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Divorcees and widows may face a higher risk of death than those who are still coupled up, a new study reveals. Researchers in Norway analyzed long-term national health data to weigh mortality risk among those who were divorced, ended situations where they lived with a partner, or became widowed. The study, published in the journal BMJ Public Health, looked at three groups of about 20,000 people each, from 1984 to 2019, who were married or living with a partner at the time. ONE TOXIC BEHAVIOR KILLS RELATIONSHIPS, LEADING HAPPINESS EXPERT WARNS During the next wave of the study, these individuals were categorized into three groups: still married or cohabiting, divorced or moved out, and widowed. Death records were then checked through January 2020, according to a press release. The researchers used statistical models to gauge whether this relationship loss was associated with death later. Divorces or breakups were consistently linked with higher mortality across all groups compared to couples who stayed together. This was the case even after accounting for factors such as age, gender, health habits, self-rated health and loneliness. CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER Being widowed was also linked to about a 14% higher mortality risk, though the association was strongest in the earliest period studied. During the second study period, the link between breakup and mortality was stronger, with a statistically significant association observed only among women. CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES Although this research displays an association between living alone and mortality risk, it does not define a direct cause, the team acknowledged. The authors commented that these findings "highlight the importance of addressing social disconnection in public health and in clinical practice to reduce preventable mortality." M. David Rudd, PhD, University of Memphis professor of psychology and director of the Rudd Institute for Veteran & Military Suicide Prevention, reflected that these findings underscore what has been known for decades. "Loneliness has significant and severe consequences for individual physical health and emotional well-being," said Rudd, who was not involved in the study. "We're social beings, and relationships are essential to health, happiness and survival." "These findings are particularly salient during this period of exponentially increasing isolation, secondary to the influential role of digital technologies." While limitations always exist in studies of this kind, Rudd pointed out that this longitudinal research, spanning almost four decades, offers "remarkably important contributions to understanding human behavior." TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Divorcees and widows should understand that relationships and social engagement are "critical," Rudd said. While these relationships don’t necessarily have to be romantic, human connection is important. "It's really simple," he added. "Developing, nurturing and maintaining relationships is critical to health, well-being and happiness." View the full article

Some people just like classic Coke. Others insist on the original Reese’s recipe. New York Times reporter Jodi Kantor went on CNN to explain why Democrats can vote for Maine senatorial candidate Graham Platner despite multiple women coming forward to denounce him: this is really not the classic Me Too allegations that Kantor and others seem to prefer for outrage. Kantor won a Pulitzer Prize for her reporting on Hollywood mogul Harvey Weinstein’s sexual abuse and was called forth by CNN to explain why it is OK for liberals to support an alleged abuser of women. A prior girlfriend has accused Platner of physically abusing her and even locking her into a room overnight. He is also accused of sexting women and dismissing rape victims. None of that, however, necessarily presents a barrier for those who want to retake power by any means necessary. Kantor clinically explained that these "are not classic MeToo accusations." Specifically, "they’re not about a boss and a young female employee being subjected to sexual advances. They were mostly made in the context of consensual relationships. … There are these, like, very sensational texts about sex. There are allegations from former girlfriends that are not — the way my colleagues reported them were not like classic abuse allegations," she stressed. NEW YORK TIMES REPORTER UNDER SCRUTINY AS BIDEN ACCUSER SAYS SHE HAD SIMILAR EXPERIENCE AS GRAHAM PLATNER'S EX In a statement that would have produced a torrent of condemnations if used during the Brett Kavanaugh controversy, Kantor insisted that "they were mostly like being his boyfriend gave me a view into him and I did not like what I saw. His character was scary. He had this Nazi tattoo. Etcetera." In fairness to Kantor, she was attempting no small feat: to allow liberals to continue to claim Me Too outrage while grabbing Maine. Of course, Kantor quickly brushes over the other controversies beyond the abuse allegations as simply a Nazi tattoo. She omits his mocking of a wounded veteran, rural people and rape victims while praising Hamas and embracing communism. ‘HE HATED WOMEN’: EXPLOSIVE ABUSE, NEW NAZI TATTOO ALLEGATIONS FROM EXES ROCK PLATNER'S CAMPAIGN However, her diminishing of the account of women like Lyndsey Fifield as "they were mostly like being his boyfriend gave me a view into him and I did not like what I saw." What Fifield alleges that she "saw" were marks left on her body after being yanked and grabbed by Platner. In one case, she claimed "he twisted her arm behind her back, shoved her into a bedroom and held the door closed from the other side so she couldn’t get out, telling her to remain there until she was ‘calm.’" Kantor seems to begrudgingly acknowledge that "there was one allegation of crossing a line physically, but I think that means that these are pretty different accusations than, say, the one that — the ones that President Trump faced." NYT PANEL DEBATES WHETHER GRAHAM PLATNER IS A ‘DIRTBAG’ OR DEMOCRATS’ ANSWER TO TRUMP-ERA POLITICS Previously, Kantor did not draw this distinction between classic MeToo and new knockoffs involving non-employment situations. She once grouped a wide variety of controversies from former Democrat Sen. Al Franken to Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh to Jeffrey Epstein under the banner: "t felt like there was this period where discussion of #MeToo was actually pretty bipartisan. Democrats like [Sen.] Al Franken were accused, but so were Republicans, like [Alabama Judge] Roy Moore. And also, a lot of these stories played out in the corporate arena, which is not particularly political. But the Kavanaugh hearings almost felt in a way like a return to an older pattern, like a return to a pattern that we saw with the allegations against Bill Clinton, Clarence Thomas, and Donald Trump. Those are scenarios in which the allegations take on all of the heat and the poison of American political life. And in those stories, it turns into a holy war very, very quickly and can almost feel like it’s not even about the women anymore. …The #MeToo movement has proven so durable and so self-correcting. I think there was a moment after the Kavanaugh hearings where it all just felt like it had become impossibly politicized, to the point where it was almost preventing constructive conversation." 'THE VIEW' ERUPTS AFTER HOSTIN DECLARES 'I WOULD HOLD MY NOSE' AND VOTE FOR SCANDAL-PLAGUED GRAHAM PLATNER Ironically, Kantor’s rationalization returns to the very partisan "older pattern" that she once denounced in how allegations from women are treated in the media. In rationalizing the Platner support, Kantor was obviously singing to the choir on CNN. Democratic figures like Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrat Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren celebrated his securing the nomination. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION Yes, he may be a rape-mocking, sex-texting, Hamas-praising, Nazi-tattooed, veteran-abusing, self-proclaimed communist. However, he will return them to power. Other media figures, like "The View" co-host Sunny Hostin, have added their own rationalization for choosing power over principle. She has declared that he is "a liar, a racist, an antisemite, and a homophobe." However, he is still better than voting for a moderate Republican woman. This week, Hostin explained: "let’s be strategic, let’s get some power, let’s take over the Senate, let’s take over the House and let’s right the ship. Let’s get our country back…I am sorry, I am someone that believes in character, I am someone that believes that morals matter," she concluded. "But because of the state of this country, I would — if I lived in Maine I would hold my nose and I would vote for Platner. I would." And so, MeToo becomes Meh when Maine is at stake. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM JONATHAN TURLEY View the full article

A sanctioned Russian LNG tanker from the Portovaya project idled near Singapore in May 2026 with no buyer. At the same time, Ukrainian drones had already knocked roughly 700,000 barrels per day of Russian refining capacity offline across 16 major facilities. Europe had locked in a binding legal phase-out of Russian gas. And just four months earlier, U.S. forces had captured Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. These are not isolated events, but connected parts of a strategic vise squeezing Russian power. For more than a decade, Russia converted energy into leverage through access. Pipelines and long-term contracts gave Moscow influence inside European utilities and governments. Discounted crude layered on top of defense ties gave it relevance in India. Fuel networks helped keep clients like Venezuela and Cuba in the anti-Western column. The physical molecule mattered less than the political dependence it created. That conversion system is now being attacked on multiple fronts at once. Trump moved early on buyers. In August 2025 he signed an executive order imposing additional 25% tariffs on India over its Russian oil purchases, pushing combined rates as high as 50% in some categories. He later stated publicly that Indian Prime Minister Modi had assured him India would stop buying Russian oil and that China would be next. TANVI RATNA: HOW THE WAR IN IRAN REALIGNED EUROPE'S ENERGY FUTURE AROUND AMERICA The signal was clear: Continued large-scale purchases carried direct economic costs. India has not abandoned Russian crude entirely, but it has become selective. The May 2026 rejection of the Portovaya LNG cargo showed the limit. Even with energy markets tight from the Iran war, Indian firms treated certain sanctioned Russian cargoes as carrying unacceptable compliance risk. Europe has moved from crisis reduction to permanent legal exit. The December 2025 political agreement and the subsequent Regulation (EU) 2026/261 turned the break with Russian gas into binding law. Short-term Russian LNG imports face a ban from late April 2026. Short-term pipeline contracts end in mid-June 2026. The full phase-out of Russian gas is scheduled for September 2027. Russia’s share of EU gas imports had already collapsed from 45% before the full-scale Ukraine invasion to 12% by October 2025. Specific infrastructure changes made the shift concrete. When Ukraine’s transit agreement expired on January 1, 2025, the old gas-electricity circuit into Moldova through Transnistria broke. Bulgaria had already taken control of the Rosenets terminal and ended Russian crude deliveries to its refinery. These are not reversible political decisions. They redesign the physical and legal map. ‘ONLY TRUMP CAN STOP RUSSIA’: MILLIONS FACE FREEZING WINTER, UKRAINE ENERGY EXECUTIVE WARNS Inside Russia, production and processing capacity took direct hits. Ukrainian long-range drone strikes between January and May 2026 disabled around 700,000 barrels per day of refining across 16 facilities. Major sites including Tuapse, Syzran, Primorsk, Ust-Luga, Kirishi and Ryazan suffered fires, equipment damage and operational halts. Russian seaborne oil product exports fell sharply. Baltic port loadings dropped more than 30 percent in some periods as trade rerouted at higher cost and risk. Buyers now assess Russian supply not only for sanctions exposure but for physical reliability. The internal machine that turns crude into exportable products and domestic fuel has become less dependable. The Iran war brought to light the fragility of reprieve that Russia has. Hormuz disruptions and related tensions drove oil and gas prices higher at points, giving Moscow revenue support on the volumes it could still sell. Washington, however, responded with conditional permission rather than open access. OFAC’s General License 134, issued in March 2026 and extended afterward, authorized delivery and sale only for Russian cargoes already loaded by specific cutoff dates. New production remained fully sanctioned. The tool allowed some flows when global markets needed supply, but the decision on which cargoes, which buyers and which dates rested with the United States. Energy scarcity became something Washington could manage through licenses rather than something Russia could exploit through volume. The strategic depth and ability for Russia to project power on the outer edges also weakened. The January capture of Maduro removed a key partner and demonstrated Russia’s limited capacity or willingness to protect allies when its resources are committed elsewhere. Cuba’s fuel supplies came under visible strain, with only one Russian tanker permitted since December 2025 for humanitarian reasons amid widespread blackouts. The gray logistics networks Russia relied on after 2022 now face greater maritime enforcement and tariff pressure. TANVI RATNA: EUROPE SAYS TRUMP MADE AMERICA UNRELIABLE. THE TRUTH IS TOUGHER Alliance posture changes closed another lane. The 2026 U.S. National Defense Strategy shifted priorities toward homeland defense and China deterrence while stating that European allies should take primary responsibility for conventional defense on the continent and for supporting Ukraine. NATO has moved simultaneously to strengthen eastern flank planning and pre-position forces for the Baltics and neighbors. Putin faces a more capable deterrent on his western flank and less opportunity to exploit old divisions over American commitment. Russia retains major buyers in China and continues selective sales to India. Some adaptations through alternative routes and shadow logistics persist. Higher energy prices tied to the Iran conflict provided genuine budgetary relief on sellable barrels. None of this restores the previous level of strategic freedom. The old Russian position rested on the ability to convert hard assets into influence over governments that did not need to like Moscow in order to be constrained by its supply. That position is being compressed. Routes that once delivered access are becoming permissioned crossings. Internal capacity has been degraded. Key clients have been exposed. Buyers have grown more cautious. And the broader alliance map has hardened on the eastern flank while the United States reallocates its primary attention elsewhere. Trump’s approach has not eliminated Russian energy from global markets. It has made turning that energy into dependable geopolitical leverage significantly more difficult across energy, finance, clients and alliances at the same time. Production continues. Easy strategic options do not. CLICK FOR MORE FROM TANVI RATNA View the full article

The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) fired 70 staff members working in Gaza after long-standing claims from Israeli authorities that the agency is a collaborator with the Hamas terrorist group. "Today, the Commissioner-General ad interim of UNRWA, Christian Saunders, took the decision to terminate the employment of 70 UNRWA staff members in Gaza with immediate effect," UNRWA wrote in a Friday statement. UNRWA insisted its decision was not an admission of guilt, but one taken "to mitigate safety and security risks for the refugees the Agency serves under its mandate and for UNRWA personnel and premises." The agency claims it has "repeatedly asked the Israeli authorities to provide information and evidence to substantiate allegations against individual UNRWA staff members in Gaza but has received no response to date." ISRAEL SAYS UN MISLEADS WORLD AS GAZA AID STOLEN AND DIVERTED FROM CIVILIANS "The dismissal of the staff is not part of a disciplinary process and does not constitute in any way a validation of the claims made against them," the UNRWA statement read. The firings follow a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) investigation that referred more than 100 UNRWA staff members for suspension or dismissal. USAID's investigation, the results of which the agency published June 5, assessed that a number of UNRWA's employees were deeply enmeshed in Hamas' civil society and military operations. The investigation results included mention of "a deputy school principal serving as an al-Qassam deputy company commander in the Ain Gallout/5th infantry battalion, a deputy school principal serving as squad leader for the Khan Younis Brigade/2nd infantry battalion" and "a teacher with expertise as a sniper for Hamas." The investigation also found numerous school teachers and principals it claimed to have participated directly in Hamas' Oct. 7 terrorist attacks. Israeli authorities have long charged UNRWA with being directly tied to Hamas. "Since October 7, evidence of numerous incidents of Hamas exploiting UNRWA infrastructure and UNRWA employees being involved in terrorist activity has been exposed. Civilians in Gaza have even stated that UNRWA is Hamas," the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) wrote in a January web post. Additionally, the IDF claimed, citing intelligence findings, that "among the 12,521 UNRWA employees in the Gaza Strip, at least 1,462 (12%) are members of Hamas or other designated terrorist organizations." UNRWA SCHOOLS ‘HIJACKED BY HAMAS,’ WATCHDOG REPORT WARNS Israel's Foreign Ministry pushed back on UNRWA's defense framing and claims that Israel had not supplied evidence of employee-Hamas collaboration. "UNRWA's statement on the termination of 70 employees, while blaming the victim, Israel, and without even mentioning the word 'Hamas,' is a cynical cover-up," the ministry wrote in a statement shared on X. "The responsibility to purge terrorism lies solely with the UN, yet Hamas membership remains simply acceptable within UNRWA's ranks. By harboring terrorists and letting its facilities serve as Hamas headquarters, UNRWA has become an arm of Hamas," the statement concluded. UNRWA, for its part, denies being an active collaborator with Hamas, but insists working with the group is an operational necessity for distributing aid in Gaza. "UNRWA, similar to other United Nations entities, does not have police or intelligence capacities and must rely on the cooperation and assistance of Member States, including the State of Israel as the Occupying Power, to protect its operations and neutrality amid high risks in the Occupied Palestinian Territory," the agency wrote in its Friday statement. In April, UNRWA's Office of Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) announced the results of an investigation into 19 employees accused of participating in Oct. 7. UNRWA terminated 12 of the employees in January. Of the remaining seven cases, UNRWA had dismissed one, citing a lack of evidence. The remaining six cases were still under investigation as of April, according to the agency. President Donald Trump's administration weighed levying terrorism-related sanctions against UNRWA in December. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has also referred to UNRWA as "a subsidiary of Hamas." Fox News Digital contacted UNRWA and a spokesperson for the Israeli Ambassador to the United Nations but did not immediately receive a response. View the full article

Donors from outside of Texas accounted for roughly 50% of the funds Texas Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico received during the final stretch of the first quarter of 2026, compared to his Republican opponent, who received just about 25% of his cash from out of state. Of the $8.5 million Talarico raised between February 12 and March 31, a period where he saw a significant uptick in donations owing to his growing national profile, approximately $4 million came from states other than Texas, according to campaign finance records reviewed by Fox News Digital. The Republican nominee, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, meanwhile, raised $640,000 out of the roughly $850,000 he brought in during that period from within Texas. The fundraising disparity underscores the nationalization of Texas’ Senate race, with Talarico drawing major financial support from Democratic donors and executives far beyond the state he seeks to represent, even as he campaigns on Texas roots and opposition to outside special interests. The haul gives Democrats a cash advantage in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive Senate races this cycle, while giving Republicans an opening to cast Talarico’s campaign as powered by coastal liberal donors rather than Texas voters. Donors from New York and California, for instance, showered Talarico with more than $1.3 million in the final six weeks of quarter one, according to Federal Election Commission records. VULNERABLE DEM SENATOR’S ‘GRASSROOTS’ CAMPAIGN POWERED BY OUT-OF-STATE CASH, MOSTLY BY COASTAL ELITES Talarico has made an effort to highlight his ties to Texas during his Senate campaign, touting the fact that his family has lived in the state for eight generations and criticizing the influence of out-of-state interests on Texans. "I’ve led the fight against the billionaire mega-donors that have rigged the system against working Texas families," Talarico’s campaign website reads. "Now, as those same billionaire mega-donors take over the federal government, we need more fighters in Washington who will take power back for working people." ACTBLUE SUES TEXAS AG KEN PAXTON, ALLEGING POLITICAL RETALIATION OVER DEMOCRATS' FUNDRAISING "James is proud to be the only candidate in this race not taking a dime of corporate PAC money, shattering grassroots fundraising records with donations from 246 Texas counties and the help of over 540,000 small dollar contributors — unlike John Cornyn and Ken Paxton, who have raked in millions of dollars from special interests and enriched their billionaire donors while working Texans struggle," campaign spokesman JT Ennis told Fox News Digital when asked about out-of-state donations. "Our campaign is bringing Democrats, Republicans and Independents together to fix this broken, corrupt political system and bring down costs for families across our state." Talarico accepted donations from out-of-state executives at Google, Warner Brothers, Apple, Meta, Victoria’s Secret, and other major companies between February 12 and March 31, per FEC records. The Democratic Senate hopeful has also accepted donations from lobbyists representing major corporations such as Google, AirBnB, Boeing, Novo Nordisk, Comcast, CVS and JP Morgan. While Talarico has attracted considerable support from outside of Texas, his fundraising operation within the state has also eclipsed that of Paxton, who raised less than one-fifth as much from Texans as his Democratic opponent. Paxton, however, fought a brutal primary against Sen. John Cornyn, splitting the GOP donor base. JAMES TALARICO ADMITS PAST COMMENTS 'MISSED THE MARK' WHEN CONFRONTED ON CLAIMS LIKE GOD IS 'NON-BINARY' Beyond his campaign committee, Talarico has also benefited from Lone Star Rising PAC, a super PAC spending millions to help him win. In contrast to his campaign rhetoric, much of the cash behind the super PAC boosting Talarico’s campaign came from wealthy out-of-state donors. Just 12% of the millions of dollars in donations collected by Lone Star Rising PAC, which the Washington Free Beacon reports is run by Talarico’s longtime friend, came from entities within Texas, according to campaign finance records. View the full article

As restaurants in several FIFA World Cup host cities welcome an influx of international visitors this weekend, some operators are adding automatic gratuities to customers' checks — citing concerns that guests from countries without a strong tipping culture may unknowingly undercompensate workers. Fox News Digital reported last month that the Missouri Restaurant Association advised Kansas City establishments to temporarily implement automatic gratuities of 20% during the soccer tournament. Now, some restaurants in other World Cup cities like Atlanta and Philadelphia are among those doing the same, according to Food & Wine. AUTOMATIC TIPPING PUSH BRINGS CONCERNS TO MAJOR US CITY AS RESTAURANTS BRACE FOR SURGE OF FOREIGN VISITORS Supporters say the move is intended to protect workers who rely heavily on gratuities and avoid confusion for visitors unfamiliar with American tipping norms. Some restaurant operators told TheTravel that they'll display notices informing customers of the surcharge. "We'll have that posted on the menus themselves. We'll have it posted in the restaurant," Bob Riekhof, general manager of La Bodega in Kansas City, said in a statement. "Probably the biggest part is just making sure our servers are communicating to the guests that the gratuity has been included on the check." Ben Fileccia, senior vice president of operations and public affairs for the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, told the publication that business owners "don't want the servers or bartenders or the tipped employees to have to explain what the tipping custom is." AMERICANS ARE FED UP WITH TIPPING CULTURE, YET MANY STILL SHELL OUT 20% AT RESTAURANTS He said the notices will make "for a much smoother transaction and no awkward conversations." Others, however, worry that mandatory gratuities could add to growing consumer frustration over fees and surcharges. "Restaurant traffic has been declining, and anything that is perceived to increase the cost does risk some consumer backlash, particularly if it's not well-publicized or if consumers feel there's an expectation to tip on top of the automatic tip," David Henkes, senior principal at Technomic, a food industry research firm in Chicago, told Fox News Digital. Michele Bermuvez, co-owner of Atlanta's Brewhouse Café, told Food & Wine that it's "really important for us to take care of our staff." CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER Said Bermuvez, "I definitely think there'll be some pushback, but, you know, it'll really streamline things for us." Not every restaurant operator believes automatic gratuities are necessary. "At Mahon Hospitality, we will not be changing our gratuity policies during the World Cup," Robert Mahon told Fox News Digital. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES "We believe guests should tip based on the service they receive, not because of a major event." Mahon said his company is also taking a different approach to pricing as many businesses prepare for increased demand. At London & Martin Co., the hospitality group's English pub in New York City, customers will be able to purchase $6 pints of Guinness throughout the World Cup. "Our goal is simple: Create a great atmosphere, offer fair value and give fans a reason to come back throughout the tournament," he said. The debate highlights a broader question facing restaurants: whether protecting workers from cultural differences in tipping expectations requires automatic charges, or whether strong service and transparent pricing are enough to encourage customers to tip voluntarily. TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ Fox News Digital reached out to the National Restaurant Association for comment. Fox News Digital's Andrea Margolis contributed reporting. View the full article

Convicted killer Mackenzie Shirilla has landed a prison job as she serves a life sentence for the 2022 crash that killed her boyfriend and their friend, Ohio prison officials confirmed to Fox News Digital. Shirilla’s institutional work assignment at the Ohio Reformatory for Women is food service worker, according to Tara Nickle, a correction warden assistant and public information officer for the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. But officials declined to provide more detail about the assignment, citing Ohio public-records exemptions. The small glimpse into Shirilla’s daily prison life comes amid renewed attention on the case after Netflix’s "The Crash" revisited the fatal wreck, which prosecutors said was no accident for the driver dubbed "hell on wheels." FATHER-TO-BE WAKES FROM COMA, TELLS POLICE GIRLFRIEND CRASHED CAR ON PURPOSE BEFORE HE DIES Shirilla, now 21, is serving two concurrent sentences of 15 years to life in prison for killing her boyfriend, Dominic Russo, 20, and their friend, Davion Flanagan, 19, after prosecutors said she deliberately slammed her Toyota Camry into a brick building in Strongsville, Ohio, on July 31, 2022. SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER Police records reviewed by Fox News Digital show Strongsville officers responded around 6:15 a.m. on July 31, 2022, after the Camry struck the PLIDCO building at 11792 Alameda Drive in Strongsville. Shirilla, then 17, was removed from the driver’s seat and flown to MetroHealth Medical Center. Russo and Flanagan were pronounced dead after being mechanically extricated from the wreckage, records show. SEND US A TIP HERE A grand jury presentation reviewed by Fox News Digital said Life360 data showed the vehicle traveling 90 mph in a 35 mph zone, while Event Data Recorder information showed the accelerator fully engaged and no service brake applied in the seconds before the devastating crash. FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X A later police request to the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office said the deaths were initially classified as accidental, but investigators believed the evidence showed the crash was "not an accident, but an intentional act." LISTEN TO THE NEW 'CRIME & JUSTICE WITH DONNA ROTUNNO' PODCAST Police asked the medical examiner to conduct a secondary review and change the manner of death to homicide. WHO IS MELANIE MCGUIRE? WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE ‘SUITCASE KILLER’ CONVICTED OF KILLING HER HUSBAND Prosecutors argued at trial that Shirilla drove into the building to end her toxic relationship with Russo, and that Flanagan was an unintended victim who happened to be in the car. Shirilla's case is back in the limelight after Netflix's new series, "The Crash." LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB Since the docuseries, Shirilla’s lawyers have asked the Ohio Supreme Court for an appeal. LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? FIND MORE ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB In a filing with the Ohio Supreme Court reviewed by Fox News Digital, Shirilla’s attorneys argue her trial lawyers failed to adequately investigate evidence that she suffered from Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, or POTS. The syndrome, they say, could have caused her to lose consciousness before the crash. The defense says the condition was only "cursorily referenced" at trial, despite Shirilla and her family allegedly putting her attorneys on notice about it. Her lawyers now argue trial counsel should have dug deeper and sought expert testimony to explain whether POTS could account for Shirilla’s failure to brake before impact. Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Michael O’Malley "believes without question that Mackenzie Shirilla is guilty of murder," his office said in a May 27 statement. View the full article

Controversial Twitch streamer Hasan Piker threw his support behind two far-left candidates running for Congress in New York City, arguing their victories would help push the country closer to socialism. "For the longest time, I thought we were so far away from socialism, and we might still be far away from socialism, but we do have an opportunity right here right now, more than ever before," Piker said Thursday at a Brooklyn rally for candidates endorsed by the New York chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America ahead of the state’s June 23 primary. Leading the DSA-backed slate are State Assemblywoman Claire Valdez, D-N.Y., and activist Darializa Avila Chevalier, whom Piker praised as "giants" of the socialist movement. "We must seize that opportunity, and you all must continue your own disciplined organizing for that to happen," Piker told the crowd. "That is the challenge." DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST MAMDANI ALLY MOUNTS BID FOR US HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Both candidates are socialists who want to abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), raise taxes on the wealthy and advance the Palestinian cause in Congress. If they win their contested primaries for deep-blue districts, they would almost certainly pad the ranks of the Democratic caucus’ far-left flank. "I've rarely ever seen such tremendous ideological representation at such an important level," Piker said, referring to Valdez and Avila Chevalier. "I mean, a congressional seat is a tremendous amount of power." "What an honor it is to be joined by Darializa on stage," Valdez jokingly said, referring to a cardboard cutout of Avila Chevalier. "[It’s the] honor of my life to be on a slate with her, with so many of my other socialist comrades." Valdez is running for a seat vacated by retiring Rep. Nydia Velazquez, D-N.Y., that spans progressive bastions in Queens and Brooklyn. Meanwhile, Avila Chevalier is running as a formidable leftist challenger to Rep. Adriano Espaillat, D-N.Y., the chairman of the influential Congressional Hispanic Caucus, in a district covering Upper Manhattan and the West Bronx. The leftist duo is backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Justice Democrats, the progressive group that helped launch New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's insurgent House campaign in 2018. MAMDANI STANDS BY FELLOW SOCIALIST CANDIDATE DESPITE RESURFACED FAR-LEFT, ANTI-AMERICAN POSTS Avila Chevalier has sparked controversy over since-deleted social media posts in which she asserted "Israel doesn’t exist," voiced literal support for open borders and claimed "all deportation is wrong," CNN first reported. The Mamdani ally has also faced scrutiny over calling former President Joe Biden "a rapist" and writing "F--- Kamala Harris" in 2021 after the former vice president told Guatemalan nationals not to illegally cross the border. Piker predicted a wave of socialist victories in New York City would soon eclipse the significance of Mamdani's mayoral win last year. "By the end of these midterms, Zohran will seem unremarkable. Because by then, we will have elected so many brilliant fighters into legislative offices throughout New York City and the state," Piker said, referring to the slate of socialist candidates. "These are your comrades, these are your fighters," he continued. Thursday’s rally comes as Piker, who has sparked widespread backlash over comments saying, "America deserved 9/11," and Hamas is "a thousand times better" than Israel, has interviewed and campaigned with proudly socialist candidates across the country. Several Piker allies have lost their primaries, including former Ocasio-Cortez chief of staff Saikat Chakrabarti, who launched a failed bid to succeed former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif. However, the socialist streamer did score one notable victory with progressive surgeon Adam Hamawy's primary victory for a Democratic-heavy New Jersey House seat. Fox News Digital reached out to spokespersons for Valdez and Avila Chevalier for comment. Fox News' Matthew Donnell contributed to this report. View the full article

Sammy "The Bull" Gravano is known as the Mafia power who betrayed his own boss, John Gotti, and sent him away to prison for life. But he is revealing a surprising sense of personal affection that he had for the Mob Godfather. "I loved him," he said. "I got to like the guy. We fought a war. It was us against the world," he told Fox Nation. "I loved him until we got pinched, and he came up with the idea of his talking on the wiretap tapes and using those behind my back." Gravano is speaking out as Fox Nation debuts the new documentary about the days that Gotti ruled the American Mafia, "Gotti's Guy." RELATED: JOHN GOTTI PAL: I STASHED $10M IN MY KID'S TOY CHEST Gravano sent an earthquake through organized crime when he flipped and cooperated with the federal government in the trial that convicted the legendary Mob boss in 1992. He heard the audiotapes that the FBI secretly recorded of Gotti disparaging him, and thought he was being set up to take the fall. As part of his cooperation deal, he pleaded guilty to racketeering and admitted to 19 murders. "I told him, John, is that what you want to do? The boss wants to go free, so you want me to go to prison for the rest of my life? I was in prison for 11 months before I flipped. I had no intention of flipping, but when he made up all of this , my relationship went from love to hate in prison." One former Gotti associate who still expresses his devotion to the Mob boss is Lewis Kasman, the subject of "Gotti's Guy." Kasman, who the media long dubbed Gotti's "adopted son," was a voracious defender and companion of the Mob boss, whom he called..."Grandpa." "I'd say what's up Grandpa? Good morning. Back then we only had beepers, so I would call "Fat Bob" and make sure he was ready. Jackie would have the car, Jojo would be ready. So that's how we would start our routine," Kasman said. Gravano said Gotti "used" Kasman for a lot of money, and it seems the amounts were indeed overflowing. Kasman said he hid millions of dollars in his house's attic, part of the Gambino haul that was estimated to earn the crime family from $100 to $500 million a year in the late ‘80s and early ’90s. "We'd pick up, let’s say $250,000. Then Joe Butch would bring, let's say $100,000, Jimmy Brown from the garbage would bring in X amount of dollars, and each captain, depending on what industry they were extorting or what industry they were responsible for, and the unions, the various construction unions, the various labor unions, controlled by the Gambino family. And that's how the money would roll in," said Kasman. Authorities said Joe "Butch" Corrao was a Capo based in Manhattan's Little Italy and Jimmy "Brown" Faila was also a Capo who served as head of the Trade Waste Association of Greater New York, an association of waste management garbage truck companies that prosecutors said filled the Gambino coffers with payoffs and kickbacks at the time. Kasman said Gotti was confident in his role, what he stood for and that he made no apologies for it. RELATED: SAMMY THE BULL GRAVANO EXPLAINS WHY HE TURNED ON JOHN GOTTI "You knew where John Gotti was, seven days a week. He wasn't hiding from anybody, he wasn't walking around in a bathrobe and a walker," referring to the Genovese crime family boss Vincent "The Chin" Gigante, who famously feigned a crazy act to try and fool the FBI. Nicknamed "The Oddfella," Gigante would wander around his Greenwich Village neighborhood in a bathrobe. In 2003, while serving time in prison, Gigante finally admitted that he had been faking being insane the whole time. Kasman said one of his duties was also to serve as the Gambino de facto travel agent. "We'd go on vacation. He didn't have credit cards, so we'd check into whatever hotel we were checking in, and you couldn't go and say 'here's $50,000' to the front desk clerk. So, I used to put up my credit cards, and I got a lot of points. And we'd get a big bill, $60,000, $50,000, whatever it was." He said when they all came back home, Gotti would call him up and pay him immediately. "He says, 'here’s the money I owe you.' Take his money. I didn't have to wait 20 hours if he owed me money. That's the kind of man he was. And he could have said to me, 'I'm not paying you.' What was I gonna do? Put him in for collection? Call my lawyer? Who was I going to call?" Kasman said he had no qualms at the time about dealing with Gotti or the many organized crime figures around him, and harbored no illusions about how murderous and treacherous the underworld can be. But he said his long association with organized crime eventually took a personal toll. "I enjoyed it, and it was very good for business. But it did a lot of damage to my family, now 25 years later, to my wife and my three children and myself. I have PTSD, I still suffer. I have nightmares." Kasman got divorced and ran into various legal problems of his own, serving time in jail and facing charges from perjury to obstruction of justice and money laundering. The Gotti family has called Kasman a habitual liar who cannot be trusted, who rode on the coattails of the family patriarch. Gotti died of neck and throat cancer behind bars in 2002 at the age of 61. But despite the adversities and criticism, Kasman said John Gotti continues to loom largely in his life. "I still think about him every day. I mourn him every day." As for Gravano, he went from helping run the Gambino crime family to running his own media company today. He said his podcasts and social media appearances have had more than 160 million views, and that the interest in organized crime shows no signs of slowing down. He hosts live broadcasts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok on Mondays and Thursdays at 3 p.m. Eastern time, runs the podcast "Our Thing with Sammy The Bull" and has a website, Sammythebull.com. He previously appeared on the debut of Fox Nation's "Mob Mentality" series, that also featured former Genovese crime family member Anthony Arillotta and Gambino truck hijacker Louis Ferrante, who is now a best-selling author. Watch "Gotti's Guy," now streaming on Fox Nation and available on Fox One. View the full article

Steven McBee Jr. revealed to Fox News Digital that his father’s prison sentence for fraud was a surprising blessing because it allowed their family to reprioritize what’s important. "The silver lining in this, as difficult as this has been for us as a family, I also think five years, 10 years, 15 years from now, we're gonna look back and say, ‘This was the best moment of our entire lives because it allowed us to reprioritize and refocus on what's actually important to who we are as people,’" McBee Jr. said. He said his dad would say the same thing. "Every conversation I've had with him since he's been up there, it hasn't been about ‘How are the businesses doing?’ It hasn't been about ‘What's going on with the TV show’ or ‘What about social media?’ It's been, ‘How's the family? How's the babies?’ The important things in life." REALITY TV STAR STEVE MCBEE SR. HOPES FOR TRUMP PARDON WITH HELP FROM RECENTLY FREED CHRISLEYS "The McBee Dynasty: Real American Cowboys," a reality show about their family’s farming empire in Missouri, returns for its third season to Bravo and next day on Peacock on June 15. McBee Jr.'s father was sentenced to two years in federal prison in 2025 for his involvement in a multimillion-dollar fraud scheme involving crop insurance. He is serving time at the Federal Prison Camp in Yankton, South Dakota. WATCH: Steven McBee Jr. says his father’s prison sentence will end up as the ‘best moment’ for their family In addition to prison time, he was ordered to two years of supervised release and must pay $4,022,124 in restitution to the USDA Risk Management Agency. ‘REMINDERS OF HIM’ DIRECTOR SAYS PRISON DOESN’T DEFINE A PERSON’S WORTH "He had an awakening leading up to the sentencing, leading up to going to prison, as far as ‘prioritize the right things in life,’" McBee Jr. said. "And I think that not only he would sit here and say the same thing, but myself and my younger brothers could say, ‘Hey, the last few years, we got so busy. It's almost like we lost track of what's really important in life, the family dinners, the evenings driving around the farm watching the sunset. We got so caught up in the work that we lost ourselves in the work.’ And I think that was his biggest message was get back to what's important to who you are." Still, he said his father being sent to prison was "heartbreaking" for their family because he’s such a big part of their lives. "I mean, we're over there for dinner at his house quite literally three to four nights out of the week," McBee Jr. said. "And so to know that he was going to be away for a while, that we were gonna have to step up and be the decision makers across the businesses" without their father to rely on "was a mix of being heartbroken and also saying, ‘Hey now's the time for us to step up.'" CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER McBee Jr. said the last thing his father told them before he reported to prison was "‘Not only are you guys going to be just fine, you're going to be better off without me here. I've taught you everything I know, and you can learn from the mistakes I've made. You guys are better men than me. Like, go on and take on the world. You guys got this.’" He said that his family is able to see their dad about once every two weeks, and he was even allowed to come home on furlough for two days once. LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS Regarding possible misconceptions that viewers of the show might have about his family, McBee stressed that there is a "larger emphasis, whenever you're on reality TV, there's a larger emphasis put on the flaws or the drama than what's actually present in real life." WATCH: Steven McBee Jr. stresses that reality TV zeroes in on the drama and the flaws For every 100 hours of footage the crew shoots, he said, it boils down to an hour of "all the drama and the flaws of your character. So it's not that we've been judged incorrectly. People have the right to their own opinion, and candidly, we are not perfect people, and I'm the first one to sit up here and say, ‘I've got some things I've gotta work on myself.’ But as far as like the totality of us as human beings, it's like everyone else." He added, "There are very, very good things about us and then there are some flaws about us. Unfortunately, with reality TV, it's pretty much just the flaws that get shown." "We are human beings," McBee Jr. continued of what he hopes fans take from the show. "It's reality TV. So there's a lot of drama. You get to see all of our flaws out there. But I'd rather be an imperfect person living authentically and showing you who we really are than curating an image or crafting an image that's this perfect persona on TV." Fox News' Stephanie Giang-Paunon contributed to this report. View the full article

The Medication Affordability and Patent Integrity Act offers red tape, courtroom fights, and a head start for Beijing. The post Trump Is Helping Americans with TrumpRx; Dem Drug Bill Helps China appeared first on Breitbart. View the full article

The U.S. Men's National Team's 2026 World Cup run is underway, and boy, does it already feel like the entire nation has caught a case of World Cup fever. Trust the science. That's the beauty of international sports, though. Any other time, we're all divided and cheering for our respective pro or collegiate teams, but now? We're all in on Team USA, baby. WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE And there was some serious patriotism at the U.S.'s first game of the tournament against Paraguay, and here is the definitive power ranking of the top 5 patriotic fans spotted in and around Los Angeles Stadium (or as it's known during non-World Cup times, SoFi Stadium). There are no rules with patriotism — other than, well, be patriotic — but I love seeing some creativity infused with it. I feel like we got that from these fellas who went all out with Uncle Sam hats, Apollo Creed "Rocky IV" robes, boxing gloves and all kinds of USMNT paraphernalia. This is what I call "patriotic maximalism," and I'm all about it. Just drench everything in red, white, and blue and stars and stripes. That's what this is all about. No notes. Well done, fellas. FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE I know I said we were going to look at fans in and around LA, but I had to throw a bone to these folks in Minnesota, because they are hardcore. There were many of them outside. TRACKING AMERICA'S WORLD CUP JOURNEY: HOW AND WHEN TO WATCH THE US MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM Anyone can watch soccer in perfect conditions, but it takes a special kind of fan to stand there in the miserable rain to cheer on the Stars and Stripes. A lesser fan would've said, "I'm gonna go find a Chili's and post up there," the second their socks could get a tad soggy, but not these folks. They were gutting it out in a veritable monsoon. I love the commitment, and that's why they're on this list. Hey, he's United States Navy (USN) Captain Pete "Maverick" Mitchell. He's making the list. Thank you for your service to U.S. soccer fandom, Mav. Can't wait for "Top Gun 3." You may be catching on to the fact that I put a lot of value in how much you inconvenience yourself to cheer on a team. I'm all about sticking it out through bad weather and uncomfortable costumes, and the Founding Fathers fit the bill. Sure, the match is at a stadium with a roof on it, but it's still Los Angeles in June. That's usually shorts-and-T-shirt weather, but these literal patriots said, "No, give us the wool getups and powdered wigs for the boys. You love to see it. Was there any other option? The OGs of the OGs, the biggest ride-or-die US soccer fans, were out in full force. While most of the country checks out the USMNT every four years, these are the men and women who have helped grow the sport of soccer among fans here in the States. The World Cup is off to a hot start, and I get the sense it's only going to heat up as the group stage progresses. View the full article

Radical leftist Graham Platner easily seized the Democrat nomination for the U.S. Senate in Maine on Tuesday, despite a semi-truckload of scandal baggage. It began last year with the revelation that Platner had a Nazi tattoo on his chest, and it was not a swastika – it was a "Totenkopf," the symbol of the S.S. troops that guarded the death camps in the Holocaust. The broadcast networks avoided the subject of Platner and his tattoo for months. On April 22, a National Public Radio story skipped over it. So much for the show being titled "All Things Considered." Steve Mistler of Maine Public Radio reported: "Platner's well-documented controversies — including past offensive social media posts about sexual assault, rural white voters and the tipping habits of black people — haven't scared off high-profile endorsements," like those of Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren and others. Platner was painted as having populist momentum. The TV networks arrived when a new scandal emerged on May 31: Platner had engaged in sexting with a number of women while he was newly married. We learned this because his embarrassed wife Amy warned campaign officials that it might become a problem, and someone leaked it to The Wall Street Journal. The network Sunday hosts asked Democrats questions that were comically open-ended. On CBS, Margaret Brennan tried: "Does he pass the character test?" No. NBC's Kristen Welker threw one softly: "Does Graham Platner pose a headache for Democrats?" Duh. ABC's Jonathan Karl worried for his party: "Do you have concerns with the weight of all these controversies that it may jeopardize Democratic hopes to get that Senate seat in Maine?" WATCH: MAINE VOTERS DIVIDED ON PLATNER AS SCANDALS SHADOW DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY Typically, in midterm election years, the broadcast networks largely avoid covering individual candidates with one typical exception: a Republican candidate or two who can be exploited as an embarrassment, as they did with Delaware’s Christine O’Donnell in 2010, Missouri’s Todd Akin in 2012, and Georgia’s Herschel Walker in 2022. Platner doesn’t fit that mold, although he would — if he were a Republican. On June 5, the latest shoe dropped at the networks. The New York Times reported that several ex-girlfriends of Platner identified toxic and even allegedly abusive behavior toward them. CBS evening anchor Tony Dokoupil, who the left claims is some kind of pro-Trump prop, served up a DNC spin: "Graham Platner, if you don’t know, is an oyster farmer and the centerpiece of the Democrats’ plans to retake the U.S. Senate. He is also a changed man, he says, full of regret about his past. The trouble is that past keeps coming up." BROADCAST BIAS: NETWORKS LAMENT END OF COLBERT SHOW; THEY LOVE HIS ANTI-TRUMP ANTICS On ABC, reporter Selina Wang repeated the accusations of violent behavior – grabbing shoulders and leaving marks, twisting arms – and Platner denied any violence. Wang went soft on the Nazi tattoo: it was just "a tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol," and "Platner insists he only recently became aware of the Nazi connection." Would anyone suggest a swastika "resembled" a Nazi symbol? NBC was slow on the claims of domestic violence. On June 6, reporter Monica Alba concluded with the candidate’s flat denial: "Platner, while saying in the past he was not a perfect boyfriend, denies ‘anything alleging physicality.’ And, come Tuesday, is likely to become a key part of Democrats’ hopes to win back the Senate." The toughest network pundit was David Brooks on the "PBS NewsHour" on June 5. "The guy is a moral degenerate. The abuse of women, the sexting, the Nazi tattoo, I don't even need to say anything beyond his Reddit posts … a pathetic empty guy who postures in a way that's kind of repulsive." But his counterpart Jonathan Capehart insisted Democrats needed to keep him to beat Republican Sen. Susan Collins and make life difficult for President Donald Trump. WATCH: SHAHEEN DODGES REPORTER'S PLATNER QUESTIONS AS AIDE CREATES DONUT DISTRACTION On Monday’s "News Hour," NPR reporter Tamara Keith tried to spin away the scandals: "Democrats have the front-runner that they have. And I think that there are lots of nuances here." Nuances, like a Nazi tattoo. CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION On the morning of the primary on Tuesday, "CBS Mornings" co-host Gayle King announced Maine voters have "heard a lot of negative stories about Platner’s relationship with women" and reporter Caitlin Huey-Burns framed a Platner win as a "test" of "just how much voters are willing to tolerate to ensure success for their party." Broadcast networks will heavily imply that winning a Democrat primary means the scandals have been overcome, and become tired "old news." After Platner won his primary, NBC’s Ryan Nobles touted Platner: "Those scandals, in many ways, seem to strengthen his bond with a Democratic base, and now he’s prepared to take his progressive message into November. … The oyster man and Marine vet has energized progressives despite facing multiple scandals." ABC late-night "comedian" Jimmy Kimmel offered his own take on Platner-Trump moral equivalence. Platner won the primary handily despite "a number of embarrassing scandals, including revelations of a Nazi-esque tattoo on his body, sexting with women while he's married, and allegations of abuse. If Democrats cannot get him into the Senate, word is the Republicans are planning to nominate him for president in 2028." This is the first Kimmel joke about Platner, and it’s more of a Trump joke. But broadcast comedians can always be counted on to underline the broadcast-news spin of the day. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM TIM GRAHAM View the full article

Thirty years after Lyle and Erik Menendez were convicted of murdering their parents, Jose and Kitty Menendez, Jose's former business partner still questions what led to the killings. In his new memoir, "Karmic Winds: Reflections from the 'Smartest Guy in Hollywood,'" Peter M. Hoffman recounts his rise in the entertainment industry, including his tenure as president and CEO of Carolco Pictures, the studio behind hits such as "Terminator 2: Judgment Day," "Basic Instinct" and the "Rambo" franchise. Hoffman later served a federal prison sentence in connection with his convictions in a Louisiana film tax credit fraud case. He has continued to maintain his innocence and challenge those convictions. He was portrayed in Netflix's "Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story." MENENDEZ BROTHERS DISCUSS 'BULLYING AND TRAUMA' IN PRISON IN RARE PUBLIC REMARKS, NEW PODCAST INTERVIEW "To me, the devil came to Los Angeles in 1989," Hoffman told Fox News Digital. "Nobody came out unaffected by this terrible act." Hoffman met Jose when the no-nonsense patriarch was an executive at RCA, which brought the boy band Menudo to English-speaking audiences. Years later, the group helped catapult Ricky Martin to global fame. By the time Jose left RCA, Hoffman was running Carolco Pictures and looking for someone to lead the studio's video business. At the recommendation of entertainment attorney John Mason, he hired Jose. They worked closely together from 1986 until Jose's murder. WATCH: Second Menendez brother denied parole "Jose was one tough character," Hoffman admitted. "He was very focused on his Cuban ancestry, very conservative. He had bought a house in Florida and was expecting to go back to Florida and run for the Senate. He had big dreams. He wanted to make a lot of money and then have a life in politics. That was his goal." "He could be difficult because he had his way of doing everything, and he felt like he knew better than everybody," Hoffman shared. "It wasn’t always an easy ride. But I also had a high opinion of Jose and all his dealings. And of course, we didn’t really know about all the problems he had with his family until after the horrible murders." Looking back, Hoffman believes there were early signs of trouble. "I got a call sometime in 1988," Hoffman recalled. "It was Jose. He said, ‘I need to draw a couple of million dollars out of my deferred comp plan. I want to move from Calabasas to Beverly Hills so I can be closer to the office.’ I just said, ‘That’s all right with me.’ That’s when he bought the house on Elm Drive." "It turned out he hadn’t been completely honest with me," said Hoffman. "The real reason he had to do that was that Erik and Lyle had been caught breaking into their friends’ houses and stealing things," he said. "They had been caught by the police. Jose had to pay everybody off and get the hell out of dodge." FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X On Aug. 20, 1989, Jose and his wife were gunned down with shotguns inside their home. Their sons called 911 and said their parents were killed by intruders. "I remember waking up the next morning, and I got a call," said Hoffman. "It was grotesque. You have to understand that at the time, nobody knew it was the kids. The immediate suspicion was on Mario Kassar, chairman of Carolco Pictures, and me, that we were somehow behind this. All of a sudden, the suspicion is somehow this murder is connected to those bad guys at Carolco." In the months following the murders, Lyle and Erik Menendez were not initially considered prime suspects. Instead, speculation centered on the possibility of a mob-style hit, fueled by Jose's connections in the entertainment industry and the execution-style nature of the killings. Rumors circulated that he had made enemies through business dealings, though investigators found no evidence linking him to organized crime. In the book, Hoffman wrote that he felt "a cold chill run down my spine" after receiving a phone call following Jose’s murder. Lyle had asked when he and his brother could expect payment on his father’s $20 million life insurance policy. Hoffman told Fox News Digital that Jose didn’t complete a physical for the death benefit under the terms of his contract. Therefore, his beneficiaries weren’t entitled to a payout. Hoffman said he later learned investigators discovered that Lyle had searched his father's computer and had seen the contract, along with the $20 million death benefit it appeared to promise. "I’m not inside the head of Lyle Menendez," said Hoffman. "But he wanted that money. He was all over us about that money, and that was literally days after the murder. So to me, the story is a very simple one." SIGN UP TO GET THE TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER "Their father was a disciplinarian," said Hoffman. "I don’t think he ever abused these kids. I’ll never believe that to the day I die that Jose Menendez did anything to those kids other than be a very tough Cuban disciplinarian, very tough on them in tennis, very tough on them about the way they were. He was a tough guy on himself. But whatever it was, they decided they had had enough." Hoffman worked with Jose professionally but did not have firsthand knowledge of what occurred inside the family's home. His views are based on his personal experiences with Jose and his observations of the family from the outside. The brothers have long maintained that they acted after years of abuse. In 1989, Erik confessed the killings to his psychologist, Dr. Jerome Oziel. The sessions with the brothers were later tape-recorded. Oziel’s mistress, Judalon Smyth, learned about the confessions and informed the police. The recordings and related evidence led to the 1990 arrest of Lyle, then 22, and Erik, 19. They were charged with first-degree murder. In 1993, the brothers went to trial, each with a separate jury. Prosecutors argued that they killed their parents for financial gain. The brothers' attorneys did not dispute that the pair killed their parents but argued they acted in self-defense after years of alleged emotional and sexual abuse by their father. During the trials, relatives and other witnesses testified about behavior they believed was consistent with abuse, while prosecutors argued the allegations were fabricated after the killings to avoid harsher punishment. The claims have remained one of the most contested aspects of the case. Hoffman repeatedly said he does not believe the allegations. GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUB "I don’t care how many Kardashians talk about it, people write about it, or whatever is the current phase," Hoffman said. "[I believe] Jose Menendez never abused those kids. But Jose was tough on those kids. I’m sure they had plenty of complaints about Jose, but none of them justified this horrible crime." "I haven’t seen his sons in years, but I always saw Lyle as really the driving force," Hoffman continued. "He was the guy who just knew what to do. With Erik, there was a weakness to him. Lyle came across as the perfect son who was always polite. But I came to believe that that was all a front. I didn’t know him. I’m not sure Jose even knew him." In 1994, both juries deadlocked. The deadlock reflected significant disagreement among jurors over the brothers' motives and the credibility of their abuse claims. Some jurors later said they found portions of the defense case persuasive, while prosecutors maintained the killings were motivated by greed. In 1995, the brothers’ retrial began, this time with a single jury. Much of the defense evidence about alleged sexual abuse was excluded during the second trial. In 1996, jurors convicted both brothers of first-degree murder. That year, they were sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. For years, the brothers filed petitions for appeals that were denied. Then in May 2025, the brothers became eligible for parole after a Los Angeles judge reduced their sentences from life without the possibility of parole to 50 years to life. It marked the closest they have come to freedom since their convictions. Supporters of the brothers have argued that changing views about sexual abuse, trauma and juvenile offenders warranted a fresh review of their sentences. Others have maintained that the murders were primarily motivated by financial gain and that the convictions should stand. In August 2025, the brothers were denied parole for three years, after which they will be eligible again. "I completely agree with this new DA out here," said Hoffman. "He said he’s not against them being paroled, but they’ve got to come clean about what happened. And again, I don’t know these boys today. If they really had gone through a transformation, then that’s fine with me. "They were kids. If they have gone through a transformation, truly, then great. But they’ve got to tell the truth about what happened." Hoffman’s view remains one side of a debate that has continued for decades, with legal observers, family members and supporters of the brothers sharply divided over whether the abuse allegations were credible. "I suppose maybe I should have known more about what was going on between Jose and his sons," said Hoffman. "I believe God exists, and I also believe the devil exists. And I believe there was this terrible evil that existed in that house that decided to act at that moment." View the full article

Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner was widely mocked by conservatives on social media over a post lamenting Space X and Tesla CEO Elon Musk being labeled the world’s first trillionaire. "Elon Musk just became the world’s first trillionaire," Platner posted on X on Friday. "Let’s make sure he’s also the last." Platner’s post, which was seen over 2 million times as of Friday evening, was referring to news that Musk’s SpaceX began trading at $150 a share on Friday, above its listing price of $135 a share, making him the world's first-ever trillionaire following the initial public offering. THE GROWING LIST OF CONTROVERSIES THREATENING DEMOCRAT GRAHAM PLATNER'S MAINE SENATE BID The post received heavy criticism from conservatives on social media, with many bringing up the various controversies surrounding Platner's campaign, including reports of infidelity, a Nazi tattoo, physical abuse of an ex-girlfriend and social media posts criticizing the military and rural America. "Communists can never quite grasp that if you make Musk poorer, you make millions of others poorer in the process because unlike them, he actually creates value for others in society," Red State writer Bonchie posted on X. "It's deranged." ""Pick your fighter," Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee posted on X. "Guy who innovates constantly, has built phenomenally successful businesses, and now reaps the rewards. PLATNER CAMPAIGN ROCKED WITH DAMNING ALLEGATIONS FROM ANOTHER EX-LOVER AS SENATE RACE HEATS UP: REPORT Guy who thought it wise to permanently stain his chest with a Nazi SS Totenkopf tattoo." "Worth reminding everyone that in addition to being a pathological liar Graham Platner also has the economic views of third world resentment socialists," Charlie Kirk show producer Blake Neff posted on X. "This is loserthink," California Post opinion editor Joel Pollak posted on X. "Musk's IPO is making millions of Americans wealthier. And his success is inspiring others: ‘If it can happen for an immigrant kid -- why not me?’ The winning way to think -- the AMERICAN way to think -- is: Let's make some more trillionaires! " "I hope ####elonmusk is the first of many trillionaires," Actor Dean Cain posted on X. " Pray for others to have his success and continue to change the world for the better, for EVERYONE!!" Fox News Digital reached out to Platner's campaign for comment. Platner has faced widespread criticism since launching his campaign for overplaying his blue collar record and embracing the economic policies of progressives like Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who has emphatically endorsed him. Musk's rocket and satellite company raised a record $75 billion, valuing the company at about $1.8 trillion, pushing the value of Musk's stake in SpaceX to an estimated $690 billion. The company is trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker "SPCX" after pricing its IPO on Thursday. Combined with his holdings in electric vehicle maker Tesla, as well as other investments and assets, Musk's net worth is now estimated at about $1.1 trillion. SpaceX stock jumped after it began trading, rising to $168.75 a share before paring some of those gains to trade around $158 a share. It subsequently rebounded and reached a new high of $176.52, and closed at $160.95 per share. Investor demand for SpaceX has been intense. Reuters reported this week that the company attracted more than $250 billion in orders, while Bloomberg News reported Thursday that retail investors alone submitted more than $70 billion in requests for shares. The company is expected to allocate at least 20% of the offering to retail investors, according to Bloomberg — an unusually large portion for individual investors in a deal of this size. Fox News Digital's Eric Revell and Bradford Betz contributed to this report View the full article