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USMNT World Cup starts strong, Christian Pulisic sets up Team USA for a stunning first goal against Paraguay
The USMNT and Paraguay kicked off at 9 p.m. ET from Los Angeles Stadium. The USMNT, coached by Mauricio Pochettino, enters Friday at the No. 17 spot in the FIFA World Rankings.
The Americans World Cup bid got off to a quick start with Damián Bobadilla's own goal putting the Americans ahead in less than 10 minutes.
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FIFA determines its world rankings using the Elo rating system, which rewards teams for wins and penalizes them for losses while also factoring in the strength of the competition.
This year's World Cup features an expanded field of 48 teams.
Folarin Balogun doubled the United States' lead in the 30th minute. The New York native celebrated enthusiastically with his teammates after scoring his first World Cup goal, a milestone moment in his international career.
This story is developing. Check back for updates.
Trump says US military eliminated 'infamous' Tren de Aragua leader in lethal strike
President Donald Trump on Friday night announced the U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) "delivered a swift and lethal kinetic strike" to successfully execute Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores, also known as Niño Guerrero, the "infamous" leader of Tren de Aragua (TdA).
The U.S. Department of State previously offered up to a $5 million reward for the 43-year-old Venezuelan's arrest or conviction.
"Before I returned to office, Joe Biden opened our Southern Border to millions of Illegal Criminals, and allowed this foreign army to rape, maim, and murder American Citizens with total impunity," Trump wrote in a statement on Truth Social. "During my Campaign, I pledged to expel these monsters from our Country, and bring Justice to the families of those they slaughtered, including the precious 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray, 22-year-old Laken Reilly, and countless other beautiful souls."
The president said with Friday's action, the U.S. military "has brought retribution for them, their families, and their loved ones."
"Early in my Administration, I delivered on my promise to designate Tren de Aragua as a Foreign Terrorist Organization, deport thousands of evil criminals, and wage war against the Cartels, who have long been waging war against our Citizens, while weak leaders left America helpless and defensive," Trump wrote.
"This action was coordinated closely with our friends in Venezuela, with whom we are working very well," he continued. "As a result, Tren de Aragua terrorists no longer have safe haven in Venezuela or anywhere else and, under my leadership, we will find these vicious murderers and drugs lords anytime, anyplace, and send them to the depths of hell where they belong."
TdA, originally a prison gang in the Aragua state of Venezuela, has grown into a transnational criminal organization led by Flores, according to the State Department. The group has since been designated by the U.S. as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.
Authorities said Guerrero spent many years incarcerated at the Tocorón Prison in Aragua State of Venezuela and expanded the group's influence by extorting prison inmates and bribing prison guards.
The gang later assumed overall control of the Tocorón prison, gold mines in Bolivar State, drug corridors on the Caribbean coast and of some of the clandestine border crossings between Venezuela and Colombia.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Federal judge rules she lacks authority to reinstate fired Yosemite ranger who flew trans pride flag
A federal judge ruled on Friday that she has no authority to reinstate a park ranger who was fired from Yosemite last summer after flying a trans pride flag on their day off.
Shannon "SJ" Joslin, who identifies as nonbinary, sued the Department of the Interior, which includes the National Park Service, earlier this year after being fired for hanging the flag across the park’s El Capitan rock formation in California last year.
The former ranger in their lawsuit asked the Biden-appointed judge to reinstate Joslin and to keep the government from launching a criminal investigation.
WYOMING LIBRARY DIRECTOR RECEIVES $700K SETTLEMENT FOLLOWING LGBTQ BOOKS DISPUTE FIRING
Joslin had argued in the lawsuit that the government had "enforced its rules selectively based on the message that the pride flag sends," and that Joslin’s firing was "vindictive, retaliatory, [and] intended to communicate disapproval of a particular point of view."
U.S. District Judge Jennifer Thurston wrote in her ruling obtained by Fox News Digital: "The government claims for its part that Joslin was fired for reasons that had ‘nothing to do’ with "speech," adding, "But the government has another more fundamental and more persuasive point: under the laws that Congress has passed, and under the legal precedent that a federal trial court must follow, this Court does not have authority to decide whether Joslin was fired for unconstitutional or illegal reasons, nor to block a hypothetical criminal case against them."
Thurston wrote that the government motion to dismiss was granted and Joslin’s motion for a preliminary injunction was denied.
OREGON EDUCATORS WIN 650K SETTLEMENT AFTER SCHOOL DISTRICT FIRED THEM OVER GENDER POLICY COMMENTS
Joslin wrote an Instagram post after the firing that they were fired from the park "for practicing my First Amendment right" after hanging the 55-foot by 35-foot flag across Yosemite’s iconic rock destination in May 2025.
"I was fired by the temporary Deputy Superintendent for ‘failing to demonstrate acceptable conduct’ in my capacity as a Wildlife Biologist for the park. No part of hanging the flag was done on work time. NOTHING about it had anything to do with my work," Joslin wrote.
Joslin flew the flag for about two hours before taking it down and added that after decades of the practice, "no one" had ever been punished for hanging a flag across El Capitan prior to last week.
OHIO TEACHER SUES HIGH SCHOOL FOR DEMANDING HE REMOVE LGBT POSTER INSIDE CLASSROOM
"I want my rights and I want my career back," Joslin said.
The Interior Department told Fox News Digital on Friday after the ruling: "We take the protection of the park's resources and the experience of our visitors very seriously and will not tolerate violations of laws and regulations that impact those resources and experiences.
Yosemite National Park was designated by Congress to highlight the beautiful natural and cultural features of the area. No matter the cause, demonstrating without a permit outside of designated First-Amendment areas detracts from the visitor experience and the protection of the park. To safeguard the protection of visitors, visitor experiences, and park resources, many demonstrations require a permit."
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Civil Service Law Center, which represents Joslin, for comment.
Justin Baldoni attorney rips Blake Lively after judge awards limited attorney fees
Justin Baldoni's lawyer issued a scathing statement after a judge ruled that Blake Lively was entitled to recover attorney and litigation fees.
Judge Lewis J. Liman said in a written decision that Lively can recover legal fees and costs related to her defense against a countersuit Baldoni brought against her after she sued him in December 2024. The judge rejected her claims to triple any damages and pursue punitive damages.
On Friday, Bryan Freedman shared a statement with Fox News Digital, stating that Lively "failed" in her attempt to sue Baldoni for sexual harassment.
"We fought and won against a coordinated effort built on allegations of sexual harassment, retaliation, and a smear campaign that never happened. Ms. Lively demanded over 300 million in fees and damages, had 10 of her 13 claims dismissed, she then chose to settle and received nothing," Freedman began.
"Notwithstanding that all of her sexual harassment and defamation claims were thrown out by the court, Ms. Lively then pivoted to exploit a California law that was established to protect real victims in what proved to be a fruitless mission to obtain damages. Once again, she failed," he continued.
BLAKE LIVELY BREAKS SILENCE AFTER JUDGE DISMISSES SEXUAL HARASSMENT CLAIMS IN BALDONI LAWSUIT
Freedman stated that Baldoni's legal team was successful in exposing the truth and "justice prevailed."
"Ms. Lively was only awarded limited attorney fees for a single claim as part of a case that lasted only a matter of months, nothing more. Throughout this process, innocent people had their reputations unfairly tarnished. There was no sexual harassment," he continued. "There was no retaliation. There was no smear campaign. The court recognized it, the record reflects it, and we have maintained it from the very beginning."
"We would not hesitate to stand up for the truth again," Freedman concluded.
Lively's legal team shared a statement with People. "Bryan Freedman and his clients resorted to a DARVO [Deny, Attack, Reverse Victim and Offender] statement that is a pack of lies," the statement began.
"Just a few weeks ago, they said Blake Lively's claims 'deserved to be heard.' Now it seems Justin Baldoni thinks women who bring claims of sexual harassment and retaliation in good faith, without malice, should be sued into oblivion," it continued.
Lively's legal team concluded: "Thankfully, there's a law against that, and the Court applied it today. People who do nothing wrong don't have to pay millions of dollars, which is where this is headed now."
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The legal dispute between "It Ends With Us" co-stars began in late 2024 after Lively filed a complaint and later a lawsuit alleging that Baldoni sexually harassed her during the production of the film and that he and his associates participated in a campaign to damage her reputation after she raised concerns. Baldoni denied the allegations and maintained that Lively's claims were false.
In January 2025, Baldoni responded by filing a $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and others, alleging defamation, extortion, and related claims. He also pursued legal action against The New York Times over its reporting on the controversy.
However, in June 2025, a federal judge dismissed Baldoni's countersuit, ruling that many of the statements at issue were legally protected and that the claims did not meet the legal standards required to proceed.
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The litigation continued through 2025 and into 2026, with both sides claiming victories at various stages. Several of Lively's original claims were narrowed or dismissed before trial, while some retaliation-related issues remained part of the case.
In May 2026, the parties reached a settlement that ended most of the remaining litigation without publicly disclosing the terms.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
U.S. fans were out in full force ahead of the USMNT's first match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup
The United States Men's National Team (USMNT) gets its World Cup quest underway Friday night against Paraguay, and as you can tell by their arrival at the stadium, there's a lot of excitement.
The Americans are set to play their first World Cup game on home soil since 1994, and after years of buildup, it's finally time to see the team on the pitch.
Of course, first came the arrival at Los Angeles Stadium (known outside the World Cup as SoFi Stadium).
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Fans started arriving early in the afternoon local time, ready to catch the Red, White and Blue in a World Cup match on home soil.
FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE
Meanwhile, the USMNT posted a video that would have any red-blooded American ready to run through a wall.
The team had a two-leg journey to get to the stadium. First, they took buses from their training facility at Great Park Sports Complex in Irvine, California, into Los Angeles to the hotel they'll crash in after the match.
Then it was back on the buses to head to Los Angeles Stadium.
The Americans are coming into the match favored at +107, according to FOX Sports, but are coming off a 2-1 loss in their last match, a friendly against Germany last week at Chicago's Soldier Field.
Meanwhile, Paraguay is coming off a 4-0 thumping of Nicaragua in their final tune-up before the World Cup.
The team and coach Mauricio Pochettino also got some well wishes before their first match of the tournament, first from New York Rangers and U.S. Men's Hockey Team head coach Mike Sullivan ahead of the match.
Let's see some of that awe-inspiring Olympic gold medal mojo migrate its way from the rink to the pitch!
Speaking of which, the USWNT sent their best before kickoff.
USA and Paraguay are slated to kick off at 9 p.m. ET on Fox.
MLB announces drive-in theater screenings of 'The Sandlot' with live games and fireworks for July 4th
There's no wrong way to celebrate Independence Day as long as you're celebrating the United States of America... but let's be real: some ways are cooler than others.
It looks like MLB may have just dropped one of its coolest collaborations yet, especially if you're a sports fan, a fan of the baseball classic "The Sandlot," or both.
And I'd like to think that most people fall into the "both" camp.
ZERO BS. JUST DAKICH. TAKE THE DON'T @ ME PODCAST ON THE ROAD. DOWNLOAD NOW!
MLB announced that a handful of drive-in theaters — yes, some of them still exist — will be playing the 1993 classic "The Sandlot."
The film will be shown at drive-ins in Vineland, New Jersey; McHenry, Illinois; Blue Ridge, Georgia; and Paramount, California.
That's awesome. A drive-in movie theater is such a great slice of Americana.
But, there's more.
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In addition to some "Ballpark Bites" and food trucks, this is actually a double feature, as each theater's hometown Big League team's game that night will be shown at the drive-in.
And, if you still weren't convinced that this is peak Independence Day for America's big 2-5-0, how about some fireworks to top it all off?
Yeah, I thought so.
This. Is. Brilliant.
We need more of this. More sports should do drive-in double features of a classic flick and then a game.
If there's not a place I can go next hockey season to see "Slap Shot," "The Might Ducks," or "D2: The Mighty Ducks," and then see an NHL game, I will be very disappointed. Not in anyone in particular, just society at large.
I thought we were better than that.
At least on Independence Day this year, we most certainly are that good, and if you're lucky enough to live near one of those theaters, I think it might be your patriotic duty to load the kids into the wood-paneled station wagon and go see this.
Tim Allen reveals the one thing that has saved his nearly 20-year marriage to Jane Hajduk
Tim Allen knows exactly why his marriage to Jane Hajduk has lasted nearly 20 years.
During an interview with Us Weekly, Allen opened up about the struggles he endured in his near two-decade-long marriage.
"I think a sense of humor saves us so many times," he said.
"We both struggle with golf, and [we were talking about how their daughter] Elizabeth will be a senior next year, and we’re going, 'What’s that going to be like?' and then Jane sat in the golf cart and said something really funny," Allen continued.
The "Toy Story" star explained that he had "forgotten" how much he adores her sense of humor.
"We’re very different people. She’s a very good athlete and got me involved in training, and she’s a staunch Catholic, and I joined her with that," Allen said.
"I’m not a Catholic, I don’t belong, so I don’t have to obey the rules, but I think she admires that I made that move. We both pull a bit on either side. We’re pretty good buddies," he added.
Allen began dating Hajduk around 2001. After dating for five years, they married on October 7, 2006, in a small private ceremony in Grand Lake, Colorado.
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The couple welcomed their daughter, Elizabeth Allen-Dick, in March 2009. The "Santa Claus" star has another daughter, Katherine, from his first marriage.
In 2024, Hadjuck told People that the couple have taken up new activities together to keep their spark alive.
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"Our new activity is stretching," she told the outlet at the time. "We go to a little stretch lab, and then we go have breakfast."
Hajduk told People that the couple's longtime friendships helps maintain their romantic relationship. "We talk," she said, with Allen adding, "That’s right, we talk. We do. And we're good buddies."
Ohio police chief arrested in Florida after grand jury hands down 70-count child sex indictment
An Ohio police chief is facing the possibility of spending the rest of his life behind bars after being slapped with a 70-count indictment for alleged sex crimes involving a child.
Bethel Police Chief Chad Essert, 44, was taken into custody without incident Tuesday night in Seminole, Florida, by the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office.
A Clermont County grand jury indicted the Blanchester, Ohio, resident on 56 counts of sexual battery and 14 counts of unlawful sexual conduct with a minor — all third-degree felonies.
TEXAS SHERIFF ARRESTED BY HIS OWN DEPUTIES, NOW FACES NEW CHARGE FOR LYING TO GRAND JURY
If convicted of all charges, Essert faces a maximum penalty of 280 years in prison.
The allegations stem from offenses that authorities claim occurred between 2005 and 2010, while Essert was an instructor at the "Young Marines" and a teacher at Scarlet Oaks Career Campus in Sharonville, Ohio.
Officials said the alleged victim was a student of Essert’s and that the crimes took place across multiple locations in Clermont and Hamilton counties.
FORMER SUBSTITUTE TEACHER AND BOYFRIEND FACE 38 CHILD SEX CHARGES AS BOND NEARS 9 MILLION
"It takes tremendous courage for a victim to come forward, especially when the accused wears a badge and holds a position of authority," Clermont County Sheriff Chris Stratton said following the indictment. "Today’s indictment demonstrates that no one is above the law. Every victim deserves to be heard, and every allegation will be thoroughly investigated and pursued in accordance with the law."
Prosecutor Mark Tekulve echoed the sheriff's sentiments, emphasizing that victims are "protected and served regardless of the name or title of the perpetrator."
Officials clarified the charges are unrelated to a separate investigation involving Essert that was previously reported by local media.
TEXAS SUBSTITUTE TEACHER CHARGED WITH CHILD SEX OFFENSES, 'NO LONGER EMPLOYED' BY SCHOOL DISTRICT
FOX 19 reported Essert resigned from a position in Elmwood Place, Ohio, in 2010 to avoid being fired over allegations of sexual harassment and intimidating a witness.
Essert’s employment status is unclear, as of Friday afternoon.
He is being held in the Pinellas County Jail awaiting extradition to Clermont County to face the charges.
The Sheriff’s Office urged anyone else who believes they may have been a victim of similar conduct by Essert to immediately contact law enforcement as the investigation remains ongoing.
The Village of Bethel did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office declined to comment.
California Dems accused of putting sanctuary law over migrant child welfare checks: 'Real children'
California Democrats are facing accusations that the state’s sanctuary policies are leaving vulnerable migrant children unchecked after California Attorney General Rob Bonta's office warned that local police welfare visits on unaccompanied minors using information from federal authorities could violate state law.
The warning from Bonta has become a flashpoint in a broader lawsuit brought by the City of El Cajon against California's sanctuary state policies. City officials, like Mayor Bill Wells and City Councilman Steve Goble, argue that the state is putting law enforcement in an impossible position, such as forcing them to make a determination on whether to check on potentially vulnerable children flagged by federal immigration authorities and risk violating state law, or leave the vulnerable unaccompanied minors unchecked.
Goble told Fox News Digital he was informed during a February 2025 meeting with San Diego-area Homeland Security officials that federal authorities had a list of unaccompanied migrant children, including 52 with addresses in El Cajon. He said federal officials asked whether local police could help "ensure these kids are safe" through welfare checks, prompting Goble to seek guidance from Bonta’s office before dispatching officers.
I'M A MAYOR TRYING TO FOLLOW LAW BUT CALIFORNIA IS MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE FOR COPS
"It’s kind of hard to imagine why they’re choosing this hill to die on," Wells told Fox News Digital. "What they basically want to say is, 'Because our narrative is so important, and protecting illegal aliens is so important, that, yeah, if a few kids get sex trafficked along the way — you know, you're just making this up. You're just using this as a way.' I mean, these are real people. These are real children. I think it's an incredibly insensitive argument."
Goble had asked Bonta’s office in a March 2025 letter whether local police could conduct the checks using contact information provided by federal authorities, writing that the city wanted to ensure all children were safe "regardless of citizenship or resident status."
In the letter, Goble cited the inspector general's concerns that unaccompanied minors are at heightened risk of trafficking, exploitation and forced labor, and wrote that "time is of the essence" in determining whether the children were safe.
Meanwhile, Bonta’s office responded in a June 2025 letter, warning that local law enforcement pursuing wellness checks "alongside or based on information provided by federal immigration authorities" could implicate conduct prohibited by SB 54, known as the California Values Act.
Bonta's letter said these violations could include if officers confirmed location information provided by ICE, or reported the results of the check back to federal immigration authorities.
But Goble told Fox News Digital that the city was not asking police to act as immigration agents, but primarily wanted to confirm whether the children are safe.
CALIFORNIA TOWN WITH LARGE MIGRANT POPULATION MIGHT REVOKE SANCTUARY STATUS
"All I care about is, is the kid safe?" Goble told Fox News Digital. "I don’t care the immigration status or citizen status of anybody else in the room."
The welfare-check dispute is one piece of a broader legal challenge El Cajon filed against Bonta on April 28, 2026, seeking relief from California’s sanctuary policies impacting how local law enforcement do their jobs, including SB 54, the TRUST Act and the TRUTH Act. In a May 20 motion for a preliminary injunction, the city asked the court to temporarily block Bonta from enforcing those laws against El Cajon while the case proceeds, arguing the policies are preempted by federal immigration law and put local police in the position of choosing between state restrictions and federal obligations.
The May 20 injunction motion specifically cites the Goble-Bonta exchange as an example of how the city says California’s sanctuary laws prevent El Cajon officers from engaging in "basic public safety work." The filing argues that the state’s legal framework forces officers to spend time navigating "legal hairsplitting" instead of responding quickly to public-safety concerns, including checks on children in the community.
"Every time an El Cajon police officer steps out onto the street, they’re going to be breaking one of two laws," Wells said to Fox News Digital. "They’re either going to be breaking federal law or they’re going to be breaking state law. And you cannot put police officers in that situation."
El Cajon’s lawsuit is not limited to the welfare checks. The April 28 complaint broadly asks a San Diego County court to declare California’s sanctuary restrictions invalid and to stop Bonta from enforcing them against El Cajon police.
Bonta's office's June 2025 response said it "share[s]" El Cajon’s concern for children who may be at risk of harm, but suggested county social service agencies may have a role when there is no evidence of criminal activity requiring law enforcement.
Wells and Goble pushed back on that argument; however, arguing Bonta's suggestion ignored San Diego County’s December 2024 vote restricting county resources from being used to assist federal immigration enforcement.
"That means we’re not going to let our social service workers go do welfare checks on unaccompanied minors for the Department of Homeland Security," Goble told Fox News Digital. "It’s another rock and a hard place."
Wells added that it was difficult to accept Bonta’s suggestion that county agencies could serve as a neutral fallback for welfare checks tied to information from federal authorities. "This is the same county we would be deferring to, to check on these kids," Wells added. "They’re not neutral. They’ve been very, very clear."
Immigrant-rights advocates nationally have warned that ICE "welfare checks" on unaccompanied migrant children can function as immigration enforcement under the banner of child safety. The Young Center for Immigrant Children’s Rights has called the Trump administration’s ICE "wellness checks" harmful enforcement "in disguise," while other advocates have warned that DHS visits can discourage sponsors from coming forward or expose families to deportation fears.
But Wells and Goble rejected that framing, arguing local police could check on children without reporting immigration violations discovered during the visit.
"That doesn’t make us federal immigration officers," Wells said. "It just means that our officers could do their job like they’ve always done in the past before this unconstitutional law of SB 54 was passed."
"All a welfare check on anybody in our city, regardless of immigration status, is: Are they okay?" Goble added. "If they are, thank you very much. Have a good day. See you later."
Wells noted the lawsuit is not about deputizing local police as immigration agents, but about ensuring officers can do basic public-safety work without running afoul of state law.
Fox News Digital reached out to Bonta's office, as well as the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but did not hear back in time for publication.
Canadian soccer fans boo U.S. flag as Canada stumbles against Bosnia and Herzegovina
The United States continues to live rent-free in Canadians' heads. That was evident once again moments before Canada's first World Cup match, when the competing countries were being recognized during the Parade of Nations at Toronto Stadium.
When the time came for the United States to be recognized pregame, Canada fans, as they've done in many sporting events over the last several years, booed. Great sportsmanship, eh?
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As I said, this is nothing new from our neighbors to the north. During the 4 Nations Face-Off and at numerous NHL games last season, Canadian fans booed the U.S. national anthem.
Since then, Canada has lost three Olympic gold medal games to the United States — in men's hockey, women's hockey and para ice hockey. And if not for a fortunate deflection off a Bosnia and Herzegovina defender in the 78th minute, Canada would have found itself on the wrong side of the biggest upset of the World Cup so far.
Canada’s equalizer would be all they could muster against Bosnia and Herzegovina as the match ended 1-1, making it a disappointing start to their World Cup campaign, especially on home turf.
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Canada, friendly advice, though y’all don’t deserve it at this point: I’d stop the booing. It hasn’t worked out well for you.