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CBS anchor claims Paramount settlement with Trump poses 'new obstacles' for journalists at the network
CBS News anchor John Dickerson lamented parent company Paramount's multi-million dollar settlement with President Donald Trump on Wednesday.
"Paramount Global, the parent company of CBS News, settled a suit with President Trump today," Dickerson said on CBS Evening News Plus, a news program on their streaming service. "Journalists don’t like to report on themselves. Sometimes that’s false humility. Mostly, it’s a practical limitation. Reporters try to find order in chaos."
Dickerson said the settlement and ones like it hinder the press' ability to "hold power to account."
"The Paramount settlement poses a new obstacle," Dickerson said. "Can you hold power to account after paying it millions? Can an audience trust you when it thinks you’ve traded away that trust? The audience will decide that our job is to show up to honor what we witness."
CBS SETTLEMENT WITH TRUMP SLAMMED BY JOURNALISTS, COMMENTATORS AS 'APPALLING' SURRENDER
Fox News Digital has learned that the sum being paid to Trump could reach north of $30 million with $16 million being paid upfront for his future presidential library, in addition to another allocation in the eight figures set aside for advertisements, public service announcements, or other similar transmissions, in support of conservative causes by the network in the future.
Current Paramount management disputes the additional allocation, and a source familiar with Paramount's current leadership told Fox New Digital only $16 million was sanctioned by the official mediator, and they have no knowledge of any deal Trump made with incoming ownership as Paramount is set to merge with David Ellison’s Skydance Media. However, Fox News Digital has learned that the incoming ownership will be responsible for the additional allocation.
During the "CBS Evening News" program, which airs on broadcast TV to a much-wider audience, Dickerson had less to say about the settlement.
"In the end, Paramount decided to settle a suit it said is without basis in law and fact and an affront to the First Amendment," Dickerson said, quoting from a previous filing from Paramount.
'60 MINUTES' CORRESPONDENT SCOTT PELLEY WARNS A CBS SETTLEMENT WITH TRUMP WOULD BE 'VERY DAMAGING'
Trump initially sought $20 billion in his lawsuit against CBS over its handling of a "60 Minutes" interview last year with then-Vice President Kamala Harris, accusing the network of election interference leading up to the 2024 contest. CBS is not acknowledging any journalistic wrongdoing with the settlement.
At least 2 dead, 43 missing after ferry sinks near Bali
Rescuers were searching Thursday for 43 people missing in rough seas overnight after a ferry carrying 65 people sank near Indonesia’s resort island of Bali.
The KMP Tunu Pratama Jaya sank almost half an hour after leaving East Java’s Ketapang port late Wednesday, the National Search and Rescue Agency said in a statement. It was bound for Bali’s Gilimanuk port, a 30-mile trip.
MULTIPLE PEOPLE DEAD, 2 MISSING AFTER BOAT CAPSIZES AT VACATION HOTSPOT
The ferry carried 53 passengers, 12 crew members and 22 vehicles, including 14 trucks, it said.
HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN SUNKEN BOAT BRING CLOSURE TO TEXAS FAMILY'S ALASKA TRAGEDY
Two bodies have been recovered and 20 were rescued, many of them unconscious after drifting in choppy waters for hours, said Banyuwangi police chief Rama Samtama Putra.
Nine boats, including two tug boats and two inflatable boats have been searching for the missing people since Wednesday night, battling waves up to 6.5 feet high in the overnight darkness.
Ferry tragedies are common in Indonesia, an archipelago of more than 17,000 islands, where ferries are often used as transport and safety regulations can lapse.
Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani to captain star-studded MLB All-Star lineups after starters are revealed
MLB All-Star Game voting is complete, and starters have been announced for this year’s game in Atlanta.
The two reigning MVP Award winners, Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge, were named captains of the National and American Leagues, respectively, after winning the fan vote.
But while these two and some others were expected choices by the fans, there are other well-deserved players entering the mix this year.
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In the American League, the Detroit Tigers, who own the best record in MLB at 54-32 entering Wednesday, have three representatives in the starting lineup. Second baseman Gleyber Torres, a former teammate of Judge’s on the New York Yankees, has had a resurgence in his first year in the Motor City.
Riley Greene joins Judge in the outfield with Javier Báez, who has been one of the best stories in MLB this season given his struggles since he joined the Tigers in 2022. He made his third career All-Star team, but he is considered an outfielder this time instead of a shortstop.
DODGERS' SHOHEI OHTANI BLASTS HOMER IN WIN, ACHIEVES STATISTICAL FEAT UNSEEN SINCE WILLIE MAYS
Then, there’s Seattle Mariners slugging catcher Cal Raleigh getting the start behind the plate for the American League. He has 33 homers in 84 games, and his WAR of 5.6 is second only to Judge’s for the year.
Not only is this his first All-Star selection as a starter, but Raleigh is the first Mariners catcher to be selected to start.
Jacob Wilson’s meteoric rise for the Athletics earned him the starting shortstop job on July 15 at Triust Park in Atlanta. He has a .339 batting average entering Wednesday, second to Judge in the American League. The Orioles’ Ryan O’Hearn also earned his first-ever All-Star bid.
The remaining starters for the American League are the Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (first base) and the Cleveland Guardians’ Jose Ramirez (third base).
For the National League, Chicago Cubs phenom center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong will get his first All-Star nod after he stole 25 bases and hit 21 homers before the break.
And while it’s not his first All-Star appearance, it’s been a long time for New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor. He hasn’t played in the game since his time in Cleveland in 2019.
The Dodgers also have multiple starters behind Ohtani, with Freddie Freeman playing first base and Will Smith catching.
The remaining National League starters are the Arizona Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte (2B), the San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado (3B), the Atlanta Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. (OF) and the Cubs’ Kyle Tucker (OF).
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StopAntisemitism founder warns Mamdani as NYC mayor would be 'catastrophic' for residents
StopAntisemitism founder Liora Rez said electing Zohran Mamdani as New York City mayor would not only be "catastrophic" for Jewish residents, but all who reside in the city.
"If Zohran Mamdani was elected as mayor, it would be hands down catastrophic for Jewish residents of New York City," Rez told Fox News Digital. "And we would even take it a step further where citizens of New York City in general, due to his very troubling stances on socialism, would greatly suffer as well."
Mamdani has recently faced backlash from several Democrats and members of the press for refusing to condemn the anti-Israel slogan "globalize the intifada" — a phrase which Rez described as a call for violence against Jewish people.
MAMDANI IS AN EXISTENTIAL THREAT TO JEWISH NEW YORKERS
Rez, who founded StopAntisemitism in 2018 to expose antisemites and hold them accountable, also raised concerns that Mamdani has reportedly taken part in protests against Israel in the past and has "been friendly with radical antisemites."
"I think individuals who are concerned that Zohran Mamdani is antisemitic have every single right to be concerned considering his past behavior," Rez said. "… We can list dozens of examples of his past antisemitic adjacent and direct antisemitic actions."
DAVE RUBIN WARNS JEWS TO 'GET THE HELL OUT' OF NYC IF MAMDANI BECOMES MAYOR
Mamdani, the 33-year-old New York state assembly member, has been an outspoken critic of Israel and has even vowed to have Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrested if he visits New York City.
TOP DEMOCRATS, MEDIA DEMAND ZOHRAN MAMDANI CONDEMN 'GLOBALIZE THE INTIFADA' PHRASE
In mid-June, when asked on a podcast about phrases like "from the river to the sea" and "globalize the intifada," Mamdani responded, "I know people for whom those things mean very different things, and to me, ultimately, what I hear in so many, is a desperate desire for equality and equal rights in standing up for Palestinian human rights."
President Donald Trump blasted Mamdani on Tuesday and threatened to arrest the New York State assemblyman should he fail to comply with federal immigration officials.
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"Well, then we'll have to arrest him," Trump told reporters Tuesday. "Look, we don't need a communist in this country, but if we have one, I'm going to be watching over them very carefully on behalf of the nation. We send him money, we send him all the things that he needs to run a government."
Mamdani did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Seven missing after powerful explosion at California fireworks facility as evacuation orders remain in place
Hundreds of people are without power, and seven people remain missing after a violent explosion at a fireworks facility in Yolo County, California, early Tuesday evening.
At least two people were injured in the explosion, which happened just before 6 p.m. local time at a facility housing commercial fireworks in Esparto.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Esparto Fire Chief Curtis Lawrence confirmed firefighters initially entered the building, but were later pulled out due to "the severity and the risks that were there."
CREWS RESPOND TO MASSIVE EXPLOSIONS AT FIREWORKS FACILITY IN CALIFORNIA
Officials said they have not re-entered the building to search for the missing people, opting to use drones for aerial reconnaissance over the large debris field.
Though it is unclear if the missing people were employees at the facility, no firefighters were injured in the explosion.
CHINA CHEMICAL PLANT EXPLOSION LEAVES AT LEAST 5 DEAD
Lawrence said officials do not know when it will be safe enough for firefighters to go back to the site.
Initially, more than 30 fire apparatus responded. As of Wednesday afternoon, only a few remained.
"I can say I have not seen anything like this," Lawrence said. "This is obviously an incident of great magnitude. … My next priority is going to be working with the command team to start working on trying to reduce this exclusion zone so that we can start to get our constituents back into their houses and try to get what we can reenergized in the area when it's safe."
Evacuation orders remain in place for two nearby zones, and more than 150 customers do not have power.
EXPLOSION ROCKS PALM SPRINGS, DAMAGING BUILDINGS AND SENDING DEBRIS INTO THE STREET
"Our agency, being here in the local in a small community, we are primarily volunteer agencies," Lawrence said. "I would be remiss if I didn't add that I'm really thankful and proud of all of our responders that stepped up yesterday, and even today, and came out here. … We appreciate all the responders and the mutual aid partners that came and assisted us."
CAL FIRE confirmed the building was owned by an active pyrotechnic license holder, though the owner's identity has not yet been released.
The Office of the State Fire Marshal, which is leading the investigation, sent an arson and bomb investigation team to the area, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom's office.
As of Wednesday afternoon, 78.3 acres had burned with 0% containment, according to CAL FIRE.
Officials have not yet released the cause of the fire.
Court approves settlement after North Carolina student suspended for 'illegal aliens' comment
A high school student's free speech battle against a North Carolina school board took an important step towards closure after a court hearing Tuesday.
Christian McGhee, 17, was suspended last year after school officials deemed he made a "racially insensitive" comment about "illegal aliens" in class. The suspension led to a year-long legal battle with the Davidson County Board of Education.
Last month, a proposed settlement was reportedly reached between McGhee’s parents and the school board. On Tuesday, Judge Thomas David Schroeder of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina ruled that the proposed settlement was "fair, reasonable and in the best interest of [Christian]," according to a press release released Wednesday by the student's legal representatives at the Liberty Justice Center.
The school has reportedly agreed to remove the racial bias incident from McGhee's record, issue a public apology, and acknowledge that a former board member responded inappropriately to the incident. Additional terms of the agreement are sealed, but the New York Post reported that the family is also slated to receive a $20,000 payment.
Because the student is a minor, a court hearing was required to finalize the settlement, according to the legal group.
The teen received a 3-day suspension in the spring of 2024 after asking his teacher if a conversation in class was centered around "spaceship aliens" or "illegal aliens who need green cards" after he returned to the classroom from the restroom.
A Latino student present in the class reportedly "joked" that he was going to "kick Christian’s a--," leading the teacher to escalate the situation to the assistant principal.
McGhee's mother, Leah, who was behind the legal push against the district, told "Fox & Friends" last year that their family tried "for weeks" to resolve the matter privately but were forced to file a lawsuit after getting no response from the school board.
The lawsuit accused the school board of violating McGhee's constitutionally-protected rights to free speech and due process.
"The court’s approval represents a critical step towards finally vindicating Christian’s constitutional rights and clearing his record of false allegations," Liberty Justice Center Senior Counsel Dean McGee said of this week's ruling.
McGhee's parents said they were grateful and celebrating the legal win.
"We are grateful for the Liberty Justice Center’s tireless efforts to bring justice to our son, and to the members of the current school board who chose to work with us to help resolve the case," Leah and Chad McGhee said. "Together with the help of our community, we have proved that constitutional rights do not end at schoolhouse doors. We are celebrating this victory and hope it encourages other families to stand firm in the face of adversity."
The Davidson County School Board did not immediately return a request for comment.
Fox News' Taylor Penley contributed to this report.
Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez share unexpected wedding singer link with Prince William and Kate Middleton
Lauren Sánchez Bezos and Jeff Bezos' lavish three-day wedding celebration shared a surprising connection to the royal nuptials of Prince William and Kate Middleton.
On June 27, Ellie Goulding sang at the billionaire and the former entertainment reporter's wedding reception on the island of San Giorgio Maggiore in Venice, Italy, according to People magazine. The British singer previously gave a performance at William and Kate's second wedding reception after they tied the knot April 29, 2011, in London.
The Prince and Princess of Wales shared their first dance while Goulding sang her cover of Elton John's 1971 hit "Your Song."
Goulding also performed "Your Song" at Bezos and Sánchez's star-studded bash Friday. Famed opera singer Andrea Bocelli's son, Matteo Bocelli, sang a cover of Elvis Presley's "Can't Help Falling in Love" as the newlyweds' first dance song.
JEFF BEZOS, LAUREN SÁNCHEZ CELEBRITY WEDDING GUESTS TAKE VENICE BY STORM
William and Kate's first wedding reception was a lunchtime affair thrown by the late Queen Elizabeth II while King Charles hosted the pair's second, more intimate wedding reception in the Throne Room at Buckingham Palace.
Elton John, a close friend of William's mother, the late Princess Diana, attended the second reception with David and Victoria Beckham.
While Goulding has yet to speak publicly about her performance during the Bezos-Sánchez wedding festivities, she previously opened up about singing for William and Kate.
During a 2012 interview with the Daily Mail, Goulding recalled meeting William before the royal nuptials and learned that they were fans of her music.
However, the two-time Grammy nominee shared she was shocked when she received an offer to perform for the couple on their wedding day.
"I knew they liked my songs, but I didn’t walk away from meeting William thinking it might lead to a gig at Buckingham Palace," she recalled.
"Then I got a phone call suggesting there might be something in the offing, but I didn’t tell anyone for a long time," Goulding continued.
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"I wasn’t told to stay quiet, but I thought it best to keep things under my hat," she added. "I knew there would be massive interest in the wedding, so I wanted to keep something private. In the end, somebody leaked it, but I’m glad we managed to keep it under wraps for a while."
Goulding admitted she was nervous ahead of her high-profile gig as William and Kate's wedding singer.
"Performing the first dance of the night, ‘Your Song' was nerve-wracking," she recalled. "But William and Kate were very appreciative. They are an awesome couple and told me how much they enjoyed it. My band and I stayed at the reception all night, and it’s something I’ll treasure forever."
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Goulding later serenaded William and Kate again with her 2011 song "Starry Eyed" and some of her other original tracks. She also performed covers of famous songs, including The Killers’ "Mr. Brightside" and Stevie Wonder’s "Superstition."
In 2022, Goulding reunited with William and Kate when she performed at the prince's Earthshot Prize Awards ceremony.
Bezos and Sánchez's reception also featured performances by Usher, who sang his hit "Yeah," and sets by DJ Cassidy, DJ Kygo and DJ Mei Kwok, according to People.
Numerous celebrities attended the reception, including Orlando Bloom, Tom Brady, Oprah Winfrey, Gayle King, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kim Kardashian, Khloé Kardashian, Kris Jenner, Kylie Jenner, Sydney Sweeney, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Karlie Kloss, Josh Kushner, Bill Gates and Queen Rania of Jordan.
Trump's remittance tax aims to slow illegal immigration by targeting the money flow
The Senate’s version of the "one big, beautiful bill" includes a tiny, 1% tax on international cash transfers — called a remittance tax — which, according to experts, will have a major impact on immigrants working in the U.S.
A remittance is a money transfer to another country outside the U.S., which is a common practice among immigrant workers who send part of their wages back to family in their native countries. Tens of billions of dollars in remittances are sent to other countries from the U.S. every year.
Earlier versions of the bill included higher tax rates and specifically targeted illegal immigrants sending money outside the U.S. The current version of the "big, beautiful bill," however, imposes a 1% fee only on cash transfers, not electronic transfers, sent to other countries. U.S. citizens who want to send cash to other countries will also be subject to the 1% tax.
The tax is expected to generate $10 billion in extra revenue for the federal government, according to an estimate done by Politico.
TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' CLEARS FINAL HURDLE BEFORE HOUSE-WIDE VOTE
Besides generating extra revenue, Lora Ries, director of the Border Security and Immigration Center at The Heritage Foundation, told Fox News Digital that the remittance tax has the potential to discourage illegal immigration into the U.S. by making it harder to send money back home.
"Illegal aliens generally want five things when coming to the U.S.: to enter, to remain here, work, send money home (remittances), and bring family and/or have children here," she explained. "Prevent those five things, and you prevent illegal immigration and encourage self-deportation."
The administration has been pushing hard for illegal immigrants to self-deport, incentivizing them by offering to front the cost of commercial flights and providing a $1,000 stipend to those who opt to self-deport. Ries said the remittance tax could be another effective strategy besides ICE raids that could help to crack down on illegal immigration into the country and reduce the number of illegal immigrants in the U.S.
TRUMP TO BEGIN ENFORCING BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP ORDER AS EARLY AS THIS MONTH, DOJ SAYS
Ries said, however, that the 1% needs to be much higher to be effective.
"A 1% tax only on cash transfers does very little. The tax should be much higher and cover all types of money transfers," she said.
"Until now, the U.S. government has not touched the annual billions of dollars going out of the country, not benefiting the U.S. economy," she went on. "Remittances should be taxed to discourage unauthorized employment and its earnings."
ELON MUSK'S ATTACKS ON TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' HAVE 'NO BASIS,' SAYS NO 2 HOUSE REPUBLICAN
Meanwhile, Ariel Ruiz Soto, a senior policy analyst at the Migration Policy Institute, told Fox News Digital that though he believes the remittance tax will have a significant impact, it may not be in the way the Trump administration hopes.
He argued that discouraging remittances to countries like El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras — where such payments account for more than 20% of the GDP — could actually drive more migration from those nations.
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"If you're Honduras, if you're El Salvador and Guatemala, even a 1% tax, if it decreases the remittances, could actually be a significant toll in the development of those countries," he said. "If the remains were actually to decrease significantly, that could potentially backfire on President Trump's agenda to reduce irregular migration because he could actually make circumstances, economic circumstances in these countries more difficult and spur new irregular immigration in the future."
The House of Representatives is currently considering the Senate’s version of the "big, beautiful bill."
New Tennessee law will suspend driver's license of teens found guilty of bullying
Teens in Tennessee can lose their sweet 16 driving privileges if found guilty of bullying other children, per a new law in the state. The law, which took effect on July 1, will allow courts to revoke driver's licenses for up to a year for teenagers caught bullying or cyberbullying other kids.
The measure, sponsored by Tennessee State Rep. Lowell Russell, R., was passed with significant bipartisan support. The bill received praise from supporters as a step in the right direction to combat bullying among teens.
"Bullying can cause long-term harm that results in mental health problems later in a person’s life. Most acts of violence and suicides are noted as the result of being bullied. I simply got tired of nothing being done to stop bullying," Russell had told CNN in a statement.
TENNESSEE TEEN KILLS JIMSELF AFTER CLASSMATES OUT HIM AS BISEXUAL ON SOCIAL MEDIA, FAMILY SAYS
Russell also said that he hoped for this new bill to gain the attention of bullies and deter them from being "mean to others" in the future.
The driving restrictions will be enforced by the court notifying the Tennessee Department of Safety to prevent a driver’s license being issued to anyone found guilty of bullying in a court of law. Additionally, if they are caught driving on a suspended license, the teenagers will be at risk of additional penalties.
TENNESSEE STUDENT SUSPENDED AFTER VIRAL ANTI-BULLYING VIDEO HURTS FEELINGS OF PRINCIPAL AND TEACHERS
Despite the new restrictions, the law does allow for some flexibility for first-time offenders. If revoked, teens can apply for a restricted license that allows them to still commute to essential activities such as school or work. However, the restricted license does not include driving to after-school extracurricular activities or social events.
In order for teens to secure these driving privileges, they must apply for them within 10 days of the court decision and pay a $20 application fee.
This new law is a continuation of the effort by Tennessee lawmakers to combat the issues of bullying and suicides among young people. The new penalties will only be applicable to bullying incidents that occur after the July 1st.
"I would like to see, going forward, movement towards working with the bullies," said Scott Payne, a manager for Contact Care Line, a Knoxville-based social services organization.
"Bullies aren’t just born. They don’t just pop up. They’re products of their environment. So we need to be talking with them and finding out what’s going on in their lives that’s bringing about this type of behavior from them," Payne told WVLT.
Riley Gaines calls on NCAA to amend Lia Thomas' records after UPenn submits to Trump on issue
After the University of Pennsylvania agreed to erase all program records set by former transgender swimmer Lia Thomas, questions arose about how the NCAA will address Thomas' NCAA title.
Thomas won the 500-yard freestyle at the 2022 NCAA championships with a time of 4:33.24.
Thomas also finished in the top 10 in a number of other events, denying higher finishes to female competitors. While UPenn has wiped those records from its books, Thomas' finishes still stand nationally.
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Former University of Kentucky swimmer and OutKick host Riley Gaines, who tied for fifth place against Thomas in that year's 200-yard freestyle, is leading a lawsuit against the NCAA for its policies that allowed Thomas to compete. One of the demands in Gaines' lawsuit is that the NCAA rescind all of Thomas' championship finishes.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the NCAA inquiring if and when it plans to make any changes to Thomas' 2022 championship finishes but has not received a response.
Gaines sent a message to the NCAA about this issue during an interview on "Dont @ Me With Dan Dakich" Wednesday.
OREGON GIRLS OPEN UP ON ‘TRAUMATIC’ TRANS ATHLETE EXPERIENCES THAT PUSHED THEM TO FIGHT BACK
"While the Ivy League, the University of Pennsylvania will have to rescind his records from their account and their record boards, the NCAA, as I understand it, does not have to. So, we will see what the NCAA does," Gaines said.
Gaines doesn't expect the NCAA will amend those records willingly.
"These ‘leaders,’ if you will, have remained spineless and weak-kneed and morally bankrupt and just total cowards over the last three years," Gaines said.
At an April 18 press conference, while discussing Maine's defiance on the issue, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt asserted President Donald Trump's order and Title IX as federal law, noting that violators could be "prosecuted."
Gaines previously told Fox News Digital she would support prosecution as a response to the issue.
"I would love to see prosecution because I believe what is happening is criminal," Gaines said. "The way that we have been told that a man's feelings matter more than our physical safety, than our rights to participate, to call ourselves champions, I believe that is a criminal action. Therefore, I believe it is a criminal offense.
"Someone somewhere has to be made an example of, otherwise you will have the woman-hating Democratic Party continue with full steam ahead. … I believe university officials should be charged."
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