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After previously promising to “cooperate fully” at any Congressional hearing on his work as Biden Administration COVID czar, Dr. Anthony Fauci refused to answer all 111 questions by invoking the Fifth Amendment – and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says he knows why.“I will enthusiastically vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt,” Sen. Cruz declared Friday in an appearance on the Ben Ferguson show, discussing next Wednesday’s House Homeland Security and Government Affairs vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress for refusing to answer questions, even though he had immunity, thanks to a blanket pardon from former President Joe Biden.After Fauci refused to answer even a single question at the Senate hearing, flashback videos and reports of the COVID czar’s several 2022 comments quickly appeared in the news and on social media.“I am very happy to testify before any congressional oversight committee. I have nothing to hide. I can explain and validate everything that I’ve done,” Fauci said at the time, when the specter of being called before Congress first appeared. “I believe oversight is a very important part of government structure and I welcome it and it can be productive,” Fauci said in one of several interviews raising the issue.But, at that time, Fauci was fearless, because he knew Biden’s Justice Department would never prosecute him, Sen. Cruz said in his interview.Any contempt finding is not self-executing, so the Justice Department has to agree to prosecute it, Cruz explained:“That’s why Fauci was not worried at all about testifying before Congress as long as Biden Justice Department was there, because they will never hold him to account for anything. “He felt completely protected and immunized and safe.” I will enthusiastically vote to hold Anthony Fauci in contempt.@benfergusonshow and I break down Fauci invoking the Fifth and what’s next on latest episode of Verdict. pic.twitter.com/fGetFhwtAi— Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 31, 2026

Investors are seeing more signs that the bottom is near, if not already in.

N. Korea said an expanded U.S. military command in Japan made a regional clash increasingly likely and justified its nuclear weapons development.

President Donald Trump said Friday that Americans should be prepared for the fighting with Iran to continue, predicting Tehran would eventually “peter out” as U.S. strikes steadily weaken its ability to retaliate.Asked whether the back-and-forth attacks could continue until Iran was no longer capable of striking back, Trump said, “Yeah, sure, I think so. I’d be foolish to say no. You know, you always have to keep your guard up.””They’ll get weaker. They’ll get a little stronger, maybe. But they’ll get weaker, and then they peter out,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting at Camp David, Maryland.ARMY IDS 2 VICTIMS KILLED IN JORDAN AIR BASE ATTACK; TRUMP: IRAN WILL PAY ‘MANY TIMES OVER’The remarks amounted to an acknowledgment that the five-month conflict could drag on, despite Trump’s claims that the U.S. has decimated Iran’s military and his optimism just days ago that renewed negotiations could produce a deal.”I think we just want to win,” Trump said. “We’re doing very well. We’re trying to be nice — as nice as you can be in a situation like that — but they’re being decimated.””They have no navy. They have no air force. They have no anti-aircraft,” he added. “It doesn’t mean they don’t have any capability. They have some, but very little.”The latest fighting also complicates the administration’s earlier declarations that it had eliminated Iran’s ability to project military power. The White House said in April that U.S. forces had achieved the objectives of Operation Epic Fury, including destroying Iran’s Navy and its ballistic missile and drone capabilities. Iran has nevertheless continued launching missiles and drones at U.S. bases and threatening commercial shipping.TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL ‘LARGELY NEGOTIATED’ AS 84-DAY WAR NEARS POSSIBLE ENDTrump also said he was “losing faith” in the prospect of reaching a deal with Iran, accusing Tehran of lying about its negotiations with the U.S.”They do lie, and they do misrepresent,” Trump said. “All they do is make me angry.”The renewed fighting has left no clear end to the conflict as the U.S. approaches the November midterm elections, placing greater political pressure on Trump to explain how and when the war will end.Trump’s remarks came two days after the U.S. launched a heavy wave of strikes against Iranian military sites in response to missile attacks targeting American forces in the region. U.S. Central Command said the strikes hit dozens of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps targets, including command centers, missile and drone facilities, coastal defenses and maritime capabilities.The renewed exchange followed the collapse of an agreement Washington and Iran reached in June that was intended to end the fighting and restore commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Hostilities resumed in July after Iran attacked vessels transiting the strategically vital waterway.Trump’s pessimism marked a sharp shift from earlier in the week, when he said the United States was engaged in “very friendly negotiations” with Iran and saw “a good chance” of reaching an agreement. Iran denied that direct talks were taking place but acknowledged that mediators were relaying messages between the two sides.Oman, Qatar, Pakistan and Egypt have sought to revive the June agreement that was intended to end the fighting and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Those efforts have stalled over control of the critical waterway, sanctions relief and Iran’s nuclear program, while a new exchange of attacks has further dimmed the prospects of a deal.

If you or someone you know is the victim of domestic abuse, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233.OnlyFans model Courtney Clenney has reached a plea agreement in the second-degree murder case stemming from the fatal stabbing of her boyfriend, Christian Obumseli, her attorneys confirmed to Fox News Digital.The terms of the agreement have not been disclosed and will not become final unless they are accepted by the court, according to a statement from the Prieto Law Firm and Puglisi Carames Law, which represent Clenney.The defense said the agreement is expected to be presented in Miami-Dade County court on Aug. 10.ONLYFANS MODEL SEEKS DEAD BOYFRIEND’S ANIMAL-CRUELTY WARRANT IN SELF-DEFENSE MURDER TRIAL: DOCS”We will reserve further comment on the specific terms until they are placed on the record before the Court,” Clenney’s attorneys said.Clenney, 30, has remained in custody since August 2022 in connection with Obumseli’s April 3, 2022, death at the Miami apartment she rented.Her attorneys have alleged that Obumseli was abusive and argued that Clenney was a battered partner. Obumseli’s family has maintained that he was the victim of domestic violence.At the time of her arrest, Miami-Dade State Attorney Katherine Fernandez Rundle characterized Obumseli’s death as the culmination of a “tempestuous and combative relationship” that began in November 2020.LINDSAY LOHAN’S STEPMOTHER ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY PUNCHING AND THROWING A KNIFE AT MICHAEL LOHANClenney told investigators that Obumseli pushed her and threw her to the floor before she grabbed a knife and threw it at him from several feet away. A medical examiner said the knife wound he sustained in his chest was three inches deep.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XSEND US A TIPThe death was initially considered self-defense, but investigators continued to dig after vocal concerns from Obumseli’s family.In a heavily redacted police report, officers said they arrived at the couple’s Miami, Florida home around 5 p.m. in response to an aggravated battery call. They met a front desk supervisor who brought them up to the apartment, where police found Obumseli with a single stab wound to the torso.GOT A TIP?In a February 2022 video recorded during a trip to Aspen, Colorado, Clenney is seen shouting at and repeatedly striking Obumseli in front of someone who recorded the encounter.LISTEN TO THE NEW ‘CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO’ PODCASTIn the video, the model is heard blaming Obumseli for her drinking, telling him he was “fired” and screaming at him repeatedly to leave. She also accused him of costing her money and flirting with other women.LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MOREGET BREAKING NEWS BY EMAIL”The firm asks that the public and the media allow the legal process to conclude and refrain from speculation,” Clenney’s attorneys said in a statement Friday.SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWSFox News Digital’s Michael Ruiz contributed to this report.

Pat McAfee has become ESPN’s most powerful and influential personality. That’s why he enjoys so much autonomy, commands one of the network’s richest contracts and can say or do things on his “progrum” that other ESPN personalities wouldn’t dream of attempting — or wouldn’t be allowed to get away with.During Thursday’s show, McAfee poked fun at Dr. Anthony Fauci, who pleaded the 5th Amendment a reported 111 times while “speaking” at the United States Senate hearing.During a parody segment in which he pretended to interview Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio live, McAfee asked, “Vic, we appreciate you joining us. Do you think your team will win the Super Bowl this year?”EAGLES COACH VIC FANGIO MOCKS ANTHONY FAUCI’S SENATE HEARING SPECTACLE DURING HIS OWN PRESS CONFERENCEFangio’s answer was a replay of his earlier press conference at Eagles’ camp where he jokingly responded to reporter’s questions by stating, “I’m gonna be like Fauci, and just take the 5th Amendment on all your questions.”They did this back and forth song and dance with multiple “Pat McAfee Show” personalities asking him questions about Jalen Carter getting a massive extension, splicing in Fangio pleading the 5th.Add this to the long list of McAfee poking the political bear.PAT MCAFEE ANNOUNCES DEBUT ALBUM ‘THE DIARY OF A POLARIZING FIGURE’ WITH AUG 14 RELEASE DATEIn the past, McAfee has adamantly defended interviewing President Trump on Veterans Day, went off on liberal hockey fans and media for their treatment of his generous offer to cover Team USA men’s hockey bar tab in Miami after winning gold and destroyed the narrative that people enjoy watching Caitlin Clark because she’s white, spouted by woke personalities at the network such as Monica McNutt.In the past, McAfee has adamantly defended interviewing President Trump on Veterans Day, gone off on liberal hockey fans and members of the media over their treatment of his generous offer to cover Team USA men’s hockey bar tab in Miami after its gold-medal victory and pushed back against the narrative, promoted by ESPN personalities such as Monica McNutt, that people enjoy watching Caitlin Clark because she’s white.Love him or hate him, Pat McAfee is unapologetic in the way he destroys the political narratives and rhetoric that has divided and driven millions of viewers away from ESPN over the years.As for Fauci, he “could be barred from federal government work under a House GOP bill” after his recent actions before Congress. Personally, I’m hoping it’s much more than that.

Two ransom notes that were sent to 13 News in February were released by the Pima County Sheriff’s Department on Friday.
84-year-old Nancy Guthrie was abducted from her Pima County, Arizona, home on February 1.
Police still have not identified a suspect.
The FBI previously released photos and video of a masked subject in the Guthrie abduction case.
Guthrie subject/ FBI
Guthrie subject / FBI
On Friday, the Pima County Sheriff’s Department released two ransom notes dated February 2 and February 6.

Nancy Guthrie Investigation Update: Video & Ransom Note Details 1/3 pic.twitter.com/O0HDb8asMX
— Pima County Sheriff’s Department (@PimaSheriff) July 31, 2026

Note 1:

Note 1 is below. 2/3 pic.twitter.com/2Zyoz5agwG
— Pima County Sheriff’s Department (@PimaSheriff) July 31, 2026

Note 2:

Note 2 is below. 3/3 pic.twitter.com/T7hAro0ebR
— Pima County Sheriff’s Department (@PimaSheriff) July 31, 2026

The first ransom note was addressed to Nancy Guthrie’s daughter, Savannah Guthrie.
“Hello Savannah, We have your mother Nancy. She is safe but scared. She will be held for ransom and once payment is received she will be released unharmed. We will be holding her for a maximum of 7 days. You will need to send bitcoin in the amount of $4 million USD before 5PM on Thursday the 5th. If payment is not received, the ransom will be increased to 6 million USD which will need to be paid by 5PM on Monday the 9th.”
“Once payment is received to the bitcoin address below she will be released within 12 hours of deposit to a safe drop off location back in Tucson. If payment is not recieved [sic] by the last deadline on Monday the 9th at 5PM, she will be killed.”
“Your mother is aware of this and her life is in your hands. It is in the best interest of everyone to have this completed as soon as possible. You will not be able to contact me from here on out, there will be no negotiation. Do not play games, law enforcement will not be able to help you.”
“She had a white smart watch on the floor of the foot of her bed and the white flood light in backyard was destroyed.”
A second ransom note sent a few days later claimed that Nancy had died and had been buried.
“Guthrie Family,We did not fully grasp the seriousness of her physical condition. We never intended to hurt her, that was not our intention. She perished shortly after she was taken. We believe it was heart related. She is buried in nature now. Nothing you could have done could have changed the outcome. We want your family to know this and hope you all can find peace. We are truly sorry,” the note read.

The post Nancy Guthrie Died ‘Shortly After She Was Taken’ – Pima County Sheriff’s Department Releases Ransom Notes appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

While working from home might be a dream for employees, for downtown restaurant operators it’s a financial gut punch. As more workers move to a hybrid schedule, coffee shops, fast-food spots, and casual dining chains lose the customer base that previously justified five-day downtown leases. “For businesses, it’s death by a thousand paper cuts. It’s not the loss of any one customer, but thousands of them visiting less often,” points out TheStreet’s co-editor in chief, Daniel Kline. Nearly 28% of workdays remained remote in September 2024, suggesting lunch spending partly moves out of financial centers and into suburban strip centers, according to research from Stanford’s WFH Research project.The latest restaurant victim of this new trend is a popular fast-casual chain, Boloco. 

Boloco closes its last location as the building converts to residential, despite its CEO, John Pepper’s years of effort to revive the business.Boston Globe / Getty Images

Boloco closes last location as building converts to residential Boloco, a fast-casual restaurant famous for its classic and modern burritos, bowls, salads, and snacks, is set to close its final location on September 25, 2026, marking the end for the chain. “It’s been a hell of a ride,” the restaurant management said in a Facebook post announcing the closure. Boloco explained that its last location at 50 Congress St., Boston is closing for good because the building is converting to residential. “10,746 days down. 60 more to go,” the post continued. “Every day until then – open or closed – you can expect any number of not-so-clever reasons to come back one more time… a story you can’t make up, an old favorite makes a final appearance, free burrito day, and special request.” This is the end of the chain that once had close to two dozen locations, spreading across Rhode Island, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Vermont, at its peak in the 2010s. Boloco’s CEO, John Pepper, said he has been expecting this for years. “I personally am at peace if this is the end. I mean, it would have been nice to say we made it 30 years, but 29 years and six months is fine,” Pepper told the Boston Globe. While the final location is closing to make way for luxury apartments, Boloco’s decline began years earlier as its footprint steadily shrank.Boloco narrowly escaped bankruptcy Boloco was founded in 1997 as a fast-casual restaurant chain called Under Wraps. Over the years, it expanded to 22 locations and was renamed Boloco, which is short for Boston Local Company. In 2007, Boloco sold a controlling stake to private equity firm Winona Capital to drive expansion. In 2013, co-founder Pepper left the company and came back two years later, acquiring it with the goal of leading it to profitability, writes Boston.com. By 2020, the chain closed around 14 locations, and in 2025 it closed its second-to-last restaurant near Boston Children’s Hospital. In a blog post from February 2026, Pepper opened up about post-pandemic struggles to keep restaurants running as leases came to an end. Pepper highlighted that what keeps him engaged are “the passionate team members who want to be there, who have convinced me more than once to extend a long-ago expired lease even for short time frames.” During its biggest challenges, Boloco “narrowly escaped bankruptcy due to a combination of federal aid and renegotiated leases,” according to The Boston Globe. Employees first strategy and B Corporation statusOver the 29 years of its existence, Boloco earned a reputation as a restaurant chain deploying an employee-first strategy under Pepper’s leadership. Instead of concentrating solely on profit margins, Pepper focused on people, raising wages and adding benefits, such as health insurance, retirement accounts, professional development programs and even English as a second language tutoring, according to Tuck School Of Business feature on Boloco’s legacy. “I saw our mission as using our advantages to build a business that would build great lives for others,” said Pepper. In 2016, the company became one of only 12 restaurants in the United States to earn B Corporation status.Related: Popular mall retailer is quietly shifting away from traditional mallsRemote work disrupts restaurant operations Boston offers developers an average 75% property tax abatement for up to 29 years to incentivize property owners in the Financial District (like 50 Congress Street) to convert underutilized commercial towers into housing, according to the City of Boston.However, Boston is not the only city in the United States with these initiatives that are disrupting various businesses, and Boloco is not the only restaurant to feel the consequences.  As more workers adapt new hybrid or work-from-home routines, they are also changing their dining-out habits. As many as 52% of workers who have remote-capable jobs are working in hybrid office/work-from-home environments, and 27% are working fully remote, as per a Gallup Poll. This compares with 32% who were working in hybrid environments and 8% who were fully remote in 2019.“The shift has created tremendous challenges for office landlords and other businesses in urban centers and downtown areas that have long depended on the spending of these workers. Among the most heavily impacted have been the restaurants where workers grabbed their morning coffee, ordered lunch, and sometimes met with friends and coworkers after hours for dinner and/or cocktails,” according to the US Chamber.This is why some restaurant chains, such as DIG, for example, have shifted their focus from a city footprint, primarily New York City, toward suburban areas. For Boloco, which struggled to survive for years, expensive relocation was not an option. Related: Discount grocery chain closing stores

There are more similarities between the two hedge-fund blowups than one might expect.

South Korea’s opposition rallied after lawmakers approved a special counsel investigation into election authorities and the June ballot shortage.