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Bears $40M free agent signing gets emotional after knee injury, but diagnosis brings sigh of relief
Coby Bryant’s Chicago Bears tenure is not off to the start he wished, as he was emotional after being carted off the training camp field during Monday’s practice.
There is a bright side to Bryant’s situation, though, despite needing to miss time.
Bryant was very upset as he got himself onto the cart after suffering a knee injury, expecting the worst just days into his Bears career one season after winning the Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.
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Bryant was facing tight end Cole Kmet during a 1-on-1 drill where he went down and immediately clutched at his leg. But Bryant’s injury got a better diagnosis than he initially believed.
It won’t be season-ending for Bryant, as ESPN reported the safety will miss eight-to-10 weeks after suffering a hyperextended knee, bone bruise and small fracture.
Bryant signed a three-year, $40 million deal to join the Bears this offseason, bolstering a secondary that was overhauled following multiple departures.
He figured to be a mainstay after proving his worth with the Seahawks during his rookie deal, where he tallied seven interceptions and helped his team win the Super Bowl.
Bryant may not be available during Week 1, but since that’s five weeks away, he shouldn’t be gone for long when the regular season finally kicks off.
"It always sucks to see," second-year tight end Colston Loveland said about Bryant’s injury, per the New York Post. "That’s part of it. You know, he’s tough, he’s a dog. He’s going to be fine."
As Bryant will attack rehab, the Bears’ depth chart will be tested. They spent their first-round draft selection on Oregon standout safety Dillon Thieneman, who was always considered the team’s starting free safety next to Bryant. But Cam Lewis, who was at slot cornerback after Kyler Gordon suffered a previous injury, will likely move to safety to fill the gap there.
Lewis is another free agent signee for the Bears, who lost Kevin Byard, Jaquan Brisker, Nahshon Wright, C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Jonathan Owens this offseason. Lewis spent the past six seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
This is the time of year when teams are hoping for health, but the NFL knows all too well that depth determines just how far a team goes come February.
The Bears are feeling that early on, but they won’t have to go the entire season without a main free agent addition during the 2026 NFL season.
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Tarik Skubal dismisses outrage over joining Los Angeles Dodgers with blunt message to fans
When the Los Angeles Dodgers landed Tarik Skubal at the 2026 trade deadline, baseball's usual chorus fired up on cue: the Dodgers are ruining the sport.
The newest ace in Dodger blue, however, isn't buying it.
Speaking to the media Monday while the Dodgers were on the road, Skubal had a message for everyone: Don't blame Los Angeles for trying to win.
DODGERS REPORTEDLY ACQUIRE ACE TARIK SKUBAL FROM TIGERS IN TRADE THAT STIRS UP MLB WORLD
"Every team could trade for me," Skubal said.
"I don't sympathize with people that blame the Dodgers for anything they've done. It's a winning org... I really don't sympathize with people that are complaining because the Dodgers do all the right things."
Fresh off back-to-back AL Cy Young Awards in 2024 and 2025, the elite left-hander arrives in Los Angeles with a 2.79 ERA and 116 strikeouts through 16 starts this season.
After watching Sunday's game from the Dodger Stadium dugout in his new threads, Skubal is slated to make his Dodgers debut Tuesday at Wrigley Field against the Chicago Cubs. He knows what winning looks like, and he sees nothing wrong with the Dodgers' approach.
Skubal's comments get to the heart of one of baseball's most predictable debates. Every time the Dodgers land another star, the calls for a hard salary cap start all over again. But that's treating a salary cap like a cure for problems it can't actually solve.
Cheering for a salary cap is an odd hill to die on.
MLB'S SALARY CAP PROPOSAL WON'T FIX THE LEAGUE'S NON-EXISTENT COMPETITIVE BALANCE PROBLEMS
Outside of sports, consumers don't root for companies to spend less or workers to earn less. Nobody begs Hollywood studios to cut blockbuster movie budgets so smaller productions have a better shot at the box office. Yet in baseball, fans routinely side with billionaire owners and argue for limits on player salaries in the name of "fairness."
It doesn't hold up.
A salary cap doesn't magically turn struggling franchises into smart ones. It doesn't help them draft better, develop talent, or build winning cultures. What it does is give tight-fisted ownership groups another excuse to cash revenue-sharing checks while avoiding the hard work of building a legitimate contender.
As Skubal pointed out, the Dodgers didn't exploit some secret loophole to land him.
Every other team had the same opportunity. Los Angeles drafted well, developed valuable trade chips and made winning the priority. Baseball should not punish the Dodgers; the rest of the league should try to emulate them, frankly.
Instead of begging MLB to handicap organizational excellence, rival fans should demand more from their own front offices.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Tennis star Aryna Sabalenka supports WTA transgender rules, says males shouldn't face women
Tennis World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka didn't mince words during her Canadian Open press conference in Montreal when asked about the WTA's new transgender eligibility policy.
The Belarusian star threw her support behind the guidelines, which have been criticized by pro-trans activists.
When asked for her thoughts, Sabalenka responded, "I think it's really important to keep the fairness in our tour."
WOMEN'S TENNIS LEGEND SPEAKS OUT ON CALIFORNIA TRANS ATHLETE CONTROVERSY AS NEWSOM FACES CRITICISM
"Biologically, men are way stronger than women, so I feel like it would not really be fair for women to compete against biological men," she added.
She called the measure a fair and necessary step to protect the women's tour, saying the WTA "took them a little while to make this decision" but that she supports the policy.
Addressing the requirement for players to undergo a one-time genetic screening for the SRY gene on the Y chromosome, Sabalenka made her position clear.
"If they want to test us all, I'm happy to do that. It's pretty fair, and let's keep it that way."
After years of agenda-driven sports media, athletes themselves are fed up with administrators dancing around biological reality. Without clear, sex-based boundaries, the entire rationale for a protected women's category completely collapses.
For years, governing bodies dragged their feet, attempting to appease bad-faith critics while female athletes paid the price.
The WTA finally drew a firm line in the sand, anchoring the sport back to a fundamental premise: women’s sports exist specifically because biological sex matters at all levels of competition.
Sabalenka is far from alone in making this stand. Her comments mirror those of 18-time Grand Slam champion Martina Navratilova, who routinely dismantles online outrage over the WTA's protocol. Navratilova silenced the critics with logic: the WTA was created for biological females, and the men's division remains open to any male athlete who wants to play.
MARTINA NAVRATILOVA SAYS BILLIE JEAN KING’S TRANS-ATHLETE STANCE ‘DOESN’T SQUARE’ WITH HER OWN WORDS
From bone density and muscle mass to heart size and lung capacity, male puberty confers undeniable physical advantages that training alone can never bridge.
Protecting the female category isn't about exclusion, it exists for the exact same reason weight classes do: to ensure fair competition.
Step back from the tennis court, and a clear shift is happening across the entire athletic landscape. Fans are starving for athletes who refuse to hide behind PR scripts.
The same dynamic played out earlier this summer when Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham offered a straightforward defense of women's basketball, drawing widespread public support.
When female athletes defend their hard-earned categories without apology, fans respond in droves.
Sabalenka didn't step to the microphone looking to make a political statement. She simply defended the integrity of her sport.
By backing the WTA's policy without hesitation, the world's top player drew a line that should never have been blurred: keeping women's sports female isn't a political debate; it's basic common sense.
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Federal judge blocks New York law banning ICE agents from wearing masks
A federal judge on Monday blocked key portions of a New York law that would have prohibited federal immigration agents from wearing masks and required them to display visible identification while carrying out their duties.
U.S. District Judge Mae D'Agostino of the Northern District of New York issued a preliminary injunction preventing the state from enforcing the two provisions while a legal challenge to the law continues to move forward.
In her ruling, D'Agostino found the challenged provisions were likely unconstitutional because they interfere with federal law enforcement operations, including those carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The judge said only the federal government has the authority to establish policies governing federal law enforcement operations. Therefore, New York cannot dictate how federal agents perform their official duties.
"New York cannot impose its own uniform requirements on federal agents simply because it disagrees with how the Federal Government is exercising its authority," the ruling stated.
Gov. Kathy Hochul and New York Attorney General Letitia James criticized the court's decision to block the mask ban, saying they are currently reviewing more legal options.
DEM GOVERNOR IN THE HOT SEAT AFTER TESTING LIMITS OF AUTHORITY WITH MAJOR MOVE AGAINST ICE
"While the court enjoined enforcement of New York’s mask ban, we stand firm in our belief that masked agents do not make New York safer and our offices are reviewing all legal options at this time," the pair said in a joint statement.
However, D'Agostino declined to block a separate provision barring New York local law enforcement agencies from performing certain federal immigration enforcement functions under 287(g) agreements.
The judge said participation by state and local agencies in federal civil immigration enforcement is voluntary under federal law.
"The State's refusal to cooperate in the immigration context—a possibility contemplated by the relevant federal statutes—does not constitute discrimination against the federal government," the ruling stated.
Hochul and James welcomed that portion of the ruling, saying New York taxpayers should not have to fund local cooperation with federal immigration authorities.
"As we have said from the start, New York’s ban on 287(g) agreements is legal and will keep our communities safe. Local law enforcement should be focused on local matters, and New York taxpayers should not have to foot the bill for any collaboration with ICE," their statement read.
California mom begged for help before ex gunned her down in front of their 4-year-old son: DA
More than two years after a California mother's desperate 911 call ended with her 4-year-old son witnessing her killing, the father prosecutors said carried out the execution will spend decades behind bars.
Jeffery Kendall, 39, was sentenced Monday to 50 years to life in prison for murdering 30-year-old Brittany Elizabeth Ligdis just 10 days after she ended their relationship, according to the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office.
A jury found Kendall guilty in May of first-degree murder and child endangerment for placing the couple’s young son in a situation that threatened his safety.
Prosecutors said Ligdis called 911 on the morning of Feb. 16, 2024, after Kendall broke into her Pinole home while she hid in a laundry room with their 4-year-old son.
About 90 seconds into the call, Kendall entered the room.
"Let go of me," Ligdis pleaded, according to the district attorney’s office. "You're scaring him."
Moments later, she screamed, "Stop it," before Kendall shot her in the head, prosecutors said.
The couple’s son cried out, "Momma," and fled the room while Kendall ran from the home. Responding officers found Ligdis dead from a gunshot wound to the head.
Deputy District Attorney Tylyn Wells described the killing as "an execution in front of a 4-year-old child" and argued it was not the result of "a mental break," according to the district attorney’s office.
ALABAMA MOTHER SENTENCED TO LIFE FOR HIRING HITMAN TO KILL HER CHILD'S FATHER OVER CUSTODY DISPUTE
Instead, Wells said the murder reflected a pattern often seen in domestic violence cases, where the danger escalates after a victim decides to leave.
Wells asked the court to impose a sentencing enhancement that increased Kendall’s punishment to 50 years to life.
Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge Glenn Kim called the case "one of the most difficult" he had experienced before imposing two consecutive terms of 25 years to life.
Kim also barred Kendall from contacting his son, with limited exceptions subject to court approval, until November 2035, when the boy turns 16.
Separately, Judge Kim convicted Kendall of illegally possessing a 3D-printed semi-automatic pistol and determined that multiple factors supported a harsher sentence.
One year after Brittany Ligdis' death, her mother shared an emotional video urging family and friends to remember her daughter's life rather than the violence that ended it.
"I want this to be a day to remember Brittany, to memorialize her, the amazing person she was," she said. "Think of her — all the things we miss about her, her kiss, her hug. I'll miss everything myself. I will love her forever."
Kendall remains in county jail awaiting transfer to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
The Pinole Police Department told Fox News Digital it had no comment on Kendall's sentencing.
The Contra Costa County District Attorney's Office did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for additional comment.
ICE detainee who illegally re-entered US after deportation dies at Delaney Hall
A 41-year-old Salvadoran national who re-entered the United States illegally has died in federal custody after being arrested in New Jersey following a previous deportation, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials announced Monday.
Edwin Lopez-Cornejo died Aug. 1 at University Hospital in Newark after suffering a medical emergency while detained at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility, according to an ICE statement.
Staff with the GEO Group, the private detention company that manages the facility, along with medical personnel, responded to the emergency and called 911.
The official cause of death remains pending a formal medical examination, according to ICE.
SOROS-BACKED NONPROFIT ACCUSES NJ GOV SHERRILL OF SPREADING 'MAGA PROPAGANDA' ON ICE DETAINEES
Lopez-Cornejo was first apprehended by U.S. Border Patrol for entering the U.S. without inspection on or about Aug. 13, 2006.
A Department of Justice immigration judge ordered him removed on Aug. 25, 2006, and he was deported to El Salvador on Oct. 19, 2006.
He later re-entered the U.S. illegally on an unknown date before ICE officers arrested him in Plainfield, New Jersey, on June 18.
He was held at Delaney Hall pending removal pursuant to the reinstatement of his prior removal order.
ICE officials said that Lopez-Cornejo received proper medical care during his detention.
MORE THAN 100 HAITIAN IMMIGRANTS WITH VIOLENT OFFENSE AND SEX CRIME CONVICTIONS DEPORTED: DHS
The agency notified the Department of Homeland Security oversight offices, the Consulate of El Salvador in Elizabeth, and Lopez-Cornejo's next of kin, the statement said.
Lopez-Cornejo's death drew swift condemnation from New Jersey officials, who reiterated demands to shut down Delaney Hall.
"I am deeply disturbed to hear of a detainee death inside Delaney Hall this weekend," New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill said in a statement. "My heart is with the individual's loved ones, who deserve answers about what happened. My administration is working with our congressional delegation to gather all the facts surrounding this death."
NEW JERSEY GOVERNOR, DEMOCRATIC SENATOR SPEND MEMORIAL DAY PROTESTING ICE FACILITY
"This tragedy is another painful reminder of why Delaney Hall should be closed," Sherrill added.
Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka also issued a statement condemning the incident.
"In less than a year, yet another family is forced to endure the unimaginable loss of a loved one while in custody at Delaney Hall," Baraka said. "The death of Edwin Jovanny Lopez-Cornejo is a heartbreaking reminder of the consequences of a facility that has operated for far too long without adequate oversight, accountability or transparency."
Another detainee, Jean Wilson Brutus, 41, died Dec. 12, 2025, after suffering a medical emergency less than 24 hours after entering the facility.
The New Jersey facility has repeatedly been accused by state and local inspectors of obstructing health and safety inspections and has been the site of ongoing protests and detainee hunger strikes over food quality, overcrowding and medical care.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.
MLB trade deadline sees flurry of deals involving Adley Rutschman, Freddy Peralta and Kevin Gausman
The Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone, with a number of notable names changing places as teams look to position themselves for a postseason run.
The biggest move, of course, happened on Saturday evening when the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired superstar starter and two-time reigning Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. The Dodgers' trade set off a firestorm of criticism and anger from opposing fans, though LA gave up two very good prospects for just nine to 10 starts from Skubal the rest of the regular season.
Well, there were several other big-name prospects who moved teams, including in one of the most surprising trades of the day involving former first overall draft pick, Adley Rutschman.
DODGERS REPORTEDLY ACQUIRE ACE TARIK SKUBAL FROM TIGERS IN TRADE THAT STIRS UP MLB WORLD
Rutschman was once considered one of the top prospects in baseball himself, and mostly lived up to the hype over his first few years in the big leagues. In 2022 and 2023, Rutschman put up a combined 11.1 wins above replacement. He hit 33 home runs and a .268/.369/.439 batting line with a 13.6% walk rate against just a 16.2% strikeout rate. Along with Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, he was widely seen as a big part of the Orioles' impressive young core.
But his 2024 was a bit underwhelming, and he's battled injuries the last two seasons, playing in just 157 combined games thus far. Still, his 2026 has been much closer to his old self, with positive defensive contributions and offensive stats more in line with his career averages. And Baltimore, 11.5 games back in the American League East and apparently willing to concede in the race for a Wild Card spot, took advantage.
Rutschman was traded to the Boston Red Sox for Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Carlos Narvaez, Enddy Azocar and a player to be named later. That's a substantial return for Baltimore. Eyanson was ranked as the 27th best prospect in baseball by Fangraphs, and Witherspoon was the Red Sox' first round pick just a year ago. Rutschman, though, solves Boston's catching position for the remainder of this season and all of 2027 before he hits free agency. And gives the Red Sox a significant boost as they push for a surprising playoff spot.
LOS ANGELES DODGERS TRADE FOR TARIK SKUBAL HIGHLIGHTS MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL'S MASSIVE PROBLEM
Speaking of disappointing players and the Boston Red Sox, in a stunning trade with the Giants, they sent former top prospect Marcelo Mayer to San Francisco in return for reliever Erik Miller. Mayer was once viewed as a key part of the Red Sox future, but he's been unimpressive the last two years in limited big league opportunities.
One of the biggest deals of the pre-deadline period was the New York Mets sending Freddy Peralta to the Tampa Bay Rays for Aidan Smith, Gary Gill Hill and Emilien Pitre. An uninspiring return after the Mets gave up several top prospects to get him in the offseason. Peralta came to New York from Milwaukee as one of the best starters in baseball, including a career-best 2.70 ERA in 2025. But his 2026 has gone from career-best to career-worst. Peralta's strikeout rate with the Mets dropped from 10.39/9 to 8.95/9, while his ERA jumped to 4.99. For Tampa, one of the best organizations at improving their players, he provided a proven postseason resume and strong track record. If they're able to get him back to his career norms, Peralta would be a huge addition for the team already leading the AL East.
Other big deals included Kevin Gausman, one of the best starters during Toronto's run to the World Series, heading to the Chicago Cubs. The Cubs, who desperately needed help in the rotation after a season-ending injury to Cade Horton, also brought in Clay Holmes from the Mets, sending Jefferson Rojas, their No. 2 prospect, to New York.
The Yankees, after acquiring Luis Garcia Jr. from the Nationals, also added Heliot Ramos from the Giants to upgrade their offense in the absence of Aaron Judge.
Then there's the always aggressive San Diego Padres. Padres GM AJ Preller, known for pushing his chips in, did so again at this year's deadline. Needing pitching, Preller acquired Robbie Ray from the Giants, then turned around and added Casey Mize, a former number one overall pick, from the Tigers. Both pitchers immediately upgrade the team's rotation over pitchers like Randy Vasquez, Kyle Hart, JP Sears, or Walker Buehler. And sure enough, the team's number two prospect is on his way to Detroit. Preller is nothing if not consistent.
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Speaking of aggressive, the Los Angeles Angels traded former top overall prospect Jo Adell to the Guardians, as well as starter Jose Soriano to the Blue Jays. Adell, though he never quite developed the plate discipline to maximize his offensive statistics, has at least delivered hit for power. Soriano brought back top Toronto prospect Arjun Nimmala, thanks to being under team control through 2028. More importantly, though, it signaled a different mindset in Anaheim. Instead of hoarding their players on a losing team, the Angels are maximizing value as they rebuild for the future. About time.
Luis Arraez also went to the Philadelphia Phillies, an offensive upgrade for a team that's surprisingly struggled to score runs, despite stars like Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Trea Turner.
All in all, Skubal was the biggest name to move, as expected, but there were a number of very interesting trades that improved teams around the margins. Some top and former top prospects were dealt, and teams like the Padres and Cubs made big upgrades over their existing options as they push for the postseason. It might have been light on superstars, but it was big on volume. And the Dodgers, as they often do, still won the deadline.
And in a sign of how few teams care about maximizing their chances of winning, a number of them sold despite being just a few games back in the Wild Card. The Orioles are 2.5 games out of the third spot, and traded Taylor Ward and Adley Rutschman. The Marlins, at 58-55 and 1.5 games back in the Wild Card, traded catcher Liam Hicks and starter Braxton Garrett. Though they did bring in reliever Victor Vodnik from the Rockies. The Mariners traded Luis Castillo, just three games back in the division and two in the Wild Card. And the Tigers sold despite being just a few games out.
After years of debate, former COVID response coordinator acknowledges pandemic source 'probably a lab leak'
Former Biden White House COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha revealed in a Sunday interview on CNN that he believes COVID-19 was likely caused by a lab leak.
During the interview with CNN's Dana Bash, she highlighted how Jha had retweeted commentator Jamie Metzl’s lengthy social media post saying he believed COVID-19 originated from a lab leak at the Wuhan Institute of Virology.
While the lab leak theory was widely disputed early in the pandemic and some social media platforms restricted certain related claims under their COVID-19 misinformation policies, Jha responded by declaring in 2026, "I pretty much agree with everything here."
After Bash highlighted the tweet, he confirmed he agreed with it — marking a change from the initial beliefs he held upon when first entering the Biden administration.
BILL MAHER BREAKS WITH THE LEFT TO HAMMER ANTHONY FAUCI AFTER EXPLOSIVE SENATE HEARING
"This is going to surprise some people. You know, when I went into the White House, my view was, ‘This was almost surely a natural outbreak, maybe a lab leak,’" he said. "Based on information I learned and based on information I‘ve seen, I have come to conclude that it is more likely to have been a lab leak."
"Here‘s the bottom line. No one in the United States knows for sure. The only people who know for sure are people — officials in China — and we still need transparency and accountability on that. So that is my best assessment. I‘m not suggesting I know for sure, but I‘m saying my best assessment is that it probably was a lab leak," he said.
"That is definitely news to hear that from you for sure," Bash replied. "And shows that we‘re just, we‘re still learning, which is really important."
Jha later posted a clip of his conversation with Bash to his X account, with the following message:
"My view on COVID origins isn't new — I've held it since my time at the White House," he wrote. "Here's the truth: no one in America knows for sure. Anyone telling you they do is selling you something Based on strong circumstantial evidence I've seen, I think lab leak is much more likely. Not engineered. Not deliberate. Accidental Reasonable people can look at the same evidence and disagree."
The COVID-19 pandemic caused a crisis of credibility across institutions regarding how they spoke to the public and how much they in turn allowed the public or even fellow members of the media to speak. While the lab leak theory is more commonly accepted today as a plausible theory, many initially theorized that the pandemic occurred through natural transmission, such as from a Chinese wet market.
Many news organizations, like CNN, MS NOW, The New York Times and The Washington Post, dismissed the lab leak theory as a "debunked" conspiracy theory before uncovering the facts, and watchdogs in the years since have suggested this hurt the media’s already struggling credibility.
A prominent example of this was taxpayer-funded NPR. In April of 2020, NPR ran pieces on back-to-back days dismissing the lab leak notion, painting it as a debunked conspiracy theory embraced by the right for political purposes. One such story was headlined, "Scientists Debunk Lab Accident Theory of Pandemic Emergence," and misled readers into thinking the lab leak theory was truly discredited.
CNN was criticized for incidents such as publishing a report that boasted of the country's coronavirus vaccination rates, according to data provided by China. Another salient example, however, was a piece released by the network actually touting China’s authoritarian government as ideal for cracking down on a pandemic.
"For those still reluctant, China has a powerful tool in its arsenal: a top-down, one-party system that is all-encompassing in reach and forceful in action, and a sprawling bureaucracy that can be swiftly mobilized," two CNN journalists based in Hong Kong wrote. "The top-down approach has been touted by officials as a strength of the Chinese system that helped curb the virus – and has again been deployed to accelerate inoculations."
Another aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic was unprecedented levels of mass censorship across social media. The Biden administration was sued in a high profile First Amendment case after it worked around the First Amendment by pressuring social media companies to censor Americans questioning the narratives about the COVID-19 pandemic on its behalf.
Under the settlement, the Office of the Surgeon General, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency are barred for the next decade from threatening or coercing social media companies to remove or suppress protected speech. The agreement also blocks officials from giving directions on or vetoing platforms' content moderation decisions.
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One memorable moment that showed a rift within the media itself was when Jon Stewart locked horns with his old friend Stephen Colbert, who had formerly been part of "The Daily Show" before hosting his own. While Colbert was cautious about questioning experts, Stewart mocked the idea that people were hesitant to consider the theory.
"Oh my God, there’s a novel respiratory coronavirus overtaking Wuhan, China. What do we do? Oh, you know who we could ask, the Wuhan novel respiratory coronavirus lab. The disease is the same name as the lab! That’s just a little too weird, don’t you think?"
He added further, "Then they ask the scientists, ‘Wait a minute, you work at the Wuhan respiratory coronavirus lab, how did this happen?’ And they’re like, 'A penguin kissed a turtle?’"
"‘Oh my God, there’s been an outbreak of chocolaty goodness near Hershey, Penn. What do you think happened?’ I don’t know, maybe a steam shovel mated with a cocoa bean," he said. "Or it’s the f---ing chocolate factory! Maybe that’s it!" he joked further.
Fox News Digital's Joseph A. Wulfsohn, Brian Flood, and Tyler McCarthy contributed to this report.
Emily Ratajkowski turns heads in bikini-filled July photo dump
Emily Ratajkowski is looking back on a month filled with sunshine, swimsuits and seaside views.
The 35-year-old model shared a carousel of photos from her summer travels on Instagram, captioning the post, "julio/Ιούλιος/july," writing the month in Spanish, Greek and English.
Among the snapshots was a close-up selfie of Ratajkowski wearing a navy blue bikini covered in white polka dots inside a coastal home.
The halter-style swimsuit featured thin straps that crossed around her waist, while her long brunette hair fell loosely over her shoulders. She looked directly into the camera with open shelves, glassware and blue cabinetry visible behind her.
The model's beach attire included an orange-and-black patterned bikini worn during a day by the water.
Sitting on a lounge chair covered with a yellow-and-white striped towel, Ratajkowski held a pink beverage in a glass beneath an oversized black-and-white umbrella. She accessorized the wraparound bikini with layered necklaces and several gold bangles.
A second image from the same setting showed the model turning the camera on herself.
Ratajkowski held her phone at arm’s length while seated sideways on the lounge chair, with rows of beach chairs and a glimpse of the water surrounding her. The late-day sunlight illuminated the scene as she appeared to check her reflection on the screen.
The carousel also included a quieter moment from an oceanfront dinner.
Wearing a dark brown halter top, Ratajkowski posed at a table overlooking the water as the sun set behind a row of trees. A cocktail, green drinking glass and place settings rested on the white tablecloth.
The model reached across the table to hold the bandaged hand of an unidentified companion. She did not identify the person or explain the apparent injury.
Her summer photo album comes weeks after Ratajkowski reflected on the collapse of her marriage to film producer Sebastian Bear-McClard and the complicated period that followed.
The former couple married in 2018 and welcomed their son, Sylvester "Sly" Apollo, in March 2021. Ratajkowski filed for divorce in September 2022 and has since spoken openly about raising the 5-year-old primarily as a single mother in New York City.
In a June essay for The Cut titled "Mother F---er," Ratajkowski wrote that becoming a mother marked an abrupt shift in her identity before her marriage began to unravel.
"And then, in a time period that felt both instant and excruciatingly slow, my marriage collapsed," she wrote.
Ratajkowski admitted that she had feared becoming a single mother long before she had a child of her own.
"Even as a kid, I reasoned that of all the things I could grow up to be, it was crucial to avoid becoming a single mom," she wrote. "The term itself could be lodged as an insult."
Following the separation, the model threw herself into dating while attempting to reconcile her new reality with the way she believed others viewed her.
Despite the late nights, Ratajkowski said she established firm boundaries to protect her time with Sylvester.
"I had rules: Never miss bedtime and basically no sleepovers," she wrote. "These were natural and easy to abide by."
The model explained that she would return home regardless of how late a date ended, so she could be there when her son woke up.
"There was nowhere I’d rather be than when I woke up with my toddler, so no matter the number of martinis, I’d be fully dressed and out the door to relieve the sitter and be ready for my son’s 6 a.m. ‘Maamaaaa!’"
Although much of the essay detailed her post-divorce dating experiences, Ratajkowski said her most important realization came during a visit to her attorney’s office.
She recalled the lawyer telling her about women who remained in harmful marriages despite preparing to leave.
"You should be proud of yourself," he told her. "Most women don’t leave."
Ratajkowski said the conversation gave her a new understanding of the choice she had made.
"Leaving my marriage wasn’t about seeking anyone’s attention or approval," she wrote. "It was the opposite."
The model acknowledged that becoming a single mother changed the way others perceived her but ultimately helped her recognize her own strength.
"I wasn’t left; I left," she wrote. "I knew then that being able to leave, to say ‘no,’ was the only real superpower I’d gained through divorce. I was brave. Really, actually brave."
The essay sparked mixed reactions online. While some social media users criticized Ratajkowski as being out of touch with the realities facing many single mothers, others praised her for candidly discussing divorce, dating and motherhood.
Away from her personal life, Ratajkowski has continued expanding her fashion career.
She was recently announced as one of the faces of Abercrombie & Fitch’s fall 2026 denim campaign alongside model Paloma Elsesser and New York Giants players Jaxson Dart and Malik Nabers.
Speaking with Elle magazine about the campaign, Ratajkowski said she has become less concerned with following every fashion trend.
"I care less about trends and more about how clothes make me feel," she told the outlet. "I want pieces that fit into my life and make me feel like myself."
The New York-based model also explained why the city continues to shape her personal style.
"New York has always been my favorite city to get dressed in because everyone is aware they’re being perceived but also have the realities of their days to combat," she said. "There’s something incredibly stylish about practicality mixed with individuality."
Unearthed video exposes El-Sayed's opinion on driver's licenses for illegal immigrants
Abdul El-Sayed, a Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, once proposed allowing undocumented immigrants to secure driver's licenses, making the case that not doing so would be discriminatory.
"We’ve got to make sure that in this state we are not discriminating against documentation status. Right now, if you’re undocumented, you don’t get access to a driver’s license. You’re stuck," El-Sayed said in a 2018 campaign interview.
At the time, El-Sayed was running for governor.
Eight years later, as he looks to join the U.S. Senate, the resurfaced clip sheds light on El-Sayed’s past thinking about how local governments should interact with illegal aliens and raises questions about whether granting them state identification would in some ways legitimize their presence in the U.S.
Hans von Spakovsky, an elections expert for Advancing American Freedom, explained that a license can act as a doorway to a range of government benefits.
"Because America does not have a national ID card like the Europeans and other nations, state driver's licenses are a stand-in for that ID card. Issuing driver's licenses to aliens will help them in all the instances where a license is needed, from opening bank accounts to all types of other transactions," Spakovsky said.
Spakovsky noted that I-9 forms, paperwork for employment eligibility, regularly require little else than a license.
"The key to getting aliens to self-deport would be to ensure that they cannot rent apartments, open bank accounts and take all of the other steps necessary to live and work in the U.S.," Spakovsky said.
"Providing them driver's licenses is a huge step in allowing them to easily live and work in the United States," he added.
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In the 2018 clip, El-Sayed seemed concerned that illegal aliens would be ineligible for some of those advantages.
"You don’t get access to a lot of the basic things that the state offers everybody else, and I think that’s ridiculous and so we’ve got to stop discriminating that way," El-Sayed said.
Although El-Sayed has rejected labels like "progressive" or "far-left," he has advocated for a more government-first approach in many key areas like affordability, infrastructure and public services.
He’s advocated for Medicare for all, opposes corporate tax carve-outs, and he supports tuition-free access to higher education. When asked about promises to increase government provisions by candidates like Zohran Mamdani, El-Sayed said he believes that Democrats will trend in that direction.
"You’re seeing that kind of resonance here in Michigan for sure. And I’m not surprised that you’re seeing that in New York, too. Government ought to be available to set an equal playing field for everybody and to offer those basic things that everybody needs and deserves," El-Sayed told Fox News Digital in an interview.
El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how far government should go in providing some of those same services to non-residents. His campaign also did not address whether providing licenses for undocumented immigrants would be a tacit approval of their presence in the country.
El-Sayed faces off against Rep. Haley Stevens on Tuesday evening in the state’s primaries. Whoever secures the party’s nomination will advance to the Nov. 3 general election.