Folk music icon passes away at 59 after ‘violent assault’ and hospital drama

Todd Snider, the freewheeling American artist known for his sharp wit and decades of genre-blending songwriting, has died. 

He was 59.

His record label confirmed the news Saturday, announcing the singer-songwriter died Friday in a message shared on his social media accounts.

“Where do we find the words for the one who always had the right words, who knew how to distill everything down to its essence with words and song while delivering the most devastating, hilarious, and impactful turn of phrases?” the statement said.

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The statement described Snider as a musician “always creating rhyme and meter that immediately felt like an old friend or a favorite blanket” and someone who “could almost always find the humor in this crazy ride on Planet Earth.”

Snider’s final weeks were marked by turbulence and tragedy.

Earlier this month, he canceled his tour after sustaining “severe injuries as the victim of a violent assault” in Utah, his team stated online.

Snider called off his High Lonesome and Then Some Tour after the alleged assault and was treated at Holy Cross Hospital, NBC News reported.

After his hospital stay, the “Just Like Old Times” singer allegedly returned to the medical center and was arrested on suspicion of disorderly conduct, trespassing and making a violent threat, according to the Salt Lake County Sheriff’s Office. 

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The canceled tour was meant to support his latest album, “High, Lonesome and Then Some,” released in October.

Critics praised the album, describing Snider as “a singer-songwriter with the persona of a fried folkie” and a “stoner troubadour and cosmic comic,” according to The Associated Press.

Snider’s career spanned three decades, and his influence stretched far beyond his own recordings.

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He drew inspiration from — and at times learned directly from — legends like Guy Clark and John Prine. His songs were recorded by the likes of Jerry Jeff Walker, Billy Joe Shaver and Tom Jones, and he even co-wrote a track with Loretta Lynn for her 2016 album “Full Circle.”

“He relayed so much tenderness and sensitivity through his songs, and showed many of us how to look at the world through a different lens,” his label shared.

“He got up every morning and started writing, always working towards finding his place among the songwriting giants that sat on his record shelves, those same giants who let him into their lives and took him under their wings, who he studied relentlessly.”

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Snider’s breakthrough work came in the early 2000s with Prine’s independent label Oh Boy Records, including the acclaimed albums “New Connection,” “Hotel Rooms” and “East Nashville Skyline,” which his fans considered to be some of his best work.

Songs like “I Can’t Complain,” “Beer Run” and “Alright Guy” cemented his reputation as a unique voice in American music.

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Born and raised in Oregon, Snider refined his sound in San Marcos, Texas, before eventually moving to Nashville, where he earned the unofficial title “mayor of East Nashville,” immortalized in his track, “Train Song.”

Even in recent years, he remained deeply connected to the city’s vibrant arts community.

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Snider’s early career was boosted by Jimmy Buffett, who signed him to Margaritaville Records and released his first two albums, “Songs for the Daily Planet” (1994) and “Step Right Up” (1996).

Conservative firebrand eyes Georgia move after Trump breaks with ‘disloyal’ Greene

Conservative commentator Laura Loomer set off a fresh wave of speculation Saturday by openly teasing a possible move to Georgia after President Donald Trump withdrew his endorsement of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene in a blistering late-night Truth Social post.

Loomer, a staunch Trump ally with roughly 1.8 million followers on X, posted that the president told her he wanted Greene “primaried,” then asked her audience a pointed question.

“Should I move to Georgia?” she asked.

Her post, paired with Trump’s Truth Social message calling Greene a “ranting lunatic,” immediately triggered questions about whether Loomer is positioning herself as a potential challenger in Georgia’s 14th Congressional District.

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Greene has not responded to Loomer’s posts.

Loomer and Greene have publicly attacked each other throughout the year, with their exchanges escalating sharply since summer. In August, the two clashed over Loomer’s criticism of Medal of Honor recipient Florent Groberg, sparking a days-long volley of insults.

Saturday’s posts show Loomer revisiting and escalating those accusations. She described Greene as “no friend to MAGA,” accused her of disloyalty dating back to 2021 and brought up claims about Greene’s political alliances during the 2022 midterms.

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Several of Loomer’s follow-up posts Saturday referenced Greene receiving public support from Democrats, adding fuel to an already volatile public feud.

Trump’s public break with Greene, which he delivered in a lengthy statement late Friday, removed one of the Georgia Republican’s most valuable political assets, the president’s personal endorsement.

In his post, Trump said Greene had become consumed with “complaining,” claimed she had “turned left” politically and said conservative voters in Georgia were already considering a primary challenge. He added that he would give “Complete and Unyielding Support” to the “right person” who enters the race.

Trump did not name any potential challengers.

While Loomer has not announced a campaign, her suggestion of a possible move to Georgia came within hours of Trump’s statement and quickly fueled speculation online that she could test the waters.

If Loomer relocates and enters the 2026 primary, it would pit two highly visible right-wing firebrands against each other in one of the most closely watched House districts in the country.

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Georgia’s 14th District remains deeply conservative, meaning the primary is typically the decisive contest. A high-profile rivalry amplified by Trump’s public intervention would almost certainly attract national attention, campaign money and intense media coverage.

For now, Loomer has offered no formal announcement, only the question.

State trooper punished after scolding South Carolina player who scored long touchdown

A Texas state trooper was “relieved of his game-day assignment” Saturday after exchanging words with South Carolina’s Nyck Harbor after a long touchdown.

After Harbor caught a pass and ran for the 80-yard score, he grabbed his right hamstring and continued walking into a tunnel at Kyle Field.

Several of his teammates joined him, and Harbor walked out of the tunnel gingerly.

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As he walked back, an officer walked in between, and made contact with, Harbor and running back Oscar Adaway III.

The officer then scolded Harbor, who turned back but kept walking toward the field.

The police department announced on X that the officer was relieved of his game-day assignment and sent home.

NBA star LeBron James called for the officer to be suspended.

“That A&M cop needs to suspended! That was premeditated and corny AF!! He went out his way to start some s—. Do better man,” he posted to X.

The touchdown put the Gamecocks up 27-3, and that lead would increase to 30-3, but the third-ranked Aggies stormed all the way back for a wild 31-30 victory.

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Texas A&M outscored South Carolina 28-0 in the second half to complete its biggest comeback ever.

Marcel Reed threw for a career-high 439 yards and three touchdowns to move the Aggies to 10-0 on the season.

The comeback eclipsed a 21-point rally by a Johnny Manziel-led team in a 52-48 win in the 2013 Chick-fil-A Bowl over Duke. Entering Saturday, teams were 0-286 in Southeastern Conference play since 2004 when trailing by 27 points or more.

Reed bounced back from an awful first half, when he was intercepted twice and had a fumble returned for a score to put the Aggies in a 30-3 hole. He had a dazzling second half to keep Texas A&M on track for its first trip to the College Football Playoff.

The Aggies took the lead for the first time on a 4-yard run by EJ Smith with about 11 minutes left.

Texas A&M had a first down at the 1 after that, but Jamarion Morrow fumbled on a trick play, and the Gamecocks recovered with about three minutes to go.

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Dalton Brooks and Cashius Howell sacked LaNorris Sellers on consecutive plays to bring up fourth-and-16 with about 90 seconds to go. Sellers scrambled on fourth down, and he was stopped short of the first down marker to seal the victory.

Sellers threw for 246 yards with two touchdowns and an interception for South Carolina (3-7, 1-7), which lost a fifth straight game.

Fast-food giant set to close hundreds of locations nationwide next year

Fast food giant Wendy’s plans to close hundreds of its U.S. stores next year as part of a broader effort to revive its domestic business, which has been under pressure from slowing sales.

Interim CEO Ken Cook said during the company’s earnings call on Friday that a “mid-single-digit percentage” of its 6,011 U.S. restaurants are expected to close next year. A mid-single-digit percentage is about 4% to 6%, which means the least number of closures would be 241 stores. 

FOX Business reached out to Wendy’s for comment. 

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This comes as Wendy’s executives said that its business and sales “remain under pressure” and that it is “acting with urgency” to return sales at its U.S. stores to growth. 

In its latest fiscal quarter, global sales were down 2.6% and sales at U.S. locations fell 4.7%. The company blamed the drop in U.S. sales largely on fewer customer visits, though this was partially offset by higher spending per order.

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However, the company said in its earnings call that it is making “meaningful progress on key actions to enhance the customer experience” and that it is seeing this payoff in its U.S. company-operated restaurants. Earlier this year, the company said it was working on simplifying its programming and execution.

Rather than adding more stores, the company is trying to focus on increasing sales at each U.S. location. To do this, Wendy’s launched Project Fresh, a major plan that was designed to improve performance, boost its profits and ensure viability.  

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Wendy’s story isn’t unique. In fact, the entire quick-service restaurant sector has come under pressure as its core customers feel strained by higher living costs, which are shrinking their discretionary income. This has forced many industry giants to ramp up promotions in an effort to drive more traffic.

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Will Auchincloss, who serves as the EY‑Parthenon’s Americas retail sector leader, previously told FOX Business that its consumer research points to the fact that Americans are beginning to adjust discretionary spending to offset rising costs for essential goods and services like food and housing. Restaurant spending, across all income cohorts, is the first to take a hit, he said. 

“With nearly 40% of lower-income households already pulling back, recent QSR [quick-service restaurant] price cuts may be a signal of a broader industry shift,” he said, adding that “brands are facing mounting pressure from value-conscious consumers, and if this trend accelerates, we could see a realignment of pricing strategies across the sector.”

Foreign car giant invests over $13,000,000,000 in first-of-its-kind boon for American state

Toyota announced Wednesday it has officially begun production at its new $13.9 billion battery manufacturing plant in North Carolina, while committing an additional $10 billion to bolster its U.S. manufacturing over the next five years.

The 1,850-acre facility in Liberty, North Carolina, marks the automaker’s first battery plant outside Japan and is expected to create up to 5,100 new American jobs, Toyota said.

“Today’s launch of Toyota’s first U.S. battery plant and additional U.S. investment up to $10 billion marks a pivotal moment in our company’s history,” said Ted Ogawa, CEO of Toyota Motor North America. “Toyota is a pioneer in electrified vehicles, and the company’s significant manufacturing investment in the U.S. and North Carolina further solidifies our commitment to team members, customers, dealers, communities, and suppliers.”

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Alongside the plant’s launch, Toyota announced an additional $10 billion investment in its U.S. operations over the next five years to “support future mobility efforts.”

“This will bring the company’s total U.S. investment to nearly $60 billion since beginning operations here nearly 70 years ago,” the company said.

Once at full capacity, the North Carolina plant will produce 30 gigawatt-hours of lithium-ion batteries annually to power Toyota’s lineup of hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and fully electric vehicles.

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The facility features 14 production lines, which will create batteries to power the Camry HEV, Corolla Cross HEV, RAV4 HEV and an all-electric three-row battery electric vehicle (BEV) – the first of its kind for Toyota to be built in the U.S., according to Toyota.

Additional production lines are expected to launch by 2030.

Beyond manufacturing, Toyota said the facility will also be a “vibrant community,” offering childcare services, a medical clinic, pharmacy and fitness center for employees.

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Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy praised Toyota’s announcement, calling it another “show of confidence in this administration’s efforts to reshore manufacturing, generate new, great paying jobs, and inject billions of dollars into the economy.”

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“Under President Donald Trump’s leadership, America is open for business,” Duffy said in a statement.

NFL Hall of Famer dies at 66 decades after ending career with kidney issues

Former Seattle Seahawks safety Kenny Easley has died at the age of 66, the Pro Football Hall of Fame announced Saturday.

Easley’s family said he died Friday night and did not provide a cause of death.

“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Seahawks legend Kenny Easley,” the Seahawks said in a statement. “Kenny embodied what it meant to be a Seahawk through his leadership, toughness, intensity and fearlessness. His intimidating nature and athletic grace made him one of the best players of all time.”

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The Seahawks drafted Easley out of UCLA with the No. 4 overall pick in 1981, and the safety became a five-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro player in seven seasons in Seattle, where he spent his entire career.

In 1984, Easley led the league with 10 interceptions and was named defensive player of the year by The Associated Press. He was the first player in franchise history to be named Defensive Player of the Year.

His career ended after the 1987 season when he was traded to the Cardinals, partly due to a kidney ailment that shortened his NFL career. He failed his physical and never played another down in the NFL.

Easley believed the Seahawks knew of the kidney condition and didn’t disclose it to him. The Seahawks and Easley started to reconcile in 2002 when Paul Allen was the team owner, which coincided with Easley being inducted into the team’s ring of honor that fall.

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Easley finished his career with 32 interceptions, which is tied for fourth most in franchise history, and 11 fumble recoveries, nine forced fumbles and eight sacks.

At UCLA, Easley starred at free safety under coach Terry Donahue from 1977-1980. He made an immediate impact with the Bruins, joining the starting lineup as a true freshman and becoming the first player in Pac-10 history named to four first-team All-Conference teams.

He was just the second player in program history to be voted a three-time consensus All-American.

Easley still holds the UCLA record with 19 career interceptions, including 13 during his first two seasons. He ranks fifth on UCLA’s all-time tackles list with 374, with his 93 stops in 1977 representing the most by a Bruin true freshman.

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Easley totaled 105 tackles during the 1980 campaign, after which he finished ninth in Heisman Trophy voting. He also returned punts during his time at UCLA. His No. 5 jersey was retired by the university.

He is survived by his wife, Gail, and their three children — son Kendrick and daughters Gabrielle Manhertz and Giordanna.

Country star ‘falling apart’ overseas as luxury store treats him ‘like a criminal’

Jelly Roll hit a breaking point on his music tour.

During the Australia leg of his tour, the country star admitted he has reached one of the lowest points he’s faced in years while thousands of miles away from his family and support system.

The 40-year-old singer, born Jason Bradley DeFord, spoke candidly during an appearance on the “No Filter with Kate Langbroek” podcast, sharing that the long-distance trip challenged him in ways he didn’t expect.

“I’m falling apart. It’s a horrible week. I’m doing the worst mentally I’ve done in a long time,” the “I Am Not Okay” crooner shared.

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“I’m really far from home, and it’s really hitting me that I’m really far from home, like in an anxious way. … I’m not having fun, and I want to go home.”

Jelly Roll performed six shows across Australia from Oct. 25 to Nov. 4 — his debut run in the country — before a scheduled final concert in Auckland, New Zealand, Nov. 8.

He canceled the Auckland show at the last minute due to illness, marking a rare instance of him missing a performance.

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On the podcast, Jelly Roll explained that his physical sickness had a domino effect on his mental state as the demanding travel schedule continued.

He said the trip abroad had “f—ed my stomach up,” adding his health issues quickly hurt his overall well-being.

“When my stomach’s not right, nothing’s right. My mind’s not right. Everything. I’m just not thinking clear,” he said.

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Jelly Roll additionally said the logistics of the Australia trip — especially the lack of tour buses — intensified his sense of feeling alone.

“I’m having to be super isolated. I don’t like it,” he revealed. “I’m spending a lot of time in my hotel room by myself, just in my head. I don’t like it. I miss my family a ton.”

He shared that he was using breathing exercises to steady himself and “talking myself through” the illness but admitted that every part of him wanted to return to Tennessee.

“Everybody wants to go home when they’re sick. That’s just in us,” he said. “I just don’t feel good, so I just want to go home.”

The grueling tour also coincided with another tense moment overseas.

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Jelly Roll recently claimed Louis Vuitton employees in Sydney treated him “like a criminal” during a shopping trip, sharing a video on social media describing the experience.

Earlier this month, the Grammy-nominated star said employees looked at him as if he were about to “rob” the store.

“Hey man, the Louis Vuitton in Sydney legitimately just treated us like we were (gonna) come in and rob that place,” the musician, wearing a backward ball cap, said in the clip.

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“I have never been looked at more like a crim … Listen, the last time I was looked at like a criminal this bad … I was an actual criminal this bad.”

The “Save Me” singer has never shied away from discussing the darker chapters of his past, including legal troubles and previous addiction struggles.

In 2023, Jelly Roll said his first major run-in with the law happened when he was a teenager.

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He was 16 when he was arrested and charged as an adult with aggravated robbery and possession with intent to sell.

Jelly Roll served more than a year behind bars, followed by seven years of probation.

Sheinbaum turned down Trump’s cartel-fighting aid before violent protests erupted

Thousands of protesters swarmed Mexico City Saturday, attacking police officers and attempting to breach a security barrier around the National Palace, which houses the federal government’s executive branch.

Plumes of tear gas filled the street as hooded protesters dragged riot police out of formation, beat them with hammers and chains and threw explosive devices at them, as they were stripped of their shields and communication radios.

The Secretariat of Citizen Security of Mexico City announced via social media that at least 60 police officers had minor injuries, and 40 officers were taken to hospitals.

Of the 40 officers hospitalized, 36 had contusions, cuts and minor injuries, and four are receiving specialized care for trauma and other injuries that are not life-threatening.

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As of Saturday night, at least 20 people were detained, and 20 others were referred for administrative offenses.

The anti-government march, which became violent at Zocalo Square, was organized by members of Gen Z, those born between the late ’90s and early 2010s.

Protesters told The Associated Press they were rallying against corruption and safety concerns.

The Secretariat of Citizen Security noted Mexico City Police only carried out containment work and did not repress protesters or respond to the provocations.

Arizbeth Garcia, a 43-year-old physician, told the outlet she was marching for increased security and additional funding for the public health system.

“[Doctors] are also exposed to the insecurity gripping the country, where you can be murdered and nothing happens,” Garcia said.

Another demonstrator, Rosa Maria Avila, 65, of Pátzcuaro in Michoacán, told the outlet she was marching in support of Uruapan Mayor Carlos Manzo, an anti-crime activist who was assassinated at a public event earlier this month in Michoacán.

“The state is dying,” Avila said. “He was killed because he was a man who was sending officers into the mountains to fight delinquents. He had the guts to confront them.”

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Manzo was shot seven times after condemning Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum for her alleged lack of effort in combating cartels. 

“We need greater determination from the president of Mexico,” Manzo told local media in September. “I do not want to be just another mayor on the list of those who have been executed and had their lives taken away from them. … I am very afraid, but I must face it with courage.”

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office in October 2024 as Mexico’s first female president, recently came under fire after a series of high-profile murders.

Critics accuse her of tolerating organized crime and failing to support anti-cartel efforts.

In May, Sheinbaum publicly confirmed she rejected U.S. military assistance from President Donald Trump, who was looking to help the country fight drug trafficking and violent cartels.

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She allegedly told Trump the country will “never accept” the presence of the U.S. Army in its territory.

“No, President Trump, our territory is inalienable, sovereignty is inalienable,” Sheinbaum previously said. “We can collaborate. We can work together, but with you in your territory and us in ours. We can share information, but we will never accept the presence of the United States Army on our territory.”

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The Heritage Foundation, a top conservative group, claimed Mexico was unlikely to change its stance when Sheinbaum was elected despite the escalating threat from cartels.

Trump administration mum as Zelenskyy allies caught in massive bribery scandal

The Trump administration has so far remained silent on a widening corruption scandal inside Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s government and inner circle.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on a $100 million corruption probe announced this week that has already prompted the resignations of senior Ukrainian officials.

Corruption has long been a friction point in U.S.–Ukraine relations. In 2019, the Trump administration paused roughly $400 million in military aid to Ukraine, citing concerns about government corruption. At the same time, Trump’s associates sought information on Democratic rival Joe Biden, who served as vice president under Barack Obama.

Meanwhile, Biden’s son Hunter held a $50,000-per-month board seat at the Ukrainian energy firm Burisma. As vice president, Joe Biden had threatened to withhold $1 billion in U.S. loan guarantees unless Ukraine dismissed prosecutor Viktor Shokin, whom Western governments accused of failing to pursue corruption cases. 

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Shokin later claimed he was fired because he was investigating Burisma, a claim U.S. and European officials dispute.

President Donald Trump for months has been working to secure a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine, which the U.S. has provided with around $175 billion in aid since the start of the war in 2022. 

Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies — the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Special Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAP) — said they spent 15 months on “Operation Midas,” a probe that included roughly 1,000 hours of wiretaps. Investigators say the inquiry uncovered a kickback scheme in which contractors for the state-owned nuclear company Energoatom paid 10-15% bribes, totaling about $100 million, to keep government contracts.

According to prosecutors, the alleged ringleader was Timur Mindich, a longtime associate of Zelenskyy and co-owner of his former production studio, as well as an advisor to Justice Minister German Galushchenko. Authorities say Galushchenko, who served as energy minister until July, helped facilitate the money laundering operation and acted under Mindich’s influence.

Mindich fled Ukraine early Monday, hours before investigators raided his home. Both Galushchenko and his successor, Energy Minister Svitlana Grynchuk, said they would resign at Zelenskyy’s request. Five suspects have been arrested, and seven others placed under official suspicion, prosecutors said.

In a statement, NABU alleged that the criminal network transferred funds to “an unnamed former deputy prime minister of Ukraine,” identified internally by the codename Che Guevara. Investigators said about $1.2 million was traced to that individual.

“Using their official connections in the ministry and the state-owned company,” the suspects “ensured control over personnel decisions, procurement processes, and financial flows,” Ukraine’s anti-corruption agencies said.

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Zelenskyy has not been directly implicated, but the revelations cast a shadow over a president who built his career on promises to root out graft. He publicly backed the investigation, saying Monday night that “any effective action against corruption is very necessary” and that “the inevitability of punishment is necessary.”

Earlier this year, Zelenskyy faced backlash after proposing tighter presidential oversight of Ukraine’s independent anti-corruption agencies, a plan he later withdrew.

Before entering politics, the former comedian often joked about his country’s entrenched corruption. 

“Is it possible to become president and not steal?” he once quipped. “It’s a rhetorical question, as no one has tried so far.” His 2019 election campaign centered on dismantling the oligarch-dominated political system and increasing transparency.

Now, nearly seven years later — with no election planned amid wartime conditions — some Ukrainians view him as increasingly reliant on a small inner circle consolidating its own power and wielding it with limited checks. 

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Investigators say some of the laundered money had been earmarked for equipment meant to protect energy facilities from Russian missile attacks. Ukraine continues to face rolling blackouts, with many residents limited to five to eight hours of electricity per day as Russian forces target power infrastructure heading into winter.

Last week, the European Commission praised Ukraine’s “significant efforts” to combat corruption but warned that “limited progress” could jeopardize its bid to join the European Union. The commission also cautioned that reports of political pressure on anti-corruption groups “cast doubt on Ukraine’s commitment” and urged Kyiv to “prevent any backsliding on its notable reform achievements.”