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Hegseth delivers stern warning to China in first call after Xi’s military parade

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth held his first call with his Chinese counterpart, Adm. Dong Jun, on Sept. 9, in a conversation that comes as Beijing deepens ties with Moscow and Pyongyang while showcasing its own military might.

Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell said Hegseth ‘forthrightly relayed that the U.S. has vital interests in the Asia-Pacific, the priority theater, and will resolutely protect those interests.’

‘Hegseth made clear that the United States does not seek conflict with China nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation of the PRC.’

Parnell said the call, which occurred on Tuesday but was made public Wednesday, was ‘candid and constructive,’ and the defense chiefs agreed to further discussions. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the Chinese embassy for comment on the call. 

Last week, China hosted a military parade where President Xi Jinping showcased his regional alliances in public appearances with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Xi at the time hinted at his ambitions toward Taiwan, saying that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) would ‘resolutely safeguard national sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity.’

Xi has repeatedly set 2027, the 100th anniversary of the PLA, as a deadline for military modernization — a timeline U.S. officials warn could coincide with preparations for an invasion of Taiwan.

During the parade, China showcased its full nuclear triad, hypersonic missiles and new stealth drones. 

The show of force came two months after the U.S. hosted its own military parade to coincide with the Army’s 250th birthday. 

In recent years, Beijing has deepened its security partnerships with Pyongyang and Moscow through arms transfers and military technology exchanges.

The U.S. has accused North Korea of supplying munitions to Russia for its war in Ukraine, while Chinese firms have been sanctioned for helping Russia skirt Western export controls.

President Donald Trump, however, has suggested he may meet with Xi in the future as trade negotiations drag on. 

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Harris admits silence on Biden’s 2024 re-election bid was ‘recklessness’

It was reckless to allow former President Joe Biden to run for re-election last year, former Vice President Kamala Harris admitted in her new book, ‘107 Days.’

This time last year, Harris was in the thick of her short-lived presidential campaign. With some distance from Washington, D.C., and in retrospect, Harris doesn’t hold back in the first preview of her new book that is set to hit shelves later this month. 

”It’s Joe and Jill’s decision.’ We all said that, like a mantra, as if we’d all been hypnotized. Was it grace, or was it recklessness? In retrospect, I think it was recklessness. The stakes were simply too high. This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition. It should have been more than a personal decision,’ Harris said in the excerpt released by The Atlantic on Wednesday morning. 

While Harris publicly defended Biden throughout his presidency, in the first excerpt of Harris’ highly anticipated account of the shortest presidential campaign in history, the former vice president described how she was often scapegoated by the Biden administration. And for the first time, she admitted that, ‘perhaps,’ she should have told Biden to ‘consider not running.’

During her brief presidential campaign, Harris often walked a fine line in trying to defend Biden, for whom she remained his vice president, while also differentiating herself from his unflattering record. 

‘There is not a thing that comes to mind,’ Harris infamously said on ‘The View,’ when asked what she would have done differently than Biden. The clip was an instant attack ad for Republican candidates up and down the ballot to pit Biden’s shortcomings on Harris. 

Harris later told Fox News’ Bret Baier that her presidency would ‘not be a continuation of Joe Biden’s presidency,’ as she sought to distance herself from Biden’s stances on the economy and the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. 

‘And of all the people in the White House, I was in the worst position to make the case that he should drop out,’ Harris said in the ‘107 Days’ excerpt. ‘I knew it would come off to him as incredibly self-serving if I advised him not to run. He would see it as naked ambition, perhaps as poisonous disloyalty, even if my only message was: Don’t let the other guy win.’

Harris said she rationalized her decision to stay quiet by telling herself, ‘the American people had chosen him before in the same matchup,’ and maybe he was ‘right to believe’ he could defeat President Donald Trump again. 

‘I don’t believe it was incapacity. If I believed that, I would have said so. As loyal as I am to President Biden, I am more loyal to my country,’ Harris said in the book.

But as described in ‘Original Sin,’ one of several books this year to pull back the curtain on the reality of the Biden administration, loyalty to Biden was wielded as a weapon in the White House. 

‘Because I’d gone after him over busing in the 2019 primary debate, I came into the White House with what we lawyers call a ‘rebuttable presumption.’ I had to prove my loyalty, time and time again,’ Harris said in the book. 

In the excerpt, Harris goes on to describe how the ‘White House rarely pushed back,’ when she was criticized for her ‘gaffes’ or when ‘Republicans mischaracterized my role as ‘border czar.’’

Harris explained how she often had to prove her loyalty to Biden, yet Biden’s inner circle ‘seemed glad’ to let her dominate headlines. 

‘Their thinking was zero-sum: If she’s shining, he’s dimmed. None of them grasped that if I did well, he did well. That, given the concerns about his age, my visible success as his vice president was vital. It would serve as a testament to his judgment in choosing me and reassurance that if something happened, the country was in good hands. My success was important for him,’ the former vice president argued in the ‘107 Days’ excerpt. 

‘His team didn’t get it,’ Harris said. 

Fox News Digital reached out to Biden’s office for comment but did not immediately hear back. 

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Lynx’s redemption season similar to 2017 title squad. Can they win?

The Minnesota Lynx have a chip on their shoulder. 

After losing the 2024 WNBA Finals to the New York Liberty in a winner-take-all Game 5 that went to overtime, Lynx head coach Cheryl Reeve emphatically called out “disappointing officiating,” saying the championship was “stolen from us.”

The heartbreaking loss lingers 10 months later, as the league-leading Lynx are in position to make another deep playoff run. “You feel that loss for a long time,” Lynx guard Natisha Hiedeman told USA TODAY Sports. It has been the driving force behind the Lynx’s record-breaking season with the same goal: Winning a championship.

‘That’s what our team has really focused on throughout the whole season,’ added Hiedeman, who dyed her hair red ahead of the postseason in partnership with U by Kotek. “Remember that feeling, have that chip on your shoulder and every time you step on the court, whether it’s practice, shootaround or whatever, bring that intensity and bring the energy, because all these little things are going to matter when it comes down to playoffs.’

Lynx look to emulate 2017 title team

Reeve has been here before.

After the Lynx suffered a heartbreaking, one-point loss to the Los Angeles Sparks in the deciding Game 5 of the 2016 WNBA Finals, Minnesota responded with the league-best record and No. 1 overall seed in the 2017 postseason. The Lynx got their revenge by defeating Los Angeles in the 2017 WNBA Finals to hoist their fourth WNBA title in seven years. Lynx center Sylvia Fowles was named league MVP and Finals MVP.

The Lynx have followed a similar script coming off their 2024 Finals loss. They have the best record in the league with a franchise-high 33 wins and claimed the No. 1 seed in the playoffs to secure home-court advantage at Target Center, where the team is 19-2 this season.

Like the 2017 squad, Minnesota has the top-ranked offense and defense in the league this season. It’s a rare feat that has led to championships. Of the eight teams in WNBA history to accomplish both in the same season, seven went on to win the WNBA title. Will the 2025 Lynx be next?

Even though the Lynx are the betting favorites to hoist the WNBA championship trophy in October, other teams have closed the gap down the stretch. The Lynx lost to the second-place Atlanta Dream on Aug. 21 and third-place Las Vegas Aces on Sept. 4. The Aces, led by reigning MVP A’ja Wilson, are on a franchise-record 15-game win streak.

The Lynx, however, are not panicking.

“We’ve had a target on our back all season. We’ve been the No. 1 team,” said MVP frontrunner Napheesa Collier, who sat out of Tuesday’s night loss to the Indiana Fever to rest for the postseason. “We get everyone’s best shot. I think that’s great for us. It allows us to prepare for how hard it’s going to be in the playoffs.’

‘Our team is not our team if not for’ Napheesa Collier

Reeve said she sees direct parallels between the selflessness and talent of her 2017 squad and her current team that hopes to bring Minnesota its league-leading fifth WNBA title and first since 2017.

‘Maya (Moore) was the perfect superstar for the group, because the selfless nature of superstars … can’t be understated,’ Reeve said on Sept. 6 after Moore and Fowles were inducted into the Pro Basketball Hall of Fame. ‘There’s no way you can be in the WNBA Finals in six out of seven years and maintain that level of success without that as your core being.’

And then came Collier in 2019, who Reeve called ‘an extension of the Lynx culture that was built before her.’

‘We have the group now because of Napheesa Collier,’ Reeve said. ‘The last two years, we’re 60-plus wins and counting because we got the right people

‘The buy-in, the selfless is not real sexy … but that’s what it is.’

Collier’s leadership has been paramount to the Lynx and her efforts have her in the MVP conversation as she’s averaging career-highs in points (23), field-goal percentage (52.6%) and blocks (1.6). She ranks top 10 in points, field-goal percentage, rebounds, blocks and steals per game. Collier is just shy of joining Elena Delle Donne in the exclusive 50-40-90 club. Delle Donne became the first WNBA player to record 50% shooting from the field, 40% from the 3-point line and 90% from the free throw line in a season in 2019, her MVP season.

‘Our team is not our team if not for (Collier),’ Lynx guard Courtney Williams told USA TODAY Sports. ‘What she does on the defensive end, the offensive end, the coverages that every team has to throw at her every single game and she thrives. I think when you have a player that is doing it at every level, every single night consistently, you got to tip your hat off to her. So shout out to MV-Phee, man. We love that girl.’ 

Lynx have team chemistry, depth and talent

The Lynx glided to a 20-4 record by the 2025 WNBA All-Star break, which featured three Minnesota players in Collier, Kayla McBride and Courtney Williams. After an eventful All-Star weekend — which saw Team Collier handily defeat Team Caitlin Clark — Collier, Williams, McBride and Hiedeman all sang along to Chappell Roan’s “Pink Pony Club” to cap the Stud Budz’s epic 72-hour All-Star live stream. 

The chemistry was palpable through the screen and has contributed to the Lynx’s team-first mentality. Minnesota returned six players from last year’s Finals roster, tying the Liberty, Atlanta Dream and Las Vegas Aces for the most continuity.

“We just have a great relationship off the court and that’s kind of the basis for our chemistry on the court,’ Collier said. ‘We just have such a deep love and respect for one another. We hang out a lot. We’ve built those bond over the past two seasons now. So you’re able to hold people accountable and not point fingers because you care about them as a person and you know everyone is trying their hardest. We’re trying to reach a collective goal.’

The Lynx have the fourth-highest scoring bench in the league (22.4), led by sixth women of the year candidate Hiedeman, who appears to be hitting her stride heading into the playoffs, averaging 18 points over the last four games, including a double-double against the Dallas Wings earlier this month with 10 assists.

“(Hiedeman) brings that energy. … She over here breaking records,” said Williams, who also dyed her hair red alongside her Stud Budz counterpart. “We’ve been needing every bit of it, right? I think she just embodies what our team is right next man up, whoever night it is, that’s who we cheering on. That’s who we want on the floor.”

The Lynx added to their depth by trading for guard Dijonai Carrington to bolster their defense, although Carrington is nursing a left shoulder injury that has sidelined her for three consecutive games. 

Lynx have a potential first round matchup vs. Seattle Storm

The Lynx will likely face the Seattle Storm in the first-round of the WNBA playoffs. A rivalry has been brewing between the teams as multiple scuffles have broken out this season. The Lynx and Storm split their regular-season series 2-2, but the last matchup was extra contentious.

The Storm overcame a 21-point deficit to defeat the Lynx by 14 points on Aug. 28, completing a 35-point swing on the road to hand the Lynx their second loss of the season at Target Center. Following the comeback, Storm guard Skylar Diggins appeared to mock the Lynx’s post-victory Electric Slide dance, adding further fuel to the fire.

When asked if the Lynx were aware of the Storm’s postgame antics, Williams said, ‘We see everything, honestly.’ Hiedeman added, ‘Whoever we play, whoever we play, we bring in our best games. It don’t even matter. Doesn’t matter who the team is.’

The first-round of the WNBA playoffs will be best-of-three, the semifinals will be best-of-five and the WNBA Finals will move to best-of-seven for the first time in league history.

‘You have to be mentally and physically strong. You are adding on two more games,’ Williams said. ‘We went to a Game 5 last year and we were feeling it, I ain’t going to lie.

‘Knowing that it is Game 7, you got to already mentally prepare yourself to play those games. We want to be there.’

The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.

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Phillies slugger becomes first NL player to reach 50 home runs

Kyle Schwarber became the second player in Philadelphia Phillies history to hit 50 home runs in a season.
He is the first National League player to reach the 50-homer mark in 2025.
Schwarber joins Ryan Howard as the only other Phillies player to accomplish this feat.

Kyle Schwarber’s career year just keeps getting better.

The reigning All-Star Game MVP joined an exclusive club on Tuesday, Sept. 9, when he became just the second player in Philadelphia Phillies history to slug 50 home runs in a single season – and the first National Leaguer to do it in 2025.

Schwarber snapped a home run drought that had reached 10 games when he launched a 437-foot blast to deep left-center in the seventh inning off New York Mets reliever Justin Hagenman. The milestone moonshot made him just the second player to reach the 50-homer mark this season, joining Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors with 53.

Schwarber also joined Ryan Howard as the only other member of the Phillies’ 50-homer club. Howard hit a franchise-record 58 homers during his MVP-winning season in 2006.

‘Just to join him, it’s an honor, it’s a privilege,’ Schwarber said of Howard. ‘That guy has done so many great things for Philadelphia. You can only hope to follow the way he went about his business and the way that he played the game and the way he brought excitement to the fans here.’

Schwarber also leads the NL with 123 RBIs. And he’s chipped in a career-high in stolen bases as well this season with 10.

Only 10 players in MLB history have ever produced at least 50 homers, 120 RBIs and 10 steals in a single season. Schwarber now joins the list that includes Babe Ruth, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Ken Griffey Jr., Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani.

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Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford odds and what they tell us

Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford fight on Sept. 13.
Alvarez is the betting favorite.
Crawford is the underdog, primarily because he is making a big move up in weight.

The betting odds for the Sept. 13 fight between Canelo Alvarez and Terence Crawford in Las Vegas are valuable to more than gamblers.

Why is Alvarez the favorite? Why is Crawford the underdog? Why is the line so close?

The moneyline helps answer those questions and better understand other conundrums.

For example, recently Alvarez has exhibited deficiencies. Take his last fight, when his opponent, William Scull, looked more interested in avoiding punches than landing punches. Largely speaking, Alvarez looked content letting Scull run and threw only 152 punches, a measly 12.7 punches per round.

Yet Alvarez (63-2-2, 39 KOs) remains the favorite.

And Crawford (41-0, 31 KOs) has a spotless record and has shown the ability to adapt to all boxing styles. Yes, he’s jumping up two weight classes, but he’s also bulked up – and yet still he’s the underdog.

The lowest moneyline on Alvarez is about minus-190 (meaning a $190 bet will pay out $100 if Alvarez wins). The highest moneyline on Crawford is plus-155 (meaning a $100 bet will pay out $155 if Crawford wins).

But in terms of odds, not much separates the two.

“Pure boxing, they have a very similar game, where they’re kind of waiting to counterpunch,’’ Brandon Yaeger, lead combat sports oddsmaker at Caesars Sportsbook, told USA TODAY Sports.

Yaeger also noted both boxers use the early rounds to analyze data about their opponent ‘and then try to turn it on later in the later rounds to just cement the victory.’’

‘Very analytical’ boxers

Yaeger this week had Alvarez at minus-185 and Crawford at plus-155. He said he thinks Alvarez and Crawford have comparable boxing skills.

The difference: size.

Yaeger cited Crawford’s jump up two weight classes – to the 168-pound super middleweight division from the 154-pound super welterweight division – as the reason Alvarez is the favorite.

“Canelo is the established guy at the weight class (168 pounds),’’ Yaeger said. “Pretty active for a guy of his stature, fighting at least two times a year to where you look at Crawford (fighting) one time a year, then you’re jumping up two weight classes. That’s (a) pretty massive move.’’

Yaeger said he thinks Alvarez will exploit his size against Crawford.

“Maybe even get in close and just put his weight on him,’’ Yaeger said. “But it’s going to be interesting just because they’re both very analytical type of fighters where they’re just analyzing data and then using it in later rounds, so it could very well turn out to be a lackluster fight.’’

Yaeger said he sees a route to victory for Crawford.

“Just be more active early and kind of bank some rounds and then in the later back half of the fight he could still keep his speed and move around the ring and frustrate Canelo. I think that would be his best path.’’

Canelo Alvarez’s motivation

Johnny Avello, head oddsmaker at DraftKings, this week had Alvarez at minus-180 and Crawford at plus-145.

While Avello pointed out the significance of Crawford’s jump up two weight classes, he also acknowledged Alvarez looking less than scintillating in recent fights.

“(But Alvarez) deserves to be the favorite,’’ Avello said. “I mean 63-2 with two draws. And those two losses, one is to (Floyd Mayweather Jr.) and the other one when he moved up in class (against Dmitry Bivol at 175 pounds). So he definitely deserves to be the favorite here.

“Now you can say that he’s dropping off. But his record doesn’t show he’s dropping off and the competition that he has fought as of late, maybe he wasn’t as motivated for some of those fights.’’

On Sept. 13, Alvarez will be facing an opponent widely regarded as the sport’s best pound-for-pound fighter, and the bout will take place at Allegiant Stadium three days before Mexican Independence Day.

“So whatever he has left, you’re going to see (it),’’ Avello said.

On Crawford’s chances for the upset, Avello said, “If he’s going to beat (Alvarez), he’s probably going to have to beat him on points, which means he’s going to have to do a lot of scoring during the course of the night.’’

Terence Crawford the better boxer?

John Murray, Vice President for Race & Sports at Westgate Superbook in Las Vegas, had Alvarez fluctuating between minus-165 and minus-170 and Crawford at plus-155.

In Murray’s view, there’s no secret to why Alvarez is the favorite – Crawford having to move up in weight.

“We saw what happened to Canelo when he moved up to fight against Dmitry Bivol,’’ Murray said, referring to Alvarez’s loss to Bivol in 2022 by unanimous decision. “It’s tough to fight a guy who’s an elite fighter and bigger than you.’’

Crawford moved up to 154 pounds from 147 pounds in his last fight, a victory over Israel Madrimov by unanimous decision.

“He won the fight and I thought he deserved to win,’’ Murray said. “But he didn’t exactly look comfortable in there. So I do think there’s some concern about him moving up to fight somebody who’s so much bigger than him.’’

But despite the issue of size, Crawford will not climb into the ring defenseless.

“I think he’s the better boxer,’’ Murray said. “He’s the guy who’s never been beat. He’s got this reputation. He doesn’t back down. He’s a mean fighter.’’

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GOP senator compares Israel’s Hamas fight to US killing of Usama bin Laden

Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., is traveling to Israel following the Jewish state’s strike in Qatar, a strike he argued was part of Israel’s ‘singular purpose’ to eradicate Hamas.

The Israel Defense Force (IDF) announced the strike, which was intended to target senior-level leadership in Hamas, on Tuesday. However, the attack took place over 1,300 miles away in Doha, Qatar.

The Qatari government has been a key player at the negotiation table in the quest for a ceasefire and return of hostages in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the terrorist organization Hamas following the group’s brutal attack on Oct. 7, 2023. Israel’s targets were top negotiators in Hamas’ political bureau, who were mulling the latest U.S. ceasefire proposal.

So far, Qatari officials have condemned the strike, and the White House has taken a rare step against Israel in the aftermath.

Daines, who is a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, likened Hamas to ‘a cancer’ that Israel needed to eradicate. He put the Jewish state’s situation into perspective of, if the U.S. were in Israel’s position and ‘1,200 innocent Americans [were] slaughtered by terrorists 40 miles from Washington, D.C.,’ then the ‘United States would do everything within its power to eradicate the threat.’

‘The Israelis, as we’ve seen, whether it’s with Iran or Hezbollah, sometimes doesn’t matter where these leaders are,’ he told Fox News Digital. ‘They’re going to come after them, not unlike the United States did when we went after Usama bin Laden in Pakistan. We didn’t ask Pakistan for permission.’

Following the attack, President Donald Trump told reporters that he was ‘not thrilled’ about the situation.

‘I was very unhappy about it, very unhappy about every aspect. And we got to get the hostages back, but I was very unhappy about the way that went down,’ Trump said.

The Qatari Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and panned Israel’s move as a ‘criminal attack’ that constituted ‘a flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security and safety of Qataris and residents of Qatar.’

Daines’ plan to head to the Jewish state came before the strike and was initially meant to celebrate the excavation of ancient stone steps and a pathway, known as the Pilgrimage Road, which Jesus is believed to have walked, leading from the Pool of Siloam to the Temple Mount.

The lawmaker previously went to Israel to commemorate progress of the ongoing archaeological dig in 2023, a couple of months before Hamas’ blitz on Israel.

Now, his planned trip, where Secretary of State Marco Rubio and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee are expected to attend, is likely to take a different tenor.

Daines said he had just spoken with the Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. on Monday and hoped that his schedule could line up for a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He also noted that he had yet to see an assessment of the strike, which hit a residential complex in Doha.

When asked if he was worried that the strike could derail ceasefire talks, Daines noted that he had appreciated Qatar’s cooperation and pointed out the U.S. has its largest military base in the Middle East there. But, he added that ‘Hamas, clearly, is trying to evade the reach of the Israeli government.’

‘And as we say, ‘Sometimes you can run, but you can’t hide,’ and Israel had to make a decision, knowing that, like they did with Iran, where they took out military leadership, they took out their nuclear scientists, because they could not allow Iran to get into their bomb,’ Daines said.

‘Similarly, with Hamas, they would have to take out their command and control structure, leadership. And they have a singular mission, and Israel will do what it needs to do to protect herself,’ he continued.

Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment but did not immediately hear back. 

Fox News’ Greg Norman contributed to this report. 

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Trump calls for death penalty for suspect in Charlotte light rail stabbing

President Donald Trump called for Decarlos Brown Jr. to face the death penalty for the alleged murder of Iryna Zarutska on Wednesday.

Trump made the statement on social media, saying the trial for suspect Decarlos Brown Jr. should be ‘quick.’ 

‘The ANIMAL who so violently killed the beautiful young lady from Ukraine, who came to America searching for peace and safety, should be given a ‘Quick’ (there is no doubt!) Trial, and only awarded THE DEATH PENALTY,’ Trump posted on Truth Social. ‘There can be no other option!’

Zarutska’s slaying has brought about heavy criticism of Democrats, who critics accuse of adopting soft-on-crime laws that allow violent criminals to roam the streets. Trump argued Monday that the victim’s ‘blood is on the hands of the Democrats who refuse to put bad people in jail.’

Trump also placed blame for Zarutska’s killing on former Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, who is now running for the Senate in battleground North Carolina in a crucial 2026 showdown that may determine if Republicans keep control of the chamber.

The Charlotte killing came amid Trump’s focus this summer on spotlighting horrific crimes in Democrat-controlled cities as he moves federal law enforcement into urban areas.

Brown, who is Black, was arrested soon after the stabbing and charged with first-degree murder. On Tuesday, the Department of Justice charged Brown with one count of committing an act causing death on a mass transportation system.

Records obtained by Fox News Digital showed that Brown has a history of arrests going back more than a decade, including convictions for felony larceny and felony breaking and entering in 2013, and a 2015 conviction for robbery with a dangerous weapon that sent him to prison for more than six years. He was released in 2020 but remained on parole until 2021, and subsequent charges against him included communicating threats and misuse of the 911 system earlier this year.

On Monday, Trump noted other recent killings in the U.S., saying that actions, like his administration’s push to end cashless bail, must be taken.

‘This cashless bail started a wave in our country where a killer kills somebody and is out on the street by the afternoon and, in many cases, going out and killing again, cashless bail,’ Trump said.

Fox News’ Paul Steinhauser and Stephen Sorace contributed to this report

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Jury selection still underway in Ryan Routh trial, more than 70 jurors removed

Jury selection is expected to wrap up Wednesday in the federal trial of Ryan Routh, the 59-year-old North Carolina man accused of attempting to assassinate President Donald Trump last year. 

The court is working through its third and final panel of prospective jurors, aiming to seat 12 jurors and four alternates before opening statements begin Thursday morning.

By the end of Tuesday, the court had already dismissed more than 70 of the initial 180 prospective jurors, many citing strong opinions about Trump, connections to law enforcement, or concerns about impartiality in a highly politicized case. 

All eyes will be on how quickly the court can seat a full panel and whether Routh continues to test the boundaries of self-representation. Trump-appointee Judge Aileen Cannon, who is presiding over the case, repeatedly clashed with the defendant as she struck down a list of off-topic and politically charged questions Routh posed to prospective jurors during selection.

Routh inquired how potential jurors felt about Ukraine and the war in Gaza and threw in an oddball question about how they might react to finding a turtle in the road, prompting Cannon to remind him that ‘pro se’ status does not excuse him from courtroom procedure. His adult children were present in court, with one son, Oran, listed as a character witness despite currently being jailed on unrelated charges.

Routh also attempted to strike a potential juror who revealed he had once had breakfast with the president and first lady while interviewing for a golf course superintendent job 25 years ago. The man told the court he respected Trump and found him ‘very nice,’ but insisted he could still be fair. Cannon denied Routh’s request, noting the decades-old interaction did not disqualify him.

Tuesday also saw Cannon remove 23 jurors from a third pool of 60, leaving a pool of roughly 110 prospective jurors still under consideration. Among those dismissed earlier were a man who said he was present at Routh’s arrest, another who received a voicemail from him two days before, and a woman who stood up during questioning to declare, ‘I am MAGA… This is our president,’ before admitting she could not presume Routh’s innocence.

Routh himself moved to have a juror excused for racist comments in a questionnaire, which the court granted.

Routh has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate and assaulting a federal officer. Prosecutors say he was armed with an AK-style rifle when Secret Service agents stopped him near Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach in September 2024.

Opening statements are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 11, if the panel is seated on time.

The trial is expected to last several weeks, but Cannon urged both sides to keep proceedings efficient.

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Reports: 49ers replacing Jake Moody with veteran K

The San Francisco 49ers signed veteran kicker Eddy Piñeiro after waiving Jake Moody.
Moody was released following a game where he missed two field goals against the Seattle Seahawks.
Piñeiro previously played for the Panthers, Jets, and Bears and is one of the most accurate kickers in NFL history.

The San Francisco 49ers spent less than a day finding a new kicker.

After waiving former third-round pick Jake Moody this afternoon, the 49ers signed veteran kicker Eddy Piñeiro, per multiple reports. The signing ensures San Francisco will have a placekicker on the active roster for Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints.

Piñeiro spent the last three seasons with the Carolina Panthers following one-year stints with the New York Jets in 2021 and the Chicago Bears in 2019.

The 49ers waived Moody following a tough opening week for the 2023 third-round pick. He missed two field goals in Sunday’s win over the Seattle Seahawks; one off the upright from 27 yards out and a 36-yard kick that the Seahawks blocked.

Piñeiro played under current 49ers special teams coordinator Brant Boyer with the Jets in 2021. He’ll celebrate his 30th birthday on Saturday ahead of his 49ers debut against the Saints on Sunday.

Eddy Piñeiro stats

Piñeiro is the fourth-most accurate kicker in NFL history behind Justin Tucker, Harrison Butker and Chris Boswell. The former Florida Gator shook off a tough first season in Chicago to be one of the more reliable kickers in the NFL.

2019 (16 games): 27 of 29 (93.1%) on extra points, 23 of 28 (82.1%) on field goals
2021 (5 games): 9 of 10 (90%) on extra points, 8 of 8 (100%) on field goals
2022 (17 games): 30 of 32 (93.8%) on extra points, 33 of 35 (94.3%) on field goals
2023 (15 games): 17 of 20 (85%) on extra points, 25 of 29 (86.2%) on field goals
2024 (17 games): 33 of 35 (94.3%) on extra points, 22 of 26 (84.6%) on field goals

Piñeiro’s career long is from 56 yards out in 2023 with the Panthers.

Why did the 49ers release Jake Moody?

The 49ers released Moody after his two misses on Sunday in Seattle but issues trace back much further than that.

Moody’s been one of the least-accurate kickers in the NFL since entering the league in 2023. Of the 42 kickers with at least 10 field goal attempts since Week 1 of the 2023 season, Moody finished 37th in field goal percentage at 76.3%.

In Super Bowl 58 against the Kansas City Chiefs, Moody made three field goals but missed an extra point early in the fourth quarter that loomed large later on. Kansas City faced a three-point deficit on their final drive of regulation instead of four points and a Butker kick sent the game to overtime. The Chiefs eventually won the game 25-22.

Only one of the players with a lower percentage is on a team in 2025: Graham Gano with the New York Giants.

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Tyreek Hill’s lawyer denies domestic violence claims made against WR

Tyreek Hill’s lawyer on Monday said domestic-violence claims made by the Miami Dolphins wideout’s estranged wife ‘are nothing more than an attempt …. to shake Mr. Hill down.’

Lakeeta Vaccaro Hill said in new court filings, per TMZ, that Hill became violent on eight separate occasions during their marriage. In one alleged incident, Vaccaro claimed Hill spat on her; she also alleged the five-time All-Pro threw a marijuana cigarette at her before leaving for the 2024 Pro Bowl on Feb. 7 of that year.

Hill’s attorney, Julius Collins, released a statement to USA TODAY Sports denying the claims, saying that Vaccaro and her team only amended the initial petition for separation.

‘The new allegations that Ms. Vaccaro and her counsel have decided to allege are all unsubstantiated, untrue and an attempt to generate bad media coverage for Mr. Hill and therefore extort a large settlement offer from Mr. Hill, of which we believe Ms. Vaccaro is not entitled in this 17 month (sic) marriage,’ the statement read.

Hill’s lawyers said he gave Vaccaro $500,000 ‘to do as she wished and needed’ considering they share a child and offered an additional $100,000 to purchase a vehicle. In her latest court filing, Vaccaro is requesting $1,100,857.51.

‘These new allegations are further proof that Ms. Vaccaro and/or her counsel are set on partaking in a smear campaign in hopes that Mr. Hill will settle and give she and her counsel an unreasonable and unwarranted amount of money,’ Hill’s representation wrote. ‘Mr. Hill will not be moved by this and awaits his day in Court to present his evidence.’

Vaccaro filed for divorce on April 8, 2025, one day after the Sunny Isles Beach Police Department responded to an incident at their home. They were married in November 2023 and Vaccaro gave birth to the couple’s child late in 2024.

In an email to USA TODAY Sports, Vaccaro’s lawyer, Evan Marks, wrote that her amended petition is ‘verified – meaning that she has sworn that the allegations contained therein are true and correct.’

‘Evidence will be presented to a jury who will then decide whether Ms. Vaccaro is entitled to be compensated for the damages that she sustained due to the conduct of Mr. Hill as alleged,’ Marks wrote.

A Zoom hearing is scheduled for Monday, Sept. 15, one day after the Dolphins host the New England Patriots in Week 2 of the 2025 NFL season.

The 31-year-old Hill has been involved in a litany of litigation and events that escalated to the response of the authorities in recent years. There was a physical altercation with a South Florida marina employee in June 2023. A separate lawsuit alleges he broke a social media influencer’s leg that same month.

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