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Bear caught on camera perched atop New Mexico utility pole before reportedly suffering fatal electrocution
A bear that climbed to the top of a utility pole in rural New Mexico became the subject of a viral video this week before reportedly later dying after the unusual encounter.
The video, recorded Monday near Gladstone, New Mexico, roughly 170 miles east of Santa Fe, shows the bear precariously perched on the crossarm of the utility pole while panting and trying to maintain its balance high above the ground.
The U.S. Department of the Interior re-shared the video Wednesday, joking, "We appreciate the enthusiasm for American Energy Dominance, but this isn't what we meant."
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER STAYS ICE-COLD AS MASSIVE BROWN BEAR WALKS RIGHT UP TO HIS CAMERA
The Department of the Interior and the New Mexico Department of Wildlife did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
The footage, verified by Storyful, also includes audio from a 911 caller reporting the unusual sight.
"I'm calling to report a bear on top of a light pole," the caller tells the dispatcher.
WOMAN STALKED BY CHARGING BEAR ON MORNING DOG WALK CAPTURES TERRIFYING ENCOUNTER ON CAMERA
The dispatcher responds that state officials had already been notified, but said tranquilizing the animal while it remained atop the pole could have caused it to fall.
Shannon Mullens, who recorded the video, told Storyful she was traveling from Red River, New Mexico, to Oklahoma on Highway 56 when she and her family spotted what they initially believed was a dead bear.
"We really didn't believe what we saw at first, so we turned around to get another look," Mullens said.
HIDDEN DANGER AT POPULAR US NATIONAL PARK FORCES TRAIL CLOSURES AS BEAR SIGHTINGS CLIMB
"At first, we thought that the bear was dead, until we got closer to it, and then we realized that he was still alive."
The bear was electrocuted and died before wildlife officials could safely rescue it, the New York Post reported.
Wildlife experts say bears can climb utility poles after becoming startled by people, traffic or dogs, treating them much like trees while trying to escape danger.
A similar incident ended differently in Arizona in 2021, when wildlife officials safely rescued a bear that had climbed a utility pole.
Teachers who once dated and share child arrested after classroom argument spiraled into violence: police
A personal dispute between two teachers who were formerly a couple erupted inside a Miami charter boarding school, ending with both under arrest after investigators say a classroom meeting turned violent.
According to a Miami-Dade Schools Police arrest affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital, Terrod Tiyan Torrence, 36, and Odiria Biggins were previously involved in a romantic relationship and share a child together.
A few days before the confrontation, Biggins told investigators Torrence left a handwritten note on her desk asking if they could talk.
She agreed to meet him July 17 inside Classroom 119 at The SEED School of Miami, the affidavit said.
What began as a conversation quickly turned physical, according to investigators.
Biggins told police Torrence repeatedly punched her in the left side of the head before slamming her head into a wall, causing her to lose consciousness and collapse to the floor.
But the confrontation didn't end there, investigators said.
After regaining consciousness, Biggins allegedly walked to her vehicle, grabbed a canister of pepper spray and later tracked Torrence down elsewhere on campus before spraying him, according to Miami ABC affiliate WSVN.
Surveillance video captured Biggins entering a classroom where Torrence was, the outlet reported.
BRING THE BEAR SPRAY TO THE WEDDING — YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN YOU NEED TO USE IT ON A FAMILY MEMBER
Moments later, both emerged, with Torrence appearing to struggle walking and suffering visible eye irritation before school staff rushed to help him. He was later taken to a hospital for treatment.
Biggins was arrested Monday and charged with discharging a weapon on school property for allegedly using pepper spray on campus, along with misdemeanor domestic violence battery, according to WSVN. A judge found probable cause and set her bond at $2,000.
Torrence was arrested Tuesday by Miami-Dade Schools Police and charged with misdemeanor domestic violence battery.
Court records show he was booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center before appearing before Judge Alicia Garcia Priovolos, who imposed a $2,000 standard bond and a pretrial no-contact order barring him from contacting Biggins. His arraignment is scheduled for Sept. 23.
It remains unclear what sparked the argument or whether any students witnessed the confrontation.
Fox News Digital has reached out to the Miami-Dade Schools Police Department and The SEED School of Miami for additional information, including whether either teacher remains employed.
Sophie Cunningham doubles down ahead of Sun game after ESPN profile stirs controversy: 'I said what I said'
Before Wednesday's game against the Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham doubled down on her call to protect women's sports from biological male competitors, brushing aside recent backlash over her comments.
"I think I said what I said. I think it's kind of common sense," Cunningham told reporters when asked to expand on her views.
WATCH (via @RomeovilleKid / X):
"I'll always believe in that. It's really important to protect children, and that's little girls who are also involved in that category."
SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM MANAGES TO ANGER BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT WITH A SIMPLE SOCIAL MEDIA POST
For Cunningham, defending women's sports isn't about politics. It's about protecting female athletes.
"I'm not a very political person, but I do have beliefs. I have morals, and I'll always stand on those," she explained.
She pointed to Title IX as the foundation of women's sports, arguing the law exists to protect opportunities for female athletes. Without those protections, she said, the category loses its purpose.
TRANS ATHLETES DROP LAWSUIT TO GAIN ACCESS TO GIRLS' SPORTS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AFTER SCOTUS RULING
Cunningham also rejected the idea that her position stems from bigotry, saying defending women's sports doesn't mean harboring hatred toward anyone else.
"I extend love, and I don't dislike anyone. I think there is room for absolutely everyone here," she said, adding that she has never expressed hatred toward the trans community.
Her focus, she said, remains on protecting biological women and girls.
OutKick founder Clay Travis shared the clip on X.
"Love all of this. Well done @sophaller," Travis wrote in part.
He later tagged author J.K. Rowling, writing, "Hey @jk_rowling, want to make sure you see this. Sanity is winning in America."
As for the backlash, Cunningham said she tunes it out.
"I really don't care," she said regarding the political labels attached to her views. "If I'm gonna live by the love, I'll die by the hate, and that's just not who I am. I beat to my own drum."
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
Jack Smith hit with criminal referral as GOP moves testimony fight toward prosecution
FIRST ON FOX: Former Biden special counsel Jack Smith could face potential criminal prosecution after Republicans accused the ex-prosecutor of misleading Congress about the scope of his investigation into President Donald Trump.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, issued a criminal referral for Smith Wednesday, arguing newly released records contradict Smith's testimony to his committee that he did not obtain or review lawmakers' text messages during his multiple probes into President Donald Trump.
"All individuals have an obligation to comply with a duly authorized congressional inquiry. Mr. Smith, a former public servant, is no different," Jordan wrote in a letter to acting Attorney General Todd Blanche on Wednesday. "Yet his testimony included intentionally false statements designed to obstruct the Committee’s oversight.
"His conduct can only be understood as an effort to thwart the Committee’s inquiry by intentionally making false statements and representations before Congress," Jordan continued, adding that the Justice Department should examine whether Smith's actions warrant criminal charges.
VETERAN DEM BREAKS PARTY LINE AS JACK SMITH SPYING SCANDAL GRIPS CAPITOL HILL
Jordan’s letter accused Smith of making false statements during a December deposition before the House Judiciary Committee. Specifically, Jordan argued that "responses provided by Mr. Smith gave the impression that neither Mr. Smith nor his team had access to the content of members’ privileged text messages."
"We now know this to be false," the letter adds.
The referral comes after Smith faced mounting scrutiny from Republicans over allegedly weaponizing the Justice Department and violating constitutional privacy protections during his investigations into alleged interference during the 2020 election and Trump’s handling of classified documents.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
And Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., the top Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, blasted Jordan's referral.
"This referral deliberately distorts and misstates the facts, including what questions the Republicans actually asked at Mr. Smith's interview. The Republicans fault Mr. Smith for not reading the minds of congressional investigators and for not volunteering information they didn't ask for. This is absurd. Mr. Smith may be telegenic but he is not telepathic," Raskin said in a statement.
Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, released documents last week showing Smith's team read the text messages of 44 members of Congress from both parties and White House staff during its investigation.
Targeted lawmakers included Jordan and Grassley in addition to the late Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.; Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La.; and Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J.
Trump officials affected included former Vice President Mike Pence, White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, FBI Director Kash Patel and Ivanka Trump, among others in the president's orbit during his first term.
BIDEN SPECIAL COUNSEL’S 'RUNAWAY TRAIN’ SCOOPED UP SENSITIVE LAWMAKER INFO: 'ABUSE OF POWER'
Grassley's office also found that Smith's team appeared to violate investigative protocols by accessing text messages that had not been reviewed by a "filter team," a safeguard designed to prevent investigators from accessing privileged information, according to the documents.
When Smith was asked by congressional investigators if he examined the contents of lawmakers’ text messages during his probe, he said, "no."
He told the House Judiciary Committee his team only sought telephone toll records.
"Toll records were sought for historical telephone routing information, collected after calls had taken place, identifying the incoming and outgoing call numbers, the time of the calls and their duration," Smith testified in December. "Toll records do not include the content of calls."
The Justice Department told Fox News Digital when reached for comment, "The Department can confirm receipt of the criminal referral from the House Judiciary Committee and will investigate all evidence of criminal conduct."
Trump salutes 'great heroes' as he attends dignified transfer of US service members killed in Jordan, Iraq
President Donald Trump on Wednesday saluted the flag-draped caskets of four U.S. service members recently killed in action in Jordan and Iraq while attended a dignified transfer ceremony at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware.
Trump stood alongside Secretary of War Pete Hegseth as they paid tribute to 1st Lt. Tyler James Feehan, 25, of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Sgt. Angel Rampersad, 28, of Ozone Park, New York; and Pvt. Isabella Gonzales, 19, of Carrollton, Texas, who were killed in Jordan, and Sgt. Michael Emmanuel Swinton, 30, from Fayetteville, North Carolina, who was killed in Iraq.
Trump told reporters ahead of the ceremony the service members were "great heroes."
"We're going to honor them. And it’s one of the hardest things to do — for me, it's one of the hardest things to do as a president. But it has to be done," Trump added.
US SOLDIER KILLED IN JORDAN ATTACK REMEMBERED AS LIVING ‘LIFE OF COURAGE AND SELFLESSNESS’
"All I'm going to say is we love you. We love your child," Trump said when asked if he had a message for the families. "And that's what they are to them. They're their children. There's no games, no nothing. That's their child. And all you could do is throw out your heart."
Feehan’s parents, Stephen and Shari, told KUTV Tuesday, "No parents could have asked for a better son, and carrying your legacy forward is now our purpose.
"To that end, we're building a scholarship in his name — one meant to open doors to education for those who serve or hope to. We're starting it with his death gratuity, and we welcome anyone moved to give."
RUBIO ACCUSES IRAN OF FLYING IRGC PERSONNEL INTO YEMEN AS HOUTHI THREAT ESCALATES
U.S. Central Command said over the weekend that the service members were killed at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base in Jordan as CENTCOM and partner forces "defended against Iranian ballistic missile and drone attacks."
Swinton was killed while troops attempted to destroy a downed Iranian attack drone Sunday at an air base in Iraq.
Both incidents remain under investigation.
Fox News’ Eric Mack and Jennifer Griffin contributed to this report.
Survivor of Hamas terror attack in Israel slams Mamdani over 'dangerous' video about Netanyahu
A survivor of the Nova music festival terrorist attack by Hamas pushed back against a video released by Zohran Mamdani calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a "war criminal," saying the New York City mayor’s comments were "dangerous."
Mazal Tazazo made the remark in a video shared on X by radio host Jason Rantz, one day after Mamdani said Netanyahu was "the architect of a horrific genocide against the Palestinian people."
In Mamdani’s message, he said he agreed with the International Criminal Court that "Benjamin Netanyahu should be arrested and tried for his crimes" and urged the federal government to carry out an arrest warrant if Netanyahu visits New York City in September for the U.N. General Assembly.
MAMDANI GOES BACK ON CAMPAIGN PROMISE, SAYS NYC CAN’T ARREST NETANYAHU
"I was shocked today when I saw that video. It's so dangerous," Tazazo said.
"What's happening there is not genocide. People died. Yes, this is a war. It's very sad. But why? Because the terrorists hide behind their people," she continued, referencing statements from the Israel Defense Forces that Hamas uses civilian buildings as cover for their military activity.
"If you want to really want to understand what's going on here, so come," she added. "I'm Mazal Tazazo, nice to meet you, survivor of the Nova. You can come to Israel, nobody gonna arrest you, OK? You can come to Israel and hear my story and hear the story of Israel and go around the place."
Rantz wrote on X that Tazazo "absolutely unloaded on Zohran Mamdani for threatening to arrest Benjamin Netanyahu."
NEW YORK DEMOCRAT HOPES MAMDANI WON’T BE ‘ARRESTING ANYONE’ AFTER RECENT NETANYAHU COMMENTS
Mamdani said in his own video posted on X Tuesday that "my administration has reviewed every avenue available under applicable law to determine whether New York City could execute the International Criminal Court's arrest warrant if Benjamin Netanyahu came here.
"It is clear that we do not have the independent legal authority to enforce this warrant. The federal government, however, does, and I call on them to join the ICC and execute this warrant.
"He is responsible for the killing of more than 73,000 people, for the maiming of tens of thousands of children, as those who survive undergo amputation without anesthesia, for the targeting of neonatal hospitals and maternity care centers, denying newborns even the chance to live, for the countless people he starved as he blocked food and humanitarian aid from reaching them," Mamdani also claimed about Netanyahu.
Oakland baseball team will host 'historic' 'family-friendly' marijuana-themed game day
The Oakland Ballers, an independent professional baseball team in Oakland, California, says it will host a "family-friendly" cannabis game night July 31.
The team is partnering with Oaksterdam University, the nation's first cannabis college, for the event on "Grateful Dead Night."
The team will temporarily rebrand as the "Oaksterdam Blazers" and wear uniforms featuring the moniker.
"The game marks a historic first in professional baseball as the Ballers become the first professional team to partner with and celebrate the legal cannabis industry during a live game," the team wrote in a press announcement in June.
FORMER MLB OWNER CLAIMS 'DESPICABLE' SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS ARE THE REASON THE A'S LEFT OAKLAND
The event originally began as an April Fools' Day joke, the team said, but enthusiastic fan response drove leadership to turn the stunt into reality.
According to the organization, the July 31 event will be "safe, inclusive and age-appropriate." Adults 21 and older are invited to board a tour bus at 10 a.m. PT to visit a local dispensary and participate in a lounge crawl featuring Oakland-certified cannabis businesses.
"More than a party bus, the experience will highlight the entrepreneurs, advocates and community leaders who fought to build Oakland’s legal cannabis industry and continue to shape its future today. For those looking to experience the full day, this is the place to start," the team said.
BALTIMORE ORIOLES TAP DRAG QUEEN AS GUEST SPLASHER IN KID-FRIENDLY BIRD BATH ZONE FOR PRIDE NIGHT
The Ballers emphasized that while the lounge crawl is strictly for adults, the goal at the ballpark is to create an environment that remains suitable for families.
"Any content activations connected to the cannabis industry will be opt-in and require 21+ verification," the team added.
Oaksterdam University also promoted the event on its website, calling it the "first family-friendly cannabis industry event in America."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
Although the event is being billed as a historic first, other professional sports teams have formally partnered with cannabis industries in the past. In 2024, the Portland Pickles became the first U.S. sports team to sell THC products at a live sporting event, according to the team.
MLB also became the first major professional sports league to sign a sponsorship agreement with a CBD company in 2022.
The Oakland Ballers did not immediately return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
The event highlights the California city's long history at the center of the marijuana legalization movement.
California became the first U.S. state to legalize pot for medical use in 1996. In 2004, Oakland made history by becoming the first U.S. city to formally permit and regulate medical cannabis dispensaries.
In 2016, California voters legalized recreational marijuana use for adults statewide through Proposition 64.
Far-left 'Squad' Dems mix up Jewish colleagues in botched attack — then get burned by their own votes
A social media attack by two far-left House Democrats on moderate Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., backfired after one confused him with another Jewish Democrat named Josh, and a New Jersey centrist used their votes for Ukraine aid to turn the exchange back on them.
The clash erupted after Gottheimer criticized the growing influence of democratic socialists within the Democratic Party.
"The DSA are not Democrats. They’re socialists, who want to hijack the Democratic Party," he wrote in an X post Monday.
"The Democrats have a big tent. That’s our strength. We embrace a range of ideas — but there’s no room for anti-American bomb-throwers who oppose our ideas, values, & leaders."
The next day, Rep. Summer Lee, D-Pa., fired back by accusing him of being among the Democrats who "sign bombs and vote to drop them," apparently confusing Gottheimer with Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro.
Shapiro, not Gottheimer, signed an artillery shell bound for Ukraine during President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s 2024 visit to Pennsylvania, Fox News Digital reported in September 2024.
"You know that’s the other Jewish guy named Josh, right?" Gottheimer said in response to Lee.
"Squad" Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., then jumped in to defend Lee, writing that Shapiro had signed "the bombs you voted to be dropped."
HOUSE DEMOCRATS FRACTURE BADLY OVER MASSIE AMENDMENT TO CUT $3.3B IN U.S. AID TO ISRAEL
Neither Omar nor Lee identified a specific vote, but Gottheimer turned the accusation back on both lawmakers by pointing out that they had voted for a $60.8 billion Ukraine aid package before Shapiro signed the Ukraine-bound artillery shell.
"Ilhan, you know who else voted for it?" Gottheimer said in response, including a screenshot of the "Official House Roll Call" for the April 2024 vote on H.R. 8035. "You."
The exchange comes as Gottheimer has increasingly accused his own party of applying a double standard to antisemitism. In a May New York Times opinion piece, the Jewish congressman argued that Democrats routinely condemn antisemitism from the political right but are too often silent when it emerges from the far left, calling the disparity a "glaring double standard."
That intraparty divide has also widened over support for Israel.
According to the official House roll call, Lee and Omar were among 103 Democrats who voted last week for a failed amendment from Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., that would have prohibited funds in the underlying bill from being used for Israel and reduced the foreign military financing account by $3.3 billion. Gottheimer voted against the amendment.
Fox News Digital reached out to the offices of Gottheimer, Lee and Omar for comment but did not hear back in time for publication.
Las Vegas Grand Prix, F1 parent company are reportedly set to pay fans millions over 2023 drain cover incident
One of the most memorable moments of the inaugural Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix weekend didn't happen during the race or even qualifying.
It came in the first practice session of the weekend, when then-Ferrari driver Carlos Sainz hit a drain cover, causing serious damage to his car's floor and energy store, while also damaging then-Alpine driver Esteban Ocon's car.
The session was red-flagged and eventually canceled, delaying the second practice session by hours as crews worked to repair the circuit and ensure the other drain covers were secure.
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This delay led to thousands of fans leaving before the next session could get underway.
So, not long after, attorney Steve Dimopoulos filed a class action lawsuit saying that attempts to make good on the situation were not enough.
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According to The Las Vegas Review Journal, court documents revealed that a federal judge agreed and gave preliminary approval for a settlement with LVGP and its parent company Liberty Media Corp. of just over $3 million, which is slated to get final approval in November.
"The settlement establishes a $3.05 million common fund for holders of approximately 32,000 eligible tickets," Dimopoulos said in a statement to The New York Post. "Individual payments will vary depending on ticket type, participation rates, attorney’s fees, costs and administrative expenses."
Of course, the amount of money each person gets will depend on how many claimants there are. But you do the math: if all 32,000 eligible folks decide they want in, it would leave you with enough to buy a hat at the next Las Vegas GP if you're lucky.
One of the cheap hats.
Fortunately, the race went off without a hitch in the three years that it has been held. It's now set to be a part of the F1 schedule through 2037.
The drain incident caused further controversy in 2023 when the damage caused to Carlos Sainz's Ferrari required a new engine, resulting in a ten-place grid penalty. That came as the Scuderia was in a tight battle with Mercedes for second place in the championship standings.
EXCLUSIVE: Woman who stole $1.7M meant for hurricane victims gets prison time as DHS cracks down on FEMA fraud
FIRST ON FOX: A Pennsylvania woman who defrauded the federal government out of $1.7 million in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds in the wake of Hurricane Ida was sentenced to five years in prison, the Justice Department said Wednesday as the Trump administration continues its effort to crack down on fraud.
Jasmine Williams, 34, of Plymouth Meeting, pleaded guilty last year to 32 charges ranging from fraud related to a major disaster declaration to wire fraud and mail fraud.
"Under the leadership of President [Donald] Trump and Secretary [Markwayne] Mullin, FEMA is rooting out fraud in disaster aid," Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis exclusively told Fox News Digital.
"We are protecting taxpayer dollars and making sure disaster assistance goes to those who truly need it," Bis continued. "Anyone who tries to steal from survivors will be caught and held accountable."
President Joe Biden issued a disaster declaration in September 2021 after the remnants of Hurricane Ida struck much of the eastern portion of the state.
Officials said Williams solicited participants in her scheme — renters, homeowners or the homeless — and submitted fraudulent documents to FEMA on behalf of almost 200 others, including fraudulent leases, letters from landlords, utility bills, earning statements and home repair estimates.
She recruited the participants over social media, advertising that she could assist them in applying for FEMA benefits, prosecutors said.
TRUMP SAYS ANTI-FRAUD EFFORTS ARE UNCOVERING BILLIONS IN WASTE, CLAIMS SAVINGS COULD BALANCE BUDGET
As part of the fraud, she requested half of the payout for herself, amassing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
When one person involved in the scheme didn’t pay her, Williams posted that person's personal information on social media, officials said.
She also posted a video criticizing the person for not paying the 50% Williams charged.
Williams additionally used social media to solicit images of damaged homes to submit in support of her fraudulent applications, federal prosecutors said.
In fiscal year 2025, FEMA identified more than 1,700 fraud cases.