Caitlin Clark is set to miss her fifth straight game with a groin injury on Saturday against the Los Angeles Sparks, as she is listed to be out on the team's injury report ahead of the matchup.
Clark has been out since a June 26 game against the Sparks, which the Fever lost 85-75.
It will be the ninth regular-season game she misses this year, and 10th overall including the Commissioner's Cup final. She previously sat out five games earlier in the season because of a left quad strain.
Clark never missed a game prior to this season during her pro or college career.
Fever head coach Stephanie White said Friday that Clark went through some drills but was not at full speed in practice. White added that Clark was going to be evaluated Saturday morning.
Clark has averaged 18.2 points, 8.9 assists and five rebounds per game this season.
The Fever hold a 9-8 record and have won four of their last five games heading into Saturday’s matchup with the Sparks.
Caitlin Clark's Indiana Fever head coach Stephanie White was given a technical foul and a fine during Thursday's win against the Las Vegas Aces for yelling at WNBA referees. Now, White has suggested that Clark offered to pay the fine.
The foul came when White was yelling toward officials during an Indiana possession with just over five minutes left in the fourth quarter and the Fever leading the Aces by 23, when one referee signaled for a technical foul on the coach.
Clark was not playing in the game due to a persisting groin injury, but jumped up and started clapping for her coach amid the incident.
After the game, White suggested that Clark will be paying the fine.
"I don’t know about frustrations boiling as more to just like making a point," White told reporters. "Caitlin said she got me, though. She just got a bonus."
During White's first year as head coach, and Clark's second year in the WNBA, the Fever have taken on a seemingly more rebellious tone in team culture.
The Fever won the WNBA's Commissioner's Cup, an in-season tournament, with their 74-59 win over the Minnesota Lynx on Tuesday night, and the team celebrated in the locker room with some champagne and vodka seltzers.
Fever forward Aaliyah Boston took to Instagram Live to give a behind-the-scenes look at the celebration when Clark, who did not play due to a groin injury, took a shot.
"Guys, I just know everybody in the league is sick," Clark is heard saying from out of the shot.
The teammates replied with laughter, with Boston adding, "They're p---ed."
While celebrating, Clark also voiced an opinion on the tournament and the $500,000 prize for the winning team.
"You get more (money) for this than you do if you’re the (WNBA Finals) champion. It makes no sense. Someone tell [WNBA commissioner] Cathy [Engelbert] to help us out," she said in another video.
Meanwhile, Fever newcomer Sophie Cunningham, who has quickly become a fan favorite after starting a fight with Connecticut Sun players in defense of Clark, said "no one likes us" after a recent game against the Dallas Wings.
"I think so far this season, we’ve had a lot of distractions. Some injuries. Don’t know who’s playing. Just a lot of distractions. But I think that’s really good for us," she said, via the Indy Star. "Let’s go through the adversity early. Let’s learn from it. Good news is we’re not going to peak too early, so I mean, that’s a positive. It’s not an excuse. Everyone’s playing a back-to-back. Everyone has this kind of rough schedule. For us, we get another opportunity tomorrow, and we’ve got to capitalize on it. Dallas is a team that’s hungry for a win.
"We’ve talked about this, we’re circled on everybody’s schedule. No one likes us, right? So, everyone in our locker room? That’s the only type of people that we have that we can lean on. We’ve got to be better in that area. We have got to stay disciplined, we have to stay focused, we need to get consistent, and we’ve got to lean on each other. I think that we’ve kind of wavered a little bit on that. We have our own islands."
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Friday she expects boxer Julio Cesar Chávez Jr. to be deported to Mexico to serve a sentence for alleged arms trafficking and organized crime, after he was arrested by ICE in Los Angeles on Thursday.
Chávez was found to be in the country illegally last week after he made fraudulent statements on a 2024 application for permanent residency based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen.
"The hope is that he will be deported and serve the sentence in Mexico," Sheinbaum said during her daily news briefing Friday, referring to charges that Chávez faces for arms and drug trafficking.
The 39-year-old boxer, according to his attorney Michael Goldstein, was picked up on Wednesday by a large number of federal agents while he was riding a scooter in front of a home where he resides in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood of Studio City, near Hollywood.
The arrest came only days after the former middleweight champion lost a match against influencer-turned-boxer Jake Paul in Anaheim, California.
Chávez split his time between both countries. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detained Chávez for overstaying a tourist visa that he entered the U.S. with in August 2023 and expired in February 2024, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said.
According to the department, Chávez Jr. has been charged with several crimes while in the U.S.
On Jan. 22, 2012, the California Highwaay Patrol arrested Chávez and charged him with DUI alcohol/drugs and driving without a license. On June 23, 2012, the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, convicted Chávez of the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol and sentenced him to 13 days in jail and 36 months’ probation.
On Jan. 14, 2023, a District Judge issued an arrest warrant for Chávez for the offense of organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes, in the modality of those who participate in clandestinely bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges, explosives into the country; and those who manufacture weapons, ammunition, cartridges and explosives without the corresponding permit.
On Jan. 7, 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Chávez and charged him with Illegal possession of an assault weapon and manufacture or import of a short-barreled rifle. The court convicted Chávez of these charges.'
DHS also suspects Chávez is allegedly believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. Chávez’s application was based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen, who is connected to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, according to DHS.
According to DHS, in December 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had made a referral to ICE that Chávez was an "egregious public safety threat," but he was allowed to reenter the country on Jan. 4, 2025 after records indicated the Biden Administration had not made him an immigration enforcement priority.
The Biden administration allowed Chávez to re-enter the country and paroled him into the country at the San Ysidro port of entry, accorrding to DHS.
UFC star Conor McGregor hasn't fought since July of 2021, but he may have his eyes set on a marquee event next year.
After President Donald Trump announced Thursday that a UFC fight would take place on White House grounds next year, McGregor reacted to the news with a seeming eagerness to participate, on social media.
"Happy 4th of July, USA. Excited with President Trump announcing a UFC fight event at the White House. I would be honoured! Count me in!" McGregor wrote on X.
McGregor later re-shared his post with a photo of him and Trump in the Oval Office.
In March, McGregor said he will be running for president of his home country of Ireland as well.
On Friday, the fighter followed up on his post expressing interest with a bold prediction about participating in next year's White House fight as the sitting president of the country.
"July 4th next year is a Saturday, regarding President Trumps UFC White House event. I will be reigning President of Ireland just under 1 year when I step out on the lawns of the White House to throw down. Epic proportions! Or as I like to call it, Tuesday at the office. Vote McGregor," he wrote on X.
In March, McGregor visited the White House and criticized the Irish government in an attempt to raise awareness of "the issues the people of Ireland face."
"Our government has long since abandoned the voices of the people of Ireland, and it's high time that America is made aware of what's going on in Ireland. What is going on in Ireland is a travesty. Our government is a government of zero action and zero accountability," he said during an appearance alongside White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt on March 20.
In terms of his fighting career, McGregor has long touted his return to the octagon after his first attempt last June came to an unfortunate end due to a training injury.
In April, McGregor said he would only return to fighting for an event that would take place in a large stadium.
"I’ll only come back to a stadium," he wrote in a post on X after WrestleMania 41, which was held at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
McGregor, 36, last fought in 2021, when he lost to Dustin Poirier after breaking his leg during the fight. He was slated to fight Michael Chandler at UFC 303 in June, but the fight was called off after he broke his toe during training.
Indiana Fever star Sophie Cunningham faced criticism for comments about the WNBA choosing Cleveland and Detroit as two of its next markets for expansion.
The league announced that those two cities and Philadelphia will be getting WNBA teams by the end of 2030 in an announcement earlier this week, prompting Cunningham to question whether players wanted those cities to be chosen for expansion.
"I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland]," Cunningham told reporters on July 1.
Cunningham clarified her comments while speaking to reporters on Thursday, and defended "blue-collar working people" associated with Cleveland and Detroit.
"First of all, I know the history of the WNBA. I know that both of those cities have had teams before, and they got us where we’re at, so I’m thankful for that," she said. "All I was really getting at was Broadway, the off-court lifestyle and so I think that is really intriguing. I think Miami’s intriguing. That’s all I was getting at."
"I think it would be fun to get some teams outside of the NBA market . . . . I think people totally misread the situation. I would never speak down upon middle-class, blue-collar working people. That’s where I come from. I’m from Missouri. I get I’m in Indiana, and that’s why I’m kind of hinting at Broadway sounds fun, Miami sounds fun. That’s all I was getting at."
Cunningham also addressed the backlash to her comments.
"The people that hype you up are going to be the same people pushing you down. And so for me, I always just kind of stay right here in the middle. I think that was my personal opinion," she said.
Cunningham comes from a family of southern farmers.
A five-part feature series by Cunningham's alma mater, the University of Missouri, recounted her family's southern farm roots.
Cunningham learned to ride horses and drove four-wheelers to the family's grain silos.
"So much of our success goes back to what we learned here," Cunningham said of working on the farm. "We loved coming out to the farm to help. We found out how to work hard and work together. It made us farm strong."
Cunningham even had a special name for her farmer grandparents: "Maw Maw and Paw Paw."
However, Cunningham suggested glitzier markets for WNBA expansion in her initial criticisms, pointing to Miami and Kansas City.
"Like, where do they want to play? Where are they going to get excited to play and draw fans? I think Miami would have been a great one. Everyone loves Florida. Nashville is an amazing city. Kansas City — amazing opportunity. There’s a huge arena downtown that no one's using," Cunningham said. "I'm not so sure what the thought process is there.
"At the end of the day, you don't want to expand our league too fast. We don't want teams to totally dominate and some that aren't. It's a hard situation, but, man, I don’t know how excited people are to be going to Detroit or [Cleveland]."
Members of the organization distributed vegan hot dogs to people along the boardwalk, all while hundreds of Nathan's franks were being prepped for the competitive eaters.
Prior to the event, PETA said to Fox News Digital that "Tommy Tofu and his PETA pals will be right there at Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, distributing hundreds of tasty vegan hot dogs as they challenge hungry spectators to enjoy a free, flavorful Fourth that is also animal-friendly."
"Vegan hot dogs are delicious and kind, and who really wants to support slaughterhouses -- the word is enough -- by buying what comes out of them," PETA executive Tracy Reiman said in a statement. "PETA encourages everyone to let freedom ring for all by leaving animals in peace this Fourth of July and beyond."
Chestnut returned to the competition after missing last year due to partnering with a plant-based brand, Impossible Foods.
He looked almost as good as ever, downing 70.5 dogs and buns in the 10-minute span. It was his 17th victory in his last 18 tries (he lost to Matt Stonie in 2015), and it was the seventh time he eclipsed the 70-wiener mark.
The PETA presence did not compare to the protester that Chestnut put in a headlock back in 2022, but it's yet another appearance from the animal activist group. Last year, PETA planned to "bombard the competition's spectators" and brought a truck to encourage fans to go vegan.
Mexican boxer Julio César Chávez Jr. was arrested by ICE on Thursday for deportation. The arrest came just days after Chávez's loss to YouTuber Jake Paul in Anaheim, California, on the last weekend of June.
Chávez was arrested for overstaying his visa and lying on a green card application. He was being processed for expedited removal, according to U.S. authorities.
News of the arrest set the fighting community into a frenzy, with Chávez Jr. suddenly emerging as a prominent figure in the nation's ongoing deportation saga.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Chávez Jr. has been charged with several crimes while in the U.S.
On Jan. 22, 2012, California Highwaay Patrol arrested Chávez and charged him with DUI alcohol/drugs and driving without a license. On June 23, 2012, the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, convicted Chávez of the offense of driving under the influence of alcohol and sentenced him to 13 days in jail and 36 months’ probation.
On Jan. 14, 2023, a District Judge issued an arrest warrant for Chávez, for the offense of organized crime for the purpose of committing crimes of weapons trafficking and manufacturing crimes, in the modality of those who participate in clandestinely bringing weapons, ammunition, cartridges, explosives into the country; and those who manufacture weapons, ammunition, cartridges, and explosives without the corresponding permit.
On Jan. 7, 2024, the Los Angeles Police Department arrested Chavez and charged him with Illegal Possession of an assault weapon and manufacture or import short-barreled rifle. The court convicted Chavez of these charges.'
DHS also suspects Chavez is allegedly believed to be an affiliate of the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated Foreign Terrorist Organization. Chavez’s application was based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen, who is connected to the Sinaloa Cartel through a prior relationship with the now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, according to DHS.
Meanwhile, Mexico President Claudia Sheinbaum said Friday that Mexico hadn’t previously arrested boxer Chávez Jr. on a 2023 arrest order, because he had been mostly in the U.S. at that time.
"The hope is that he will be deported and serve the sentence in Mexico," Sheinbaum said during her daily news briefing Friday, referring to charges that Chávez faces for arms and drug trafficking.
The boxer was nearly cast out of the country months ago.
According to DHS, in December 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services had made a referral to ICE that Chávez was an "egregious public safety threat," but Chavez was allowed to reenter the country on Jan. 4, 2025 after records indicated the Biden Administration had not made him an immigration enforcement priority.
After the Biden administration allowed Chavez to reenter the country and paroled him into the country at the San Ysidro port of entry, per DHS.
Chávez Jr.'s father, Julio César Chávez Sr., is a multiple-time world champion in three different weight divisions. Chávez Sr. reportedly grew up in an abandoned railroad car with his five sisters and four brothers, according to a 1993 article by the South Florida Sun Sentinel.
The father is considered one of the most beloved athletes in Mexican history and a member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
During Chávez Jr.'s childhood, his father would regularly take him and his brother into the ring before fights.
However, Chávez Jr. has also posted multiple videos on TikTok in which he accuses his father of abuse.
Chávez Sr. struggled with drugs, especially alcohol and cocaine.
"At first I [could] control it, but I just needed more alcohol and more cocaine and more and more," Chavez Sr. told NPR in a 2015 interview. "That's when the problems really started. That's when the failures began, the defeats."
Chavez Jr. also developed a drug habit.
In 2009, Chávez Jr. tested positive for furosemide, a diuretic that can be used for weight cutting or as a masking agent for other substances. This resulted in a suspension and fine. In 2012, after losing to Sergio Martinez, he tested positive for marijuana. He received a fine and a nine-month suspension. In 2017, he tested positive for marijuana before a fight with Canelo Alvarez.
Then in 2020, Chávez Jr. was suspended indefinitely for refusing to take a drug test.
When Chávez Jr. was arrested on gun charges in January 2024, he was later freed on a $50,000 bond on the condition he go to a residential drug treatment facility.
Chávez Jr. won his first title in 2009 in the World Boxing Council Latino super featherweight division. The next year he won the vacant WBC silver middleweight crown, defeating John Duddy by unanimous decision.
In June 2011, Chávez Jr. won his greatest victory at that point, defeating Sebastian Zbik by majority decision in the WBC middleweight title in Los Angeles.
He then successfully defended the crown three times against Peter Manfredo Jr., Marco Antonio Rubio and Andy Lee.
Chávez Jr. made his pay-per-view debut in 2012 against Sergio "Maravilla" Martinez of Argentina, who is 11 years older than Chavez Jr., but it proved to be his first loss. Martinez defeated Chávez by unanimous decision.
After the fight, Chávez was suspended for nine months and fined $900,000 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission after he tested positive for marijuana.
In 2017, Chávez Jr. fought Canelo Alvarez in Las Vegas in his second pay-per-view fight, but lost that one too by unanimous decision.
He stopped fighting for two years, and then in 2019 he lost to former middleweight champion Daniel Jacobs in Las Vegas. Chávez Jr. then fought again in Mexico, including a loss to former mixed martial arts champion Anderson Silva by split decision in 2021.
After a three-year break from the ring, in which Chávez Jr. was dealing with his legal and substance issues, he returned last July, beating Uriah Hall in Tampa, Florida.
Then came his highly-anticipated match with Jake Paul in Anaheim last weekend, where the YouTuber won by unanimous decision to earn an official WBA cruiserweight ranking.
And then after news of the Mexican's arrest on Thursday, Paul took to X to post an American flag emoji.
Chestnut downed 30 dogs in the first three minutes, already well ahead of his competition, and he never looked back. He was well on pace to shatter his record of 76 dogs and buns in the 10-minute time frame, downing 46 in the first half of the competition.
He began to slow down, putting down just 11 in the next two minutes, but he had practically already clinched the win. For reference, he ate 58 hot dogs, the winning number last year, in the first seven-and-a-half minutes. Now, it was a chase for the record.
Fatigue set in, and he fell short of his record by five. However, it was the best performance in the event since he set the record back in 2021. It is the seventh time Chestnut cracked the 70 mark.
This was Chestnut’s 20th appearance in the event, tying the all-time record.
Last year's champ, Patrick Bertoletti, finished with 46.5 dogs and buns.
Chestnut was not eligible to participate in last year’s event after he signed a deal with Impossible Foods, a rival of Nathan’s.
However, last month, Chestnut announced that he and the organizers had found common ground on sponsorships.
"I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life," Chestnut wrote on X.
"While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with.
"I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground. I’m excited to be back on the Coney Island stage, doing what I live to do, and celebrating the Fourth of July with hot dogs in my hands! Stay hungry!"
Chestnut was obviously the overwhelming favorite to win it all – he set a popcorn-eating world record back in May.
Fox News’ Scott Thompson contributed to this report.
Kay cited, at the time, a +4 run differential for Toronto against a +105 for the Yanks - so, when the Jays officially jumped New York in the standings, the guys at SportsNet had a field day.
"I can think of a certain Yankee broadcaster, in fact, who is gonna have to go on his show tomorrow and admit that the Blue Jays are a first-place team, because the standings prove it," Jamie Campbell said while holding a broom.
It was the first time in Blue Jays' history that they had a four-game sweep of the Yankees in their own home ballpark.
The Bronx Bombers are 6-14 in their last 20 games and have squandered a seven-game lead in the division - they now trail the Blue Jays by a game, who also own the tiebreaker with their 5-2 record against New York this year.
It has been a massive struggle for the Bronx Bombers - in this 20-game stretch, their .174 batting average with runners in scoring position ranks dead last. Since last Saturday, their bullpen's 9.86 ERA is also ranked 30th.
Fortunately for Kay, he will not be on his ESPN New York radio show Friday afternoon, since he has another ballgame to call.
The Yanks begin another edition of the Subway Series on Friday at Citi Field with the Mets, who too are in a tough stretch of their own - they are 5-14 in their last 19 games.
Ben Shelton was serving for the match at the Wimbledon Championships on Thursday, but he had to wait until the next day to do so.
That's because his second-round bout against Rinky Hijikata was suspended due to darkness.
Shelton was leading, 6-2, 7-5, 5-4, when the match was called, and he clearly was not happy - play was suspended at 9:29 p.m. local time, and both players had made arguments to suspend play earlier in the match.
Shelton approached the umpire and had to be held back by another official to calm him down.
Well, Shelton and Hijikata returned to the court early Friday morning to finish the match - and it took one minute to do so, as Shelton advanced to the third round.
"It was difficult. At that point, we kind of knew that we were playing in conditions that weren't ideal for tennis. For me, it was like, ‘what’s one more game at that point?' Shelton said after the match. "I understand the tournament's gotta make whatever decisions they make, and the players gotta live with that. For me, I live with it. I came out today, and I did what I do.
"I hadn't gotten broken the whole match. I haven't gotten broken since my first set in my first round, and I felt confident coming out here having one service game to finish it."
Shelton said he was unsure of his plans for the day, debating whether he should practice, considering Friday was originally scheduled to be an off day for the 10th-ranked player in the world.
"It's different. I warmed up for 30 minutes, then spent one minute on the court. A lot more time was spent in the preparation than the actual match," he said.
Shelton will face Marton Focsovics of Hungary in the third round on Saturday. His best finish at Wimbledon was lasting to the fourth round last year - he has made the semifinals in both the Australian and U.S. Opens.
The Kansas City Royals need all they can get if they want to return to the postseason - thankfully, they have Bobby Witt Jr.
Witt Jr. is not putting up the same numbers he did last season that got him a second-place finish in the AL MVP vote (behind only Aaron Judge), but his athleticism and eye-popping ability is still there.
In the top of the seventh, tied at one against the Seattle Mariners, Vinnie Pasquantino was at the dish with Jonathan India on third and Witt Jr. on second.
Witt is one of the fastest people in the league, so a base hit in all likelihood was going to be a two-run lead. However, it did not come as easily as expected. Pasquantino found a hole past the right side of the infield which was playing in - which certainly helped the Royals in this case. And Witt Jr. was obviously on the move.
The throw, however, beat Witt Jr., but a tag was never made.
That's because Witt avoided it by sliding outside, and beyond the plate, then contorting his entire body to reach back out behind him with his right hand.
Lucas Erceg and Taylor Clarke got two outs each, and Carlos Estévez pitched 1 1/3 innings to get his 24th save. Estévez gave up a leadoff homer to Dominic Canzone in the ninth and had runners on second and third after a wild pitch with one out, but struck out Julio Rodríguez and got Raleigh to ground out to end the game.
Witt Jr. has now hit safely in his last 23 road games, breaking Hal McRae's 42-year-old Kansas City record.
Kansas City (41-47) is now 13.0 games back of the Detroit Tigers, who are coasting in the AL Central, for the division lead.
However, with Witt Jr. at short, there will always be a chance.
However, Chestnut will be joined by the People for Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
In a press release sent to Fox News Digital, PETA said that "Tommy Tofu and his PETA pals will be right there at Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, distributing hundreds of tasty vegan hot dogs as they challenge hungry spectators to enjoy a free, flavorful Fourth that is also animal-friendly."
"Vegan hot dogs are delicious and kind, and who really wants to support slaughterhouses -- the word is enough -- by buying what comes out of them," PETA executive Tracy Reiman said to TMZ. "PETA encourages everyone to let freedom ring for all by leaving animals in peace this Fourth of July and beyond."
Chestnut has actually dealt with a protester during the competition before. About halfway through the 2022 event, protesters rushed the stage — at least one wearing a Darth Vader mask — while carrying signs that read "Expose Smithfield Deathstar." Smithfield is a major food processing company out of Smithfield, Virginia, specializing in pork products. Nathan’s Famous is an all-beef frank.
All with a cast on his leg from a ruptured tendon, Chestnut put a protester in a headlock and dropped him to the ground. He still managed to put down 63 dogs and win the event convincingly, although he claimed it cost him five wieners.
Chestnut is, obviously, the overwhelming favorite for Friday's event, as he has won 16 of the last 17 contests he has competed in, only losing to Matt Stonie in 2015. His record is 76 dogs and buns.
The Boston Red Sox are in Washington, D.C., for a three-game holiday weekend series against the Nationals, and they opted to be VIP tourists during their off day.
The Sox didn't have a game on Thursday, so several players took a trip to the White House to visit President Donald Trump.
Trevor Story, Justin Wilson, Abraham Toro, Romy Gonzalez, Connor Wong, Greg Weissert, Wilyer Abreu, Garrett Whitlock, Brennan Bernardino and Rob Refsnyder all shook hands with Trump in the Oval Office.
"The team toured the White House today as part of their family road trip to D.C.," a team spokesperson said, via MassLive.
Normally, a team visiting the White House to visit the president is saved for celebrating a championship, but apparently, an exception was made.
Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been critical of Trump in the past - so much so, to the point that he opted out of visiting the White House in 2019 to commemorate the team's World Series title from the year prior.
During an interview on "The Mayor's Office" podcast back in January, Cora admitted that he skipped out on meeting Trump because he wanted to prioritize his home country of Puerto Rico. When the Red Sox visited the White House in May 2019, Puerto Rico was still recovering from the destruction of Hurricane Maria in 2017, and Cora wasn't satisfied with the federal government's response.
"One of the things that — it's not that I regret, but I think I should've been more clear — it was a visit to the White House," Cora said. "I have nothing against the President at that moment. It was Donald Trump at that moment, President Trump, but I felt me celebrating something at that stage, while [Puerto Ricans] were still suffering, it was bad. I didn't feel comfortable doing it."
Cora says he would have felt "awkward" celebrating at the White House, given the state of his country at the time.
"We are part of the United States," he continued. "What they do for us is amazing — the funding, all of that — but there was still work to do. And I felt very awkward, like, 'let's celebrate this at the White House' right while a lot of people suffered here. People took it like politics. No. My thing is sports and my family, right?"
Mookie Betts also opted to skip that year's visit, but he did attend the celebration earlier this year for the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
The Sox-Nats series begins at 11:05 a.m. on Friday.
Jake Paul took a second win over Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. this week.
Paul earned an official WBA cruiserweight ranking after defeating the boxing legend's son over the weekend in a unanimous decision - on Wednesday. Just four days after the bout, Chavez Jr. was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Paul, as usual, talked plenty of trash ahead of the fight, and after the news of the arrest circulated, Paul dropped the mic one final time on Chavez Jr.
After the news went around, Paul took to X to post an American flag emoji.
Paul's business partner, Valuable Promotions co-founder Nakisa Bidarian, said in an interview with Fox News Digital shortly after Chavez Jr.'s arrest that the team knew "zero" about Chavez Jr.'s situation prior to his arrest.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the arrest on Thursday, noting Chavez Jr. was being processed for "expedited removal from the United States."
Chavez Jr. was arrested in Los Angeles in January 2024 and later convicted of possession of an assault weapon, and manufacturing or importing a short-barreled rifle, according to the statement. He had a prior U.S. criminal conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol in 2012.
He also has an active arrest warrant in Mexico for his alleged involvement with the Sinaloa Cartel — trafficking firearms, ammunition and explosives, according to DHS officials.
While Chavez Jr. entered the U.S. legally in August 2023 on a B2 tourist visa, it expired in February 2024.
In April 2024, he filed an application for Lawful Permanent Resident status.
However, his application was based on his marriage to a U.S. citizen who is connected to the Sinaloa cartel through a prior relationship withthe now-deceased son of the infamous cartel leader Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, according to the statement.
In December 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services made a referral to ICE that Chavez Jr. was considered "an egregious public safety threat."
DHS said Chavez Jr. reentered the country in January through the San Ysidro port of entry. However, after "multiple fraudulent statements on his application to become a Lawful Permanent Resident," he was deemed to be in the country illegally and removable on June 27.
Chavez is a former WBC middleweight champion and the son of the boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez, who held five different world titles in four different weight classes.
Paul's win on Saturday resulted in him being ranked for the first time, coming in at No. 14 in the WBA cruiserweight rankings, now making him eligible for a title bout.
Scott Thompson and Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
The 2025 Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest will feature the legendary competitive eater Joey Chestnut back on the Coney Island boardwalk after missing the 2024 competition.
As a result, many believe he will reclaim his belt.
Chestnut’s partnership with Impossible Foods caused an issue last year, and it ended up keeping him out of the competition. This year, though, Chestnut announced that he and the organizers had found common ground on sponsorships.
"I’m thrilled to be returning to the Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July Hot Dog Eating Contest. This event means the world to me. It’s a cherished tradition, a celebration of American culture, and a huge part of my life," Chestnut wrote on X.
"While I have and continue to partner with a variety of companies, including some in the plant-based space, those relationships were never a conflict with my love for hot dogs. To be clear: Nathan’s is the only hot dog company I’ve ever worked with.
"I respect that there were differences in interpretation, but I’m grateful we’ve been able to find common ground. I’m excited to be back on the Coney Island stage, doing what I live to do, and celebrating the Fourth of July with hot dogs in my hands! Stay hungry!"
Chestnut is hungry to be a champion again, and sportsbooks don’t have anyone remotely close to beating him.
Last year’s winner, Patrick Bertoletti, who ate 58 hot dogs in 10 minutes, has big odds to defeat Chestnut and the rest of the field.
If he does win, Chestnut would extend his record for the famous contest to 17 yellow belts.
Although he didn’t participate in last year’s competition, Chestnut did go up against another legendary competitive eater, Takeru Kobayashi, in a Netflix special event called "Unfinished Beef." He ate 83 hot dogs, which marked the most eaten in the history of competitive eating without being dunked in water.
On the women’s side, Miki Sudo, who has won three times in a row now, is expected to get her 11th pink belt in Coney Island for her career. Her biggest competition will be Domenica Dee and Michelle Lesco, the latter of whom snapped Sudo’s win streak in 2021.
For those unaware of Nathan’s rules, the time limit is just 10 minutes in both the men’s and women’s contests.
The contestant who not only consumes, but also keeps down, the most hot dogs and buns within the 10-minute limit is determined the winner.
In the rare event a tie occurs, the contest will go to an untimed "eat-off," where the first contestant to put down a specific number of hot dogs, with the buns, wins.
The last time there was an eat-off was 2008, where Chestnut won by eating five hot dogs and buns in 50 seconds.
The women’s contest will occur first at 10:45 a.m. ET before the men take the stage at noon on July 4.
President Donald Trump announced a UFC fight will take place at the White House next year to celebrate America’s upcoming 250th birthday.
"Every one of our national parks, battlefields and historic sites are going to have special events in honor of ‘America250’ and I even think we’re going to have a UFC fight," Trump said in a speech at the Iowa State Fairgrounds on Thursday in an address on the eve of the 4th of July.
"Does anybody watch UFC? The great Dana White? We’re going to have a UFC fight. We’re going to have a UFC fight — think of this — on the grounds of the White House. We have a lot of land there.
"We’re going to build a little — we’re not, Dana is going to do it. Dana is great, one of a kind — going to be a UFC fight, championship fight, full fight, like 20,000 to 25,000 people, and we’re going to do that as part of ‘250’ also."
The match would appear to take place on the White House lawn, though no formal permits or logistical details have been confirmed.
The National Park Service, which manages the White House grounds, has not publicly commented. UFC has not released a statement confirming or denying the plan.
A thunderous roar befell the sold-out crowd at "The Rock" when Trump walked into the building with White ahead of a UFC 316 stacked main card on June 7.
Trump did his signature dance as he walked along the arena floor, greeting UFC fans as he made his way to his seat ringside.
This was a similar welcome he got at the Kaseya Center in Miami at UFC 314, where he had a large entourage with him, including his granddaughter Kai Trump and FBI Director Kash Patel, among others.
Former NBA guard Ben McLemore was found guilty of rape by an Oregon jury Thursday.
The jury in Clackamas County found McLemore, the 32-year-old ex-Portland Trail Blazers player, guilty of raping a woman in 2021 after an 11-day trial.
McLemore, who pleaded not guilty to all counts, was found guilty on one charge of first-degree rape, one charge of first-degree unlawful sexual penetration and one count of second-degree sexual abuse.
The jury also found him not guilty on an additional count of second-degree sexual abuse.
"We recognize there are those who fear individuals with celebrity status or a position of prominence can avoid prosecution. Not in Clackamas County," Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth said in a statement, according to ESPN.
"This case demonstrates my office prosecutes criminal acts regardless of the offender's community status."
The incident occurred in Lake Oswego, Oregon, in October 2021, when McLemore was identified as a suspect by authorities after the woman’s complaint.
In February 2024, a Clackamas County grand jury listened to evidence in the case, which included the woman’s testimony saying McLemore assaulted her. McLemore was arrested two months later by U.S. Marshals.
During the trial, Scott Healy, a Clackamas County prosecutor, told the jury the woman passed out on a living room couch around 2 a.m. after drinking heavily. She regained partial consciousness the next morning, when McLemore sexually penetrated her with his fingers and then proceeded to have sex with her.
McLemore’s team of attorneys disputed the claims, saying she initiated sexual contact and consented to it. The lawyers also claimed the woman was sober enough to consent to sexual contact.
McLemore, a Kansas product, played nine seasons in the NBA, five with the Sacramento Kings, who took him seventh overall in the 2013 NBA Draft.
He bounced around the league toward the end, playing for the Memphis Grizzlies, Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers and, finally, the Portland Trail Blazers during the 2021-22 season.
Cleveland Guardians starter Luis Ortiz was placed on non-disciplinary paid leave hours before he was scheduled to take the mound against the Chicago Cubs Thursday, MLB announced.
While MLB didn’t disclose the nature of its investigation, ESPN reported it was related to gambling.
Two pitches thrown by Ortiz during a start are being scrutinized.
In June, betting integrity firm IC360 relayed the two pitches to sportsbooks, according to ESPN, and the first was on June 15 against the Seattle Mariners.
The firm flagged unusual betting action on the first pitch thrown by Ortiz in the bottom of the second inning to be a ball or hit batsman. Ortiz spiked a slider into the ground far away from the strike zone.
Then, on June 27, more unusual betting action came in on a pitch from Ortiz in the top of the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals. Once again, the bets were on a ball or a hit batsman, and Ortiz proceeded to spike another pitch the catcher couldn’t handle.
While instances like this happen to even the best of pitchers, the league is looking into the situation.
The bets came in from Ohio, New York and New Jersey, according to ESPN.
The non-disciplinary leave for Ortiz is scheduled to run through the MLB All-Star break, with games resuming for the second half July 18.
The Guardians released a statement on the matter after MLB’s announcement.
"The Guardians have been notified by Major League Baseball that Luis Ortiz has been placed on leave per an agreement with the Players Association due to an ongoing league investigation.
"The Guardians are not permitted to comment further at this time and will respect the league's confidential investigative process."
Ortiz has pitched 16 times for the Guardians this season, recording a 4.36 ERA and 96 strikeouts.
The Supreme Court agreed to hear two cases involving transgender athletes in women's and girls sports Thursday and will make decisions on state laws that prevent biological males from competing on girls and women's sports teams.
The two cases, Little v. Hecox and State of West Virginia v. B.P.J., have been brought by former NCAA women athletes who have witnessed the fallout from biological males in women's sports.
Former Idaho State University cross-country and track runner Madison Kenyon got involved in Little v. Hecox after having to compete against a trans athlete her freshman year in 2019.
"My coach sat us down in the room and told us that we would be competing against a male athlete at a specific meet and just let us know. And I remember sitting there and kind of like, looking around the room being like, 'Well, what do my teammates think about this? What do we do?’" Kenyon told Fox News Digital.
"So, for us, it was not a matter of whether I'm going to compete or not. I'm going to put everything out there that I have and see what happens. And sure enough, this male athlete beat me, beat all my teammates and that continued to happen the entire season. So, that's when I said, 'This isn’t fair.'"
The Little v. Hecox lawsuit was initially filed by Lindsay Hecox, a trans athlete at Boise State University who wanted to join the women's cross-country team. Hecox was joined by an anonymous cisgender female student, Jane Doe, who was concerned about the potential of being subjected to the sex dispute verification process.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho granted a preliminary injunction, blocking the law from being enforced because it found the plaintiffs were likely to succeed in proving the law unconstitutional. The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the injunction, but now the Supreme Court will have an opportunity to intervene.
Former Stetson University women's soccer player Lainey Armistead, who is involved in the State of West Virginia v. B.P.J., felt compelled to join a legal battle over the issue after being informed about it and a way to contribute to a lawsuit in the Mountain State.
"I heard about the girls and women whose scholarships and opportunities and places on the podium were being taken from them, and I also heard that West Virginia decided to do something about that. And they created the Save Women's Sports Law, and I knew that I wanted to defend that, because, not only for myself, but also forward looking for future girls,"
The West Virginia v. B.P.J. lawsuit was brought against the state of West Virginia by a trans athlete, referred to as B.P.J., who was initially granted a preliminary injunction allowing the athlete to participate on the school's sports teams. The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the law violated Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause. Now the Supreme Court has agreed to hear the state's appeal.
Arimstead and Kenyon joined their respective lawsuits at a time when national momentum wasn't necessarily trending toward their cause as it does in 2025. But now their efforts have resulted in a chance to influence history on the issue with a pending Supreme Court decision.
The Supreme Court's decision in the cases could cast a sweeping precedent whether states have the right to ban trans athletes in women's sports. However, an attorney representing Armistead and Kenyon, John Bursch of Alliance of Defending Freedom, suggested the firm won't lean on the argument that trans athlete laws should be a states' rights issue.
He would argue the bigger picture issue.
"I don't think we need to do that," Bursch said of making the states' rights argument. "It's clearly the right result under Title IX, under the equal protection clause and under common sense, that men and women are different.
So far, 27 states in the U.S. already have laws in place to keep trans athletes out of girls sports, and President Donald Trump signed an executive order in February to apply the same mandate nationally. Bursch believes a Supreme Court decision could ensure his side of the debate maintains momentum.
"I think that this trend will continue to grow, and assuming the Supreme Court rules in favor of the states here, you'll see more states adopting these types of protections to keep women safe and level the playing field."
No hearing dates have been set for the case, but Bursch expects the first hearing at some point in January.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta released a legal opinion Thursday that indicates daily online fantasy sports platforms in the state are now illegal.
Bonta's 33-page opinion states that fantasy sports platforms are illegal because they involve betting on sports. The seemingly only applies to daily fantasy sports, but not season-long fantasy sports leagues.
"Like traditional sports wagering, daily fantasy sports games enable participants to win or lose money based on the outcome of sporting events played by third-party athletes," the opinion says.
"Just because the operator is not betting against the players does not mean that the players are not betting against each other."
Sports gambling has been illegal in California, but fantasy sports has been a legal gray area. But online fantasy sports platforms have operated in the state for more than a dozen years, and the product has generated billions of dollars in that time.
In a 2022 state election, voters overwhelmingly rejected a measure to legalize online sports betting. Then in 2023, California GOP state lawmaker Scott Wilk sent a letter to the state's Department of Justice, requesting a legal opinion on daily fantasy sports.
Now, that opinion has been released, and it could bring about disruption to the state's fantasy sports industry.
California Governor Gavin Newsom's office provided a statement to Fox News Digital addressing Bonta's ruling.
"The Attorney General, in his independent capacity, issued this opinion — not the Governor’s Office. While the Governor does not agree with the outcome, he welcomes a constructive path forward in collaboration with all stakeholders," the statement read.
