1. Trump's 'big, beautiful bill' set for House-wide vote2. Trump settles lawsuit with Paramount, CBS over '60 Minutes' Harris edit3. Federal judge blocks Trump admin's plan to deport 520,000 Haitians back homeHELP ON THE WAY Trump admin approves Newsom's request to 'bail him out' of LA riot damage. Continue reading SPARING HIS LIFE What's next for Idaho murders suspect Bryan Kohberger after accepting plea deal. Continue reading RISKY STRATEGY Jury deadlocks on racketeering charge in Diddys federal trial. Continue reading WITHOUT A TRACE American tourist vanishes in tropical paradise after walking from vacation rental. Continue reading BLUE ON BLUE CLASH Off-duty cop shot by fellow officer in violent confrontation at her home. Continue reading --PARTING SHOT Schumer forces name change for 'big, beautiful bill' moments before it passes. Continue reading DECLASSIFIED FBI blocked probe into alleged Chinese 2020 election meddling to protect Wray from fallout. Continue reading SHADOW GOVERNMENT Ex-DNC insider reveals 'puppet masters' who ran the Biden White House. Continue reading PATRIOTIC YEAR Trump announces where he will kick off celebrating 250 years of US independence. Continue reading Click here for more cartoonsIF LOOKS COULD KILL Sen. Murkowski stares at reporter over 'offensive' bailout claim in spending bill. Continue reading UNDER FIRE Journalists unfazed by Trump's legal threats over Iran nuclear coverage. Continue reading OVERREACH Gay marriage pioneer warns activists have gone too far with transgender agenda. Continue reading DISGUSTING Dr. Phil slams Dem Squad member for calling America one of the 'worst' countries. Continue reading DR. REBECCA GRANT Trump lit a fire under NATO, but more needs to be done to contain the Russia-China axis. Continue reading GOV. MIKE DUNLEAVY Alaskas oil reserves are Americas national security shield. Continue reading --INKED FOR LIFE Ohio cop's wild Travis Kelce body art wins him big prizes. Continue reading BRAIN BOOST Breast cancer survivors may have lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. Continue reading AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ Test yourself on iconic ice cream and marvelous museums. Take the quiz here SECRET STRUCTURE Archaeologists uncover medieval hospital beneath street in historic city. Continue reading WHAT A PEACH New Costco summer dessert offering is flagged by this parent. See video GOV. RON DESANTIS NYC's Democratic mayoral candidate makes Bill de Blasio look like Ronald Reagan. See video SEC. KRISTI NOEM ICE agents are absolute heroes for capturing cannibals and deranged individuals. See video Tune in to the FOX NEWS RUNDOWN PODCAST for today's in-depth reporting on the news that impacts you. Check it out ...Whats it looking like in your neighborhood?Continue readingFacebookInstagramYouTubeTwitterLinkedInFox News FirstFox News OpinionFox News LifestyleFox News Entertainment (FOX411)Fox News Sports HuddleFox BusinessFox WeatherFox SportsTubiFox News GoThank you for making us your first choice in the morning! Well see you in your inbox first thing Thursday.

Republican leaders in the Senate convinced Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, to vote in favor of President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" with a series of spending initiatives for her home state.Negotiations over the bill stretched on to the eleventh hour before the bill was passed on Tuesday, with Murkowski opposing the legislation until she secured clean energy tax credits, assurances of oil drilling leases and other priorities for her state. She was seen walking around the Senate floor wearing a blanket and holding a notepad in the later hours of the Senate's "vote-a-rama.""I held my head up and made sure that the people of Alaska are not forgotten in this, but I think that there is more that needs to be done, and Im not done," Murkowski told reporters after the vote. "I am going to take a nap, though.""What I tried to do was to ensure that my colleagues understood what that means when you live in an area where there are no jobs, it is not a cash economy," she added. "And so I needed help, and I worked to get that every single day."MURKOWSKI SILENTLY STARES DOWN NBC REPORTER ASKING ABOUT HER 'BIG BEAUTIFUL BILL' VOTESenate Majority Leader John Thune may have secured Murkowski's vote earlier if not for the Senate parliamentarian, who struck down several deal sweeteners aimed at Alaska. The Senate passed Trump's bill under the reconciliation process, which requires only a simple majority. The parliamentarian holds the authority to determine whether certain line items fall outside the scope of budget reconciliation, therefore requiring a 60-vote majority.SENATE PASSES TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL' AFTER MARATHON VOTE-A-RAMASome of the sweeteners did make it through, however, including allowing a temporary delay on cost hikes for food assistance programs in both Hawaii and Alaska. Murkowski also secured the removal of a planned tax on solar and wind energy projects."[Murkowski] is somebody who studies the issues really, really hard and well," Thune told Politico. "Im just grateful that at the end of the day she concluded what the rest of us did ... which is that it was the right direction for the future of our country."GOP SENATOR CALLS FOR PARLIAMENTARIAN'S FIRING AFTER SERVING MEDICAID BLOW TO TRUMP'S 'BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL'While Trump's bill has cleared the Senate, it now faces an uncertain future in the House of Representatives, where many conservative lawmakers have criticized the lack of spending cuts.House Speaker Mike Johnson led Republicans in passing a procedural "rule" vote to tee up the legislation overnight on Wednesday. The speaker can only afford to lose three Republican votes and still pass the bill. Two have already confirmed their opposition to passing the Senate version of the bill: Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, and Rep. Ralh Norman, R-S.C.House members will begin the debate process at roughly 9:00 a.m.

Attorneys for Teresa Youngblut, the woman accused in the Jan. 20 shooting that killed U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland, are accusing the Justice Department of orchestrating a fast-tracked path to capital punishment that violates her constitutional rights.In a June 30 motion filed in federal court, Youngbluts defense team called the governments timeline for deciding whether to pursue the death penalty "unprecedentedly tight" and warned it could render the pretrial process "a near-pointless formality.""This Court should step in to ensure Ms. Youngblut receives a meaningful opportunity to persuade the government not to pursue the death penalty," the motion says.Youngblut, 21, has been linked by investigators to "Ziz," a fringe, self-described vegan, anti-government, transgender-rights collective that federal authorities say may be connected to multiple homicides throughout the U.S.TRANSGENDER CULT LEADER LINKED TO BORDER AGENT KILLING MAINTAINS INNOCENCE, ASKS FOR VEGAN FOOD IN JAILAccording to a federal affidavit, Youngblut was driving a Prius with German national Felix Bauckholt, who is also an alleged member of Ziz, when they were stopped by Border Patrol agents in Coventry, Vermont, on Jan. 20.Prosecutors allege Youngblut drew a .40-caliber Glock and fired without warning, starting a shootout that left both Bauckholt and Maland dead.READ THE MOTION APP USERS, CLICK HEREIn their motion, Youngbluts defense attorneys, Steven Barth and Julie Stelzig, argued that the Department of Justice is pushing forward with a July 28 deadline to present mitigating evidence to its Capital Case Review Committee, despite not having filed a death-eligible indictment.The typical federal timeline, they argued, allows for more than a year."The timeline being imposed in this case is vastly out of step with the historical practice of the Department of Justice," they wrote, citing data showing a nearly 15-month average between indictment and mitigation presentation in comparable cases.ZIZIAN LEADER JACK LASOTA: WHO IS TRANSGENDER, VEGAN CULT HEAD LINKED TO BORDER AGENT KILLING?The defense asked the court to extend the deadline to Jan. 30, 2026, arguing that the current pace denies Youngblut due process.READ ATTORNEY GENERAL PAM BONDI'S FEB. 5 MEMORANDUM APP USERS, CLICK HEREThe defense argued that Youngbluts case has been fast-tracked due to a Feb. 5 memorandum issued by Attorney General Pam Bondi.In the memorandum, Bondi specifically named the Maland case as an example where "absent significant mitigating circumstances," the death penalty should be sought for the murder of a federal law enforcement officer.Bondis directive lifted the federal moratorium on executions set in place by the Biden administration. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorneys Office in Vermont for comment.Youngbluts team argued in the motion that the defense had limited time to prepare for the case, noting that Youngbluts "learned counsel," an attorney with experience in capital cases, was only appointed on June 12 after a previous lawyer withdrew.The motion also noted that only recently has the team retained a mitigation specialist, and they are still working through thousands of pages of discovery as well as facing limited access to Youngblut, who is detained over two hours away from counsel.VERMONT BORDER PATROL AGENT ALLEGEDLY KILLED BY GERMAN NATIONAL WORKED IN PENTAGON DURING 9/11: FAMILYThe DOJs deadline, the defense said, "virtually ensures that [Youngbluts] mitigation presentation has no realistic chance of serving its purpose."In a Jan. 27 motion for pretrial detention, the government alleged that Youngblut had no stable residence, had an extensive travel history and associations with individuals under investigation in a double homicide in Pennsylvania and another killing in Vallejo, California.The government also pointed to Youngbluts journal, which allegedly referenced LSD usage and "high vibration" trips that led prosecutors to argue that she was a flight risk.The June 30 motion also included supporting letters from defense counsel and a declaration from Matthew Rubenstein, the director of the Capital Resource Counsel Project, who attested that the DOJs current timeline falls outside established norms in federal death penalty proceedings.If the court declines to intervene, Youngbluts attorneys warned that the current course could trigger costly delays and the misuse of capital punishment."An artificial rush in the authorization process may end up backfiring," the defense cautioned, "resulting in avoidable delay, wasted resources, and the arbitrary imposition of the most serious punishment our legal system allows."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPFox News Digital has reached out to the Federal Public Defender District of Vermont for comment.

While co-headlining the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson boxing bout in Dallas last November, Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano stole the show.The two women went blow for blow in 10 grueling rounds at the center of AT&T Stadium, which became the most-attended and watched women's boxing match of all time.The fighters became the first two women to headline a boxing match at Madison Square Garden three years ago, with Taylor winning by split decision. Taylor earned yet another controversial victory in Texas.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMJuly 11 will mark the trilogy, which returns to the Big Apple, and Taylor believes this upcoming bout will be the biggest one yet."Our styles will always make it an exciting fight. Our first two fights were Fight of the Year contenders, and I am hoping this fight is as exciting," Taylor said in a recent interview with Fox News Digital. "Just for my own sake, I am hoping I can beat her a bit more easily. But just to showcase female fight night at its best, its huge for the sport. It is going to be an amazing moment for womens sports on that night."Serrano (47-3-1) has dubbed herself the GOAT in women's boxing. But she is 0-2 against Taylor, who is 24-1 in her illustrious career."I definitely dont need to do this she definitely needs this fight a lot more than I do," Taylor quipped.But the magnitude of another women's spectacle, with the popularity of women's sports skyrocketing, was too good of an opportunity to pass up. It will be an all-women card next month.WHAT $1 MILLION TICKET PACKAGE GETS YOU AT 3RD INSTALLMENT OF KATIE TAYLOR VS AMANDA SERRANO"I just want to be involved in the biggest fights possible. I realized after the second fight this still was the biggest fight in women's boxing," Taylor added. "And to fight live on Netflix and have a chance to headline it again, this is going to be another historic night. So it is huge, and I feel like fights are getting bigger and bigger at this stage."I didnt think it was possible after the first fight, but then here we are a couple of years later. The last few fights have been bigger and bigger, and I feel like this one on July 11 is even bigger than last time.""I think ever since I got into professional boxing the last eight years, Ive wanted to be involved in the biggest fights possible. I want a lot of people to see what womens boxing can do and to showcase our very best," she continued. "I want to have those big challenges, and I definitely feel a sense of responsibility. I think its amazing how far the sport has come the last eight years. When I first got involved in professional boxing, females were making pennies, and no one really cared about womens boxing. But now we are in a situation where we are making in the millions. How far womens boxing has come is insane. Just seeing the popularity, seeing some big names over the years have been just an amazing rise in womens boxing the last eight years."Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X,and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

American fast-food chain customers have spoken and Chick-fil-A is still on top.Chick-fil-A was voted the highest in customer satisfaction for the 11th consecutive year, according to the newest American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) rankings released in June.The Atlanta-based fast-food chain beat out its competitors, including KFC, which had the highest drop-off among 23 other major chains, plus an aggregate of smaller quick-service restaurants.IN-N-OUT SERVES UP THE HAPPIEST EMPLOYEES IN THE INDUSTRY, SAYS REPORTChick-fil-A had a score of 83 the same as in 2024 but still the highest of all the chains.The popular chicken joint is a regional favorite throughout much of the country, finishing first in the South (84) and West (82) and tied for first with Culver's in the Midwest (82).Chick-fil-A's continued dominance comes as the restaurant industry struggles to appeal to consumers."Consumers frustrated by high prices shifted from big-name fast-food brands to smaller up-and-coming competitors, convenience stores or just stayed home," the ACSI report stated.REDDIT USERS ARE NOT HAPPY WITH THEIR CHICK-FIL-A SAUCE PACKET EXPERIENCESNot even Chick-fil-A was immune, according to the report.Although Chick-fil-A reported 5.4% sales growth overall in 2024, the report claimed, "that was the slowest growth in at least 20 years as the average unit revenue declined slightly."Chick-fil-A declined to comment on the ACSI rankings and report.Panda Express and Popeyes saw the most growth of all quick-service restaurants with a 4% increase from last year's rankings. Panda Express tied with Starbucks for second overall jumped from 77 in 2024 to 80 this year, while Popeyes went from 72 to 75.CHICK-FIL-A QUIETLY ROLLS OUT SECRET SANDWICHES THAT MOST AMERICANS CAN'T GETPapa Johns (79) is the top pizza place on the list, besting Pizza Hut (79), Domino's (78) and Little Caesars (77).KFC had the sharpest decline of all fast-food chains, from 81 last year to 77 this year."Brands like Wingstop and Raising Cane's are increasing in popularity, putting pressure not only on Chick-fil-A but also KFC, which saw U.S. sales down 5.2% in 2024," the ACSI report said.Last-place McDonald's has dipped 1% since last year to an ACSI score of 70.STEAK BEATS PASTA AS TEXAS ROADHOUSE BECOMES TOP CASUAL DINING DESTINATIONFox News Digital reached out to KFC and McDonald's for comment.Here's how each chain fared and its 2025 ACSI score.Chick-fil-A (83)Panda Express (80)Starbucks (80)Arby's (79)Panera Bread (79)Papa Johns (79)Pizza Hut (79)Culver's (78)For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleDomino's (78)Dunkin' (78)Burger King (77)KFC (77)Little Caesars (77)Chipotle (76)Subway (76)CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERFive Guys (75)Popeyes (75)Wendy's (75)Jack in the Box (74)Sonic (73)Taco Bell (73)Dairy Queen (72)McDonald's (70)

Despite it being widely known by anyone who can think two steps ahead that price controls have negative consequences, politicians cant help but continue to promote price controls as policy.With Americans facing increased costs of living, there has been a return to calling for minimum wage hikes from democratic socialists like New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, who wants to raise the minimum wage in the city to $30/hour, to Republican Sen. Josh Hawley, who is bafflingly pushing an increase in the federal minimum wage to $15/hour with additional increases indexed to inflation.If wages could be raised by mandate without negative consequences, why would we stop there? Why not make the minimum wage $100/hour, $100,000/hour or even a cool $1 million/hour?Because in real life, thats not the way things work.TRUMPS ONE BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL COULD CEMENT ECONOMIC LEGACY FOR DECADESThe minimum wage has always been an evil policy, rooted in racism. It was passed as legislation precisely to exclude unskilled workers, particularly immigrants, minorities and women, from the workforce. It has the same effect today.But the financially illiterate dont seem to understand basic economics.The minimum wage is not an average wage, median wage, maximum wage or even an expected wage. It is quite literally a floor (although, as economist Thomas Sowell has pointed out, the real minimum wage is zero). As reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics ("BLS") via FRED, only 1% of workers report being paid at or below the federal minimum wage, and that data is "based solely on the hourly wage they report (which does not include overtime pay, tips or commissions)."LEFT, LEFTER AND LEFTIST: DEMOCRATS COULD BE DEFINED BY RADICAL, BIG CITY MAYORSThe minimum wage is heavily slanted toward teens and workers entering the workforce with few skills. As the BLS noted, "Minimum wage workers tend to be young. Although workers under age 25 represented one-fifth of hourly paid workers, they accounted for 43% of those paid the federal minimum wage or less."While minimum wage directly impacts a small number of individuals, its effects ripple throughout the economy at large. If teens and unskilled workers have a guaranteed wage floor, those with skills and experience will want to be compensated even more.That increases both wages and taxes paid for a business throughout their labor force, as well as that of all their suppliers, adding substantially to operating costs and reducing what may already be slim operating margins. The businesses will either have to make less money or pass on costs to consumers or both.This makes products and services more expensive and, in many cases, will put businesses out of business across the economy as every company now competes in a market where nonskilled workers have a high fixed cost set by government.NEW YORK'S SOCIALIST NIGHTMARE IS JUST BEGINNING BUT THERE'S STILL A WAY OUTSometimes, businesses will also reduce product sizes or service offerings shrinkflation, as we saw under the last administration but one way or another, that increase in labor cost flows through the economy and impacts what you are able to get for your dollars.Its notable that small business owners, who often work well in excess of 40 hours of week and risk their own capital, dont get a guaranteed wage, but politicians are happy to make entrepreneurial efforts more risky and costly.The minimum wage, particularly the federal proposals, dont take into account different economic costs by region or geographic area, either.Just because bad policy exists doesnt mean that we should keep doubling down on it. Pay should be negotiated between parties based on value and demand for skills and services.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONAn economy cannot function without being able to get people into the workforce and trained. We need to keep jobs where people can enter the workforce, learn skills and, if desired, move on in their career paths.At a time when AI is threatening jobs, and technology is replacing workers, enacting legislation that incentivizes fewer jobs and makes it more costly and difficult to run a business is patently insane.Wages will naturally shift with the market for labor, as we have seen in recent years. Politicians who are trying to "help" will once again find that intentions do not equate to outcomes, and their policies only make the cost-of-living issues worse.If they want to help in a way that drives positive outcomes, make it cheaper and easier to do business by removing costly regulatory barriers and red tape.That is the path to a flourishing economy and better cost of living, not mandated wages.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM CAROL ROTH

A new trend has emerged among Americas elite as New Zealands Active Investor Plus visa also dubbed the "golden" visa sees a recent boom."[There has been] a flood of formal interest in the new 'golden' visa," said New Zealand Immigration Minister Erica Stanford, according to Reuters.In April, the government relaxed its visa rules to attract more high-net-worth individuals, with such changes as removing an English language requirement.RARE 'TSUNAMI' ROLL CLOUD HOVERS OVER BEACHGOERS IN POPULAR DESTINATION SPOTThe country also reduced the amount of time required to spend in New Zealand.Once the golden visa is obtained, it can be held for life. People do not need to reapply.In under three months, 189 golden visa applications were received, while previous applications were at 116 submissions over the span of more than two-and-a-half years, Reuters reported.Nearly half the applications were submitted by U.S. citizens, with Chinese citizens having the second-highest number of applications, the same source noted.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERFormer New Zealand Minister for Economic Development Stuart Nash, co-founder of Nash Kelly Global, told Fox News Digital the visas are getting more popular."There's a lot of global uncertainty at the moment," he said."You've got a war going on in Europe, you've got the tinderbox, which is the Middle East. You've got a change in the U.S. administration, which is causing more polarization than weve seen in a long, long time," said Nash."There are many Americans wanting to settle in New Zealand, as were seen as this oasis at the bottom of the world," he added.Nash pointed to New Zealands "stable banking system" and lack of capital gains, wealth and death taxes.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle"In this time of global uncertainty, geography is just as important as anything else. You jump on a plane and youre 1,200 miles away from trouble spots," said Nash.He added, "In the past, people were looking for tax havens. Now theyre looking for safe havens for them and their family."Nash said the countrys low population is a unique perk."We have wonderful scenery, sailing, golf and we have some pretty cool people," Nash said.He added, "You don't have to renounce your U.S. citizenship at all. You can get permanent residency for life and you can live the New Zealand dream."Reuters contributed reporting to this article.

A federal judge in Oregon has ordered the immediate release of a 24-year-old migrant from Mexico who was arrested after a routine asylum hearing and then held in an Immigration and Customs Enforcement(ICE) detention facility for nearly a month.Judge Michael H. Simon ordered the migrant, known as Y-Z-L-H, be released from custody, arguing the government had no right to detain him given his temporary legal status, or parole, was still valid through July 2025, according to The Oregonian.Simon granted the mans habeas petition, finding thatICEofficers had unlawfully and without justification detained the man in violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.TRUMP 'WORKING ON' DEPORTATION EXEMPTIONS FOR ILLEGAL FARM AND HOSPITALITY WORKERSThe migrant came to the U.S. in July 2023 and claimed he had been threatened by the violent Mexican cartel Familia Michoacana. U.S. officials let him stay temporarily on humanitarian grounds and applied for asylum about a year ago.On June 5, he went to Portland Immigration Court for an asylum hearing and asked for more time to find a lawyer.The government moved to dismiss his asylum case and the judge granted the dismissal over his objection. The migrant is still appealing this decision. As soon as he walked out of the courtroom, he was arrested by ICE agents and taken to Tacoma detention facility in Washington state.Attorneys for Innovation Law Lab, an Oregon-based nonprofit legal organization that is representing the migrant, argued at the hearing that federal authorities had no lawful basis for arresting the man and had not formally revoked his temporary parole status, allowing him to remain in the United States.The judge agreed and said that ICE failed to follow due process as they didnt explain or justify why they arrested him.Government lawyers said the arrest was allowed because it was up to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noems discretion, but the judge rejected that, saying executive agencies must follow the law and cant just do whatever they want.SELF-DEPORT OR END UP IN 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ,' NOEM WARNS MIGRANTS DURING TRUMP VISIT"How do we know whether the secretary has complied with the law unless the secretary tells us the basis for the ruling," Simon asked, per The Oregonian. "Isnt the whole purpose of checks and balances that the executive branch must follow the law that Congress writes and the judiciary is here to ensure that the executive branch only takes those actions that are authorized by law?"The government initially claimed it had notified the migrant in April that his temporary status would end that month, but later reversed course in court filings, acknowledging that his parole was in fact valid through July 19, 2025, per the outlet.A day before his arrest, Y-Z-L-H was granted a five-year work permit a result of an October 2023 policy change by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), which extended the validity period of employment authorization for asylum seekers.He lives in Newport, Oregon and has no criminal record. Innovation Law Lab has been involved in several high-profile immigration cases, particularly those challenging U.S. policies that impact asylum seekers.One notable case came in 2020, when the group sued the federal government over former President Donald Trumps "Remain in Mexico" policy, which forced asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their claims were processed in U.S. courts.The group argued the policy violated U.S. immigration law and international human rights protections. A federal appeals court agreed and blocked the policy, but the Supreme Court later vacated that ruling after the Biden administration ended the program.

U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon unveiled arguably the biggest step yet in President Donald Trump's mission to combat trans inclusion in women's sports on Tuesday.The announcement that the University of Pennsylvania had come to a resolution with the administration over its handling of the Lia Thomas situation years ago closed a controversy that ignited a cultural debate when Thomas competed in the NCAA women's swimming championship in 2022.The Thomas saga at the 2022 NCAA championships is largely considered a cultural turning point in the national debate over transgender athletes in women's sports. At the time, current prominent conservative activist Riley Gaines was just a dental student who had to settle for a tie with Thomas in one of the NCAA championship events.CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMMcMahon followed the situation through the news that year."The first thing when I looked and saw the difference in size between Riley Gaines and Lia Thomas, I said, oh my gosh, this is just totally unfair,'" McMahon told Fox News Digital, recalling when Gaines infamously tied Thomas in that years competition. "To think, given all that, she tied, which is amazing, but it was just totally unfair. She should have walked away with that, coming in clearly for the fifth place, and that just didn't happen."McMahon said she hopes that Tuesday's announcement sends a message to other girls in high school and college across the country."I think those girls, hopefully they will look at Riley and Paula [Scanlan] and others as real role models and give them the strength to stand up," McMahon said.The department previously launched an investigation into UPenn on Feb. 6. The Trump administration later froze $175 million in funding for the school on March 20. Then, on April 28, the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights announced its investigation concluded that UPenn did violate Title IX in its handling of the Thomas situation.Now, UPenn has agreed to implement a strict policy keeping trans athletes out of women's sports and issue apologies to all the women who have been impacted.However, McMahon's work doesn't end with UPenn. The Department of Education and other branches of Trump's administration are fighting the issue on multiple fronts, with an active lawsuit against the state of Maine for refusing to comply with Trump's mandate on the issue. The administration is also in a standoff with California and Minnesota over the issue, as well as those states that have aggressively defied Trump's mandate on the issue.McMahon hopes UPenn's agreement sends a message to those states.HOW TRANSGENDERISM IN SPORTS SHIFTED THE 2024 ELECTION AND IGNITED A NATIONAL COUNTERCULTURE"Our sincere hope is that they absolutely recognize what they're going to have to do relative to comply with Title IX. It is the law," McMahon said. "There are federal funds that have been withheld and withdrawn, so there's penalties involved in this. But it's actually just the right thing to do, it's common sense to do, that men should not compete in women's sports."On the same day that McMahon's department announced its investigation against UPenn, it also announced an investigation against San Jose State University for its handling of former transgender volleyball player Blaire Fleming. The situation involving Fleming culminated in a nationally-publicized scandal in the 2024 fall season, which included multiple lawsuits by San Jose State and other Mountain West volleyball players.Recently, Fox News Digital reported that the Mountain West Conference hired the same law firm to investigate the trans athlete's misconduct allegations that the conference was using to defend the athlete's eligibility for the conference tournament in court.Fox News Digital reported on June 24 that the Mountain West had hired the firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher to investigate allegations against Fleming of conspiring with an opponent to have teammate Brooke Slusser harmed during an Oct. 3 game.Mountain West hired the firm to handle the investigation in the same month that the same firm represented the conference to protect Fleming's eligibility in a request for a preliminary injunction to have the trans athlete disqualified from women's competition and the conference tournament. Now, with the UPenn situation resolved, McMahon will continue working to address the SJSU investigation."Our investigation will continue," McMahon said of the developing situation with SJSU.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

Once a revolutionary militia, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps built power through ideology and fear. Now, after devastating losses, its future is uncertain.After major military setbacks, Irans IRGC faces a turning point. Experts explain its roots, power, and whether its reign of repression and terror can endure.Once a fringe militia born of revolution, Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has grown into the regimes most feared and powerful force. But according to Dr. Afshon Ostovar, a leading expert on Iran and author of "Vanguard of the Imam: Religion, Politics, and Iran's Revolutionary Guards," said the recent U.S. and Israeli strikes in Iran may have permanently altered its trajectory.HERES WHAT A POST-AYATOLLAH IRAN COULD LOOK LIKE IF WAR WITH ISRAEL LEADS TO REGIMES FALL"What the IRGC tried to achieve over the last 25 years is basically toast," Ostovar told Fox News Digital, "Their campaign to build a military deterrent at home through missiles and nuclear enrichment, and to expand regionally through proxies, has essentially collapsed."Founded in the wake of the 1979 revolution, the IRGC was created to safeguard and spread the Islamic Republics values often through violence. Ostovar describes how its legitimacy evolved over time, initially drawn from the overthrow of the Shah, then the Iran-Iraq War, and later through the manufactured narrative of an eternal struggle with the U.S. and Israel.Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of FDD's Iran Program Behnam Ben Taleblu, told Fox News Digital the IRGCs origin reflects a deep mistrust of Irans traditional military, which had remained loyal to the Shah."The IRGC were created through efforts to collect pro-regime armed gangs called Komitehs. They enforced revolutionary edicts and developed a parallel and ideological military force due to clerical skepticism in the national army," he explained."The IRGC are tasked with preserving and defending the revolution in Iran," Taleblu said. "Thats one reason why the 1979 Islamic Revolution has not been tamed, nor has the regimes extremism lost any luster. If anything, terrorism and hostage-taking have continued.""They created a boogeyman in the U.S. and Israel," Ostovar added. "But today, that ideology no longer resonates with most Iranians. The majority want better relations with the West and are tired of the regimes isolationist stance."Today, the IRGC is deeply intertwined with the clerical elite. "The IRGC and the clerical elite are partners in power, treating Iran as a springboard to export their revolution," Taleblu noted.EXILED IRANIAN PRINCE TELLS TRUMP HE CAN BE 'ONE OF HISTORY'S GREAT PEACEMAKERS' AMID TALK OF REGIME CHANGEOver the past year, Iran has suffered a series of strategic defeats: Hezbollah has been degraded in Lebanon, Hamas crippled in Gaza, Syria effectively lost, and Iranian military infrastructure including nuclear and missile sites destroyed in many cases by U.S. and Israeli strikes. Ostovar says these losses have decimated the IRGCs regional footprint and forced the regime to reevaluate its strategy."They can try to rebuild everything but that would take too long and be too difficult," he said. "More likely, well see them repress harder at home and lean on China and Russia to rebuild conventional military capabilities like air defense and advanced jets."Internally, the IRGCs economic empire is also under growing strain. Sanctions, cyberattacks, and battlefield losses have made operations far more difficult. Ostovar said that foreign banks avoid any connection with Iran out of fear they may inadvertently deal with IRGC-linked entities, forcing the group to operate through front companies abroad. "Theyve lost a lot, and now theyll have to redirect their limited resources to rebuild. Thats going to stretch them even thinner."ISRAEL'S 'RESOUNDING' MILITARY CAMPAIGN AGAINST IRAN COULD BE HISTORIC TURNING POINT, EXPERTS SAYDespite these pressures, both Ostovar and Taleblu agree that the IRGC is unlikely to turn against the regime. "Much like the regime elite, the IRGC is at a crossroads," Taleblu said. "They have lost much of their strategic brain trust, but are likely to remain loyal for a combination of ideological and material reasons so long as the status quo doesnt change."Looking ahead, Iran may shift focus inward, relying more on domestic repression than on external terror. "They cant get weapons into Gaza. Theyve lost access to Lebanon. They may still attempt terrorism, but theyve failed repeatedly especially against Israeli targets," Ostovar said. "In contrast, repressing their own people is something they can do easily."He warns that Iran could become "more insular, more autocratic more like North Korea than what it is today." While regime collapse is always a possibility, Ostovar believes autocracies are often resilient. "Look at Venezuela or Cuba theyve run their countries into the ground but still hold on to power."Ostovar thinks change and not for the better could come via generational shift. "The IRGCs younger cadre is less religious but no less hardline," he said. "They may not care about hijabs, but theyve spent the last two decades fighting the U.S. and Israel in Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon. Thats the war they know."Some reformist elements within the regime envision a different path one focused on normalization and growth. "They want to preserve the regime not by fighting the world, but by opening up to it," Ostovar said. "They look more to Vietnam or China as models."Taleblu warned that despite recent setbacks, the IRGCs grip remains strong. "Right now, the Guards have power without accountability, wielding political, economic, and military influence in Iranian policy. How this influence is channeled by the next generation of Guardsmen remains to be seen."