani, Pete Alonso, Kyle Schwarber," Passan wrote on X.
Rooker offered a rebuttal after he took notice of the suggested list of players.
"Am I not good enough for you Jeff," Rooker jokingly wrote in a response posted to X.
Rooker later made it clear he had nothing against the ESPN star.
"(Guys I like Jeff I’m not actually mad I would pick Aaron, Cal and Vladdy over me too)," the two-time All-Star wrote in a subsequent post.
Boone addressed concerns over his player selection for the swing-off, saying each manager was required to submit three names the day before the game. He added that his decision was based on the idea Judge would not be in the game in the late innings.
"We had to pick our guys yesterday," Boone told reporters. "Wanted to make sure I picked guys I knew would be in the game there and still hot. That was my choice."
This isn't the first time Rooker has responded on social media after his name was mentioned in something related to this year's All-Star festivities. The Athletics slugger took aim at a fan who criticized him for giving his child a bottle during Monday's Home Run Derby.
ESPN's cameras showed Rooker feeding his 11-month-old daughter a bottle while sitting near the dugout.
"Hey Rooker… did you really need to feed your baby on camera? Sometimes people just want to see you play," a viewer wrote on X.
Rooker responded, writing, "Yes, it was necessary to feed my 11-month-old child her nighttime bottle at like 9:00 pm. Thank you for asking."
Fox News' Paulina Dedaj contributed to this report.
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Dem House leader Hakeem Jeffries still withholds endorsement after meeting with Zohran Mamdani
After meeting with leading New York City mayoral contender Zohran Mamdani, Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., issued a lukewarm statement through a spokesperson about the meeting and did not endorse his party's nominee.
Mamdani, a New York state assemblyman and self-proclaimed socialist who has promised to overhaul New York City and launch massive new government programs, has been endorsed by progressive politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.
Despite winning the Democratic Party’s nomination over former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo by a wide margin, Mamdani has yet to be endorsed by the party’s top leaders, Jeffries and Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
Jeffries and Mamdani met in New York City for about an hour Friday.
After the meeting, Politico reporter Nicholas Wu posted a statement from Jeffries spokesperson Justin Chermol that called it "constructive" but did not include any mention of an endorsement.
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Chermol said "the meeting between Leader Jeffries and Assemblyman Mamdani was constructive, candid and community-centered, with particular focus on affordability.
"Leader Jeffries and Assemblyman Mamdani discussed a variety of other important issues, including public safety, rising antisemitism, gentrification and the importance of taking back the House in 2026."
According to Chermol’s statement, the two "agreed to reconvene shortly, alongside other members of the New York City congressional delegation and a few high-level community leaders."
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Mamdani is seen by many as a controversial candidate, partially due to his socialist policy proposals and heavy criticism of the state of Israel. Mamdani, who is Muslim, has declined to say whether Israel has the right to exist as a Jewish state and his initial refusal to condemn the phrase "globalize the intifada." However, he recently began distancing himself from the phrase.
On Thursday, Jeffries told reporters "as has been the case with every single high-profile endorsement decision that I've made in the past, I have a sit-down conversation, and then I take it from there."
The meeting with Jeffries comes after Mamdani’s recent visit to Washington, D.C., where he attended a breakfast hosted by Ocasio-Cortez and mingled with some of the party’s most powerful players. Since then, he secured the endorsement of Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., who serves as the ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee.
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Mamdani is running to unseat the current mayor of New York City, Eric Adams, who is running for re-election as an independent. He is also facing off against Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and activist Curtis Sliwa, who is the Republican Party nominee.
Jon Stewart admits he doesn't know future at Comedy Central as merger looms
"The Daily Show" host Jon Stewart admitted Thursday that he was unsure of his future at Comedy Central as its parent company Paramount's merger with Skydance Media looms.
Stewart told listeners of his "Weekly Show" podcast that while his future with the comedy network may be uncertain, he is sure that he will land on his feet no matter the outcome of the merger.
"Do you think that Skydance would get rid of 'The Daily Show’ after the merger?" one fan-submitted question read.
"Boy, that's a good question," Stewart responded. "You know, unfortunately, we haven't heard anything from them."
The late-night host continued, noting that while nobody at Skydance has told him "don't get too comfortable in that office," he's still uncertain about what comes next.
"I've been kicked out of s---tier establishments than that. We'll land on our feet," he asserted, adding, "I honestly don't know."
The late-night host quipped Comedy Central is "kind of like Muzak at this point," adding that his show and "South Park" are the "only sort of life" that the channel seems to have at the moment. The comedy channel frequently airs reruns of shows like "The Office", "Seinfeld" and "Futurama."
Stewart began hosting "The Daily Show" on Mondays last year. He hosted the show from 1999 to 2015 before stepping down.
The same day Stewart aired his podcast, his friend and fellow late-night host Stephen Colbert revealed that his show on CBS, "The Late Show," is set to be canceled next May. CBS is also under Paramount's umbrella, and some observers claimed the cancellation was related to the pending merger and Colbert's criticism of Paramount settling President Donald Trump's lawsuit against CBS News.
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"'THE LATE SHOW with STEPHEN COLBERT' will end its historic run in May 2026 at the end of the broadcast season," CBS said in a statement. "We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire 'THE LATE SHOW' franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television."
CBS said it was "purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night," adding, "It is not related in any way to the show's performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount."
Fox News' Joseph Wulfsohn contributed to this report.
USDA fires foreign workers from adversarial countries, including China, in national security protection move
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said Friday it had fired dozens of foreign contract workers from China, Russia, North Korea and Iran.
The cuts of about 70 workers followed a national security review for U.S. food safety.
A USDA spokesperson said the contract workers came from "countries of concern" and will "no longer be able to work on USDA projects."
The workers had been with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the research arm of the USDA, Thomas Henderson, who represents the union for some of the research workers, told Reuters.
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ARS does research on areas of importance to American farmers, such as pests, food safety and climate change.
Most of the contract workers were vetted Chinese post-doctoral researchers, with some even arriving to work this week to find out their badges no longer worked.
Earlier this month, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced in a new plan to keep U.S. farmland safe that contracts with any workers from China, North Korea, Iran and Russia should be canceled, and nationals from those countries wouldn’t be allowed to buy farmland in the U.S.
All ARS project publications are also expected to be reanalyzed and those co-authored with researchers from the four countries will be denied, Ethan Roberts, an ARS employee who is also the president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 3247 union, told Reuters.
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The workers won’t be able to be replaced until the Oct. 15 federal hiring freeze is lifted.
That will force some research projects to be halted, Henderson said, citing a project to develop a vaccine for a deadly toxin that occurs in undercooked beef.
"We don't have the talent now to progress on these research projects. It's setting us back by years, if not decades," he told Reuters.
The agency is down about 1,200 workers through downsizing efforts this year.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the USDA for comment.
Reuters contributed to this report.
Candace Cameron Bure glows in white bikini during relaxing beach day
Candace Cameron Bure has everything she needs for the perfect beach day.
The 49-year-old "Full House" star posted a series of photos from her day at the beach, including one of her lying on a lounge chair in the sand dressed in a white bikini, as she smiles at the camera, posing with a glass of Diet Coke in her hands.
"Every trip to the beach must have...⛱🐚 1. A cool drink, and sometimes a diet coke just hits right 😎 2. A good book... love the new look of my devotional!📚 3. Good company ❤️4. Good snacks... salty + sweet!🍉
She styled the look with a sunhat and two bracelets made of wooden beads. The other photos show some of the sweet and salty food she snacked on, including fruit and a bowl of chips, as well as a photo of her book "100 Days of Joy and Strength."
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Fans in the comments section couldn't help but comment on Bure's relaxing day at the beach, writing "So nice always seeing you smile and happy! ❤️," and "Absolutely love this so much:) ❤️❤️."
A second fan chimed in with, "You are beautiful inside and out!! Keep being you❤️," and another added "Enjoy that beautiful beach, Diet Coke, company, and food! Looks wonderful! ❤️❤️❤️."
This is far from the first time the actress has shared bikini photos of herself on Instagram. Earlier this summer, Bure posted a series of photos from her tropical vacation with her husband, Valeri.
The post featured photos of her hitting the gym, enjoying a boat ride and a bike ride with her husband and one of her lounging on a beach chair in a red bikini. She captioned the post, "Vacation mode: ON" and had the Beach Boys song, "Good Vibrations" playing in the background.
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When speaking with Fox News Digital in May, Bure explained that she plans to be in the "best shape of my life" by the time she turns 50 next year. Her goal is to "approach life and aging as someone with grace, but also enthusiasm."
"And leaning into all the things that I can do as I get older and preparing my body so that I can continue to do those things as I older," the actress told Fox News Digital. "Not so much from a vanity point of view, but like, you know, I wanna be able to open the peanut butter jar when I'm 80, and I need grip strength for that. But all that comes from using your muscles and lifting weights and just basic skills."
WATCH: CANDACE CAMERON BURE WANTS TO GET IN HER ‘BEST SHAPE’ AS SHE APPROACHES 50
She also noted that her desire to remain fit has less to do with "trying to fit into a certain size" and more to do with being healthy for her family in the future.
Bure and her husband have three children; Natasha, 26, Lev, 25, and Maxim, 23. She recently revealed on episode of "The Candace Cameron Bure Podcast," that her son Lev helped her and her husband through a rough patch in their marriage by putting together a "45-minute sermon on marriage to us."
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"It was so in our face, but that was like the pivotal moment," she added. "It really changed for us after that talk, and there was a lot more to it. But you know it's a whole different scenario when your kids sit you down to have a talk and go, ‘Are you being as mature as you can be and what God says?'"
Patel touts FBI's dozens of convictions in $250 million Minnesota COVID scam
FIRST ON FOX: A $250 million fraud scheme that exploited a federally funded children's nutrition program during the COVID-19 pandemic has been described by FBI Director Kash Patel as "one of the worst" in Minnesota history.
The FBI director told Fox News in a statement that 70 people in Minnesota have been indicted for their role in the sprawling "Feeding our Future" fraud scheme during the COVID-19 pandemic, which exploited a federal program designed to reimburse states for the cost of feeding children.
Conspirators falsely claimed to have served millions of meals during the pandemic, but instead used the money for personal gain. Of the individuals indicted, 38 have pleaded guilty, FBI officials told Fox News Digital. More than a dozen of the individuals are awaiting criminal trial, with the next trial beginning in August.
"Stealing over $250 million from hungry kids during a pandemic to fund mansions and luxury cars is as shameless as it gets," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement. "I’m proud of the FBI and our partners for dismantling this web of corruption, holding dozens accountable, and sending a clear message: if you exploit the most vulnerable, we will find you and bring you to justice."
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Conspirators charged in the scheme are accused of fabricating invoices, submitting fake attendance records, and falsely distributing thousands of meals from hundreds of so-called food distribution "sites" across the state — taking advantage of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's decision to waive, for the duration of the pandemic, many of its standard requirements for participation in the Federal Child Nutrition Program — including relaxing its requirement for non-school based distributors to participate in the program.
Charging documents show that roughly 300 "food sites" in the state served little or no food, with the so-called "food vendors" and organizations fabricated to launder money intended to reimburse the cost of feeding children.
FBI officials told Fox News that the investigation and resulting trials and indictments continue to impact the state, and have already touched off legislative reform in Minnesota.
They added that the investigation into the fraud remains ongoing, and that additional charges are expected, though they did not immediately share more details.
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The next trial in the state is scheduled to begin on August 11.
"Stealing from the federal government equates to stealing from the American people — there is no simpler truth," FBI's special agent in charge, Alvin Winston, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
"The egregious fraud unveiled in the Feeding our Future case epitomizes a profound betrayal of public trust. These individuals misappropriated hundreds of millions in federal funds intended to nourish vulnerable children during a time of crisis, redirecting those resources into luxury homes, high-end vehicles, and extravagant lifestyles while families faced hardship," he added.
"We will uncover their schemes, dismantle their networks, and ensure that they are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law," he said.
Tropical fruit now accepted as currency at these Florida restaurants
Some Florida residents and visitors have a unique opportunity to use tropical fruit as currency.
With mangoes hitting peak ripeness in June and July, certain Miami restaurants are offering food and drinks in exchange for the stone fruit.
Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, founded in South Beach, serves Mexican street food and cocktails. Three of its Miami-area locations are participating in "Bring Your Own Mango," or BYOM.
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Patrons who bring in a mango will receive a free "Mango Tango" cocktail.
"Mangoes are in peak season and such a vibrant part of Miami's Latin culture, so we thought, why not celebrate that?" Felix Martinez, Bodega's senior general manager, told Fox News Digital.
Martinez said the response has been "great," with many customers bringing in their homegrown mangoes.
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"We just ask that the fruit is in good condition – after all, it's all about honoring the flavor and community spirit behind it," the manager added.
Bodega's BYOM is going on until Sunday, Aug. 31.
Banana-based soft-serve joint Peel is also offering customers a chance to bring in mangoes in exchange for a dairy-free dessert.
Customers can bring five pounds of mangoes to Peel's Miami Shores location in exchange for a small Peel bowl swirl of their choice, with up to two toppings and a drizzle, the restaurant posted on its Instagram account.
Fox News Digital reached out to Peel for comment.
Artisan kosher bakery Zak the Baker is once again offering its annual mango trade for the third consecutive year.
"The mango trade is our way of honoring this unique season, celebrating the abundance of South Florida's summer harvest and the spirit of community that sustains us," the bakery wrote on Instagram.
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Zak the Baker is offering one loaf of bread in exchange for six mangoes.
"We'll be here, sweating it out with you, grateful for every mango, every loaf and every neighbor who stops by," the post said.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle
Spanish explorers first brought mangoes to South America and Mexico in the 1600s, according to the National Mango Board.
The fruit was first introduced to the United States in Florida in 1833.
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Democratic rep claims Mamdani isn't a socialist but an 'advocate' for capitalism
Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., insisted on Wednesday that self-proclaimed democratic socialist New York City mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani was not a socialist but an advocate for small "c" capitalism.
Takano spoke to reporters on Mamdani shortly after attending a breakfast meeting with him and other Democrats in Washington D.C. where he expressed enthusiasm for the candidate’s ideas.
"You know, the overall impression on me was this guy is not a communist," Takano said. "He's not a socialist. He’s an advocate for small ‘c’ capitalism. And that you know, he really is fighting for the little business guy that's trying to eke out a living in New York. Half of all New Yorkers, you know, get their jobs from small business. And I thought that was a tremendous message."
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Though Takano said Mamdani was not a socialist, he later defended the term, arguing that the word has a "different charge" for people under 40.
"He’s a democratic socialist that he's fighting for small business people, trying to bring down stupid regulations, criticizing Eric Adams for not moving permits faster," Takano said. "It's corruption we're fighting here, corruption that prevents the dynamism of small 'c' entrepreneurs, small ‘c’ capitalist entrepreneurs. No contradiction there, trying to get buses to run more efficiently and faster. These are all things that are improving people's lives."
He hesitated to answer whether he supported Mamdani’s idea for city-run supermarkets but remarked that "there’s not a lot of difference between the idea of some sort of public-run grocery and a co-op."
Fox News Digital reached out to Mamdani’s campaign for comment.
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Mamdani has repeatedly referred to himself as a democratic socialist and remarked in June on CNN that he had "many critiques of capitalism."
Though Mamdani has refuted the idea that he was a communist, several videos have resurfaced of him repeating and supporting communist revolutionary language.
One recent clip that made the rounds on social media had Mamdani openly supporting the abolition of private property.
"If there was any system that could guarantee each person housing, whether you call it the abolition of private property or you call it, you know, just a statewide housing guarantee, it is preferable to what is going on right now," Mamdani said.