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Alarming fraud trend puts small-town mosque with industry and foreign govt ties in focus: ‘Our motherland now’
This article is Part 2 of a Fox News Digital exclusive series investigating trucking fraud, public safety, and assimilation concerns in southwest Ohio. You can read Part 1 here.
MAINEVILLE, OHIO — A mosque rising amid rural homes and farmland in southwest Ohio has become a focal point in the community’s growing concerns over an influx of foreign-owned trucking companies and trucking fraud, with a Fox News Digital review revealing significant financial ties between the mosque, trucking companies and the government of Uzbekistan.
Roughly one mile north of the main intersection in Maineville, a small Warren County village with about 1,400 residents, sits the Islamic Center of Maineville, which has been under construction for the past four years following its approval by Hamilton Township in April 2022.
Fox News Digital found that the mosque received substantial donations from trucking companies that government records show were cited for serious safety and compliance violations, while the mosque’s own Telegram channel displayed associations with people identified as current or former Uzbek officials.
For years, the Islamic Center of Maineville has posted on Telegram to its 3,600 members, courting donations, acknowledging partnerships with trucking companies, and even sharing screenshots of donations from local trucking companies, owned by Uzbeks, totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Buraq Limited, a Springboro trucking company associated with Rukhshona Sultonova, donated at least $28,000 to the Islamic Center across 28 gifts, according to Telegram screenshots reviewed by Fox News Digital.
A review of the company’s records found dozens of reported violations, including multiple English-proficiency violations, four ELD (electronic logging device) violations, three invalid-CDL violations, four expired medical cards and four hours-of-service violations.
Premier Trucking Group Inc., owned by Sam Avazov, has received over 100 total violations, including for unsafe driving and invalid CDLs. In September, the Islamic Center posted a screenshot of a $1,000 donation from Premier Trucking Group, which has donated at least $25,000 to the mosque.
Foko Logistics LLC, owned by Abubakr Olimov and based in Hilliard, donated $20,000 in a single gift to the mosque, and had 52 violations across 37 inspections in FMCSA’s current 24-month record. The company had vehicle-maintenance violations involving damaged brake hoses, an inoperable tractor-protection valve and severely underinflated tires. Ten of its 24 vehicle inspections resulted in an out-of-service designation, a rate of 41.7%.
Maca Transportation and Services LLC, based in Dayton and owned by Muminkhuja Kholkhujaev, donated at least $7,000 across eight gifts. FMCSA’s records show 120 violations across 72 inspections, including an English-proficiency failure and multiple false or incomplete hours-of-service records. The company also had serious brake, tire, and other vehicle-maintenance violations, with 14 of 36 vehicle inspections resulting in an out-of-service designation, or 38.9%.
One trucking company that gave $150,000 to the mosque and helped organize the overall fundraising effort , Phoenix Cargo, told Fox News Digital the mosque approached the company multiple times asking for donations but said the $150,000 figure the company ultimately donated "represents only a fraction of the mosque's total construction budget" and that "Phoenix Cargo is not even among the project's top 100 donors."
Phoenix Cargo has been cited hundreds of times for safety violations, including English proficiency, ELD tampering, and unsafe driving violations.
Fox News Digital reached out to the mosque for comment but did not receive a response. Earlier this month, the Islamic Center said it is "committed to operating responsibly and in accordance with applicable law."
"The fundraising for the Islamic Center concerns me because a large percentage of the Uzbek truck companies that donate have been repeatedly cited for the same kinds of serious inspection violations," Nodawolf, an online researcher who lives in the area and has been documenting alleged trucking fraud in southwest Ohio for months and was granted anonymity due to death threats he's received, said. "Those violations suggest a pattern of non-compliance with our laws and regulations among the donors, which is troubling given the community’s concentration in the freight industry in Maineville."
Fox News Digital also asked the mosque if an administrator for their Telegram channel with the name "Bek A" is Bekhzod Asrarov, an Uzbek truck driver living in Maineville who authorities say struck and killed 21-year-old Ohio soccer player Tobias "Toby" Forsythe earlier this year. Asrarov was unable to communicate effectively in English at the scene, according to authorities, and has been accused of removing and concealing his dashcam after the crash.
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The mosque did not provide a response.
The Islamic Center’s website says it does "not solicit donations from any foreign government, organization, association, partnership or individual or any agent thereof" and that "any such attempt" should be reported to the mosque immediately. However, the organization's Telegram account suggests close ties with the government of Uzbekistan, specifically when it comes to trucking companies.
Hamkor Uz Cincinnati Association is a nonprofit organization established in 2020 to unite Uzbeks in the Cincinnati area and support community projects, including the construction of religious and cultural centers. Hamilton Township records identify Hamkor as the owner of the roughly 6.7-acre property where the Islamic Center of Maineville is being built.
Telegram screenshots reviewed by Fox News Digital show the organization’s ties to former Uzbek government officials. One image shows the Mason office of Erkinbay Abdulla, with an accompanying message describing him as a former Uzbek official who "creates the trucking companies."
Another screenshot contains a community statement attributed to Sukhrob Norbekov, whom an accompanying message identifies as another former Uzbek official who represents the mosque. The material places officials linked to Uzbekistan alongside an organization involved in the mosque project and individuals involved in creating local trucking companies.
Current Uzbek officials also appear to be involved with the mosque and local trucking industry via the central Asian nation’s Ministry of Digital Technologies, according to photos posted on the mosque’s Telegram.
The screenshots show a list of a six-member Uzbek delegation that traveled to the United States in April 2025, including Ambassador Furqat Sidiqov, regional government officials, and three officials from the Ministry of Digital Technologies. Separate posts invite entrepreneurs and truck-company managers to an April 19 IT conference hosted by Hamkor Uz Cincinnati at a banquet hall in Loveland, Ohio.
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Additionally, a review of the Hamkor Uz Telegram channel, with current and former Uzbek government officials as administrators, showed advertisements for local trucking companies, removable truck signs, English courses for truck driving school, and legal counseling. Other posts include the owner of the mosque providing guidance on how to understand "Shariah compliant banking" and a post on "speaking English with the police" and how to "learn on the road."
Nodawolf said the ties to the government of Uzbekistan are troubling to him "because these Uzbek trucking companies appear to be tightly organized, with patterns that look almost like a shared blueprint."
"Given the documented safety and compliance problems in many of these companies, it’s reasonable to ask whether gaps in U.S. regulations are being systematically exploited," he added.
Several locals who spoke to Fox News Digital said they have expressed their concerns about the rise in Uzbek trucking companies and potential safety gaps that could come along with it to their elected officials but have largely been ignored.
"They're scared, I think they recognize that they could be called names, they can recognize they could be called out for, you know, like, Islamophobic or racist or things, but it's not that at all," a resident from nearby Middletown, Ohio, which has also experienced an influx of foreign-owned trucking companies, who posts information about trucking companies online under the name GHOSTOPSUZ, told Fox News Digital.
One lawmaker who has taken action against trucking fraud is Ohio Republican state Rep. Michelle Teska, who represents most of Warren County, including Maineville, and has introduced legislation to strengthen commercial-driver licensing requirements, including a measure requiring driver examinations to be administered in English, which she told Fox News Digital addresses the "low-hanging fruit of the problem."
"I did some research and basically found out that you can get your driver's license and your CDL license in the state of Ohio and you can have that test in 10 different languages," Teska said. "So that, to me, common sense says that's insanity."
Teska says she has seen the problem "firsthand" while driving around her district, calling it "rampant."
"This past weekend, I was at an event in Warren County and I was at an event that is right across the street from the BMV and I was just kind of observing a gentleman pulling in a semi truck cab into the parking lot on a Saturday at the BMV taking up four spaces, clearly had no idea how to drive the truck," Teska explained. "So I walked over to the BMV and spoke to this person and kind of confronted him and said, hey, do you speak English? He replied, no, I don't speak English. Asked him where he was from. He was from Uzbekistan. So it was crazy because I was watching it all take place live."
Authorities in Warren County have been ramping up their presence in the trucking industry and on the roads in recent weeks, including a crackdown over the last week.
"The Hamilton Township Police Department actively monitors traffic safety concerns within our jurisdiction and works with our public safety partners to address violations and unsafe driving behaviors when identified," a spokesperson for Hamilton Township said. "In fact, our officers recently participated in a targeted traffic enforcement initiative focused on commercial motor vehicles, working alongside partner agencies to identify safety violations and improve roadway safety. We will continue to enforce applicable laws and take appropriate action when circumstances warrant."
Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell stressed there is nothing inherently wrong with mosque fundraising and he has not received any information that any laws have been broken. He told Fox News Digital, however, that clearly "there’s something going on" within the Uzbek community in southwest Ohio that "warrants at least awareness on the part of law enforcement."
"It's disproportionate to what we see with any other immigrant community," Fornshell said.
Since 2021, Fornshell said the area has seen an "influx of cases involving Uzbeks" that has prompted the need to hire more court interpreters and city employees who speak the language, particularly in the lower courts that deal with traffic offenses.
"I would say hardly a week goes by where we don't have some felony case involving an Uzbek, it's pretty frequent at this point," Fornshell said.
Census data from 2024 shows that roughly 1,500 people born in Uzbekistan live in Greater Cincinnati, while about 3,800 Uzbekistan-born residents live across Ohio. Uzbek community leaders say the actual population is significantly higher, estimating that roughly 4,000 Uzbek families live in southern Ohio, including U.S.-born children.
"This is our motherland now, from now on," Hamkor Uz board member Nodirjon Ernazarov told the Cincinnati Enquirer through a translator last week in a story highlighting the Uzbek population’s efforts to become part of the community. The article explains that the influx of Uzbeks was driven, in part, by the area’s proximity to the trucking industry.
"Uzbek people are very hardworking people," Ernazarov added. "So this mosque is (being built) by the help of all Uzbeks."
The article does not mention that Ernazarov also owns a trucking company, Ray Cargo Corp., which has donated tens of thousands of dollars to the mosque and has been cited for numerous safety violations, including unsafe driving and driver fitness.
Fox News Digital reached out to every trucking company mentioned in the article for comment.
Leavitt says Trump is defying midterm headwinds as he barnstorms country
MANCHESTER, N.H. - Former White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt says President Donald Trump is determined to defy a challenging midterm political landscape as Republicans fight to defend their narrow majorities in the House and Senate.
"The president is defiant, and he always is optimistic," Leavitt said this week in a Fox News Digital interview in her home state of New Hampshire.
The GOP is fighting political history, as the party in power in Washington has traditionally lost seats during midterm election years. Republicans also face a challenging campaign climate fueled by persistent inflation Americans see at the grocery store, high gas prices tied to what polls show is an unpopular war with Iran and Trump's increasingly negative approval ratings.
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Leavitt said Trump "totally understands that history is not on the Republican side right now if you just frankly look at the history books, but that's not stopping him from going out and barnstorming the country. He's been everywhere this week from North Carolina to South Carolina. Be in Michigan again this weekend."
Republicans are also facing a low propensity problem in the midterms - MAGA supporters who don't always vote when Trump isn't on the ballot.
"The president is getting out there and reminding voters what's at stake in this election and why it's so important to get out and vote in the midterms," Leavitt noted. "He's being frank and honest with his voters that 'I know you don't turn out in midterm cycles, but we need you to this time."
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Democrats appear energized as Election Day nears.
"The Republicans are running scared!" Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin said recently in a social media post. "They are increasingly spending more and more money in the reddest of red areas in an attempt to hold on. We have them on the run - all gas, no brakes."
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But Leavitt, taking a page from the GOP midterm playbook, argued that "this election is a contrast between, between commonsense Republican conservative candidates who believe in cutting taxes, securing the border, putting American citizens over illegal aliens, and radical extreme liberal crazy candidates, some of the most radical Democrats we've ever seen run in the history of our country."
And pointing to the GOP's fundraising superiority over Democratic Party groups, Leavitt added, "We have a huge cash advantage across the country. We are making sure voters understand again what's at stake in this election and why it's so important that we win."
Iran’s oil lifeline is drying up. The biggest pain may fall on ordinary citizens
Iran is approaching a financial reckoning as a U.S. naval blockade threatens to wipe out its seaborne crude oil revenues by mid-December — but the economic pain may fall more heavily on ordinary Iranians than on the military Washington is trying to constrain.
Iran’s trackable floating oil inventory outside the U.S. blockade zone has fallen to zero, according to energy intelligence firm Kpler, which projects that Tehran's crude revenues could dry up by the middle of December as outstanding payments are settled.
But the loss of oil revenue would not necessarily translate into an immediate military funding crisis. Tehran could shield military spending while cutting civilian programs, allowing inflation to erode purchasing power and drawing on alternative revenue sources.
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That complicates Washington's pressure campaign: The blockade may deprive Tehran of one of its biggest sources of cash without immediately starving the military and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of the money they need to operate.
Oil directly accounts for roughly 30% of Iran's government budget, according to Gregory Brew, a senior Iran and energy analyst at Eurasia Group, and Miad Maleki, an Iran sanctions and financial expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies.
Iran entered the year expecting to export about 1.7 million barrels per day at roughly $54 per barrel, Brew said. Actual exports have fallen short of that target, though higher oil prices allowed Tehran to build some financial cushion.
Maleki estimated that oil and refined petroleum products account for between 50% and 60% of regime revenue when indirect income is included.
Still, the December deadline is not a date on which Iran suddenly runs out of money.
"The December timeline is more of a cash flow kind of disruption, and not really a collapse state," Maleki told Fox News Digital.
Tehran has so far allowed inflation and the weakening rial to absorb some of the pressure rather than abruptly stopping government salaries or allowing widespread shortages to develop.
"The purchasing power of Iranians incrementally declines," Maleki said.
Losing a revenue stream that covers roughly 30% of the government budget would nevertheless force increasingly difficult choices. Tehran can cut spending, borrow more or run larger deficits. Deeper cuts could hit subsidies, pensions and other government programs, while deficit spending risks fueling already high inflation.
"There's already expectations that government spending next year is going to be greatly reduced," Brew said . "A bigger chunk of the budget is likely going to be met through borrowing and deficit spending, which is of course going to add to inflation."
Military spending, however, could prove more resistant.
"There is a broad expectation that non-military spending is going to be slashed significantly, while military spending is going to be maintained and might even increase because of the overall war footing that the Iranian regime has been put on," Brew said.
Iran is already spending resources to rebuild missile production facilities and other military infrastructure, expand underground facilities and repair damage to its nuclear program, Brew said.
Iran's armed forces also have a direct connection to the country's oil trade.
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The Treasury Department said last year that Tehran was allocating roughly 200,000 barrels of crude per day to its armed forces, with the value of planned allocations expected to exceed $10 billion annually. Military organizations can sell allocated oil abroad and use the proceeds themselves.
Maleki said those sales have helped finance equipment, chemicals and weapons components and support Iran-backed groups including Hezbollah and Hamas.
The IRGC also draws revenue from smuggling, black-market commerce and sanctions-evasion networks outside the formal state budget. Brew said its economic influence has expanded as sanctions have squeezed Iran's private economy.
"If the IRGC is the single most important institution in the country, and if it largely benefits from sanctions and blockades and various forms of U.S. economic pressure, then there's a world in which it benefits from this new environment rather than being squeezed like the overall government budget," Brew said.
Iran's oil squeeze has been months in the making.
Tehran held roughly 135 million barrels of crude in floating storage before the war began in February, providing a stockpile it could continue selling after U.S. forces restricted new exports. That offshore inventory has now been exhausted.
U.S. Central Command estimates the blockade has already denied Tehran at least $25 billion in oil revenue.
Buyers of Iranian crude typically settle payments one to two months after delivery, creating the lag between the disappearance of Iran's floating inventory and Kpler's projected revenue cutoff in December.
Even if that projection broadly holds, however, Iran is unlikely to stop earning money from hydrocarbons altogether.
Smaller quantities of oil can still move overland by truck and rail and across the Caspian Sea, while refined petroleum and petrochemical products can travel through routes outside the seaborne crude trade targeted by the blockade.
"While the amount of Iranian oil that can be tracked has fallen to zero, it's unlikely Iran's oil exports completely fall to nothing," Brew said. "The amount will likely be fairly small, but it won't be completely zeroed."
Both experts said an agreement with Washington allowing Iranian tankers to resume leaving the Persian Gulf could reverse the trajectory . Without a deal or relaxation of the blockade, the financial pressure is expected to build into next year.
The bigger test may arrive in March, when Iran begins its new fiscal year and must reconcile its spending plans with dramatically lower oil income.
"There's going to be a fiscal squeeze, and there's going to be pressure around the release of the new budget," Brew said. "There's going to be economic unrest, potentially even economic turmoil as the government rolls out spending cuts."
By then, Tehran could have gone months without its traditional seaborne crude income, forcing the regime to decide how much of the financial squeeze it is willing to pass on to its population while preserving spending elsewhere.
Florida A&M University shooting leaves 12 injured, including 6 children, near football stadium
At least 12 people, including six juveniles, were injured in a shooting near Florida A&M University's Bragg Memorial Stadium in Tallahassee on Saturday night, authorities said.
The Tallahassee Police Department said the shooting occurred just before 8 p.m. near the intersection of Perry and Manatee streets, close to Bragg Memorial Stadium.
Authorities said 12 people were injured, including 11 who sustained gunshot wounds.
One victim was in critical condition, two others were seriously injured and eight were listed in stable condition, police said.
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Of the 12 known victims, six are adults and six are juveniles, Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence E. Revell said during a news conference.
The youngest victim was 11 years old, according to Revell.
"Tonight, our thoughts are with the victims and their families as they face the devastating impact of this violence," Revell said.
"It is especially heartbreaking to know that children are among those injured," he continued. "In the moments immediately following the shooting, and before the scene was fully secure, our officers put their own safety at risk to carry victims to safety and transport them to the hospital. Their actions were nothing short of heroic and reflect the courage and compassion our officers bring to this community every day."
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Police said preliminary information indicated a physical altercation occurred before the shooting.
Authorities described the altercation as an isolated incident involving two or three individuals.
No arrests had been announced as of the latest police update.
The shooting occurred during Florida A&M University's Homecoming Week, as students and alumni gathered in Tallahassee for the annual celebrations.
Florida A&M University said the incident occurred near campus. The university said the campus remained safe and urged people to avoid the area.
"Our hearts go out to the victims and all those affected by this tragic incident," the university said. "While the campus remains safe, individuals are encouraged to avoid the area to allow law enforcement to conduct its investigation."
Tallahassee Mayor John Dailey expressed condolences following the shooting.
"This is a truly horrific and heartbreaking tragedy," Dailey posted on X. "Tonight and in the days ahead, the FAMU family is not alone. Our entire community stands with you."
The Tallahassee Police Department's Violent Crimes Unit is investigating the shooting as detectives work to identify those responsible.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the shooting or has information about the incident to contact authorities.
Brewers complete wild Game 2 comeback after controversial call puts them up 2-0 in World Series vs Rays
An old saying goes that a postseason series doesn’t truly start until the road team wins a game, so the Tampa Bay Rays better hope the Fall Classic doesn’t end anytime soon.
That's because the Milwaukee Brewers are two wins away from their first World Series title after a wild comeback in Game 2 in their home stadium.
The Rays got jumping early after their Game 1 loss on Friday, scoring four runs in the first with RBI singles by Chandler Simpson and Junior Caminero and then a two-run jack by Liam Hicks. The Brewers chipped away to cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the first, as William Contreras and Garrett Mitchell each had an RBI single.
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The starting pitchers in Logan Henderson and Drew Rasmussen combined to throw just 6.2 innings — Rasmussen was taken out in the fourth after loading the bases and allowing another run, but Christian Yelich grounded out to end the threat. The Brewers bullpen continued to stand on its head, though, keeping the Rays off the scoreboard.
In the bottom of the sixth, Sal Frelick led off the inning with a lefty-on-lefty solo homer off Ian Seymour in a nine-pitch at-bat, completely erasing the deficit. Cooper Pratt drove in Brice Turang to give Milwaukee a 5-4 lead an inning later.
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The Brewers put runners on second and third with the four-hitter in Contreras at the plate in the eighth but were unable to add insurance, and Johnny DeLuca promptly started the top of the ninth with a double to put the tying run in scoring position.
Yandy Diaz came to the dish with two outs and DeLuca on third, but Aaron Ashby's postseason scoreless streak is now at 15.2 innings, as the first-base umpire ruled that Diaz didn't check his swing on a 3-2 count, controversially ending the game.
For certain, the call could have went either way. Jonathan Aranda, who is hitting .310 this postseason, was on deck, with Simpson and Caminero following.
Milwaukee tacked on 11 total hits to Tampa Bay's seven — three of which came in the first inning. The Rays were left scoreless after the first inning.
The 1996 New York Yankees are the last team to win the World Series after losing the first two games. Both losses came at home before the Yankees won four straight. Teams that take the first two games of a best-of-seven postseason series are 79-16 all time.
Game 3 is in Tampa Bay on Monday night.
Arch Manning, Texas survive Ole Miss after another second-half meltdown creates Austin anxiety
There are two faces to Texas, and I still don’t know which one we saw Saturday night against No. 7 Ole Miss as the Longhorns pulled off a thrilling 34-27 upset that came down to the final play.
A week of buildup around a different version of Arch Manning and the pressure Steve Sarkisian was facing in regard to this offense showing up for all four quarters was nearing a combustable stage against Pete Golding's Rebels on Saturday night.
Just when you thought this Texas team had shown us every possible way to blow a lead, it found a new one Saturday night in Austin.
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Racing out to a 24-3 lead, thanks to Arch Manning looking like the quarterback NFL scouts were drooling over in the preseason, this game felt like a blowout waiting to happen.
For the folks at home, we had seen this movie numerous times over the 2026 season. Texas gets a lead, and then throws it away in the second half. We had seen it against Oklahoma and Florida over the past three weeks.
If worried Longhorn fans thought they were going to catch a break in the second half, they were sorely mistaken. Texas managed just 19 yards in the third quarter while Ole Miss scored 14 points.
It was the Rebels scoring 21 unanswered points that had Texas fans going through another anxiety-filled evening, waiting for the other shoe to drop that it had seen too many times this season. When Arch Manning went cold, Trinidad Chambliss heated up.
By now, the Longhorns should come with a disclaimer warning that any lead could turn into a tie at any moment. And you can’t blame the Will Muschamp-coached defense, considering how much time it spends on the field every week.
A tale of two halves was once again rearing its ugly head when the Ole Miss defense forced a fumble after sacking Arch Manning, returning it for the touchdown that sparked the second half comeback.
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What we witnessed once again was the Texas offense tightening up like a vice grip, with Manning having thrown his second interception with 13:24 remaining in the fourth quarter. Just as we witnessed against Oklahoma, Arch started throwing ducks, and this time it was Ole Miss ready to pounce on the mistakes.
But then we watched the Longhorns flip a switch in the fourth quarter, as if everything that had taken place before Arch Manning strolled into the end zone for a Texas touchdown had simply been a case of the yips.
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"We say every week, 'whatever it takes,' and I think we did that in the fourth quarter," Manning mentioned after the game.
Just when you thought it was over, though, Ole Miss put together a frenzied finish that saw them connect on a field goal, then recover an onside kick that gave the Rebels one last chance to tie this game up.
A Trinidad Chambliss heave to the end zone wound up in the hands of a Texas defender, and the frenzy came to an end with the Longhorns holding off this fierce Ole Miss team that gave us a thrilling second half.
"I was pacing, saying a few prayers," Arch Manning said about the final Ole Miss drive. "Our defense came up clutch, that's what it's all about."
The problem with this game is that we witnessed two SEC perceived heavyweights trading haymakers for two halves.
If you haven’t noticed, we are all struggling to decide on who is good enough to be called "elite" in college football.
Coming out of Saturday's showdown in Austin, those questions are going to linger over the next five to six weeks. In the third quarter, we witnessed the Rebels playing with ferocity on defense while Trinidad Chambliss opened up the offense by throwing multiple touchdowns like we witnessed against Missouri last week.
By the time Texas fans were done celebrating the drone show at DKR Stadium to start the fourth quarter, it was if another switch had flipped in the head of this Texas offense. The problem that will continue to fester for Arch Manning and Steve Sarkisian over the rest of this season centers around this offense struggling to play consistent football.
Now, moving forward, Texas will face Missouri and LSU over the next three weeks, and the challenges will only get tougher.
Which Longhorns football team will show up? I don't think any of us know the answer to that question.
49ers may have fewer than 48 players available against Falcons amid injury wave, coach Kyle Shanahan says
Every NFL team deals with injuries. It's an unfortunate part of the game. But few have been more defined by them in recent seasons than the San Francisco 49ers, whose injury report has seemed to become a weekly storyline.
The undefeated 49ers made a cross-country trip this week for a matchup with the Atlanta Falcons. San Francisco will again be without several key players Sunday, including receiver Mike Evans, who is dealing with a sore Achilles, and defensive end Nick Bosa, who has a calf injury. The team’s receiver corps was already thin, with Ricky Pearsall, Deebo Samuel Sr., De’Zhaun Stribling and Demarcus Robinson unable to go Sunday.
The 49ers also ruled out safety Marques Sigle and linebackers Garret Wallow and Luke Gifford for Week 7. Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan acknowledged the lengthy list of unavailable players and said the 49ers may not be able to reach the maximum 48 players on the game-day roster.
Teams can elevate players from the practice squad when injuries leave them thin at a position, but Shanahan does not expect those moves to get San Francisco to 48 players Sunday.
Instead, the former Falcons offensive coordinator said the 49ers have discussed preparing some players to line up outside their usual positions because of the injuries.
Shanahan said the situation was a first in his coaching career. "I don't think ever in my career [has that happened]," he said. "It's a unique situation."
Veteran receiver Christian Kirk is in line to make his season debut Sunday, Shanahan confirmed. His return from injured reserve would provide a welcome boost for the 49ers.
Bosa recently shared an optimistic view about being able to return for Week 5 or 6, but the 49ers kept him out of practice to give him extra recovery time. That optimism seems caught Shanahan off guard, given how carefully Bosa usually assesses his own status.
"I just think he was a little too optimistic, especially for Bosa because he's pretty accurate," Shanahan said.
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"He doesn't say stuff like that unless it's accurate. I just think it surprised him. He worked out after he said that to you guys and the next day was just a little sore, which surprised all of us, and that wasn't a great sign, especially going to playing turf and stuff this week."
Bosa hasn't played since Week 2.
San Francisco will enter its bye week after Sunday’s matchup with the Falcons.
Ainsley Earhardt and Sean Hannity marry at the same church where they got engaged
Fox News stars Ainsley Earhardt and Sean Hannity tied the knot on Saturday at the historic Church of Bethesda-by-the-Sea in Palm Beach, Florida, returning to the place where Hannity proposed over Christmas in 2024.
Surrounded by their children, relatives and closest friends, the couple exchanged vows in a heartfelt ceremony that reflected their shared faith and the importance of family in their lives.
The setting brought their engagement story full circle, as they were married at the same church where they first committed to spending their lives together.
Earhardt and Hannity incorporated their shared faith into the ceremony with selected readings from Romans 12 and the Song of Solomon. Romans 12 emphasizes devotion and respect, encouraging believers to "Love one another with brotherly affection" and "Outdo one another in showing honor" (Romans 12:10), while the Song of Solomon speaks to the strength of romantic love, stating, "Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it" (Song of Solomon 8:7). The selections reflected the values the couple hopes to carry into their marriage.
During the ceremony, which was officiated by the couple's ministers, Earhardt and Hannity exchanged personal vows, reflecting on their love for each other, their shared faith and the life they look forward to building together.
The bride wore a gown by Oscar de la Renta for the occasion.
Following the ceremony, guests gathered under a retractable roof for a private reception under the stars at the Everglades Club in Palm Beach, where the newlyweds celebrated alongside loved ones from different chapters of their lives.
The wedding brought together relatives and longtime friends, including those who have known Hannity since his early days on Long Island and Earhardt's close friends from South Carolina, as well as colleagues who have been part of their careers over the years.
Among the guests were FOX News Media CEO Suzanne Scott, Fox News president and executive editor Jay Wallace and anchors and hosts, including: Steve Doocy, Lawrence Jones, Brian Kilmeade, Laura Ingraham, Mark Levin, Dana Perino, Bret Baier, Harris Faulkner, Emily Compagno, Bill Hemmer, Martha MacCallum, Kayleigh McEnany, Carley Shimkus, and Trey Gowdy among others.
Fox News host Lara Trump and Eric Trump also attended and were joined by newly minted Fox News contributor Karoline Leavitt and White House chief of staff Susie Wiles.
Among the other guests in attendance were casino mogul Steve Wynn, philanthropist Julia Koch, entrepreneur and podcast host Patrick Bet-David, podcast host Sage Steele, country music star Lee Greenwood, fitness and podcast personality Jillian Michaels, television personality Nancy Grace, Rascal Flatts frontman Gary LeVox and Five for Fighting's John Ondrasik.
Also celebrating the couple at the wedding were Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and his wife Casey, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Dan Scavino and his wife Erin, Sen. Tim Scott and his wife Molly, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and his wife, Ambassador Callista Gingrich.
For Earhardt and Hannity, the wedding was a celebration of more than their marriage. It was a reflection of the faith, friendship and love that brought them together, made especially meaningful by exchanging vows in the same church where their journey toward marriage began.
In joint remarks made following the wedding celebration, the newly married couple said, "Our hearts are overflowing with love and gratitude as we begin this new chapter together as husband and wife. To exchange our vows in our home church where we got engaged, surrounded by our children, families and dearest friends, was more meaningful than we could have ever imagined. Our faith has always been at the center of our relationship, and we truly believe God brought us together. We feel blessed by the outpouring of love and support from the wonderful people in our lives and are excited for the future. Above all, we are grateful to God for bringing us to this moment and for the beautiful life we will continue to build together."
Prior to Saturday’s wedding, Earhardt and Hannity hosted a private pre-wedding celebration Friday night at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, where President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump joined the couple's family and friends. The president did not attend Saturday's wedding ceremony.
Team USA hero Connor Hellebuyck discusses the difference between playing hockey in US and Canada
The NHL was rocked by a massive trade on Friday that saw the Winnipeg Jets deal three-time Vezina Trophy winner, Olympic gold medalist and soon-to-be Medal of Freedom recipient Connor Hellebuyck to the New Jersey Devils.
The goalie hasn't played so far this season after asking for a trade over the summer, but now that it's done, he's gearing up to hit the ice and has addressed the New Jersey media for the first time.
"Sitting at home for so long was getting to me. For myself, I’m just really excited to play hockey again," Hellebuyck said on Saturday, per the Associated Press. "I’m joining a very skilled group. They brought me for a certain specific role. I’m really excited to fill that role, not only on the ice but off the ice as well."
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The Devils are off to a good start this season with a 7-4-0 record after Saturday's win over the Los Angeles Kings, during which netminder Jake Allen was between the pipes. Adding a goalie of Hellebuyck's caliber to the lineup could mean that goals will be at a premium for any team that plays the Devils.
But for Hellebuyck, it will be different playing in New Jersey compared to a Canadian market like Winnipeg, something he was asked about.
"I mean, it's a catch-22; some people love that," he said of playing in markets where people bug players about hockey while they're trying to grocery shop. "Sometimes you just want to be left alone. Canada loves their hockey, and I felt that to the bone, and I loved my time there, and I've loved the people I've met. Made a lot of good friends and built good relationships there."
"So, I can't say that one is better than the other," he continued. "I know that I've enjoyed both and I've experienced both. It's just one of those things that's part of hockey culture... they love their hockey, and we love our hockey in our own way, and that should be celebrated."
It was quite the diplomatic answer, and we'll see how it goes in just a few weeks when Hellebuyck and the Devils visit Winnipeg on November 10.
Raiders mourn Super Bowl champion Pete Banaszak, key figure in iconic 'Holy Roller' play
Former Oakland Raiders standout Pete Banaszak, a 13-year veteran who helped the franchise win its first Super Bowl, died at 82, the team announced.
"The Raiders Family mourns the passing of Pete Banaszak, whose toughness, competitive spirit, and dedication embodied a legendary era of Raiders football and made him a cherished member of the Silver and Black," the team said in a statement released Saturday.
The Raiders also remembered the late running back's deep pride in his Polish heritage and extended their condolences to his loved ones.
"A Wisconsin native, Banaszak was fiercely proud of his Polish heritage and was inducted into the National Polish-American Sports Hall of Fame in 1990. The deepest condolences of the entire Raider Nation are with Pete's wife Sue, daughters Rebecca and Amy, grandsons Luke, Austin, and Connor, and all of his loved ones."
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Banaszak was primarily a reserve during his career, starting just 36 of the 173 NFL games he played. Even so, he made the most of his opportunities and etched his name into Raiders lore during his 13 seasons with the famed Silver and Black.
Banaszak made his final appearance with the Raiders in 1978. His best season came in 1975, when he rushed for a league-high 16 touchdowns and a career-best 672 yards in his 10th year with the franchise. Those 16 rushing touchdowns remain a Raiders single-season record.
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Banaszak crossed the goal line twice in the Raiders’ Super Bowl XI victory over the Minnesota Vikings. The win marked the first time the franchise won the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Banaszak also played a key role in one of the NFL’s most famous plays, the "Holy Roller." In Week 2 of what would be his final season, the Raiders trailed the Chargers 20-14 with seconds remaining when Ken Stabler fumbled while seemingly being sacked. Banaszak recovered and batted the ball forward, giving tight end Dave Casper a chance to make the recovery in the end zone. The extra point secured Oakland’s improbable 21-20 win.
Banaszak finished his storied NFL career with 3,772 rushing yards, 1,022 receiving yards and 52 touchdowns. He is also credited with six touchdowns in the playoffs.