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This towel warmer is the ultimate cold-weather bathroom upgrade, now 15% off
The ultimate cold-weather bathroom upgrade, the SereneLife towel warmer transforms your post-shower routine into a spa-like oasis. It takes just minutes to heat your towel to the perfect temperature. Plus, save 15% as part of Amazon’s early Black Friday deals when you shop now.
Original price: $100
BATHROOM UPGRADES THAT LOOK EXPENSIVE BUT COST LESS THAN $100
The best part about the SereneLife towel warmer is that it’s super easy to use. There’s only one button to turn it on and cycle through four timer options: 15, 30, 45 or 60 minutes. Throw in your towel, set the timer and go about your nighttime routine. A luxuriously warm towel will be waiting for you when the timer goes off.
And don’t worry, the warmer automatically shuts off 15 minutes after the timer goes off in case you forget. Even after it shuts off, the LED indicator light will continue to flash red while it’s still over 122 degrees, signaling it’s still hot to the touch.
Its 21-liter capacity is large enough to fit two towels in at once. You can also toss in your favorite bathrobe or throw blanket for coziness outside the bathroom. Just ensure your towels or other items are completely dry before throwing them in.
The long cord gives you flexibility on where you place this towel warmer. But, it’s lightweight enough to move around or store away when not in use. Still, the modern design looks chic in any space, adding to the spa-like ambiance of your bathroom.
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If you’re worried about the large towel warmer taking up too much space, SereneLife makes a countertop version with the same heating and timer capacities.
The SereneLife towel warmer comes in eight colors, but the stunning blue and white colorway is currently 20% off. Take advantage of this early Black Friday deal because prices fluctuate so much before and during Amazon’s sale.
Thanks to the large size and easy controls, this towel warmer can easily become a staple in your bathroom. While it’s especially great for the winter, you can enjoy a toasty towel or robe all year round.
This also makes a great housewarming or holiday gift to get a jumpstart on your gifting list this year.
THIS ELECTRIC BLANKET IS OVER 40% OFF ON AMAZON — THE NO. 1 BESTSELLER IS DOWN TO $39
Amazon shoppers love the small luxury of wrapping themselves in a warm towel every night and it shows in the more than 1,000 five-star reviews.
One reviewer writes that it’s even better than warming your towels in the dryer, saying, "I purchased this unit for my wife for Christmas this year, and it is much more convenient and the towels seem softer without the dryer drying them out as it heats."
Others have found unique ways to use their towel warmers, outside of just towels. One wrote, "The great thing though is this is big enough to also use on blankets which is a real luxury when reading on colder winter days!"
"It warms up blankets for myself after I got out of surgery, which helped during my recovery process. My grandmother who is 74 years old loves the warm towels as well," another shares.
For more deals, visit www.foxnews.com/deals
This towel warmer only has one heat setting. It gets to about 266 degrees, but some users wish they could control the exact temperature of their towel. Still, reviewers say the heat feels sufficient and evenly distributed for towels, blankets and robes. Some even throw in a pair of pajamas in the winter.
Large towel warmer bucket: $60 (28% off)
Vevor towel warmer: $72 (28% off)
Ultra large capacity towel warmer: $80 (20% off)
Kirk Herbstreit serving steak to his dog at an NYC restaurant has Craig Carton fuming mad
Has Kirk Herbstreit taken his dog content too far?
On Thursday, Herbstreit's content team bragged across multiple social media channels that Kirk's golden retriever, Peter, "got into another steak in NYC last night," even though it was the football analyst who cut up the steak like he was about to serve it to a six-year-old child.
Go ahead, dog lovers, yell at me: joe.kinsey@outkick.com
"I wish he would enjoy it," Herbstreit, or one of his sons, wrote on social media after the dog ate the steak off a plate on the floor of the unidentified restaurant in 30 seconds. Of course the entire scene was recorded because why take the dog to an NYC steakhouse if you're not going to turn it into fresh content for the Internet to gorge on.
Dog lovers tell OutKick that a dog eating steak off a plate laid on the floor of a high-end NYC steakhouse is not only no big deal, but that it should be the norm.
TRAVELERS CLASH OVER WHETHER CRUISE LINES SHOULD ALLOW DOGS AND CATS ON BOARD OR NOT
"Love Peter. One time I couldn’t eat all my bacon and I shared it with someone else’s dog I didn’t even know at a restaurant. I love it when I see dogs anywhere. Grocery shopping. Airplanes. Restaurants," dog love Linsey Speech told us on Facebook.
Does Kirk need an intervention? We're talking about an NYC steakhouse.
"Did he hurt anyone by doing that? Sounds like a judgmental busy body looking to disparage someone," some guy named Kent fired back.
"I'm not anti-dog. I just don't want to go to a steakhouse and eat next to a dog. Because it's disgusting," Carton said on Friday while noting that Kirk had to document the whole scene because content is content and Kirk has to constantly feed the algorithm.
"Now you're sharing your meal with A DOG," Craig continued. "That's right, now the dog is eating on the floor next to you because Kirk Herbstreit doesn't care about your opportunity to enjoy yourself. And have a nice steak meal. He's more concerned that his dog gets to have steak."
Meanwhile, the dog truthers are adamant that people like Carton need to stop picking on Kirk.
"This is a stupid post….Do you not have anything better to do or say. A lot of people who love animals, are enjoying these posts….why don’t you go elsewhere with your negativity," Roger Graham told OutKick.
The "pro-dogs eating in restaurants" community is absolutely furious with OutKick for having the audacity to question Herbstreit's dining habits with his dog.
"Or......or........hear me out....How about you mind your own business. What and where he lets his dog eat is none of your concern as long as he's not harming anyone else. Try it once. Minding your own business is good for your health. Farming for clicks," dog lover Mike Lemke lectured.
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According to the FDA, "under federal food safety guidelines and state health codes, standard companion pets are banned from indoor dining rooms." Federal laws also ban emotional support animals from inside restaurants.
The dog lovers, who have spent Friday yelling at OutKick about how dogs should be permitted to eat their hearts out at steakhouses, need to know that even under the Americans with Disabilities Act, service dogs aren't permitted to use dishes designated for human customers.
But, they just keep yelling at us that Herbstreit's dog should be allowed to do what he wants.
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"OMG! This is a HUGE stretch for content. I watched the video, and his dog is so well-behaved and deserves all the steak. DARN it! I just fed into this algorithm grab," Barb complained.
Rules are rules, Barb.
Two top Trump Cabinet officials go to war over China spy scandal amid explosive accusations: report
A White House Situation Room meeting reportedly turned into a blowout between two of President Donald Trump's Cabinet secretaries after news broke that Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang had an affair with a suspect Chinese spy.
Tempers apparently boiled over regarding claims Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick dragged his feet on placing restrictions on a company run by a suspected Chinese spy with whom Huang admitted to having an affair — even after the Cabinet official received an intel memo informing him of the potential threat.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent reportedly confronted Lutnick about that in the meeting, and other Cabinet officials took his side, according to Axios.
Trump has for months called to place companies suspected of supplying China with Nvidia's complex AI chips on what is called the Entity List, a Department of Commerce export control list that identifies companies that the U.S. government believes pose a serious risk to national security.
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Three times — in May, August and last Thursday — Trump approved taking action against companies believed to be diverting Nvidia chips to China, according to Axios.
One of those companies is Singapore-based Megaspeed International, which is reportedly one of Nvidia's largest customers. Suspected Chinese spy Alice Huang — with whom the former Nvidia CEO admitted to having an affair — is an executive at Megaspeed.
Lutnick was accused of slow-rolling on putting Megaspeed on the Entity List, which caused Bessent to lose his patience.
When the news of Jensen Huang's affair broke, Lutnick, Bessent, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer reportedly convened in the Situation Room.
Bessent confronted Lutnick about why the export controls had not already been put into place, and others in the room took Bessent's side, according to the Axios report.
REBECCA GRANT: JENSEN HUANG OWES AMERICA AN APOLOGY, AND NVIDIA OWES INVESTORS ANSWERS
Lutnick said he would have to discuss it with the president, despite Trump's May and August orders to proceed.
The group then met with Trump later in the day at the Oval Office. The president reportedly gave the order again, saying, "Let's get it done."
Still, Lutnick wouldn't proceed.
"I'll develop some options and come back," he said, to which the crowd replied that Trump's decision was final, and that Lutnick must "go f---ing execute."
Lutnick is at the center of the scandal, especially after it was revealed he received a memo informing him U.S. intel that Huang had a relationship with a suspected Chinese spy, and still did nothing to put the company she ran on the Entity List.
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A spokesperson for the Commerce Department didn't directly address the report of his confrontation with Bessent.
"The Department of Commerce and the Department of the Treasury have a great working relationship and are committed to advancing President Trump’s agenda," Kristen Eichamer told Fox News.
She also said that Lutnick has proactively decided to appear before the Senate Banking Committee to answer questions on the matter. A hearing is scheduled for Dec. 10.
Bessent appeared on CNBC's "Sqwuak Box" Thursday morning, where he was asked about the reported blow out.
He said that there was coordination between the various agencies about putting Megaspeed on the Entity List, but then referred further questions to the Commerce Department and Bureau of Industry and Security, saying, "you will have to ask them about their internal proceedings."
US ATTORNEY WARNS CHINESE ESPIONAGE IS 'EXTREMELY PERVASIVE,' SAYS BEIJING 'PLAYING THE LONG GAME'
Jensen Huang resigned from his post as Nvidia CEO Thursday morning, and the company has reportedly opened an investigation into the affair.
The Treasury Department and White House did not return Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Fox News Digital reached out to Nvidia.
Giants quarterback Jameis Winston leaves broadcasters floored with absurd snap count: 'What is he doing?'
In one of the most critical moments of the New York Giants' loss, Jameis Winston decided to bust out one of the most absurd snap counts of all time.
Winston, who was trying to draw the Washington Commanders offside on fourth-and-1 on the Giants' own 11-yard line, decided to start singing in his cadence.
"Set, we good, we good, we good. Get ready, get set, hut one, hut two, hut three. Who let the dogs out, woof, woof, woof, woof," Winston said in his snap count.
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Shockingly, the Commanders didn’t jump offside, despite the Baha Men's classic song. Amazon Prime Video broadcasters Al Michaels and Kirk Herbstreit were floored by Winston’s snap count.
"You gotta be kidding me!" Michaels said while bursting into laughter.
"What is he doing?" Herbstreit said.
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Giants coach John Harbaugh said he was aware that "Who Let the Dogs Out" would be part of Winston's cadence.
"It's part of the cadence. Yeah, it's part of the cadence. You know, teams do jump in those situations sometimes, so that was the idea."
The Giants took a delay-of-game penalty after the Commanders stayed onside before punting. New York eventually lost 24-21.
Winston has continued to appear in games since being relegated to a backup role behind J.J. McCarthy. The Giants have used him as a short-yardage specialist on quarterback sneaks.
Against the Philadelphia Eagles last week, Winston led an impressive touchdown drive in the team’s win while McCarthy was being evaluated for an injury. Fans could next see Winston and his cadence in action when the Giants (5-3-1) play the Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) next Sunday.
Animal rights activist attacks NYC horse carriage driver with skateboard during tirade, union says
An angry animal rights activist armed with a skateboard allegedly assaulted two horse-drawn carriage drivers in Central Park on Tuesday after launching an expletive-laden tirade in front of visiting families, union representatives said.
Abigail Holbrook, 27, of Philadelphia, was arrested after screaming at drivers and accusing them of "animal abuse" near a carriage stand, according to police and video of the incident.
"You’re animal abusers! Horses do not do well in New York City. They are very sensitive to light and noise," Holbrook shouted, according to video of the confrontation. "The people that are f------ using these horses are animal abusers. I’m Squid the Kid, bro. Y’all will know my f------ name."
MAMDANI ACCUSED OF BETRAYING NYC WORKERS AS UNION BOSS BLASTS 'ANTI-LABOR' HORSE CARRIAGE BAN
During the altercation, Holbrook punched two 45-year-old drivers and struck one of them in the head with her skateboard, the Transport Workers Union of America (TWU) told Fox News Digital.
Both victims suffered minor injuries and declined medical treatment at the scene. Holbrook was taken into custody by the New York City Police Department and is charged with two counts of assault.
VIGIL PLANNED FOR 18-YEAR-OLD TOURIST KILLED IN CENTRAL PARK HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE INCIDENT
"This is outrageous and unacceptable," TWU Local 100 Administrative Vice President Alexander Kemp said in a statement. "We need a more visible police presence for our members at horse-carriage stands in the park to protect against these wackos. This is their place of work and people are coming just to harass and attack them. All workers deserve to be safe at work."
Christina Hansen, a union shop steward who witnessed the assault and alerted police, placed the blame on rhetoric from city leadership and advocacy groups.
MAN KILLED AFTER HORSE-DRAWN CARRIAGE BOLTS AND FLIPS NEAR POPULAR NEW YORK CITY TOURIST DESTINATION
"The problem is that a lot of people, you know, don't know anything about horses, and they get misled by these animal rights groups who liken it to slavery, and say that the horses are being tortured by being forced to drag heavy carriages around as if carriages don't have wheels," Hansen told Fox News Digital.
Hansen noted that the financial livelihoods of carriage drivers depend on whether their horses are well taken care of.
"Let's face it, these organizations ... make money by getting donations and there's no money to be made by telling people that our horses are well taken care of," she said. "I only make money if my horse is well taken care of because I can't go to work if he can't pull the carriage, if he doesn't enjoy his job ... so my monetary interest is that my horse is taken care of. Their monetary interest is that the horses are being abused or exploited or whatever."
The violence erupted amid ongoing legal and political battles surrounding the city's historic carriage industry.
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Last month, the city council voted 40 to 7 to pass Romanch's Law, named in memory of 18-year-old Romanch Mahajan, who died in June after being thrown from a runaway carriage in Central Park.
The legislation would phase out horse-drawn carriages entirely by June 1, 2028, while directing the city to establish a transition program for more than 150 drivers and industry workers.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) pushed back against the union's accusations.
"If the horse-drawn carriage trade is suddenly concerned about hostility and violence, it might start by looking in the mirror," the group said.
Horse-drawn carriages have been a staple of Central Park and Fifth Avenue for generations, providing iconic rides for tourists visiting the city.
"Carriage horses have been pulling carriages in Central Park since the day the park opened in December 1858," said Hansen. "They've been living on Manhattan since 1625. The city would not be the city that it is, and Central Park would not be the park that it is, except for horses."
Android TV box malware found in 1.3M devices
You buy a streaming box, plug it into your television and connect it to Wi-Fi. A few minutes later, you're watching your favorite show. Everything seems perfectly normal. But what if that little box has been secretly working for criminals since the day you brought it home?
That's the alarming discovery behind a massive Android TV box malware operation involving more than 1.3 million devices worldwide. According to a Nov. 2 report from Google's Threat Intelligence Group, investigators concluded with high confidence that a device manufacturer deliberately installed hidden software inside streaming hardware. That backdoor gave outsiders remote access without the owners knowing.
And here's what makes this particularly concerning. The malware was built directly into the devices, and some affected products made it through Google's own security certification process. In other words, buyers could do everything right and still end up with compromised hardware.
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CHEAP ANDROID PHONES FOUND WITH MALWARE ALREADY INSTALLED
Google says the operation involved Videostrong Technology, a China-based company that manufactures Android-powered devices for different brands. According to investigators, Videostrong developed and installed malicious software called XCPE. Google assesses with high confidence that the company deliberately operated the backdoor for financial gain. The software allowed remote operators to maintain access to devices long after customers purchased them.
According to Google, Videostrong sold access to compromised devices to criminal affiliates, who installed additional malware and turned those products into part of a botnet. That's a network of infected devices controlled remotely without their owners' permission. Researchers identified more than 1.3 million affected devices across the globe. Most were Android TV streaming boxes, although the operation also reached other types of connected hardware. And many people using these products had no idea anything was wrong.
While people were watching television, hidden software could be working behind the scenes for someone else. One of the biggest operations involved residential proxy networks. These services allow someone to route their internet activity through another person's home connection. That means a criminal could use your internet address to make suspicious online activity appear to originate from your household.
Think about that for a moment. Someone you've never encountered could be using your internet connection without your permission, while your streaming box continues playing Netflix or YouTube. Google also found malware capable of generating fake advertising activity. Some modules secretly loaded ads or simulated interactions to generate revenue for the operators.
Other capabilities were more invasive. Researchers observed operators capturing screenshots, injecting keystrokes and collecting sensitive account information from compromised devices. They could also install additional software remotely. And because much of this activity happened in the background, users might never see an obvious warning.
5 WORRISOME PRIVACY CLAUSES HIDDEN IN SMART HOME DEVICES
Normally, manufacturers must pass Google's compatibility and security checks before shipping certified Android devices with Google's services. However, Google says Videostrong found a way around those protections. The company allegedly concealed malicious software during testing. The backdoor then loaded additional malicious code after the device's first startup, exploiting a gap in Google's review process.
Even more concerning, the malware could disable Google Play Protect app verification. That's one of Android's built-in defenses against harmful applications. The backdoor also had staying power. Researchers discovered that XCPE was embedded in the device's firmware, the software responsible for basic hardware operations. If someone removed the visible malware package, the system could reinstall it after a reboot. So even a factory reset might leave the underlying infection intact.
This is probably the first question people will ask after hearing about this investigation. Unfortunately, Google has not released a complete consumer-friendly list of every infected retail product. However, cybersecurity company Synthient published its own investigation identifying specific hardware and model names connected to the operation.
Researchers purchased and examined a MECOOL KM9PRO Max Android TV streaming box in late 2025. They found the XCPE backdoor preinstalled under the package name com.oemservice. The tested device used firmware version C1.0.8_20250325, according to Synthient's technical documentation. This identifies the specific research sample, although it does not establish that every unit running that version is infected.
Synthient also published model identifiers observed in the wider botnet. These include KM9PRO_MAX, KM9PRO, KM2PLUSDELUXE, KM2PLUS, KM7PLUS, KT1, IPx1, IPx3, Q96MAX and TX3MINI. These identifiers appeared in data associated with the malicious operation. However, researchers explicitly warn that a matching model name alone cannot confirm that an individual device is compromised. You can review Synthient's published device model list at github.com/synthient/public-research/blob/main/2026/11/Videostrong/README.md to compare it with your own hardware.
The investigation also identified infections in Android-powered karaoke machines, digital signage equipment and some telehealth devices. Google says the malware appeared across many models and brands over several years. And that's why checking the exact product you own is so important. The retail brand on the box may differ from the company responsible for manufacturing its hardware or firmware.
Google worked with Japan's National Police Agency and several cybersecurity companies to dismantle the XCPE operation. Google took legal action to shut down the domains and servers Videostrong used to control infected devices and install malware. The company also pursued legal action against command-and-control domains associated with more than a dozen additional malware families. According to Google, those additional actions were expected to sever criminal access to at least 10 million other compromised devices. That estimate involves malware networks beyond the 1.3 million devices identified in the XCPE operation.
Google also cut ties with Videostrong and banned the company, along with future subsidiaries and affiliates, from building or selling certified Android devices or supplying software to other certified vendors. The company says it has also strengthened its security review process to better detect similar threats, including improvements to how it verifies the integrity of firmware on certified Android TV devices. That's encouraging news, but there's an important catch. Disrupting the servers used to control malware doesn't automatically remove malicious firmware from devices already sitting in people's homes. For owners of affected hardware, that leaves an important question about whether their devices can ever be trusted again.
Now, before you start unplugging every streaming device in your house, understand that Google has not suggested every Android TV or Google TV product is compromised. However, this investigation offers a good reason to take a closer look at the equipment connected to your home network.
Start by identifying the exact make and model of your streaming device. Look on the underside of the box, its original packaging or the device information screen in Settings. Compare that information with Synthient's list of observed models. If your device matches a listed model, investigate further. Remember, a model match alone does not confirm an infection. If you own the MECOOL KM9PRO Max examined by researchers, take the warning seriously and consider replacing it.
If you have strong reason to suspect your streaming box contains malicious firmware, disconnect it from Wi-Fi or unplug it entirely. Contact the manufacturer or retailer about a verified clean firmware update, replacement or refund. Synthient recommends permanently removing affected devices from use because they may contain additional malware. Don't assume a factory reset will solve the problem. The XCPE backdoor was designed to reinstall itself.
On devices with the Google Play Store, open the Play Store, tap your profile icon and select Settings > About to check the Play Protect certification status. You can also open Play Protect from your profile menu to review security scanning. However, certification alone cannot guarantee a device is free of malware. Some devices associated with this investigation passed Google's certification checks. A certified label offers an additional layer of reassurance, but it cannot guarantee that a device is free of malware.
Be cautious about streaming products promising unlimited premium channels or paid entertainment for a suspiciously low one-time price. The FBI has previously warned about questionable streaming hardware that arrives with malware or installs it during setup. Stick with reputable manufacturers that provide regular security updates. Also, avoid installing streaming applications from unofficial websites or unknown app marketplaces.
Your router connects your streaming equipment to the rest of your home network. Make sure its firmware is current and review the list of connected devices for unfamiliar equipment. If your router supports a separate guest or smart-home network, consider placing streaming boxes and other connected gadgets there. That can help limit their access to your personal computers and other sensitive devices. If you discover an infected device, disconnect it before changing your Wi-Fi password. A password change alone will not remove malware already embedded in the box.
Check your router's activity logs or connected-device information if those features are available. Unexplained bandwidth consumption or unfamiliar network connections can be warning signs, although they do not prove a device has malware. Keep in mind that an infected streaming box may show no obvious symptoms. Normal performance doesn't guarantee that the hardware is secure.
If you've signed into streaming services or a Google account on a device you believe was compromised, change those passwords using a trusted computer or phone. Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) where available. Also, review your account activity for unfamiliar sign-ins. Google observed operators collecting sensitive information from compromised devices, so protecting those accounts is a sensible precaution.
Strong antivirus software can help protect your computers and smartphones from malicious downloads and other threats. Keep those protections enabled, especially when dealing with unfamiliar applications. However, traditional antivirus software on your computer won't remove a backdoor embedded in a streaming box's firmware. If the box itself is compromised, disconnecting and replacing it may be the safest solution. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
Some services offer compensation in exchange for allowing others to use your unused internet connection. Google specifically warns that these arrangements can expose devices and home networks to additional security risks. Before installing any bandwidth-sharing or proxy application, understand exactly who can access your connection and what activity they may conduct through it.
What really gets my attention about this investigation is how little someone would have needed to do to become a victim. You could buy a streaming box from an online retailer, connect it to your television and end up with malware that was already installed before you opened the package. And there's another part of this story I find particularly frustrating. Some affected devices made it through Google's certification process. People rely on those certifications because they assume someone has checked the hardware for security problems. In this case, that trust was exploited. Google deserves credit for working with investigators to disrupt the operation. But I think the bigger responsibility starts with manufacturers and the companies selling these products. If a company puts compromised hardware into someone's home, it should be held accountable for fixing the problem. For me, the takeaway is pretty simple. Know what you're connecting to your home network. Stick with brands that have a solid record of security updates. And if researchers confirm that a streaming box contains malicious firmware, I wouldn't keep using it simply because the picture on the television still looks fine.
If a streaming box can pass Google's security checks and still arrive with hidden malware, should manufacturers be required to recall compromised devices and compensate customers? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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NHL seeks up to 100% increase in TV rights fees from ESPN, TNT and potential new partners
The NHL is seeking a 50% to 100% increase in television rights fees as it prepares to negotiate new deals with ESPN and TNT.
According to CNBC, the league’s exclusive negotiating window with both companies opens early next year. The report says there is "mutual interest" in renewing the partnerships.
The league will likely point to the NFL and NBA, both of which secured substantial increases in their latest media rights deals.
The NHL has also seen viewership growth across ESPN and TNT, strengthening its case for a raise.
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One potential roadblock is TNT’s new ownership under Skydance, whose executives recently vowed to remain "disciplined" when bidding on sports rights.
With the NFL positioned to demand a substantial increase from CBS, another Skydance property, hockey could face a budget squeeze.
The NHL could also add a third partner to maximize revenue. One idea floated by industry insiders is Netflix bidding on marquee events such as the 4 Nations Face-Off and Winter Classic.
That would fit Netflix’s strategy of acquiring major sports events rather than a weekly slate of games. In 2026, Netflix added MLB’s Opening Night, the Home Run Derby and the Field of Dreams game. It also expanded its NFL schedule with an opening-week game and a Thanksgiving Eve matchup.
NFL PUSHES DEEPER INTO STREAMING AS NETFLIX LANDS AUSTRALIA GAME AMID FCC, DOJ SCRUTINY
If the NHL pursues a streaming partner for a weekly package, Amazon Prime Video would be the most likely suitor.
The NHL’s place in the American sports hierarchy is complicated. The league lacks the national cachet of the NFL, NBA and MLB. Its regular-season audiences often trail those for prominent UFC, golf, tennis and boxing events.
Still, the NHL offers something media companies value: roughly nine months of live programming, from its late-September start through the Stanley Cup Final in June.
Others would argue there is untapped potential if the league and its media partners do a better job of turning individual stars into household names.
Altogether, we expect the NHL to secure a significant increase in rights fees, even if it falls short of the 50% to 100% raise it seeks.
Colorado bought into 'Coach Prime'. Now Deion Sanders’ losing costs more than the hype can cover
If there ever was a 'must win' for Deion Sanders' coaching tenure in college football, tonight's game against No. 14 Houston would be it.
It's been over four years since Coach Prime moved to Boulder in hopes of making a splash that could be felt across the country, especially for the people who thought he could not get it done at the Power-Four conference level.
We all witnessed what he did at Jackson State, which led to Colorado taking a chance on Sanders in hopes of his status bringing the Buffaloes back to the forefront of a sport that is changing by the day.
While there is no denying the impact he's made on Colorado over the past number of years, we are so far removed from the 'show' that came with his first-two seasons that it has now become more of an afterthought.
Sitting at 3-6 (1-5 in the Big 12), Colorado will enter tonight's game looking to keep its bowl hopes alive, which folks who cheer on the Buffaloes were obviously not expecting when he took to the podium during his introductory press conference.
Long gone are the days of Shedeur Sanders and Travis Hunter helping Colorado win football games that propelled the Buffaloes into the national spotlight. But in reality, it was the aurora around Deion Sanders that kept the headlines pinpointed on what was taking place within the city of Boulder.
It doesn’t help that Colorado finished the 2025 season ranked 15th in their conference, with fans and donors expecting much better results on the field for a coach that is making north of $10 million per season.
DEION SANDERS SAYS ALLEGED $50,000 OFFER TO SILENCE CRITICS WAS 'A JOKE' AMID COLORADO'S STRUGGLES
Oh, and Deion Sanders will make $11 million in 2027, according to his contract that also calls for a buyout that would force the school to pay him 75% of his remaining deal if the Colorado administration were looking to fire the head coach without cause.
Clearly, these are not the type of winning percentage numbers any school should be ok with. Add on the fact he is making $10 million per season, and it's hard to fathom any other school in the country not firing their head coach if they were to put up the same type of results.
It's complicated.
Does Colorado have $24 million to fire Deion Sanders if they were to once again not make a postseason bowl game? I mean, sure they could come up with the money if forced to, with his contract calling for monthly installment payments through 2029.
If the Buffaloes really wanted to spend the money on firing Deion, and then bringing in a whole new staff that will undoubtedly cost them another $30 million which doesn’t include payments to players through NIL or revenue-sharing, they could find the money somewhere deep inside a vault in Boulder.
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And while this would seem like the obvious move at any other school that is staring down the barrel at an expensive future within college athletics, at some point a decision is going to have to be made.
Right now, Sanders is making more noise in his weekly press conferences by acting nonchalant in his subtle shots at reporters who are questioning the Buffaloes trajectory.
That's not something the Colorado athletic department signed up for when they hired the flamboyant head coach who has brought national attention back to Boulder.
But, it's not as if the University of Colorado was struggling from a school fundraising standpoint before Deion arrived, as someone pointed out to me in recent weeks. This is a school that is a desired location for plenty of prospective students inside and outside the State of Colorado.
Did Sanders put a massive spotlight on the football program, and subsequently the athletic department?
Sure, without a doubt. At some point though, the noise gets too loud for the results that have been produced over the past two years.
While Deion acts as though he's doing this for the student-athletes, also known as professionals now, let's not act as if he's not prospering in the process.
There are potential candidates out there in the college football world that would love the opportunity to coach in the Big 12 at a school like Colorado if given the chance.
But until either the school decides this show needs to come to a halt, there will be plenty of noise created around a football program that has already retired the No. 2 jersey worn by Deion's son, Sheduer, along with Travis Hunter.
Maybe the Buffaloes win three games to close out the regular season and make a meaningless bowl game.
Or, maybe Colorado decides enough is enough and pays the buyout.
I just don't expect Deion Sanders to retire on his own and wave the white flag, unless his health makes that call for him.
Eric Trump-partnered robotics CEO addresses 'Terminator' fears as he sends combat humanoids into war zones
Foundation Future Robotics, an Eric Trump-backed robotics company, became the first company to deploy humanoid robots to a combat zone when it sent its Phantom MK 1 robots to Ukraine in February.
Now in talks to ship more MK 1 units to Israel, expanding its war theater footprint, Foundation co-founder Mike LeBlanc sees a near future in which the majority of warfighting is done by robots.
"In the next five to 10 years, I would expect that humanoids, ground vehicles, drones, will be doing most of the major fighting, with humans really only doing special forces, special operations, small surgical operations on the side," LeBlanc, a former Marine Corps officer with three tours of duty in the Middle East, told Fox News Digital in an exclusive interview.
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LeBlanc stressed that, while robotics companies have been creating both warfare drones and household humanoid robots, Foundation is the first company to create humanoid robots specifically for warfare.
The MK 1 units deployed to Ukraine have a roughly 88-pound carrying capacity, making their best fit in combat situations one of a supplementary role, assisting human soldiers with ordnance, munitions loading, manual labor and other ancillary tasks.
However, LeBlanc explained that the units were simply a "proof of concept" for the broader application of humanoid robots in war, claiming that Foundation is already close to shipping out the MK 2.
"It is 6 feet tall, 185 pounds, as I say, created in my own image," LeBlanc joked.
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"But this thing is ready to engage by making small and medium machine guns, by engaging with enemies.
"The Mark II is going to be the biggest, fastest, strongest humanoid on the market. This robot is already able to pick me up. So, it's a much larger payload than anybody else. That allows us to do heavy industrial work, but it also lets us set up heavy machine guns, bullfrogs, etc.," LeBlanc told Fox News Digital.
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LeBlanc said Ukraine will likely be the first place the MK 2 is deployed, a fitting testing ground, he explained, as the war between Ukraine and Russia is largely being fought by machines already.
"In Ukraine, robots are very much a question of today and today's battlefield," LeBlanc explained.
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He then marveled at how quickly the combat environment has shifted, contrasting today’s battlefield with those he engaged in during his tours of duty.
"It's amazing how quickly things change. I was in Afghanistan in 2012, and then again in 2013. And, at that time, they would have very small drones that it was almost like you were looking through a toilet paper roll," LeBlanc told Fox News Digital.
"It was a very small supplementary tool. Today, when you go to Ukraine, it's actually drones first that are doing the fighting and the humans that are the small supplement," he said.
Still, LeBlanc did not see a future in which humans would become obsolete in warfare.
"I don't think you'll ever see a battlefield where you have no humans," he said.
"I was just in New York at a fancy restaurant, and, you know, even there, the waiter had to come by because our table was unbalanced, and he put some napkins in the bottom to make sure that it didn't wobble," he said.
"We are a species of workarounds, and that's what has made humans so incredible is that we can adapt to just about any situation. And, so, I think that it's unlikely that we'll see a battlefield without any humans, but we should drastically see that number drop."
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The Foundation founder did address concerns that his robots could incur public fears about a "Terminator" situation.
"I think that anyone who's been far away from the battlefield could get rightfully very concerned that we have Terminator going out and deciding who to kill and who not to kill," he said.
But, ultimately, he argued that anybody who has served on the front lines is going to be in favor of taking human beings out of harm's way.
"We had a saying in the Marine Corps: Never send a Marine where you could send a bullet first. And at Foundation, we always say, 'Don't send a Marine where you can send a humanoid first,'" LeBlanc quipped.
An additional fear he’s had to grapple with is the public’s increased trepidation about artificial intelligence, a technology that served as the catalyst for his company’s breakthrough.
"The AI is what really brings humanoids alive," he told Fox News Digital.
"I think there are rightfully a lot of concerns about AI and what AI companies are doing. Because, in some way, it's kind of the digital nuclear program. So you are seeing all of these companies that are kind of able to engage in their own atom bomb, in a way," LeBlanc said.
"And, so, especially companies like ours that are willfully putting these in combat and pressing to get these into combat, certainly should be questioned. But we've been having a lot of oversight."
LeBlanc foresees even further scrutiny when Democrats take control of Congress in January after one prominent Democrat already highlighted Foundation’s relationship with investor and chief strategy officer Eric Trump.
"Senator [Elizabeth] Warren has called out our company by name because we have Eric Trump as a strategic advisor. He was an investor first, and now he helps us mostly with planning our real estate, our building of manufacturing facilities, and he just loves to talk about mechanical things," LeBlanc said.
After Foundation secured a $24 million Pentagon contract for research into humanoid robots, Warren criticized the deal in a post on X.
"Eric Trump went on FOX to brag about winning ANOTHER multimillion-dollar contract from the Trump administration. I've been sounding the alarm and pushing for answers. Is the Pentagon just a cash machine for Trump's kids now? This looks like corruption in plain sight," she wrote.
LeBlanc pushed back on the criticism.
"She has called us out on, you know, ‘Do the Trumps think that the Pentagon is their own personal ATM?’ For me, this just kind of goes against all of the facts and experience that I have in it," LeBlanc said.
Sen. Warren did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.
Widely used diabetes drug may offer unexpected health benefit
For decades, doctors have relied on metformin to help people with type 2 diabetes manage their blood sugar. Now, new research suggests the widely prescribed drug may offer benefits beyond blood sugar control.
Researchers at Stanford University found that adults with type 2 diabetes who were taking metformin before catching COVID-19 had a 39% lower risk of dying in the year following their infection than patients taking a different type of diabetes medication.
The findings, published in the journal Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, point to potential protective effects that go beyond basic glucose control.
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High blood sugar can weaken immune defenses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Metformin lowers blood sugar and helps the body use insulin more effectively, though it's unclear whether these effects explain the study’s findings.
Researchers noted that the drug may help regulate a biological pathway involved in blood pressure and fluid balance that influences the severity of COVID-19. Earlier studies have also indicated that metformin can reduce inflammation and lower viral levels in the body during an active infection.
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To assess the impact on long-term survival, the team analyzed U.S. medical records for 53,332 adults with type 2 diabetes who tested positive for COVID-19 between October 2021 and November 2023.
All patients were between 30 and 85 years old and had been prescribed either metformin or another diabetes drug, known as dipeptidyl peptidase-4 inhibitor (DPP4i), at least a month before their diagnosis.
"Metformin is the first drug most people with type 2 diabetes are given. DPP-4 inhibitors usually come later, or go to people who cannot take metformin, often because they are older or have kidney disease or other health problems," Ziyad Al-Aly, M.D., a senior clinical epidemiologist at Washington University in St. Louis, told Fox News Digital.
"Put simply, people on metformin are generally healthier than people on DPP-4 inhibitors," added Al-Aly, who was not involved in the study.
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Most of the group, 50,965 patients, were taking metformin, while 2,367 were taking a DPP4i. Patients on metformin were slightly younger on average, 60 years old compared with 64 for those on the alternative medication.
After adjusting for age, gender and other variables, the researchers found that patients taking metformin were more likely to survive over the following year.
The data initially suggested a 13% drop in long COVID symptoms among metformin users, though further statistical testing found no statistically significant link.
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The new analysis aligns with other recent research, including a study from the University of Minnesota Medical School that showed patients who were prescribed metformin within six days of a COVID-19 diagnosis were less likely to die or develop long COVID.
"There is some evidence from the same group that metformin, started early in a COVID infection, may lower the risk of long COVID, [but] that still needs to be confirmed in large, well-designed randomized trials," Al-Aly noted.
Because the Stanford review relied on existing medical records rather than a clinical trial, the authors cautioned that the study cannot prove metformin directly caused the higher survival rate.
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Patients taking DPP4i medications tended to be older and had more underlying health conditions, which could have contributed to their higher mortality risk, the researchers noted.
The team also lacked complete records on patients' COVID-19 vaccination status.
"This is not enough evidence to change treatment," Al-Aly cautioned. "People take a DPP-4 inhibitor because they need it to control their diabetes, usually because metformin was not enough or was not an option for them."
"No doctor is choosing between these two drugs for the same patient. The comparison in this study is not a real choice in any clinic. If you take either drug, do not change it because of this study."