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A Las Vegas police officer who was a Marine veteran was killed Tuesday while responding to a report of an armed person, authorities said. The suspect was also killed in the encounter.

Officers and police drones were sent to a business in the 4500 block of East Tropicana Avenue shortly before 4 p.m. after a caller reported that a person was waving a firearm and appeared to be intoxicated, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.

MULTIPLE PEOPLE KILLED IN SHOOTING AT IDAHO IN-N-OUT RESTAURANT, SUSPECT DEAD

Police said officers located the armed suspect near Mountain Vista Street and the Interstate 11 underpass. The suspect then opened fire on the officers, prompting at least one officer to return fire.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene.

A 30-year-old officer was wounded during the exchange and taken to University Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead, Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill said during a news briefing.

"A 30-year-old Las Vegas police officer was then worked on heroically by the Clark County Fire Department, other officers and EMS," McMahill said. "He was transported to UMC where nurses worked to save his life."

DEPUTY US MARSHAL FATALLY SHOT WHILE SERVING ARREST WARRANT IN LOUISIANA

"Unfortunately, our officer has passed," the sheriff continued.

McMahill said the officer was a Marine veteran who had served with the police department since November 2023.

"A person who served this country and this community," McMahill said. "As you can imagine, I have lots of grieving police officers and a grieving community."

The police department offered its condolences to the officer’s family and pledged to support them "in every way we can in the days ahead."

Other law enforcement agencies also mourned the officer’s death.

"The Nevada State Police extends our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and loved ones of the fallen officer, and to our partners at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department," the agency said in a Facebook statement. "Our thoughts are with you during this difficult time."

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DETROIT — The Democratic Party's progressive wing was aiming to notch its biggest victory yet Tuesday and deliver a high-profile blow to the center-left establishment in an intensifying ideological battle.

But the anticipated triumph in battleground Michigan's Democratic Senate primary will have to wait.

The race between progressive candidate Abdul El-Sayed, a former Wayne County health director, and Rep. Haley Stevens, a more moderate contender, remained too close to call early Wednesday.

THE MIDTERM SENATE RACES THAT COULD FLIP THE BALANCE OF POWER IN CONGRESS

While the night’s biggest prize remained undecided as five states held primary elections, Democratic establishment candidates scored several victories. Those included Rep. Wesley Bell of Missouri defeating Democratic Socialists of America-backed challenger and former Rep. Cori Bush, a onetime "Squad" member, in a rematch of their 2024 showdown.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump's powerful sway over the Republican Party was reaffirmed as two Trump-backed candidates won gubernatorial nominations in Michigan and Kansas.

Here are the top takeaways from a busy primary night across the country.

Verdict still out in high-stakes showdown

"We're going to have to wait a little longer to see the outcome of this race," El-Sayed told supporters at a primary night event in Detroit early Wednesday morning.

El-Sayed, who was backed by prominent progressive leaders including Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, held a razor-thin lead over Stevens as votes continued to be counted. Stevens was supported by establishment figures including Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, the longtime Senate Democratic leader.

"I know it's been a long night because that's the Michigan way. But I want to give you all an update. We knew that this was going to be a close race, and that's exactly what we've got. A close race," Stevens said.

MIKE ROGERS ARGUES ABDUL EL-SAYED IS 'A SPECIAL SAUCE OF CRAZY'

The race to succeed retiring Democratic Sen. Gary Peters, who backed Stevens, is a must-win contest for Democrats and one of roughly a dozen Senate races expected to determine whether Republicans retain their narrow majority.

Boosted by a string of victories this spring in predominantly Democratic congressional districts, the party’s progressive wing brought its ideological battle with the establishment to the Great Lakes battleground. The combustible and expensive contest became the biggest stage yet in the intraparty fight.

El-Sayed, an epidemiologist who unsuccessfully ran for governor as an insurgent candidate in 2018, would become the nation’s first Muslim senator if elected. He has made support for "Medicare for All" a major component of his campaign.

He has also called for abolishing Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has been a vocal critic of Israel during its war against Hamas, characterizing Israel’s actions in Gaza as "genocide" against Palestinians.

Schumer and other establishment Democrats view Stevens, who flipped a Republican-held district during her first election to Congress in 2018, as more electable than El-Sayed, whose past comments have drawn controversy.

More than $80 million was spent on the primary, making it the most expensive Democratic Senate nomination contest in history. Much of the money came from outside groups supporting Stevens or opposing El-Sayed. The largest spender was United Democracy Project, a political action committee aligned with the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

"We all knew that we're going to spend their money. We didn't know they were going to spend $70 million of their money. We didn't know that they were going to outspend us $11 to $1. And yet we're still standing," El-Sayed highlighted in his speech.

El-Sayed urged party unity and took aim at former Rep. Mike Rogers, the Republican Senate nominee.

Stevens also targeted Rogers during her primary night speech.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

"Whoever wins is going to go and take on Mike Rogers. Republicans are going to do everything they can to throw all the dirt, all the mud, the kitchen sink at us because they want to keep the U.S. Senate red, so Mike Rogers can keep rubber-stamping Donald Trump's ridiculous agenda," she argued.

The progressive-versus-establishment battle also played out in Michigan’s 7th Congressional District, a Republican-controlled swing seat that is among roughly two dozen races expected to help determine control of the House.

William Lawrence, a co-founder of the Sunrise Movement climate advocacy group, edged out two more moderate Democrats. Lawrence was backed by Sanders and El-Sayed, as well as several prominent progressive groups. He will face Republican Rep. Tom Barrett in the general election.

The party’s internal battle was also on display in Michigan’s heavily Democratic 13th Congressional District, where the Associated Press had not projected a winner early Wednesday.

Rep. Shri Thanedar, who is supported by top House Democratic leaders, was being challenged by state Rep. Donovan McKinney. McKinney was backed by Sanders, El-Sayed and "Squad" members Reps. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Summer Lee of Pennsylvania.

Wins for centrists to cheer

The party’s ideological warfare was front and center in Missouri’s St. Louis-based, heavily Democratic 1st Congressional District.

Bell, who was backed by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York and other establishment figures, defeated Bush, the former two-term representative whom Bell ousted in the 2024 primary.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

Bell was again boosted by a major infusion of outside money, allowing him to substantially outspend Bush and her allies. Much of the funding and advertising targeting Bush came from United Democracy Project, the super PAC aligned with AIPAC.

Bush was among the first House Democrats to accuse Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians during its war against Hamas in Gaza.

"Two years ago, St. Louis voted for better and more accountable representation. We have kept that promise, whether it's bringing federal resources home to our neighborhoods, standing with working folks when they needed someone in their corner, or helping families cut through red tape," Bell said following his victory. "That work does not stop tonight."

Bush, however, lashed out at Bell, criticizing him for skipping candidate forums and claiming he was controlled by billionaires.

"It pisses me off that for the next two years, this community will be represented by someone that didn't deem you valuable enough to show up to one candidate forum where there were audience comments, even though I showed up to every one," Bush emphasized.

MEET THE FAR LEFT INSURGENTS WAGING WAR ON THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY IN THE 2026 MIDTERMS

Back in Michigan, two candidates who are far from left-wingers captured Democratic nominations in statewide contests. Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson won the Democratic gubernatorial primary in the race to succeed term-limited Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel was renominated.

"It’s not all that clear that the party has shifted that far to the left," Matt Bennett, one of the leaders at the Third Way, a leading center-left Democratic organization, told Fox News Digital.

Pointing to increasingly intense Democratic opposition to Trump, Bennett said the Michigan Senate result may reflect "a unique situation where candidates matter."

"And in this moment, Democratic voters everywhere are very very angry at Trump and they’re flipping over the tables and taking it out on the establishment and Haley, for better or worse, has run as the establishment."

Trump flexes political muscle

Trump’s clout within the GOP and the power of his endorsements in Republican primaries were tested again Tuesday, and the president’s preferred candidates prevailed in two gubernatorial contests.

Trump-backed Rep. John James of Michigan, a West Point graduate and two-time Republican Senate nominee, defeated multimillionaire businessman Perry Johnson, a former gubernatorial and presidential candidate, to capture the party’s gubernatorial nomination.

James will face Benson in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer.

In Kansas, Trump-endorsed state Senate President Ty Masterson prevailed in a crowded field of Republican gubernatorial contenders.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is term-limited, making the race to succeed her a leading pickup opportunity for Republicans.

Fox News' Matthew Donnell and Luke Trevisan contributed to this report.

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President Donald Trump renewed his warning to Iran on Tuesday, saying the U.S. could strike the country "really hard" if negotiations between Washington and Tehran collapse again.

"If they back out again, they're going to get hit really hard," Trump told Fox News' Trace Gallagher. "They know that. They understand that. I have no choice. They can't have a nuclear weapon. It's very simple."

Trump said military action remained an option if diplomacy fails.

TRUMP WARNS IRAN FIGHTING ISN'T OVER AS HE VOWS US WILL 'WIN' AS TALKS FADE

"The hard hit is yet to come, and hopefully we won't have to use it," he said during the interview.

Trump’s comments came days after he held off on a planned military strike on Iran that he said would have been the largest since World War II after Tehran and several Middle Eastern countries requested more time to negotiate over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and addressing Iran’s nuclear program.

"We were going to a tremendous attack, the biggest since World War II, and they called me and said very politely, 'Please, can we talk? Can we talk?' And I said, 'Yes, we can talk. Let's get it done,'" Trump said.

Earlier this week, Trump said a deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and curb Iran's nuclear program was "imminent."

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE END

Iranian officials have denied holding direct talks with the United States, saying negotiations are taking place through mediators in Oman. The Associated Press reported Tuesday that Iranian and Omani officials had made significant progress toward a potential agreement to reopen the strait, though negotiations remained ongoing.

US OFFICIAL SAYS JD VANCE MADE 'GREAT PROGRESS' IN IRAN TALKS, CALLS SNUB REPORTS 'FOREIGN PROPAGANDA'

Trump described Tuesday’s negotiations as "very good," despite Iran’s repeated public denials that direct talks were underway.

"They don't like to admit that, but, well, you know, it's a little bit disconcerting," he said.

"It's just such a lie," Trump added.

"But it doesn't matter. That's talk. The only thing that matters is action. And they want to make a deal. We'll see what happens. If they don't make a deal, it's going to be too bad."

When asked at what point the U.S. might abandon talks with Iran after negotiations repeatedly collapsed, Trump said he was not in a rush to walk away from diplomacy.

"I have plenty of time," he said.

Trump argued that previous administrations failed to resolve the issue and again criticized the nuclear agreement negotiated under former President Barack Obama.

TRUMP RECALLS NETANYAHU'S FAILED PUSH TO KILL OBAMA IRAN DEAL, SAYS HE FINISHED THE JOB

"It should have been done by many presidents over many years, and it wasn't, and I'm doing it," Trump said. "Obama was taken to the cleaners."

Trump has previously called the latest round of negotiations Iran’s "last chance" to avoid an escalation of US military action. He has said negotiators will initially focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz before addressing Tehran’s nuclear program.

Fox News Digital's Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.

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Brazilian lawmakers preparing to conduct official business found themselves sharing the halls of a state legislature with several uninvited — but unusually relaxed — guests.

A group of capybaras entered the Mato Grosso Legislative Assembly in Cuiabá on July 30, briefly drawing attention away from an upcoming vote as they explored the government building.

Video recorded by legislative staffer Nayara Bueno showed the animals moving calmly through the entrance while workers sought to steer them outside.

BLACK BEAR CAUGHT ON VIDEO WANDERING INTO CALIFORNIA WATER DISTRICT OFFICE AFTER PUSHING OPEN FRONT DOOR

"They show up here quite often, so we’ve gotten used to seeing them," Bueno told The Associated Press.

The rodents' guest appearance did not cause any damage to the Mato Grosso state legislature, according to officials.

The legislature borders a park that is home to wildlife, giving the animals easy access to the surrounding government complex. 

Native to South America, capybaras are semiaquatic mammals commonly found around wetlands and other bodies of water. They are highly social, generally travel in groups and can reach weights of about 175 pounds.

ROGUE PARROT ATTACKS PLAYERS DURING BRAZILIAN U-15 SOCCER GAME-THEN COMES BACK AND DOES IT AGAIN

The world's largest living rodents have also become internet favorites, with social media users frequently highlighting their laid-back behavior around other animals and people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Sports have played a crucial role throughout my life. Growing up, I ran cross-country and was coached by my dad in basketball, until I found my true love: volleyball. I loved being a setter to the point that I dreamed about making plays. It taught me the things a sport often does: willpower, loyalty, discipline and how to come back swinging when you get knocked down.

But what I remember most is simply how much I loved it. My obsession even dictated the college I chose, where a devastating injury broke my heart and ended my career. There’s one thing I feel obligated to tell you, though: I was never going to be a collegiate star.

I went to a small school, and I still stand today at my maximum height of 5 feet flat. What I lacked in stature, I assure you, I did not lack in heart. I was a scrappy competitor, and I took losses hard. (Some would say I still do.) I embraced every morning and late night, the bruises and broken bones — not because I was destined to be Division I, but simply because I loved it.

JEMELE HILL TAKES AIM AT SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM AS STORM CONTROVERSY GROWS OVER GIRLS SUPPORTING WOMEN’S SPORTS

I gained friendships, grit, and drive I’m confident I wouldn’t have gained elsewhere. And I say this, admittedly, not as a promising up-and-comer, but just a girl who loved playing. I step into a different court these days, but I still carry the grit that women’s athletics gave me when I walk into a courtroom.

Enter Sophie Cunningham.

In a now-famous ESPN interview, the Indiana Fever star, who calls herself politically "very much in the middle," said she wants to protect young girls "who shouldn’t have to go against biological men." With that love, she added, comes truth.

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM DOUBLES DOWN AHEAD OF SUN GAME AFTER ESPN PROFILE STIRS CONTROVERSY: 'I SAID WHAT I SAID'

After the media clutched their pearls over her saying biological sex is real, she doubled down, called it "common sense," and posted on Instagram saying, "I said what I said." No apology tour. No caveats. Just the truth, said twice for the people in the back. Her bold stand has sparked an important nationwide conversation in the days since and a whole gamut of supporters and detractors.

This is the courage aspiring female athletes need, especially in a league that partners with Girls in the Game, which says that one of its values is "moving beyond the binary of ‘girl.’" Tell that to the girl who sacrificed everything to reach the podium.

Women’s sports had a banner year. In two cases Alliance Defending Freedom litigated alongside the courageous leadership of Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador and West Virginia Attorney General JB McCuskey, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously held that sex matters and that states can protect women’s sports under Title IX. That’s a win for every girl in those 27 states.

'SAVE WOMEN'S SPORTS' LEGAL DEFENSE AND TRANS ATHLETE'S ATTORNEYS SPEAK OUT AFTER LANDMARK SCOTUS RULING

But what does this mean for Kallie Keeler in Washington, who had to report a sexual assault after competing against a male wrestler during a match? For Selina Soule, Chelsea Mitchell, Alanna Smith, and Ashley Nicoletti, still waiting for Connecticut to stand up for the girls who are losing to boys today? For girls in California forced to compete against biologically male athletes like AB Hernandez?

It means we’re coming for the 23 remaining states. A girl’s equal opportunity shouldn’t hinge on her ZIP code. Our daughters deserve better than lawyers who can’t define what a woman is — better than professional athletes with platforms who think it’s fine for men to steal the podium from the girls coming up behind them.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

And they deserve far better than a WNBA co-owner swearing at them for holding a sign that read, "Thank you, Sophie, for speaking up for girls!" The newly suspended Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton forgot that love tells the truth.

But Sophie remembered. At the height of her career, she took a stand for truth while others chose cowardice. Speaking truth should be praised, not punished.

There are young girls who dream of being the next big star. And there are also girls who just love the game like I did. They all deserve fair play. Where are the women willing to stand up, inspire greatness, and tell the truth? Ladies, we’re pointing the finger at you.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM KRISTEN WAGGONER

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A Washington state man was arrested Monday on a first-degree arson charge in connection with the Old Trails Fire, one of several wildfires that have destroyed hundreds of structures and forced tens of thousands of people to evacuate the Spokane area, authorities said.

Aaron F. Farinacci, 37, was taken into custody after Spokane County Sheriff’s Office detectives and Washington Department of Natural Resources investigators developed probable cause to arrest him, according to the sheriff’s office.

Citizen tips and information from Airway Heights police officers and Spokane County sheriff’s deputies who responded to the initial call and conducted evacuations helped lead investigators to Farinacci, the sheriff’s office said.

Authorities described Farinacci as a convicted felon from Arizona but said they had found no documented criminal history involving fires.

Investigators have not connected Farinacci to the two other major blazes burning in the area, the Autumn Lane and Fairview fires, officials said.

PALISADES FIRE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY DRIVEN BY 'SOCIETAL REVENGE,' BEHAVIORAL ANALYST TESTIFIES IN COURT

"We will be looking into any other crimes Mr. Farinacci may have committed in the past," Spokane County Sheriff John Nowels said during a news briefing.

Nowels said first-degree arson was the charge supported by probable cause at that stage of the investigation and cautioned that the case could change as authorities gathered additional evidence.

Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Farinacci and a search warrant for his residence in the 2800 block of West Elliott Drive, according to the sheriff’s office.

Deputies served the warrant Monday and arrested Farinacci without incident. Authorities said detectives found a butane lighter and waterproof matches while detaining and searching him.

SPENCER PRATT REACTS TO SPOKANE DEVASTATION WITH BLUNT WILDFIRE WARNING AND MESSAGE OF FAITH

Farinacci was booked into the Spokane County Jail and was being held on $1 million bond.

The Old Trails Fire was first reported Saturday near North Old Trails Road and West Euclid Road. It became the largest of three destructive fires burning around Spokane and remained uncontained Monday, according to authorities and wire reports.

The three fires had collectively destroyed at least 700 structures and prompted evacuation orders affecting approximately 67,000 people as of Monday, according to The Associated Press. More than 1,000 firefighters were battling the blazes.

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson declared a statewide wildfire emergency Saturday amid drought, unusually high temperatures and strong winds. The declaration also imposed a statewide prohibition on most outdoor and agricultural burning through Sept. 30.

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Five months into the Iran war, America is winning almost every battle. The harder question is whether we are winning the war.

No one should minimize what the U.S. military has accomplished. American air and naval power have inflicted extraordinary damage on Iran's military infrastructure. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has lost command centers, missile launchers, drone facilities, air defenses, coastal installations, logistics hubs, and key personnel. Our servicemen and women have once again demonstrated unmatched professionalism, precision, and courage.

Those are genuine tactical successes.

I'VE STUDIED MILITARY STRATEGY. TRUMP NOW FACES IRAN'S OLDEST BATTLEFIELD TRICK

But military history teaches a hard lesson: tactical success does not necessarily produce strategic success.

That distinction matters because the strategic center of gravity in this conflict is shifting. In the opening weeks, the focus was rightly on degrading Iran's military and nuclear capabilities. Today, the consequences increasingly extend beyond the battlefield to American credibility at home and abroad.

Iran has shown greater resilience than many anticipated, dispersing forces, hardening underground facilities, shifting to mobile launchers, and continuing to launch missiles and drones despite sustained bombing. Determined adversaries often adapt faster than expected when fighting for regime survival.

IRAN REGIME CHANGE TALK RESURFACES AS TRUMP SAYS TEHRAN 'WANTS TO MEET' AMID US STRIKES

Washington’s campaign appears to assume that destroying Iran’s senior leadership could cause the system to collapse. But the regime’s real source of endurance may run deeper, rooted in a revolutionary Islamist ideology reinforced by the clerical establishment, the IRGC, security organs, patronage networks, and a culture of martyrdom. Leaders can be killed and command posts destroyed, but bombs cannot extinguish an ideology that treats suffering as validation. This doesn't mean American intelligence failed. It may mean Washington's theory of victory placed too much faith in decapitation and physical destruction, when ideologically committed regimes often absorb punishment that planners assume will compel surrender. The real question is whether repeated battlefield success is producing the political outcomes Washington seeks.

That answer is becoming less clear.

Each day brings another successful strike, another destroyed missile site, another IRGC facility reduced to rubble. Yet Iran keeps fighting. The danger isn't that America cannot destroy targets. It is appearing trapped in a cycle of retaliation without a defined political end state.

TRUMP REVEALS THE LINE IRAN HAS TO CROSS FOR US TO RESTART OFFENSIVE MILITARY CAMPAIGN

For President Trump, converting military success into political results is now the central challenge.

Like it or not, President Trump's credibility, and increasingly America's credibility, is becoming the strategic center of gravity. Every warning, every red line, every promise of retaliation is now evaluated not only by Tehran but also by Beijing, Moscow, Pyongyang, Jerusalem, Riyadh, Brussels, and voters here at home.

Credibility is one of America's most valuable strategic assets. It is earned when military action consistently advances defined political objectives. It is weakened when adversaries conclude they can absorb punishment while waiting for Washington's patience, or its public support, to erode.

That domestic support deserves careful attention.

An AP-NORC survey found that roughly two-thirds of Americans believe the war has not been worth fighting, while only about one-third believe it has. Support has softened even among Republicans. Americans increasingly doubt the campaign has a clear destination and worry about its duration, cost, and expansion.

In a democracy, that matters.

Public opinion should never dictate military strategy, but neither can elected leaders indefinitely sustain a costly conflict if Americans lose confidence in its objectives. If these trends continue, Iran could become a consequential midterm issue, especially if voters link it to rising energy costs, strained resources, or distraction from border security, inflation, and China.

America's allies are watching just as closely.

Israel focuses on immediate security. Gulf Arab partners want energy infrastructure and Hormuz navigation protected. NATO allies want assurance that Washington can manage multiple crises without weakening deterrence elsewhere. Indo-Pacific allies are asking whether a war consuming American attention and resources changes Washington's long-term commitment to Asia.

That same question is being studied most carefully in Beijing.

China is analyzing American logistics, missile defense, intelligence, precision strike capability, naval operations, industrial capacity, public opinion, and political endurance, watching how quickly the United States replenishes munitions and how democratic governments sustain support during prolonged conflict.

China is learning about America's strengths.

It is also searching for America's limits.

Beijing may conclude that America can destroy fixed targets but cannot easily convert firepower into political submission, and that dispersed missiles, hardened facilities, and prolonged conflict can strain American inventories and erode domestic consensus. China could apply those lessons in a confrontation over Taiwan.

Russia and North Korea are conducting similar assessments, but China has the greatest stake. Every month Washington remains heavily engaged in the Middle East is another month Beijing gains time to strengthen its own position in the Indo-Pacific. That should concern every American because China, not Iran, poses the greatest long-term challenge to American security and prosperity.

None of this argues for American retreat.

Quite the opposite.

President Trump now has an opportunity to restore strategic momentum by matching military power with a more clearly defined political strategy.

First, define a limited, achievable end state: deny Iran a nuclear-weapons capability, stop attacks on American forces and regional shipping, and make clear that renewed nuclear-weapons activity or attacks on U.S. interests trigger predictable consequences. Regime change should not be the unstated standard for victory.

Second, replace open-ended retaliation with clear deterrence. Washington should state plainly what triggers U.S. strikes, what would produce a pause, and what could open the door to negotiations.

Third, continue denying Iran access to its hardened nuclear infrastructure without committing large American ground forces. Rather than attempt an extraordinarily risky seizure of sites such as Pickaxe Mountain or Fordow, repeatedly deny access by collapsing entrances, cratering routes, maintaining surveillance, and striking renewed excavation.

Fourth, broaden the coalition. Keeping the Strait of Hormuz open should not remain primarily an American responsibility. Gulf partners, NATO allies, and other maritime nations share a vital interest in protecting Hormuz and should contribute more visibly. The burden, and the credibility, should be shared.

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Finally, restore strategic focus. Iran is a dangerous regional power, but China remains America's principal long-term competitor. Washington must contain Tehran without letting the Middle East consume the resources and attention the Indo-Pacific requires.

American military power remains second to none. But bombs can destroy launchers, command centers, and tunnel entrances; they cannot alone compel a revolutionary regime to abandon its purpose.

President Trump’s task is not to bomb Iran until it becomes something it is not. It is to define an achievable objective, deny Tehran its most dangerous capabilities, share the burden with allies, and restore America’s strategic focus.

Military victories are remembered. History judges presidents by whether those victories produce political results, strengthen American credibility, and leave the nation safer.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM ROBERT MAGINNIS

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A new California law is expanding the state’s use of DNA technology in missing persons investigations, giving authorities another tool to identify unknown people and revisit unresolved cases.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed the measure into law last month, loosening restrictions on California’s Missing Persons DNA Program.

The program had previously been limited to identifying deceased individuals. Under the expanded law, its database may also be used to identify unknown people who are alive, allowing state forensic resources to assist in a wider range of investigations.

MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING PARTNER ARRESTED IN MEXICO NEARLY TWO YEARS AFTER FLEEING WITH THEIR TWO CHILDREN

The program supports coroners, medical examiners and law enforcement agencies seeking to identify missing or unknown individuals across California.

"Any missing person case — adult, child, MMIP, or otherwise — is one too many. No family should know the prolonged uncertainty of waiting for answers, and together we’re making it clear that California takes action," state Attorney General Rob Bonta, a Democrat, said in a statement last month.

TEEN FOUND IN SHALLOW CALIFORNIA VINEYARD GRAVE IDENTIFIED NEARLY 50 YEARS LATER AS FAMILY WARNS KILLER

"AB 2018 is the right tool at the right time that will advance California’s ability to resolve missing persons cases and rekindle hope. I look forward to continuing the vital work of delivering justice for missing persons and their loved ones," he continued.

Assemblymember James Ramos, a Democrat, authored the legislation. He said the changes will make forensic identification resources more accessible to investigators and could help families who have waited years for answers.

"AB 2018 will help all families with missing loved ones receive the answers they need," Ramos said. "This modernization is especially urgent given the disproportionate number of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons plaguing our state. Ensuring our justice system personnel have the tools they need to perform effectively is critical to bringing resolution to cases involving the missing."

The law also changes how long certain DNA samples may remain in the state’s system.

Previously, DNA collected from relatives of missing people was destroyed after remains were identified. The state may now retain samples when investigators believe additional related remains could later be recovered and require identification.

The expanded authority comes as law enforcement agencies and forensic specialists in Northern California continue using newer DNA-analysis techniques to examine cold cases, according to Fox 40.

The Calaveras Cold Case Task Force was established in 2020 to reexamine unresolved cases in the county. The nonprofit team includes local law enforcement officials and scientists who use advanced forensic methods, including DNA analysis, to pursue new leads.

Supporters of the law say the changes could reduce barriers for local investigators while giving families of missing people a greater chance of learning what happened to their loved ones.

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NASA opened its first major new wind tunnel in more than 40 years Friday, marking a milestone for future aviation and space-exploration research.

The Flight Dynamics Research Facility, located at the agency’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, will serve as a testing ground for future aircraft and space missions.

"The opening of the Flight Dynamics Research Facility represents a significant advancement for NASA and for the nation," said Dr. Trina Dyal, NASA Langley center director. "By bringing modernized testing capabilities under one roof, we are enabling transformative research that will ensure the United States remains at the forefront of aeronautics and exploration."

NASA AT 68: AMERICA MUST LEAD ON THE MOON, MARS AND BEYOND — OR CHINA WILL

Built through a partnership with the US General Services Administration, the more advanced and efficient tunnel replaces two facilities that had operated for more than 80 years.

NASA CHIEF CONFIRMS AGENCY HAS UNEXPLAINED UFO IMAGERY: 'WE DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS'

The project is part of NASA’s broader effort to modernize its infrastructure and reduce the cost of maintaining aging facilities.

"If we continue to invest our resources, maintaining a lot of our historic facilities that have less current or anticipated demand," said Jared Isaacman, administrator of NASA, "it will come directly at the expense of the next generation capabilities that are going to be essential to again, meet the mission of today and also all that we imagine go forward."

NASA celebrated the facility’s opening with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at Langley attended by hundreds of industry leaders, government officials and community members. Some attendees later toured the new tunnel.

The 25,000-square-foot facility contains a vertical test section measuring 20 feet in diameter and 24 feet tall. The temperature-controlled tunnel can generate wind speeds of up to 117 mph.

NASA ADMINISTRATOR DETAILS MISSIONS TO MOON, MARS, VENUS AND THE AGENCY'S EFFORTS ON EARTH

"The capabilities in terms of wind speed that this can provide are much greater," said Giovanny Guecha, technical lead for the NASA Dragonfly parachute decelerator system. "It's almost a factor of ten compared to the previous way it's been done. So that helps us, you know, test more stressful conditions that are closer to Venus."

Four 750-horsepower motors power the tunnel, with each motor paired with a 14-foot-diameter, eight-bladed fan. The lightweight carbon-fiber blades allow engineers to adjust airflow quickly during free-flight testing and simulate flight at higher altitudes.

The wind tunnel will be used to test technology for future exploration of Venus and Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, as well as missions to Earth’s moon and Mars. It can also evaluate scale models of vehicles designed to travel through an atmosphere, including spacecraft returning to Earth.

"This facility will absolutely have a role in every future space mission," said David Storch, facility manager for NASA's transonic dynamics tunnel. "You know, anything that has to come back to earth. Absolutely."

The facility will provide NASA and its partners with a critical resource for testing the safety and performance of future generations of aircraft, rockets, space-exploration vehicles, X-planes, drones and autonomous flight vehicles.

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A senior House Democrat is urging his party to push back against the growing socialist wing that's been gaining influence in recent years.

"I don't ascribe to any of those ideas at all, and I think that there's very little support for those ideas," Rep. Tom Suozzi, D-N.Y., told Fox News Digital in an interview.

He compared the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) to the House Freedom Caucus, a group on the rightmost flank of the House GOP, while denouncing the DSA's use of the word "democratic" in its name — implying its ideals were mostly socialist in nature.

"Much like the Republicans have had to deal with the Freedom Caucus, the Democrats are going to have to deal with this group," Suozzi said. "I don't like the idea of them using 'democratic.' I think that we should be, as the Democratic Party, should be fighting against that and saying, 'You know, you shouldn't be using the word democratic ... that's us, that's not you."

RAHM EMANUEL WARNS DSA AGENDA DOESN'T PLAY WELL OUTSIDE 'UPPER WEST SIDE OF MANHATTAN'

It comes as DSA-linked candidates are making significant inroads in primary elections across the country, even defeating incumbent House progressives in New York and Colorado.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS AIM TO TURN DEMOCRATIC CIVIL WAR INTO MIDTERM WEAPON

And as Republicans work to capitalize on a burgeoning civil war within the party, Suozzi warned fellow Democrats to take the perception of a DSA takeover seriously.

"I try not to waste my time on worry. I try to take action. So I just say very clearly, 'That's not me and that's not us, and this is why that's not us, and that's why this is not me.' And I fight back against it," Suozzi said. "And there are a lot of Democrats who say, 'Oh, if you look at it, it's just a very small percentage in very deep-blue seats. And it's not that big a deal.' I think that's wrong to just discount it like that. I think you just come out head-on, and take it on and say, 'These guys are wrong. We've got nothing to do with them.'"

100 DAY SPRINT TO THE MIDTERMS KICKS OFF AS REPUBLICANS AND DEMOCRATS CLASH FOR CONTROL ACROSS THE COUNTRY

Suozzi himself is part of an ever-shrinking group of moderates on both sides of the aisle. He's also co-chair of the bipartisan Problem Solvers Caucus, which is dedicated to finding legislative solutions that both parties can get behind.

The New York Democrat is one of Republicans' top targets in the coming midterm elections, and his November victory would be key to Democrats taking back control of the House. Suozzi's district, anchored in the wealthy Long Island suburbs outside of New York City, was won by President Donald Trump in 2024.

He told Fox News Digital that Democrats should not focus on running against Trump the person, but rather argue about his specific policy actions.

"Your grocery prices are higher, your fuel prices are high, your health insurance costs are higher. Your energy bill is higher. Your kids can't buy a house — all these different factors. And that's happening because of this administration," Suozzi argued. "I think it should be less about Trump himself. You know, when I say it should be a referendum on Trump, it should be a referendum on this administration's performance addressing the things in your life."

Meanwhile, Republicans have argued that a Democrat-controlled House will embolden the party's socialist wing to take control and push policies that are unpopular with Americans.

In the Empire State, for example, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist, has become a prominent boogeyman for the right.

Suozzi said the tactic "would be effective" if he had not distanced himself from the socialist's policy platform early on.

"He's a very smart guy, he's very charismatic," Suozzi said. "I just fundamentally disagree with his positions on things."

But it's not enough to speak out against the socialist left, Suozzi warned.

"I started a thing called The Promise to America, where I've got now 10 members of Congress signed onto it. We're in the process of getting 200 state and local officials," he said. "We've identified 10 candidates, Democratic candidates, to sign the pledge that says 'We're capitalist, not socialist. We're for safety, not lawlessness. We're proud, not ashamed of America, and we're mainstream, we're not extreme.' So we've just got to organize, we've got to do the work necessary."

Suozzi is running against Republican former state lawmaker Mike LiPetri, whom Trump endorsed to flip the seat red.

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The New Mexico Supreme Court ruled that the body camera footage of a woman confessing to hiding her newborn baby in a hospital trash can in an attempt to conceal her pregnancy cannot be used by prosecutors in her murder case because of doctor-patient confidentiality.

Alexee Trevizo, who was 19 when she was arrested and charged with first-degree murder and tampering with evidence in 2023, was captured on police body camera admitting to hospital staff and her mother that she dumped the baby boy in the trash after workers reported the incident to authorities.

But the court ruled in a unanimous decision that all statements made in front of a police officer in the hospital room cannot be used at trial because her confession was protected under doctor-patient confidentiality, People reported. The state's high court also upheld the Fifth Judicial District Court’s ruling that surveillance video showing Trevizo inside the hospital and any body camera footage captured by police were also not admissible in court.

Trevizo’s doctor entered the room with two officers and informed the then-high school cheerleader and her mother that a dead newborn was found in the trash and had to be reported, the body camera footage shows.

NEW MEXICO WOMAN CHARGED WITH MURDER AFTER DEAD NEWBORN FOUND IN TRASHCAN

"I’m sorry, it came out of me. I didn’t know what to do," Trevizo was heard saying in the footage after a doctor told her the baby was found in the trash.

"I was scared," she continued, claiming that the child "was not crying or nothing."

After learning that a newborn had been found in the trash can, Trevizo’s mother asked: "How big is the baby?" A nurse told her that the baby appeared to be full term, to which Trevizo responded that "nothing was crying."

Trevizo's mother then asked her: "Where did you put the baby at? Tell me the truth. You put it in the bag?" Trevizo confirmed that she did put the newborn in the trash bag.

Police had not read Trevizo her Miranda rights before making the confession, but prosecutors argued that she did not need to be Mirandized since she was speaking to hospital staff in front of officers and not directly to any police.

The young woman was also receiving medical treatment when officers entered the room with body cameras.

"Despite her unresolved medical crisis, Dr. [Heather] Vaskas, without authorization, ambushed Defendant, bringing with her two armed officers who stood in the doorway of her hospital room, and disclosed her personal medical information to all persons in the room without warning," the court said in an opinion written by Justice Michael E. Vigil.

Since Trevizo was "not given the opportunity to exclude anyone from the room before Dr. Vaskas discussed her condition in the presence of others" and in a "compromised medical condition," the justices said that they "cannot conclude that Defendant’s waiver of her physician-patient privilege was voluntary."

Trevizo, now 22, arrived at Artesia General Hospital for severe back pain on Jan. 27, 2023, when hospital staff began running tests and giving her morphine for the pain as they waited for her results.

The teenager repeatedly denied to hospital staff that she was pregnant before running out of her hospital room and holding her backside on her way to the bathroom. Her mother followed her toward the bathroom and knocked several times on the locked door, waiting with hospital staff for around 20 minutes before the high school senior opened the door just as a nurse was about to unlock it.

After she opened the door, Trevizo was found cleaning up a heavy amount of blood on the floor. Hospital staff originally suspected the blood was from the woman attempting to terminate her pregnancy.

The bathroom had blood splattered on the wall, so hospital staff asked a janitor to clean it.

As the janitor was cleaning the bathroom, they noticed the trash felt heavier than expected and dug around until they discovered the newborn baby that was no longer breathing hidden inside. The janitor then told nurses of the discovery, and police were notified as required by law.

The New Mexico Office of the Medical Investigator later determined the newborn died by homicide, finding that the child died from entrapment after being placed and tied inside a plastic trash bag beneath bloody paper towels and other garbage. The autopsy report also said the child had air in his lungs and that there was evidence of a hemorrhage consistent with hypoxia.

Despite these findings, Trevizo has maintained that the baby was stillborn. She has also continued to claim that she did not realize she was pregnant until she gave birth to her child in the hospital bathroom.

NEW MEXICO TEEN ACCUSED OF KILLING NEWBORN FACES 'NONSENSE' PETITION TO BAN HER FROM COLLEGE: LAWYER

The district attorney’s office filed charges against Trevizo based on the conversation captured on body camera footage as well as video taken from hospital security cameras that showed her in the hospital hallway entering and later leaving the bathroom. But that evidence is now inadmissible.

After her arrest on May 10, 2023, Trevizo was released from jail and allowed to finish her senior year of high school without an ankle monitor or house arrest while waiting for trial.

Trevizo attended prom and had planned to walk at her high school graduation while awaiting trial, but the school asked her not to attend.

She then attended New Mexico State University, where students launched a petition that received more than 30,000 signatures demanding she be banned from campus.

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EXCLUSIVE: The rise of a new type of fraudster has a top Trump administration investigator sounding the alarm as new — albeit brazen — schemes for ripping off hard-working American taxpayers emerge.

The Department of Labor (DOL) Inspector General is warning of a growing cottage industry of online scammers, dubbed "fraudfluencers," who boast their skill in exploiting government programs and facilitate fraud on behalf of others. Typically, the scammers take a cut of the fraudulently obtained benefits.

"This isn’t just a crime — it’s a deliberate and public betrayal of every hardworking American who plays by the rules," DOL Inspector General Anthony P. D’Esposito told Fox News Digital. "Fraud is not a trend or content; it’s theft of taxpayer dollars, and it will be prosecuted."

EXCLUSIVE: WOMAN WHO STOLE $1.7M MEANT FOR HURRICANE VICTIMS GETS PRISON TIME AS DHS CRACKS DOWN ON FEMA FRAUD

In one case, a California Employment Development Department (EDD) contract employee named Britteny Egland openly used her social media to invite others to participate in her schemes. She offered to help her followers take advantage of taxpayer-funded programs they weren't qualified for by using insider information and stolen identities to file fraudulent unemployment insurance, grant and rent relief applications. 

Egland had nearly 10,000 followers on Instagram and over 1,500 followers on X at the time of the posts. Her actions exhibit a growing cottage industry of online schemers who brazenly solicit others to team up and commit fraud.

She went on to steal $2.8 million from government coffers.

"NEW OR REGULAR CLAIMS ONLY," a typical post from the fraudfluencer, who used the handle @Britisshh on X, reads. "IF YOU DID PANDEMIC EDD THIS ISN'T FOR YOU! EVEN IF YOU HAVE A REMAINING BALANCE IT WILL NOT WORK."

EXCLUSIVE: FBI ADDS ALLEGED COVID FRAUDSTER ACCUSED OF TAKING $5M FROM KIDS' MEAL PROGRAM TO MOST WANTED LIST

"IF YOU HAVEN'T DID EDD DURING THAT PERIOD LET'S RUN IT UP. 10-30K," the post continued, before offering for her to "check a claim" for the price of $150.

Egland prompted users to "get with the winning team" by defrauding the U.S. government, but warned potential clients against asking her too many questions because she was unable to address the influx of messages.

"IT'S A LOT OF MONEY ON THE FLOOR! PLEASE DON'T BE STUPID AND MISS OUT," another post from the perpetrator said. "NOBODY WENT TO JAIL OR OWE BACK FOR ANYTHING - LITERALLY - THE WHOLE WORLD IS SCAMMING THE GOVERNMENT AND ALL THESE PROGRAMS."

In a third post, the scammer offered her services in defrauding a $20,000 grant program, saying that she would take $5,000 and give the rest to her client.

VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 447 HOSPICES IN LOS ANGELES OVER MORE THAN $600M IN SUSPECTED FRAUD

The law eventually caught up with Egland. In June 2025, she pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

Egland was sentenced 60 months in federal prison, 36 months of supervised release and ordered to repay the full $2.8 million she stole.

"What makes this increasingly dangerous is the growing effort by fraudsters on social media to glamorize and normalize stealing from their own communities — turning theft into entertainment and betrayal into a lifestyle," said D'Esposito.

"My office, working in close coordination with Vice President Vance’s White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, has zero tolerance for those who cheat the system. We will pursue these cases aggressively, seek prison sentences, and ensure real accountability."

Egland's case isn't isolated.

Investigators are increasingly seeing fraudsters use social media to normalize theft, advertise their methods and build audiences around criminal behavior.

An Atlanta man named Jonathan Dupiton, who had a podcast with the motto "F.R.A.U.D is Dope," was convicted in April and sentenced to seven years in federal prison for using stolen identities to brazenly obtain $3.8 million in fraudulent unemployment insurance benefits from the same California EDD program.

In 2022, a Memphis rapper called "Nuke Bizzle," whose real name is Fontrell Antonio Baines, was sentenced to 77 months in federal prison after exploiting Pandemic Unemployment Assistance provisions from the CARES Act, meant to help struggling Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Baines bragged about his $788,000 in ill-gotten gains in a music video posted to YouTube.

"The criminal mindset hasn’t changed — only the platform has," said D'Esposito, a former NYPD detective. "I’ve seen criminals make mistakes. Today’s ‘Fraudfluencers’ make those mistakes in high definition. They steal from taxpayers, boast about it on social media, and leave a digital footprint our investigators can follow."

D'Esposito and the White House Fraud Task Force was created, in part, to crack down on taxpayer funds being paid out to fraudsters and to end the widespread abuse of government programs.

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As President Donald Trump intensifies his push to eliminate the Senate filibuster to pass the SAVE America Act, lawmakers are exposing familiar fault lines over when the chamber's 60-vote rule should, and shouldn't, apply.

Democratic senators avoided endorsing an outright elimination of the filibuster. Some defended exceptions for certain legislation, with several arguing it should stay in place while Republicans push to pass the SAVE Act through the Senate.

"I would want to know what specific measure it covered," Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., told Fox News Digital. "I'm in favor of eliminating the filibuster for specific measures, not across the board."

TRUMP'S VOTER ID BILL CATCHES UNLIKELY BREAK AS MCCONNELL REMAINS SIDELINED

"When we wanted the Voting Rights Act passed, I was willing to do it," Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash said.

"It depends on constitutional issues," she said. "If there are people that are overriding the Constitution and not following the Constitution, that would be an area where I would think about [eliminating the filibuster.]"

Democrats previously pushed to create exceptions to the filibuster for legislation including voting rights bills after Republicans repeatedly blocked those measures during President Joe Biden's administration.

As the SAVE Act stalls in the Senate, Trump has repeatedly urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune and other Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster to pass the election integrity bill.

"I think we have to be really careful," Sen. Angela Alsobrooks said. "The filibuster is what’s preventing President Trump from his SAVE Act."

Trump took to Truth Social urging Thune not to allow the Senate to leave for August recess until lawmakers either pass the Save Act terminate the filibuster. He also insisted that Senate Democrats would do it to advance their own legislation if they regained the majority.

WATCH: ELISSA SLOTKIN SAYS SAVE AMERICA ACT WOULD MAKE IT 'HARD FOR ANY DEMOCRAT' TO WIN AN ELECTION

"I think that the Democrats would absolutely eliminate the filibuster," Sen. Roger Marshall said. "Every Democrat senator that's here now, that was here when they had the chance, voted to end it."

Marshall explained that his position switched on this, with him now having newfound support for eliminating the filibuster as he claims the Democratic party has become unwilling to cooperate.

"Democrats don't want to cooperate," Marshall said.

He continued, "They want to do everything they can to make life miserable in America, thinking it's going to help them politically. Always putting their political goals ahead of what's best for America."

TRUMP DEMANDS THUNE KEEP SENATE IN SESSION UNTIL SAVE AMERICA ACT PASSES

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., acknowledged the same argument that Thune has defended himself to the president for not passing the SAVE Act: the votes in the upper chamber are not there to remove the filibuster.

"[Trump] knows the votes aren’t there to do what he wants to do, in the way he wants to do it," Kennedy said. "The House has passed a budget resolution to get reconciliation started. We can pass the SAVE Act with the right… the correctly crafted bill."

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., is working to craft that bill to pass certain elements of the SAVE Act through the budget reconciliation process — dropping the need for Senate Democrats to vote in favor of the bill to get it passed to Trump.

"There comes a time when you got to stop talking and just vote," Kennedy said.

" I'm ready to vote, and I'm gonna vote yes. And I'll stay here as long into August or September as I need to for us to get our work done."

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Federal immigration officials have lodged a detainer against a Honduran national accused of attempting to disarm a police officer during an encounter in Northern Virginia.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is asking Fairfax County officials not to release Nehemia Noel Fuentes-Banegas after authorities said he ambushed a Fairfax County police officer Tuesday.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), officers responded to a report of a man who left a home in Annandale following an argument while allegedly armed with two knives.

SPANBERGER'S ICE ROLLBACK TO BLAME FOR TODDLER KILLING, VIRGINIA 'HOTBED' OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME: DHS

Fairfax County police said the man also stabbed himself before leaving the residence and fleeing into a nearby wooded area.

As officers searched a wooded area, Fuentes-Banegas allegedly emerged from the brush, grabbed an officer's firearm and attempted to disarm the officer, DHS said.

Fairfax County police said one officer fired his service weapon while a second officer simultaneously deployed a department-issued Taser. The bullet grazed Fuentes-Banegas' shoulder, police said.

Fuentes-Banegas was arrested and charged with attempted disarming of a law enforcement officer. ICE has lodged a detainer requesting that Fairfax County notify federal authorities before his release.

ILLEGAL ALIEN ‘MONSTER’ CHARGED WITH RAPING DEAD GIRLFRIEND’S DAUGHTER, DHS BLAMES BIDEN-ERA POLICIES

According to DHS, Fuentes-Banegas entered the United States illegally through Texas in 2022 and was later released under the Biden administration.

"This criminal illegal alien from Honduras attacked a law enforcement officer and attempted to take the officer's gun," DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

"He has now been charged with attempted disarming of a law enforcement officer," she continued. "ICE is calling on Governor Abigail Spanberger and her fellow sanctuary politicians to commit to not releasing this dangerous criminal from jail."

DHS blamed Virginia's sanctuary policies for limiting cooperation with federal immigration authorities, arguing they have made the commonwealth "a magnet for illegal alien crime."

ABIGAIL SPANBERGER’S VIRGINIA A ‘HOTBED’ FOR ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT CRIME, DHS SAYS AFTER LATEST RAPE CHARGE

The department noted that Spanberger signed executive orders at the start of her administration ending former Gov. Glenn Youngkin's 287(g) agreements and limiting state cooperation with ICE.

"Under Governor Spanberger, Virginia has become a hotbed of illegal alien crime," DHS said.

DHS also pointed to the recent arrest of Raul Genesis Ortiz Moran, a Mexican national charged with second-degree murder and aggravated sexual battery in connection with the death of a 2-year-old girl in Louisa County.

"This horrific tragedy was completely avoidable because this illegal alien should have never been in our country. Governor Spanberger’s sanctuary policies have made Virginia a hotbed for illegal alien crime," DHS Assistant Secretary Lauren Bis previously told Fox News Digital.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Spanberger's office for comment.

Fox News Digital's Charles Creitz contributed to this report.

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There’s a moment in the homebuying process that always stands out for me. It’s at closing when, after countless pages have been signed, my clients take their new keys and start the next chapter of their lives. I’ve helped clients buy and sell thousands of properties during my real estate career. Yet that moment never loses its meaning because it’s the embodiment of the American Dream — of unlocking opportunity and a brighter future.

At the 250th anniversary of our founding, however, the path to homeownership has grown far harder than it should be. From inventory to insurance and regulatory hurdles, there are very real affordability barriers preventing buyers from entering the housing market.

Making the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act a law is a massive step in the right direction, but there is more work to do, and we need to maintain momentum. Homeownership puts families on the path to intergenerational wealth, strengthening our economy and the social fabric of our nation. The most important part is to now act on the opportunity.

THE AMERICAN DREAM NOW COMES WITH A ZIP CODE: HERE'S WHERE STARTER HOMES ARE STILL WITHIN REACH

Americans across the board increasingly recognize the importance of homeownership. A recent national poll of voters commissioned by NAR found that 85% of respondents say owning a home is part of the American Dream, up from 79% who were asked that same question in 2013. It’s understandable why: homeowners have 40 times the net worth of renters. In fact, home equity and retirement accounts represent over 60% of American households’ net worth.

Yet, too many barriers to homeownership exist. Sadly, this isn’t new. My father had to contend with redlining and discriminatory covenants, conditions and restrictions. But his persistence in the face of prejudice laid a groundwork of intergenerational wealth through homeownership and real estate investment. In doing so, it expanded what was possible for our family.

My father built a business as a REALTOR®, bringing that transformative power to others, and my brother and I followed suit. We saw firsthand how homeownership strengthens families, communities and the economy. This is the thread that ties my family’s story together and countless others.

THE SURPRISING HIDDEN COST QUIETLY ADDING NEARLY $132K TO NEW HOME PRICES REVEALED

Now, to fix today's problem, it helps to identify it clearly. Ten years ago, there were 1.65 million available homes, and buyers could lock in a mortgage rate at 3.7%. Today, inventory stands at just 1.18 million homes, despite 20 million more people living in the United States, and mortgage rates are hovering north of 6%.

This is a concerning reality. As president of the National Association of REALTORS®; I’ve watched the path to home ownership grow longer and steeper. Our 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers shows that the median age of a first-time buyer is 40, the highest on record in the United States.

This is also personal for me. My own children are in their 20s, I know the struggles of first-time buyers trying to break into the market due to the lack of affordable homes. I see it when I counsel young people looking for a pair of house keys to call their own.

There is no quick fix. But there is a path forward — one that requires taking on the full set of forces shaping the housing market. This means addressing financing, expanding supply, tackling rising insurance costs, zoning restrictions, protecting access to inventory and breaking down barriers that keep Americans from owning a home.

This is one of the reasons why NAR was such a full-throated supporter of the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act. It took immense effort on the part of many stakeholders, representing the kind of comprehensive action that can expand the dream of homeownership to more Americans.

In every ZIP Code across the country, this law gives communities new tools and resources to plan and build for growth, streamlining federal processes that delay construction, and updating financing options for manufactured and rural housing. It’s a package of nearly 50 individual bills that together will make an impact for years to come.

But now is the time to step on the gas when it comes to addressing federal, state, and local policies that have adverse effects on homeownership. Take rent control as an example: we know that affordability is a real concern, but these rent control measures do not work, discouraging investment and limiting housing supply.

That’s why we worked alongside state and industry stakeholders to successfully challenge the statewide rent control ballot measure in Massachusetts, advocating instead for policies that expand housing availability and improve affordability over the long term.

A similar rationale underpins our ongoing advocacy against the "Home Equity Tax" that is freezing our housing market. Current capital gains exclusion levels haven’t been updated in nearly 30 years or indexed to inflation.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION

The result is that more and more middle-income Americans fall victim to this tax each year and choose to stay put, with first-time buyers and families facing higher prices. Through new original research, polling and advocacy with policymakers, we're making the case that modernizing these thresholds would help unlock existing housing supply and improve opportunities for buyers. This legislation would have immediate effect and is the fastest way to get more homes on the market now.

At its core, homeownership is about more than having a place to call your own. It’s a foundation for financial stability, wealth building and community well-being. It drives economic strength. The numbers back this up; real estate represents nearly one-fifth of U.S. GDP, and each home sale produces $125,310 in local economic activity and generates two jobs. It’s that straightforward.

At our nation’s 250th anniversary, I am clear-eyed about the challenges that homebuyers and sellers face. But I’ve never been more optimistic about the power of real estate and the impact it can have. It’s time to make homeownership more accessible and affordable. The keys are within reach.

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A Washington mother says she is withdrawing her children from an elementary school after learning a Pride-themed lesson had been presented during music class without advance notice to parents or an opportunity to opt out, raising questions about district policies governing classroom instruction.

"I assumed I had probably missed an email asking for consent, but there was nothing," Maria Varchetto said in communications with school administrators, which she shared with Fox News Digital on Monday. "No advanced notice, no opportunity to review the lesson, no information letting parents know this topic would be discussed. No option to request that our kids be allowed to opt out and participate in an alternative activity. There was nothing."

Varchetto alleged the lesson was presented to elementary school students, including her daughter, on June 15 at Martha Lake Elementary School in the Edmonds School District as part of a music class and that parents were not informed beforehand.

TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS WOKE SCHOOLS ACCUSED OF HIDING STUDENTS' GENDER TRANSITIONS FROM PARENTS

Varchetto said that a video entitled, "Why is Pride in June," from the YouTube account, "Queer Kid Stuff," which, according to the account, "imagines a kinder and more equal future through highly-accessible education and entertainment for kids ages 3+," was shown to her fourth-grade daughter.

The YouTube channel describes itself as an "LGBTQ+ educational webseries for children ages 3+ hosted by a tie-wearing queer lady, Lindsay, and her non-binary best-stuffed friend, Teddy. Gender Studies 101 meets Mr. Rodgers’ Neighborhood!"

Varchetto said the incident prompted her to remove her children from the school.

VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT SUED OVER ALLEGED POLICY OF KEEPING STUDENTS' GENDER TRANSITIONS HIDDEN FROM PARENTS

"We are 100% removing our kids from this school as I have no trust in the leadership," Varchetto said.

Other materials Varchetto said were included were a list of videos from musicians in the LGBTQ+ community such as Freddie Mercury of Queen, Lil Nas X, and Billy Porter dancing in a ballgown on Sesame Street.

Varchetto told school officials that her daughter recalled hearing during the lesson that students could identify as gay, lesbian, transgender, asexual, nonbinary or Two-Spirit.

She said an administrator told her she had not been aware those topics were part of the classroom discussion, leaving Varchetto wondering whether the lesson included more than the materials she had been shown.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OPENS FOUR TITLE IX INVESTIGATIONS INTO MICHIGAN AND NORTH CAROLINA SCHOOL DISTRICTS

"No handouts were sent home (which is typical for music class)," Varchetto told Fox News Digital in a statement.

Varchetto said she asked the school for a copy of the lesson materials but was told they could only be reviewed in person rather than sent electronically. She also said parents were not notified beforehand that the lesson would be taught, were not given an opportunity to opt their children out, and received no advance communication about its content.

She said that cultural lessons were taught every month for the theme of that month, but that Pride month was left off of the list of lessons.

"I feel mad they did this, mad they hid it," Varchetto said. "I feel insulted, offended, angry, and sad that my kids are now being taken out of a lifestyle they've grown to love, away from the friendships they've built, all because this one teacher didn't care to ask permission and a principal lied and hid it." 

In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Edmonds School District said, "The lesson was not part of a districtwide Pride curriculum. It was a music lesson developed by the school’s music teacher that highlighted the contributions of influential musicians, including some who identify as LGBTQ+."

The spokesperson continued, "The purpose of the lesson was to teach music and music history through the lives and contributions of notable artists. Discussions about an artist’s background or identity were included as relevant biographical context, similar to how students may learn about other aspects of historical figures’ lives that helped shape their experiences and contributions."

The spokesperson added, "We expect instructional materials to be age-appropriate and aligned with district expectations and state standards. As with any concern raised about classroom instruction, we will work with the school administrator to determine whether they met those expectations."

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A man was sentenced on Wednesday to six months and a week behind bars for ramming his car into the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in January, damaging some of the a side-entrance door.

Dan Sohail, 36, of New Jersey, was sentenced in Brooklyn federal court, where he was also ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution. The sentence will allow Sohail, who has already spent six months in custody, to be released in about a week.

Sohail was charged with intentionally damaging religious property, and he pleaded guilty in May.

Prosecutors recommended a 14-month sentence, which would have kept Sohail behind bars for roughly another eight months, but the judge declined the request. Prosecutors sought the longer sentence as a deterrent to future attacks on Jewish institutions amid a rise in antisemitic hate crimes.

DRIVER RAMS CAR REPEATEDLY INTO DOORS OF NYC JEWISH SITE, SUSPECT DETAINED

On Jan. 28, Sohail repeatedly rammed his vehicle into the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters. He moved protective barriers, gestured for congregants to get out of the way and drove his car into the building’s side entrance five times, knocking the door off its hinges and destroying his car's front bumper.

While the doors were damaged, no injuries were reported.

Judge Eric N. Vitaliano said he was "somewhat saddened" that the Justice Department wanted him to be influenced at sentencing by the public’s mistaken initial impression that the attack was a hate crime.

Prosecutors said ahead of sentencing that 80 of 146 hate crime incidents across New York City since the start of the year were based on crimes targeting Jewish people and institutions.

NY ASSEMBLYMAN CALLS FOR DOJ TO INVESTIGATE MAMDANI, PROTECT JEWISH NEW YORKERS AFTER STABBING ATTACKS

But Vitaliano said the government's push for a stricter sentence as a deterrent to future attacks was in part based on the incident initially being labeled as an "I-hate-the-Jews crime, or, worse, an act-of-terrorism crime."

The judge cited a psychiatric report and said Sohail's mental health challenges "played an important role" in his sentencing.

"This is a sad tale," Vitaliano said.

Sohail's lawyer, Mia Eisner-Grynberg, said he had been trying to win acceptance at the Jewish institution as he struggled with psychological issues.

Eisner-Grynberg told the judge in court papers before sentencing that Sohail was battling depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after a traumatic childhood when he carried out the attack, even as he "desperately sought belonging and understanding through his exploration of Judaism."

She said Sohail attended the Chabad he later attacked, finding rabbinical students there "warm and welcoming."

Sohail "danced with them" and followed their recommendation to visit Israel, but he became erratic and extremely anxious after returning to the U.S., "begging" members of Chabad to help him, Eisner-Grynberg said.

Ramming the car into the building was "an irrational cry for help," she said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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A representative for George Clooney confirmed the evacuation to People and shared a letter the couple sent to Brignoles Mayor Didier Brémond

The couple and their 9-year-old twins left their home in Brignoles, in France's Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, as fires threatened large swaths of the Mediterranean, the outlet reported. A representative for George Clooney confirmed to People that the couple sent a letter to Brignoles Mayor Didier Brémond before leaving.

"Dear Didier, At this point we have no idea whether our beautiful home makes it through this terrible moment," the letter began.

DEADLY FRENCH WILDFIRES THREATEN MISSILE PLANTS, NUCLEAR SITES AS FOURTH HEATWAVE LOOMS

"As we evacuate Brignoles we want to emphasise 2 things, first we hope you and the people of our city are safe and second that Amal and i are committed to making sure that whatever happens to our village, we are part of this community and we’ll be part of making it whole," the letter continued. "We love Brignoles and our friends who live there."

Fox News Digital has reached out to Clooney's representatives for additional comment, including whether the family has safely evacuated and if there is any update on the condition of their home.

The evacuation comes as wildfires continue to scorch southern Europe.

EUROPE'S FIRES REVEAL DEADLY MIX OF RECORD HEAT, HUMAN ERROR, ARSON AND LAND MISMANAGEMENT

As of Wednesday, an uncontained wildfire roughly four times the size of Paris was burning across southwestern France.  The blaze was separate from the fire threatening the Brignoles area, where about 3,000 people were evacuated. Fires also continued to threaten parts of southern Europe, and three firefighters died in Greece as crews battled extreme heat, drought and strong winds, according to The Associated Press.

More than 300,000 people have been forced to evacuate in France and Spain, including residents and tourists.

Temperatures climbed to nearly 104 degrees Wednesday in France's Gironde region, where the country's largest wildfire prompted the evacuation of roughly 220,000 residents and vacationers at its peak. While many have since returned, tens of thousands remain displaced.

HEATHER LOCKLEAR SAYS SHE LIVES 'FAR AWAY' FROM HOLLYWOOD AND STAYS OUT OF THE SOCIAL SCENE

In an October 2025 interview with Esquire , Clooney said he and Amal chose to raise their family on a farm in France to give their children a quieter upbringing away from Hollywood.

"A good portion of my life growing up was on a farm, and as a kid, I hated the whole idea of it," he said. "But now, for them, it’s like—they’re not on their iPads, you know? They have dinner with grown-ups and have to take their dishes in. They have a much better life."

Clooney also said he was "worried about raising our kids in L.A., in the culture of Hollywood."

"I felt like they were never going to get a fair shake at life," he said. "France — they kind of don’t give a s--- about fame. I don’t want them to be walking around worried about paparazzi. I don’t want them being compared to somebody else’s famous kids."

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