‘American hero’ saves 165 lives in devastating Texas floods as death toll mounts
A United States Coast Guard rescue swimmer from New Jersey is being called a hero after rescuing close to 200 people following flash floods in Central Texas.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan, 26, was singled out by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for his efforts saving 165 victims as the only triage coordinator at the scene of the floods.
“United States Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin (Ruskan), directly saved an astonishing 165 victims in the devastating flooding in central Texas. This was the first rescue mission of his career and he was the only triage coordinator at the scene. Scott Ruskin is an American hero. His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the @USCG,” Noem’s posted to her social media account on X.
CAMP MYSTIC DIRECTOR DIES WHILE TRYING TO SAVE KIDS DURING TEXAS FLOODING
Ruskan said in an interview on “Fox and Friends” that they were in the air when they saw a huge crowd of about 200 kids at a campsite. That is how they decided to focus on Camp Mystic.
“Yeah, as far as right now, we’ve been getting our tasks from higher above mostly from the Army as of right now. But a lot of it has just been large state triages, so we were at Mystic yesterday for a long period of time. We probably got about 200 people out of there alone, and it was just, yeah, we just saw a huge crowd, about 200 kids at a campsite. So, we’re like, cool that’s where we’re gonna go, and we’re just gonna get as many people out as we can until they’re all gone,” Scott told “Fox and Friends.”
TEXAS FLOOD SURVIVORS SHARE HARROWING STORIES, SEARCH CONTINUES FOR THOSE STILL MISSING
Kerr County Sheriff’s Office says that as of 1:30pm Sunday they had recovered 68 deceased in Kerr County.
“Among those who are deceased, we have 40 adults and 28 children. Eighteen adults are pending identification, and 10 children also pending identification. At present, there are 10 Camp Mystic campers unaccounted for, along with one counselor,” they posted to Facebook.
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Search and rescue operations are ongoing, they said, and there is a full response from local, state, and national first responders.
“We continue to have hundreds of officers, deputies, and support staff working every aspect of this emergency, along with air, water, K9, and other assets conducting search and rescue,” the sheriff’s office said.
Ex-Houston official goes viral for making sick racial comments about Texas girl’s camp
A former appointee to a Houston city board recently came under fire for claiming that a Texas summer camp devastated by flooding was “White-only, conservative [and] Christian.”
Sade Perkins, a former member of the Houston Food Insecurity Board, made the claims about Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas, in a TikTok video this weekend.
The office of Houston Mayor John Whitmire confirmed to Fox News Digital that Perkins posted the video. She was appointed by former Mayor Sylvester Turner in 2023, and her term expired in January 2025.
In her video, Perkins began by predicting that she was “probably gonna get canceled for this.”
CAMP MYSTIC DIRECTOR DIES WHILE TRYING TO SAVE KIDS DURING TEXAS FLOODING
“But Camp Mystic is a Whites-only girls Christian camp,” Perkins continued. “They don’t even have a token Asian, they don’t have a Token Black person, it is a all White, White-only conservative Christian camp.”
“If you ain’t White, you ain’t right,” she claimed. “You ain’t getting in, you ain’t going, period.”
Perkins added, “It’s not to say that we don’t want the girls to be found, whatever girls that are missing… but you best believe, especially in today’s political climate, if this were a group of Hispanic girls….this would not be getting this type of coverage that they’re getting. No one would give a f–k.”
The former appointee said that she intended “no shade” for the girls who were missing or killed due to the flood, and said that she “hope[s] they all get found,” but suggested that there was too much sympathy for them.
“They want you to have sympathy for these people. They want to get out of your bed and to come out of your home and to go find these people and to donate your money to go to find these people,” Perkins said in the video.
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN REUNITES WITH DAUGHTERS AFTER TEXAS CAMP FLOODING, THANKS ‘COUNTLESS HEROES’
“Meanwhile, they are deporting your family members. Meanwhile, they’re setting up concentration camps and prisons for your family members. And I need you all to keep that in mind before you all get out there and put on your rain boots and go find these little girls.”
Speaking to Fox News, Whitmire’s office said that Perkins would not be reappointed to the board, and called her comments “deeply inappropriate.”
“The comments shared on social media are deeply inappropriate and have no place in a decent society, especially as families grieve the confirmed deaths and the ongoing search for the missing,” the statement from the mayor’s office read.
“Mayor John Whitmire will not reappoint her and is taking immediate steps to remove her permanently from the board.”
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At least 80 deaths have been confirmed from the catastrophic flood as of Sunday, a large number being children. At least 10 campers from Camp Mystic are still missing.
Teen camper reveals heartbreaking survival tactic during deadly Texas flash floods
A young camper who was rescued from Camp Mystic described the harrowing ordeal as catastrophic floods pummeled Central Texas.
“We went to bed thinking it was just a normal thunderstorm. One minute you see lightning strike next to your cabin, and next to you, you hear water’s coming up,” 16-year-old Callie McAlary described on ‘Fox Report.’
“And you have kids running just trying to get to other cabins, trying to get to safety. And luckily, my cabin was one of the few cabins that did not get water, but the cabins in front of us did get some water,” McAlary continued.
McAlary’s mother, Tara Bradburn, also reflected on the tragic flooding, saying that despite living in Virginia now, the camp had been a huge part of their lives as McAlary had been attending the camp since she was in second grade.
CAMP MYSTIC DIRECTOR DIES WHILE TRYING TO SAVE KIDS DURING TEXAS FLOODING
“We chose this camp. I was a Texan. It was important to me that my child have Texas roots,” Bradburn shared.
“Living in Virginia, we brought her to Camp Mystic and turned her over to the Dick and Tweedy Eastland family and Camp Mystics and their staff because we knew they would love on our child. They would help her grow in her faith and live the Mystic ideals of being a better person and bringing out the best in her,” Bradburn continued. “We are so devastated by what has happened, but truly grateful and thankful to the Eastland family for all they have done and all they’ve given as a family to save the children that they could.”
Bradburn weighed in on how devastating that evening was for her daughter and how fast everything turned into a nightmare.
“Even up on Senior Hill, I think that conveys to you how fast the water came up and how high it came and how it was a 100-year historic flash flood. We had never seen anything like this. And I cannot say enough about what these young counselors did to calm these girls and to ensure their safety,” Bradburn said.
“And what the men and the staff and the Eastland family did to try to help everyone that they could – they are heroes. And those young girls and those young counselors that our young girls were under for the summer were remarkable and were brave and were strong and saved so many children and kept so many children calm so that decisions could be made to keep other girls safe and move them to safety.”
McAlary continued to describe the night and the moment she realized something was terribly wrong.
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN REUNITES WITH DAUGHTERS AFTER TEXAS CAMP FLOODING, THANKS ‘COUNTLESS HEROES’
“We heard one second, it was really bad thunder. I woke up to a big giant sound of thunder and lightning striking,” McAlary recalled. “We heard one of the campers run in and say, ‘hey, our cabin is flooding.”I knew some girls slept on trunks that night, some girls had to share beds, some girls slept on floors because they couldn’t go back to their cabin because it was so flooded in three cabins.”
In an effort to protect herself and prepare for the worst-case scenario, McAlary put a name tag on her body in the middle of the night.
“I put on my name tag because I was scared that if water was coming out next to other cabins that our cabin might be next. And I just put it on just for safekeeping… in my head I was saying, ‘if something does happen, and I do get swept away, at least I’ll have my name on my body,'” McAlary explained.
Bradburn shared that both her and her husband had worked for the Department of Defense and each spent “many times in war zones on behalf of this nation,” and spoken to McAlary “more times than she could count” about staying safe in any environment.
TEXAS FLOOD SURVIVORS SHARE HARROWING STORIES, SEARCH CONTINUES FOR THOSE STILL MISSING
“This was not an environment we had ever thought we would have to prepare her for. That comment to me as a parent when she got off that helicopter and finally came into my arms and I saw this name tag on her, and it was the camp name tag she was issued on the day she arrived. It resonated with me that somewhere those little lessons that we gave her as parents years ago and throughout her life resonated with her in that moment,” Bradburn said.
Despite her daughter being alive and safe, Bradburn said they are devastated for so many families that are missing loved ones.
“There are no answers. This is a lot emotionally for anyone. And it’s something as parents, we owe our child to try to be strong for her and to ensure that she also has the help she needs moving forward,” Bradburn said.
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McAlary said she is now holding on to hope that the rest of her friends and all those who are missing are found soon.
“I really hope those kids that are missing are found. I knew a lot of those kids and a lot of those kids the night before hugged me before we all went to bed. And it’s hard to think about that one minute they were hugging me and the next minute they could be gone.”
Marines expand base security with new teammate after foreign intrusion attempts
The U.S. Marine Corps, in cooperation with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), has quietly launched a pilot program to station ICE agents at three major military installations: Camp Pendleton in California, Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia and Marine Corps Base Hawaii.
The move, aimed at bolstering security around these bases, has raised as many questions as it seeks to answer.
Abby Hall Blanco, a University of Tampa economics and defense professor, weighed in on the lack of transparency surrounding the program’s inception.
“We don’t really have a whole lot of information at precisely what led up to this specific program,” she told Fox News Digital. “The program is intended to augment security, particularly around the perimeter of these Marine Corps bases.”
JORDANIAN QUANTICO BREACH SUSPECT FREED UNDER BIDEN ARRESTED AGAIN BY ICE: REPORT
A Pentagon official issued a statement to Fox News Digital, emphasizing the collaborative nature of the effort.
“Our cooperative effort with ICE at MCB Camp Pendleton, MCB Quantico and MCB Hawaii is a pilot program that aligns with the enhanced security measures we are implementing at all our installations worldwide to deter unauthorized installation access by foreign nationals.”
They said that the presence of ICE personnel “enhances installation-level force protection by increasing visibility, coordination, and threat awareness at critical access points and in surrounding areas.”
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The installation of ICE personnel comes after high-profile incidents, namely the 2023 breach attempt by two Jordanian nationals at Quantico.
Both individuals were apprehended on May 3, 2024 after they attempted to breach the Marine Corps base. A spokesperson previously shared with Fox News Digital that the pair arrived in a box truck and were stopped at the gate. The driver told military police officers that they were making a delivery to the post office and worked for a company subcontracted by Amazon.
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One of the two Jordanian nationals was later confirmed to be in the U.S. illegally, with the other a foreign student whose status was terminated, according to ICE.
Other incidents, including unauthorized drone flights over military installations and reports from The Wall Street Journal that around 100 Chinese nationals have attempted to breach U.S. military bases, add to the picture of a growing concern by the U.S. government.
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Despite heightened security, Hall expressed skepticism about the implications of involving ICE.
“It gives kind of an odd impression that the Marine Corps is not handling its own security sufficiently,” she said. “Having known quite a few Marines in my time, I can’t imagine that they would find that to be a particularly flattering interpretation.”
Fox News Digital has reached out to ICE for comment.
Slain college student’s alleged killer should have been jailed years ago, records show
An already grieving father was further enraged upon learning that the man accused of killing his daughter in a home burglary could have already been in prison for numerous other crimes had it not been for an apparent clerical error.
Logan Federico, a 22-year-old aspiring teacher from Waxhaw, North Carolina, was visiting friends at the University of South Carolina in Columbia and staying at a Cypress Street home when a “career criminal” broke in and shot her in the early morning hours of May 3.
Suspect Alexander Dickey, a 30-year-old man with a lengthy rap sheet, entered the home in the early morning, stole several credit and debit cards and fatally shot Logan in what Columbia Police Chief Skip Holbrook described as a “random” crime during a May 5 press conference.
“The main cog in this whole problem was the processing system of a career criminal that eventually escalated to executing Logan Federico,” Logan’s father, Stephen Federico, told Fox News Digital. “And this wasn’t just a random go-in-and-shoot-somebody. This was a guy that was a career criminal. And that’s why I hate the word ‘random’ being used. He wasn’t a random criminal. He was a career criminal that came across my daughter… and literally stuck a gun in her rib cage and pulled the trigger, for absolutely no reason.”
FATHER OF NC COLLEGE STUDENT ‘FURIOUS’ AFTER CAREER CRIMINAL ALLEGEDLY KILLS DAUGHTER IN USC HOUSE BURGLARY
Dickey has nearly 40 prior arrests across different North Carolina counties dating back more than a decade. He pleaded guilty to a first offense of third-degree burglary in 2023 and was sentenced to probation, despite having previously been convicted of second and third-degree burglary charges in 2014, as WIS first reported.
Now, different South Carolina officials and agencies are pointing fingers at each other over what appear to have been two clerical errors that led to gaps in Dickey’s record.
“There are more people … fighting for the rights of a career criminal than fighting for the right for my daughter to be safe.”
“There are so many things that I think have changed in the last 20 years… where I think that Dickie actually has more rights than Logan did,” Federico said. “[T]here are more people fighting for the rights of a career criminal than fighting for the right for my daughter to be safe. … Really think about how horrible that is — that somebody with 39 arrests, 25 felonies, was treated with more respect than Logan Federico.”
In August 2014, Dickey was charged with grand larceny. The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) received his fingerprints associated with that arrest, and the charge and disposition appear on his criminal history, the agency told Fox News Digital.
Dickey was served with four additional burglary and larceny warrants in August 2014, but those charges and dispositions do not appear on his criminal history, and SLED said it did not receive additional prints for that set of charges.
NC COLLEGE STUDENT SHOT DEAD BY ‘CAREER CRIMINAL’ IN ‘RANDOM’ SC HOME INVASION: POLICE
In October 2014, authorities served three additional warrants on burglary and larceny charges. Those charges and dispositions do not appear on his criminal history, SLED said, adding that the agency did not receive additional prints for this set of charges.
A first-degree burglary charge carries a minimum 15-year prison sentence, and a maximum life sentence. In November 2014, Dickey pleaded guilty to second-degree non-violent burglary and was sentenced to 10 years suspended, meaning he would not have to immediately serve any prison time.
In March 2015, Dickey had one of his two other burglary charges from 2014 dropped and pleaded guilty to a first offense of third-degree burglary, which carries a lighter sentence than a second or third offense.
ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT HELD WITHOUT BAIL IN DEATH OF UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA STUDENT
In 2023, he again pleaded guilty to a first offense of third-degree burglary — for a second time.
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Rick Hubbard, Solicitor of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, told WIS he didn’t know of Dickey’s prior convictions, which ultimately impacted his sentencing in 2023. Hubbard alleged that Dickey’s criminal record, or rap sheet, filed with the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) was incomplete.
Fox News Digital reached out to Hubbard’s office for comment.
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Federico said that when he learned of the error in Dickey’s rap sheet that could have kept him off the streets years ago, it was “the most horrendous thing other than” the phone call he received on the day his daughter was murdered.
“If he’s not out on the street… this meeting never happens,” Federico said of Dickey’s encounter with his daughter on May 3.
SLED suggested the rap sheet was incomplete because the agency never got Dickey’s fingerprints for the 2014 arrest for burglary, which should have come from the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department.
MAN ACCUSED IN NORTH CAROLINA VACATION TOWN ROAD RAGE SHOOTING THAT LEFT DAD OF 3 DEAD SEEKS RELEASE
“The shooting that ended the life of Logan Federico was a senseless tragedy that left her family and friends in pain,” Lexington County Sheriff’s Office told Fox News Digital in a statement. “Their pain prompts us in law enforcement to help prosecutors forge a rock-solid case against Alexander Dickey when his day in court comes.”
But the sheriff’s department added that Dickey’s full record was readily available, even if his fingerprints were not included in his SLED rap sheet.
“Anyone in the criminal justice system who had a role in his numerous cases over the past decade could access his long criminal history…”
“Anyone in the criminal justice system who had a role in his numerous cases over the past decade could access his long criminal history and see a variety of charges, including 23 arrests in Lexington County alone,” the department said. “His felony charges from April 2013 through April 2024 are on his rap sheet and also listed on the court’s public website.”
The sheriff’s office said Dickey’s charges involving eight different law enforcement agencies led the Lexington County Sheriff’s Department to book Dickey 11 times between 2013 and 2025.
“Dickey was held in [Lexington County Detention Center] from Aug. 13, 2014 until he was sent to state prison Nov. 21, 2014. His fingerprints were taken during the booking process on Aug. 13, 2014,” the department said. “Concerns have been raised as to whether his fingerprints were transmitted according to protocol after he was served additional arrest warrants while still in LCDC later in August and October 2014. We have reviewed all of Dickey’s bookings and we were unable to determine if his prints were taken at the time of those additional in-custody bookings in 2014. It’s possible the lack of prints associated with those bookings were the result of human or machine error.”
The sheriff’s department further added that it has “worked with state law enforcement and prosecutors in the weeks since Logan’s death to ensure the information from Dickey’s 11 bookings at LCDC is accurate.”
“Since his last arrest, we have provided Dickey’s fingerprints to state police to complete the August and October 2014 booking files. It’s important to note the cases in question were adjudicated and Dickey was sentenced on those charges in 2014 and 2015,” the department said. “As the agency that apprehended and arrested Dickey following his most recent crime wave over multiple jurisdictions, we have a significant role in this case.”
Stephen Federico said he is grateful to law enforcement for solving his daughter’s murder within 36 hours after she was found dead, but he is determined to expose problems within the criminal justice system that allowed Dickey to remain on the streets before he allegedly killed Logan.
“I am angry, and I’m trying to be very professional, very respectful, and I will never, ever downgrade what the law enforcement did for me and my family and Logan in 36 hours of solving this case. And it hasn’t gone to the courts yet, but it will, and they keep accumulating evidence and evidence, and are doing a great, outstanding job. But that doesn’t mean… that there aren’t holes in the system,” he said.
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“We’re going to get to the bottom of why it happened,” he said. “I don’t know what’s going to come of that. The finger pointing… everybody can finger point everywhere they want. But there is a process that’s gonna lead us back to where it started and where it ended and who needs to be held responsible for it.”
Dickey is charged with murder, two counts of first-degree burglary, two counts of possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime, possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, two counts of grand larceny, grand larceny of a motor vehicle, and three counts of financial transaction card theft.
His next court appearance is scheduled for July 25. He faces life in prison for the charges filed against him in Lexington County.
Dickey’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
CBS parent company sparks massive outrage with Trump lawsuit settlement
Paramount Global and CBS’ eight-figure settlement to President Donald Trump has caused widespread outrage across the legal and journalism communities.
Paramount Global and CBS agreed on Tuesday to settle Trump’s $20 billion election interference lawsuit against the network. The lawsuit alleged CBS News deceitfully edited a “60 Minutes” interview last year with then-Vice President Kamala Harris in order to make her appear more articulate ahead of Election Day.
Many legal experts and Paramount’s own attorneys insisted the lawsuit was meritless, but CBS’ parent company settled it anyway. It is widely believed that Paramount’s controlling shareholder Shari Redstone pushed for the settlement in hopes of paving the way for Trump’s FCC to approve a long-planned merger with David Ellison’s Skydance Media.
CBS staffers are furious and there has been extensive backlash from media watchdogs, journalism advocacy groups, liberal journalists and even Democratic lawmakers.
CBS STAFFERS REVOLT OVER PARAMOUNT’S ‘SHAMEFUL’ TRUMP SETTLEMENT, ‘BETRAYAL’ TO THE NETWORK’S JOURNALISTS
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., issued a scathing statement that said the settlement sets an “extremely dangerous precedent in terms of both the First Amendment and government extortion,” while Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., accused Paramount of taking a “bribe” and threatened future federal charges.
Former CNN anchor Jim Acosta said Paramount “paid a shameful bribe to the President of the United States in order to grease the skids for a media deal that, and there really is no other way to put this, stinks to high heaven.”
The American Civil Liberties Union believes Paramount and CBS “disgraced themselves” with the decision.
“President Trump’s lawsuit was frivolous. Paramount’s capitulation was craven. We’ve never been more in need of a free and independent press as a check on abuses of power. Instead, Paramount and CBS have disgraced themselves and betrayed the core values of journalism,” ACLU’s Speech, Privacy, and Technology Project director Ben Wizner said in a statement.
The Freedom of the Press Foundation called the settlement a “dark day” for press freedom.
“Paramount’s spineless decision to settle Trump’s baseless and patently unconstitutional lawsuit is an insult to the journalists of ‘60 Minutes’ and an invitation to Trump to continue targeting other news outlets. Each time a company cowers and surrenders to Trump’s demands it only emboldens him to do it again,” FPF director of advocacy Seth Stern wrote.
“It will be remembered as one of the most shameful capitulations by the press to a president in history,” Stern continued. “But we are not done fighting.”
PARAMOUNT, CBS FORCED TO PAY EIGHT FIGURES, CHANGE EDITORIAL POLICY IN SETTLEMENT WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP
The FPF is a Paramount Global shareholder, and Stern is ready to make his voice heard.
“We’ve already filed a shareholder information demand and are sending a second demand today to uncover information about this decision. With that information, we will continue to pursue our legal options to stop this affront to Paramount shareholders, CBS journalists, and the First Amendment. Paramount directors should be held accountable and we will do all we can to make that happen,” Stern wrote.
Famed First Amendment lawyer Floyd Abrams, who represented The New York Times during the Pentagon Papers case, told the FPF that Paramount’s decision to settle “is an ominous blow to press freedom in our nation.”
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a First Amendment advocacy organization, isn’t pleased with CBS News’ parent company, either.
“Paramount may have closed this case, but it opened the door to the idea that the government should be the media’s editor-in-chief. Trump has a long history of filing frivolous lawsuits to intimidate critics, and his targets have a long history of capitulating to avoid legal headaches. And here, he had the added tactic of using the FCC and its review of the multi-billion-dollar Paramount-Skydance merger to bring added pressure to bear,” FIRE Chief Counsel Bob Corn-Revere said.
“Behavior that gets rewarded gets repeated,” Corn-Revere continued. “This settlement will only embolden the president to continue his flurry of baseless lawsuits against the press — and against the American people’s ability to hear the news free from government intrusion.”
BERNIE SANDERS BLASTS PARAMOUNT, SAYS LAWSUIT SETTLEMENT WILL FURTHER EMBOLDEN TRUMP TO ATTACK MEDIA
PEN America, a group that bills itself as standing “at the intersection of literature and human rights to protect free expression in the United States and worldwide,” suggested CBS isn’t protecting it’s journalists.
“Paramount’s decision to settle a meritless lawsuit rather than stand behind its journalists at CBS News is a spineless capitulation,” PEN America director Tim Richardson said.
“This was a moment to defend press freedom and support reporters targeted by a frivolous legal attack,” Richardson added. “Instead, Paramount chose appeasement to bolster its finances, sending a dangerous message that media outlets can be pressured into submission if corporate parents find their profits at risk from government action in unrelated areas.”
Richardson noted ABC also settled a defamation lawsuit in December with then-President-elect Trump for $15 million, after anchor George Stephanopoulos repeatedly and incorrectly asserted Trump had been found “liable for rape” in a civil trial last year. ABC additionally paid $1 million for President Trump’s legal fees.
“With two major network owners bowing to the president in quick succession, the danger is clear: emboldened politicians and powerful actors will feel more free than ever to weaponize lawsuits and bring regulatory pressure to bear to silence and censor independent journalism,” Richardson said.
’60 MINUTES’ KAMALA HARRIS INTERVIEW AT CENTER OF TRUMP LAWSUIT RUNS AFOUL OF CRONKITE-ERA CBS GUIDELINES
Heritage Foundation Media Fellow Tim Young sees it differently and is “glad” they settled but doesn’t feel it will change the way news organizations cover Trump and other public figures they don’t align with.
“This is one of the few times the media has been held accountable. They definitely wouldn’t have settled had Trump not won the election, because Kamala, who they lied to make look good, would have protected them,” Young told Fox News Digital.
“I’d love to believe that this is a turning point in media accountability, but it won’t be,” Young continued. “When you see the dramatic differences in coverage and continuous lies, legacy media networks are showing that they will continue this dishonest behavior.”
Paramount has defended the settlement.
“Companies often settle litigation to avoid the high and somewhat unpredictable costs of legal defense, the risk of an adverse judgment that could result in significant financial or reputational damage, and the disruption to business operations that prolonged legal battles can cause. Settlement offers a negotiated resolution that allows companies to focus on their core objectives rather than being mired in uncertainty and distraction,” a Paramount spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
Fox News Digital has learned that the sum being paid to Trump could reach north of $30 million, with $16 million being paid upfront for his future presidential library, in addition to another eight-figure allocation set aside for advertisements, public service announcements, or other similar transmissions, in support of conservative causes by the network in the future.
Current Paramount management disputes the additional allocation, and a source familiar with Paramount’s current leadership told Fox New Digital only $16 million was sanctioned by the official mediator, and they have no knowledge of any deal Trump made with incoming owner, Skydance Media. However, the incoming ownership will be responsible for the additional allocation.
Redstone recused herself from settlement negotiations in February.
As part of the agreement, CBS News did not admit to any wrongdoing nor issue an apology. The network did agree to update its editorial standards by mandating the release of full, unedited transcripts of interviews with future presidential candidates.
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Trump’s legal team took a victory lap after the settlement was announced.
“With this record settlement, President Donald J. Trump delivers another win for the American people as he, once again, holds the Fake News media accountable for their wrongdoing and deceit. CBS and Paramount Global realized the strength of this historic case and had no choice but to settle. President Trump will always ensure that no one gets away with lying to the American People as he continues on his singular mission to Make America Great Again,” a spokesperson for Trump’s legal team told Fox News Digital.
Kate Middleton’s secret therapy revealed as palace insider shares ritual
Kate Middleton is said to be a quiet force behind palace doors, as she continues to keep busy and prioritize her health after skipping Royal Ascot.
“Princess Catherine has been recuperating behind the scenes,” royal expert Neil Sean told Fox News Digital. “This includes a return to ballet with her daughter Princess Charlotte, a massive return to daily nature walks, as well as [keeping up with] her photography hobby.”
“An excellent source told me she is living in the moment and has no time for drama… or difficult family members,” Sean claimed. “She attended Trooping of the Colour and the Order of the Garter but felt it was too much to attend Royal Ascot. She felt exhausted. This is normal… regarding her return after cancer.”
PRINCE WILLIAM AND KATE MIDDLETON QUIETLY BUILDING TRUSTED TEAM FOR ‘INEVITABLE TRANSITION’: EXPERTS
“One thing that she also does every single day which she describes as the best therapy known to her is her return to playing the piano,” Sean added.
Fox News Digital reached out to Kensington Palace for comment.
On June 18, the Princess of Wales canceled her appearance at Royal Ascot at the last minute. While the mother of three was said to be disappointed not to be there, she is still trying to find the right balance as she returns to public-facing engagements following her cancer treatment.
While some royal watchers were concerned about the 43-year-old’s ongoing recovery, a source told Sean that she’s immersing herself in her favorite hobbies and receiving support from other senior royals. She’s also completing royal duties at her own pace.
“Behind the scenes, the Princess of Wales continues with various Zoom chats with her charities… and dealing with an incredible amount of correspondence from all over the world. But as she’s pointed out, it’s the simple things in life that have truly turned her life around.”
“A source tells me that one of her great comforts is having a very close friendship between herself and her daughter, Princess Charlotte,” Sean shared.
“Last year, they went on a private visit to the Sadler’s Wells ballet, which has [sparked] Charlotte’s interest in the world of dance, something that Catherine herself shared when she was younger.”
Sean claimed that mother and daughter share a mutual love of dance, an art form that Kate’s late mother-in-law, Princess Diana, was also passionate about.
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“As the source told me, ‘One of the things that she thoroughly enjoys is the escapism and the relaxation of dance and the wonderful classical music from that particular genre,’” Sean claimed. “’It’s really helped her focus… [on] what’s important to her now.’”
“Not only that… I am told she spends at least one hour a day lost in the beauty of [the piano], playing everything from Kate Bush to Mendelssohn,” Sean claimed, noting that William has been “enjoying” his wife’s musical skills.
British royals expert Hilary Fordwich also told Fox News Digital that Kate has received both the respect and admiration from palace aides.
“Those who work with her, and for her, share that she’s disciplined, pragmatic, and a quiet, influential figure,” Fordwich explained. “She divides her time meticulously between parenting, supporting Prince William, fulfilling her royal duties, all while maintaining a workout regimen supporting her physical and mental health.”
“Of particular note is her ability to balance tradition with a modern approach to family life, which is crucial for the monarchy’s relevance in an ever-changing world,” said Fordwich. “She’s in lockstep with her generation.”
Fordwich said that in addition to William and the senior royals, Kate’s mother, Carole Middleton, as well as Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, and her sister-in-law Alizee Thevenet “have been lovely sources of emotional strength. Alizee, in particular, has been a source of hope and optimism. The entire family’s unity and support has been vital to Catherine.”
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An insider also claimed to Sean that both William and King Charles “have put zero pressure on Catherine to return to full-time royal duties.”
“They’re [encouraging] her to enjoy these wonderful moments with her young family while recuperating,” said Sean. “The princess knows how fortunate she is. She is tending to a brand-new family vegetable garden patch with both Prince Louis and Princess Charlotte.”
“Catherine’s other passion has been returning her home cooking, particularly her chutney and her specialty honey from her beehive… The princess told [the] source that these are great therapeutic things to do. You lose yourself in the art of cooking, and it’s something you can share with the children, family and friends while talking about all manner of things with zero pressure.”
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“[Catherine] knows only too well how fortunate she is, but behind the scenes she is a rock to many others,” Sean claimed. “Catherine told this source that we must remember to always enjoy the moments that we are in and not lose sight of the fact that life is a wonderful and precious thing.”
Royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital that the Middleton family have been “the unsung heroes” during Kate’s journey through cancer. In January of this year, the princess announced that she was in remission from the disease.
“This has been a tremendously stressful period for Catherine, and she has been supported by a loving husband and… the Middletons, who have been a tower of strength.”
“It is a considerable responsibility to bring up a family of three with the pressures she is under,” said Fitzwilliams. “The word ‘balance’ as her activities are planned, will be pivotal whilst she is in remission.”
“She has reportedly become more spiritual and has, as her videos have shown, drawn much inspiration from nature and the natural world. She will derive strength in the knowledge that the world wishes her well.”
People magazine reported that Kate returned to work after her absence at Royal Ascot. According to The Court Circular, the British royal family’s official record of previous engagements, Kate and William received Melinda French Gates on June 25 at Windsor Castle.
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According to the outlet, the couple represented The Royal Foundation at the meeting. The charity focuses on the early childhood years and mental health, among other causes. The meeting didn’t take them far from their home at Adelaide Cottage in the grounds of Windsor.
Fordwich said Kate “is excited” about Wimbledon, which she typically attends every year, as well as the French state visit held at Windsor Castle beginning July 8. In addition, the royal family usually retreats to Balmoral Castle, their Scottish estate, in the summer.
“Princess Catherine’s approach to balancing duty and family, as well as [practicing] mindful self-care while being careful not to overextend herself, has rendered her as ever more vital, as well as a highly respected member of the royal family,” said Fordwich.
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“She embodies qualities admired by the British public… [And she has] a quiet resilience that’s essential to the monarchy’s future.”
‘I lived in the dream’ that New Yorkers want and had to flee to survive
I was born and raised in a country where the government built public housing and converted private housing into communes; where the state managed grocery stores, controlled prices and expropriated the wealth of the “rich” in the name of social justice. Weapons were prohibited and “hate speech” — which is, any criticism of power — was punished by law.
I lived in the dream that a lot of New Yorkers want for their city. And I had to flee to survive.
Growing up in Venezuela meant being raised among ruins and nostalgia — a country suspended in the memory of what it once was, all while enduring the wreckage of what it had become.
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As a teenager, I would go to the grocery store with my mom in search of eggs or corn flour to make arepas, the most traditional breakfast in Venezuela. But time and time again, we’d find the shelves completely empty. I can’t tell you how many times that happened. And every time, she would remind me that years ago, this wasn’t the case — she used to have plenty of options, with multiple brands to choose from. But now, there was nothing. The country she remembered no longer existed.
Venezuela was one of the most prosperous nations on the planet: in 1950 it had the fourth-highest GDP per capita in the world, with foreign investment and a rising middle class.
How did Venezuela go from an oil power to having one of the highest inflations in the world? How does a country reach the point where my father — an economist and owner of a small business — and my mother — who had doctorates in education — would have to stop eating meat to be able to feed their children? It’s quite simple. People embraced the same socialist ideas that are popular in New York City right now.
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Before everything collapsed in Venezuela, I got to know the United States: I was amazed by the cars, the technology, and even the absurd variety of Oreos. I got to visit Disneyland at 6 years old. What I did not know at that time was that, 15 years later, my family and I would flee Venezuela after I was accused of terrorism and obtained political asylum under the first Trump administration.
That same year, I visited New York — the city that I saw multiple times in movies. I was impressed. The skyscrapers, the infrastructure, walking through Times Square and seeing the number of brands… It was the symbol of individual progress. Today, that incredible city is flirting with the same ideas of the country that forced me to escape.
Freezing rent prices? Building more public housing? Converting private properties into communes? I’ve heard those ideas before. President Hugo Chávez did the same in Venezuela with his “Gran Misión Vivienda Venezuela” program: he promised to end market abuses, offered free housing and began to nationalize private properties. The result? Collapsed investment, poorly built homes, widespread corruption and millions living in terrible conditions.
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Free public transportation? I saw it. In Venezuela, Chávez did it: he declared transportation a “right” and fully subsidized it. The prices were so “low” that they didn’t even cover basic operating costs.
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What happened? The system collapsed. Without maintenance, the buses stopped circulating. Today, millions of people spend hours in line to get on one bus, if it arrives.
Government grocery stores? In Venezuela, it was called Mercal: a state network that soon became synonymous with long lines, expired food, scarcity and smuggling handled by the regime. Only those loyal to the party ate.
And the idea that billionaires shouldn’t exist? Chávez said the same thing. He expropriated those who generated employment and progress, and, in the end, the only rich individuals were the politicians.
I could continue listing each socialist promise made, and the result remains the same: Socialism always fails. It doesn’t matter the country or who applies it. It brings scarcity, repression and ruin. But it’s not just a practical mistake. It is a perverse ideology that attacks freedom, property and human dignity.
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The United States was not built with imposed equality, but with freedom. We are not entitled to happiness, but have the right to pursue our own happiness. And for those of us who come from the darkness, that’s all you need.
I lived Mamdani’s socialist dream, and I had to flee to survive.
1,000-year-old medieval sword emerges from river after chance discovery
A remarkable medieval sword with rare symbols was recently put on display in a Dutch museum, over a year after it was found by construction workers unexpectedly.
The discovery of the sword was announced by the Netherlands’ National Museum of Antiquities (RMO) in Leiden on June 24.
The artifact, named the Linschoten Sword, was found in March 2024 during “maintenance dredging activities,” the museum said in a press release.
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Construction workers were struck by a “long piece of iron” while cleaning a small river known as the Korte Linschoten, the statement noted.
The discovery turned out to be a sword measuring over three feet in length, dating back between 1050 and 1150 A.D.
Pictures show the sword with a long crossguard and a pommel shaped like a Brazil nut, the museum noted.
“The blade is sharp on both edges and inlaid with strips of gold-colored copper, forming circular motifs featuring a cross and an ‘endless knot’ flanked by three lines on each side,” the RMO said.
Medieval swords are “rare finds.”
The sword was likely made with high-quality iron that was mined locally in the Veluwe hills. Experts believe it was deliberately deposited into the river, as there was no trace of a scabbard or sheath.
The museum also noted that medieval swords were “deeply personal possessions.”
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“They were either buried with their owner or – alternatively – ritually deposited into water,” the release noted. “In the latter case, they are often exceptionally well-preserved.”
RMO curator Annemarieke Willemsen told Fox News Digital that medieval swords are “rare finds.”
“When [swords are found], [they’re] often well-preserved because they are made of top-quality steel,” she explained.
Many swords were “deposited in a river, where they rested for centuries under the water table, in an anaerobic environment,” the curator added.
“We have a similar sword with the same shape and date in our collections with the name ‘Ulfberht’ on the blade that was found in the river Schelde,” she said. “We have [many] more swords from the Middle Ages more broadly.’”
“Only the organic components – such as the wooden grip and any leather wrappings – have succumbed to time.”
In its statement, the museum noted that, though the sword was “remarkably well-preserved,” it’s possible that some components have decayed after 1,000 years.
“Only the organic components – such as the wooden grip and any leather wrappings – have succumbed to time,” the RMO’s press release added.
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“The iron is barely corroded due to the oxygen-poor environment of the wet soil. Traces of the wooden hilt are still visible on the preserved sword.”
The sword’s remarkable preservation offers a rare connection to the 11th century, a period marked by frequent conflict in the Netherlands.
“During this period, the Bishop of Utrecht held authority in the region, although the Counts of Holland and Flanders were rising in power,” the museum said.
“This era also saw a shift in military tactics and weaponry: vertical slashing from horseback gave way to horizontal thrusting between pieces of armor,” the officials added.
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“This sword, which could be wielded with one hand, embodies that transitional phase – suited to both techniques.”