Happy New Year 2025

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Trump FCC chair targets NPR, PBS for investigation ahead of Congressional threats to defund

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) launched an investigation into media outlets PBS and National Public Radio (NPR) over member stations potentially airing “prohibited commercial advertisements,” according to a letter obtained by The New York Times.

“I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials,” FCC chair Brendan Carr wrote, according to the Times. “In particular, it is possible that NPR and PBS member stations are broadcasting underwriting announcements that cross the line into prohibited commercial advertisements.”

The FCC allows businesses to support noncommercial radio and television stations — such as NPR, PBS or college radio stations — via on-air announcements known as underwriting sponsorships. The sponsorships, though similar to advertisements, face different FCC rules than typical TV or radio ads.

Carr sent the letters Wednesday to NPR CEO Katherine Maher and PBS CEO Paula Kerger, according to the Times. He has been a member of the FCC since 2017, and was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as the commission’s chair under his second administration.

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Brendan Carr was appointed by President Donald Trump to serve as the Federal Communications Commission chair Trump’s second administration. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

Carr continued in his letter that he will alert Congress to the investigation, noting that lawmakers already are weighing whether NPR and PBS should receive taxpayer funds.

“In particular, Congress is actively considering whether to stop requiring taxpayers to subsidize NPR and PBS programming,” he wrote, according to the Times.

“To the extent that these taxpayer dollars are being used to support a for profit endeavor or an entity that is airing commercial advertisements, then that would further undermine any case for continuing to fund NPR and PBS with taxpayer dollars,” he continued.

Fox News Digital reached out to the FCC regarding the letter and the Times’ report, but did not immediately receive a response.

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NPR chief Maher said in response to the letter that NPR’s sponsorship practices “complies with federal regulations.”

“NPR programming and underwriting messaging complies with federal regulations, including the FCC guidelines on underwriting messages for noncommercial educational broadcasters, and Member stations are expected to be in compliance as well,” Maher said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital on Thursday.

“I am concerned that NPR and PBS broadcasts could be violating federal law by airing commercials,” FCC chair Brendan Carr recently wrote, according to The New York Times. (Getty Images)

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“We are confident any review of our programming and underwriting practices will confirm NPR’s adherence to these rules,” Maher said. “We have worked for decades with the FCC in support of noncommercial educational broadcasters who provide essential information, educational programming, and emergency alerts to local communities across the United States.”

PBS told Times it is proud of its “noncommercial educational programming,” and worked “diligently to comply with the F.C.C.’s underwriting regulations.”

NPR and PBS are both public broadcasting organizations, and both are bracing to potentially lose public funding under the Trump administration.

“NO MORE FUNDING FOR NPR, A TOTAL SCAM!” Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social in April 2024, potentially previewing their fate under his second administration. “THEY ARE A LIBERAL DISINFORMATION MACHINE. NOT ONE DOLLAR!!!”

Republican members of Congress also have introduced bills that would defund the public broadcasting organizations, such as Louisiana Sen. John Kennedy and Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry introducing the No Propaganda Act in December 2024.

“The American Taxpayer is footing the bill for a woke media corporation that pretends to be impartial while pushing Chinese propaganda,” Perry said when introducing the legislation. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting “cannot be allowed to keep using your hard-earned tax dollars to push a biased and political agenda that goes against what’s best for Americans.”

NPR and PBS are both public broadcasting organizations, and both are bracing to potentially lose public funding under the Trump administration. (Pavlo Gonchar/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Carr’s name recognition grew large right ahead of the Nov. 5, 2024, election, when he lambasted NBC’s decision to host former Vice President Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live” in the final episode ahead of Election Day, but did not offer equal time to Trump or other candidates in the presidential cycle.

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The FCC’s equal-time rule was established in 1934, and requires radio and television broadcast stations to provide the same amount of time for competing political candidates. There are exceptions to the rule, such as newscasts, documentaries and political debates.

Brendan Carr wrote that he will alert Congress to the investigation, noting that lawmakers already are weighing whether NPR and PBS should receive taxpayer funds. (Celal Gunes/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“NBC has structured this in a way that’s plainly designed to evade the FCC’s rules. We’re talking 50 hours before Election Day starts, without any notice to other candidates, as far as I can tell,” Carr told Fox News Digital at the time. “And after previously coming out and saying they weren’t going to do this precisely because they did not believe that they could do this consistent with election laws and the FCC’s equal time rule.”

NBC ultimately filed an equal time notice amid outrage over Harris’ appearance.

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President Donald Trump, pictured here, appointed Brendan Carr to lead the FCC shortly after his November 2024 election win, with Carr taking the helm of the commission in January. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)

Trump appointed Carr to lead the FCC shortly after his November 2024 election win, with Carr taking the helm of the commission in January. Carr was first nominated to the commission by Trump during his first administration, and served as the senior Republican member of the FCC until his appointment as chair.

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“Commissioner Carr is a warrior for Free Speech, and has fought against the regulatory Lawfare that has stifled Americans’ Freedoms, and held back our Economy,” Trump said in a statement about the appointment. “He will end the regulatory onslaught that has been crippling America’s Job Creators and Innovators, and ensure that the FCC delivers for rural America.”

January 30, 2025
Wife of Chiefs owner dismisses ‘referee favoritism’ ahead of Super Bowl LIX

Tavia Hunt, the wife of Kansas City Chiefs CEO Clark Hunt, has entered the conversations regarding “referee favoritism” ahead of Super Bowl LIX.

NFL referees calling games in favor of the Chiefs has been a subject of debate among football fans and experts alike, but Hunt doesn’t want to hear any of it.

She posted on Instagram following her Chiefs’ 32-29 win over the Buffalo Bills to secure three straight AFC Championships, and discussed her initial emotions about the team’s success.

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Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt and wife Tavia Hunt celebrate winning Super Bowl LVIII. (Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports)

“Overwhelmed,” she wrote. “That’s the word that comes to mind when we reflect on the lavish grace, favor, and faithfulness of God. I’ve said it before: I don’t think God cares about football, but He cares deeply about people.”

Hunt would go on to reflect on the struggles the team had over a decade ago, bringing up the 2012 season where they went 2-14. But it ultimately led to the decision to hire head coach Andy Reid, and the rest is history as he built a winning program.

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Now, the Chiefs are on the cusp of NFL history, as they could become the first team ever to win three straight Super Bowls.

Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt with his wife Tavia Hunt, left, and daughter Gracie Hunt appear on the red carpet prior to the NFL Honors awards presentation at YouTube Theater. (Kirby Lee-USA Today Sports)

But Hunt added “hard work, belief, and purpose” are the reasons why – not a conspiracy that referees favor them during this playoff run.

“By God’s grace we’ve had success, but it’s not ‘black magic’ or referee favoritism (look at the stats on this) – it’s lots of hard work, belief, and purpose. Patrick Mahomes leads with humility and puts God first.”

Hunt has been very vocal about her faith, and mentioned others like Harrison Butker, Drue Tranquill, Chris Jones, Nick Bolton and more doing so as well.

Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

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The Chiefs will be heading to New Orleans to face the Philadelphia Eagles once again in the “Big Game,” as this current streak began with a Super Bowl LVII win over them in Arizona two seasons ago.

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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.

January 29, 2025
RFK Jr has NFL star Aaron Rodgers’ full support ahead of confirmation hearing

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will face a Senate confirmation hearing on Wednesday on Capitol Hill as he looks to take over as President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services secretary.

New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers has been one of the loudest and proudest supporters of Kennedy, as he has been entangled in the political process, starting with the initial bid for president. Kennedy broached Rodgers to be his running mate during the 2024 presidential election – a moment that was captured on the Netflix docuseries “Enigma.”

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Aaron Rodgers, left, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Getty Images)

“Retire and go into politics or play two or three more years,” he said. “I definitely envisioned a life without football, and it wasn’t scary. I felt comfort in being able to move on at some point. But I love football. I want to keep playing. And I hated the way last year went. There’s still some unfinished business in New Jersey.”

Still, Rodgers was strong in his support of Kennedy.

He said on “The Pat McAfee Show” earlier this month that senators who were going to question Kennedy had better be ready.

“Like, please, somebody try and get after him and just watch him absolutely mop the floor with any of these senators,” Rodgers said. “You better come ready senators, come ready and try and see if you can pull one over on my boy, Bobby, because Bobby’s f—— smart, dude. And no notes, off the cuff, can handle his own pretty well, so excited for him to – and honestly so should everybody.”

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President Donald Trump’s nominee to be secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy Jr., sits in a meeting with Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) on Capitol Hill on Jan. 9, 2025 in Washington, D.C. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images)

Rodgers touched on Kennedy’s initiative to “Make America Healthy Again.” The movement appeared to be kick-started this week when the Food and Drug Administration banned red food dye due to potential cancer risk.

“Like, if you spend a minute researching ingredients in products in the states compared to overseas, it’s disgusting,” the star quarterback said. “It’s disgusting what they allow here, the levels that they allow here, products that are terrible for you, products they know are carcinogenic. So it’s going to [be] as he’s doing a service to everybody if you just let him and get the hell out of the way and stop trying to label him as whatever the f— they want to label him these days.

“He just wants to make sure that everything that’s being given to our kids is safe, everything that we’re ingesting on a day-to-day basis is safe, and he’s going to ‘Make America Healthy Again’ or is going to freaking die trying.”

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Super Bowl LIX will be streamed on Tubi. (Tubi)

Rodgers has not made any more statements ahead of Kennedy’s hearing on Wednesday, but all signs indicate he will be watching.

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Ryan Gaydos is a senior editor for Fox News Digital.

January 29, 2025
Health experts teach Democrats about anti-vaccine claims ahead of RFK hearings

A group of Democratic senators previewed several anti-vaccine arguments during a roundtable discussion, including a claim that vaccines cause autism, several days before Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s scheduled confirmation hearings later this week.

Even though Kennedy’s name was “not supposed” to come up during the hearing, according to at least one of the health experts present at the discussion, his nomination to be the next secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) was invoked frequently by lawmakers seeking answers about how to combat anti-vaccine claims and so-called “misinformation,” including arguments about vaccines that Kennedy has promoted in the past.

One claim the senators asked the public health experts at the roundtable about was whether vaccines cause autism, a claim Kennedy has discussed publicly in interviews.

“This is something that I hear a concern about quite a lot,” Sen. Angela Alsobrooks, D-Md., asked the panel. “What, if any information, can you give us to help us push back against that?”

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Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/File)

The doctors on the panel explained the lack of robust studies proving this link while highlighting the wide breadth of studies that have shown no links between vaccines and autism.

“Academic researchers, pediatricians, scientists took that concern seriously enough to spend tens of millions of dollars to answer the question,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a pediatrician with an expertise in virology and immunology. “The more impactful part of your question is how do you get that information out there, because frankly, once you’ve scared people it’s hard to unscare them.”

Offitt added that since there is no clear cause of autism, it makes it harder to refute claims from Kennedy and others. Dr. Joshua Sharfstein of Johns Hopkins pointed lawmakers to preeminent medical authorities within the U.S., such as the National Academy of Sciences, as places they could go for evidence that vaccines do not cause autism.

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The Democratic group of lawmakers, led by Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who caucuses with Democrats, asked questions about, and learned ways to refute, other anti-vaccine claims, such as whether vaccine manufacturers are immune from being held accountable for vaccine injuries.

The experts pointed out the presence of a National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program that allows certain vaccine injury victims to receive compensation from the government, but they suggested that if Kennedy upended the current system and opened up more companies to liability, it could potentially put vaccine manufacturers out of business.

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“Am I right that the HHS secretary has some discretion about removing vaccines from that list [and opening them up to civil litigation] if they were to choose?” asked Sen. Time Kaine, D-Va. “Because if that were the case, I would obviously worry about – that would be one worry I would have and a set of questions I might like to ask people nominated for positions within HHS.”

Sen. Tim Kaine (Getty Images/File)

Other questions from lawmakers that the health experts helped answer included queries about how to distinguish between vaccine side effects versus vaccine complications, how to combat claims that vaccines are not studied enough, questions about how the government monitors the safety of vaccines, questions about how undermining vaccine efficacy can impact public health and more.

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Kennedy will face tough questions about his stance on vaccines this week during his confirmation hearings in front of both the Senate Committee on Finance and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP).

Robert Kennedy Jr. (Jon Cherry/Getty Images/File)

The chair of the Senate’s HELP committee, Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., called Kennedy “wrong” on vaccines during an interview earlier this month.

Democrats, meanwhile, have been more pointed about their criticism. During the roundtable discussion with public health experts, Sen. Ed Markey, D-Mass., called Kennedy “dangerous” and “unqualified” for the position of HHS secretary.

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“The bird flu, if it explodes, we’re going to need to have some confidence, especially in those people who should be vaccinated, that they can trust the government when they say that it’s safe, they can trust the medical community, and I’m just very afraid of Robert F. Kennedy’s candidacy,” Markey said.

“Say goodbye to your smile and say hello to polio,” Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said after news of Kennedy’s nomination to head HHS. “This is a man who wants to stop kids from getting their polio and measles shots. He’s actually welcoming a return to polio, a disease we nearly eradicated.”

January 28, 2025
Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson’s Goa Airport Video Surfaces Online Ahead of Coldplay’s Ahmedabad Concert – WATCH

A video of Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson has surfaced online just ahead of Coldplay’s much-anticipated concert in Ahmedabad. The video, shared by paparazzo Pallav Paliwal, captures the couple at the Goa airport, heading towards the D4 gate. As Coldplay prepares for their performances at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium on January 25 and 26, the video has quickly caught the attention of fans, all eager to see the couple before the band’s highly awaited shows. Dakota Johnson in India: Video of Coldplay’s Chris Martin and His Girlfriend Caught in Mumbai’s Infamous Traffic Jam Goes Viral – WATCH.

Chris Martin and Dakota Johnson at Goa Airport

(SocialLY brings you all the latest breaking news, viral trends and information from social media world, including Twitter (X), Instagram and Youtube. The above post is embeded directly from the user’s social media account and LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body. The views and facts appearing in the social media post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY, also LatestLY does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.)

January 25, 2025
Philadelphia Rocky statue dressed in Redskins gear ahead of NFC title game between Eagles and Commanders

A rivalry has been renewed.

Philadelphia will host the NFC championship game between the Eagles and the visiting Washington Commanders Sunday.

Ahead of the game, the famous Rocky statue in downtown Philadelphia was dressed in gear representing the Commanders’ former identity, the Redskins.

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The culprit is unknown.

Dressing the statue in opposing teams’ gear has become a tradition in recent years ahead of big Eagles playoff games. Each time its happened, the Eagles have come away with wins.

In 2022, the statue was dressed in New York Giants gear ahead of their matchup against the Eagles in the divisional round. The Eagles won that game 38-7. The following week, the statue was dressed in San Francisco 49ers gear before Niners arrived in Philadelphia for the NFC championship game. The Eagles won that game, 31-7.

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When the Eagles won their first Super Bowl in the 2017 season, the statue was also dressed in opposing teams’ gear.

Ahead of that season’s NFC championship game between the Eagles and the Minnesota Vikings, the statue was draped in a Vikings jersey, and the Eagles won 38-7. Before the Super Bowl, someone placed a New England Patriots jersey on the statue, and the Eagles beat the Patriots 41-33 to claim their first Super Bowl title.

The vandalism became so frequent that Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce pleaded with his own fan base not to do dress the statue in any Chiefs gear ahead of the 2023 Super Bowl. The Chiefs won that game 38-35.

“Chiefs, do not touch the f—ing Rocky memorial!” Kelce said during a February 2023 episode of his podcast, “New Heights.”

“Do not do that and definitely don’t put an No. 87 on it!”

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Former Eagles center Jason Kelce, who played against Travis and the Chiefs in that game, theorized the culprit was an Eagles fan.

“I’m gonna be honest. I think somebody from Philadelphia is doing this now,” Jason Kelce said.

“I don’t think this is an opposing team thing at this point. There’s no way opposing teams continue to do this. I’m convinced there is a Philadelphia fan who is putting these shirts on the Rocky statue just to get everyone fired up, and it’s working tremendously.

“So, keep doing it. I guarantee it. There’s no way. Because it’s happened every single game. The Giants did it. The 49ers did it. There will probably be a Chiefs jersey on it this week.”

Now, Washington is up, and will look to break the trend.

It will be the first time the rivals have met in a conference championship game and marks a high point for a rivalry that has been dormant in recent decades due to Washington’s inability to win in the playoffs since the 1990s.

The 2024 season was the first since 2005 that Washington won a playoff game, and the first since 1991 that the franchise reached the conference championship.

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Jackson Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital. He previously worked for ESPN and Business Insider. Jackson has covered the Super Bowl and NBA Finals, and has interviewed iconic figures Usain Bolt, Rob Gronkowski, Jerry Rice, Troy Aikman, Mike Trout, David Ortiz and Roger Clemens.

January 25, 2025
Chiefs may have one advantage over the Bills ahead of the AFC Championship, Andy Reid says

Tom Brady discusses officiating and the Chiefs | The Herd

Patrick Mahomes said “a lot of other plays decided the outcome” regarding the Kansas City Chiefs’ controversial win over the Houston Texans. Colin Cowherd and Tom Brady discuss officiating and the Chiefs and whether there are any issues.

The Kansas City Chiefs are no strangers to playing in big games, especially against the Buffalo Bills.

Chiefs head coach Andy Reid was asked on Wednesday if the Chiefs had an advantage over the Bills in the AFC Championship game due to so many players having experience in these types of games.

“Listen, it normally doesn’t hurt, for sure. I don’t know how you weigh out the advantage of it, but I feel like we play these guys all the time. They know us, we know them but … to answer your question, I’m glad we have all those guys, and you’ll need all of them,” Reid said in his press conference.

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Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid on the sidelines against the Houston Texans during the first half of a 2025 AFC divisional round game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. (Denny Medley-Imagn Images)

The Bills were the only team to beat the Chiefs when they played their starters in a game this season in Week 11.

The Bills won 30-21, capped off by Josh Allen’s 26-yard touchdown run on fourth and two to seal the game.

That matchup was in Buffalo, while the AFC Championship game is in Kansas City.

The Bills are 4-3 against the Chiefs in their last seven games, however those three losses have all come in the playoffs.

Last season, the Chiefs eliminated the Bills in Buffalo in the AFC Divisional Round before beating the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship.

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Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce celebrates after scoring during the second half of an NFL football AFC divisional playoff game against the Houston Texans on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

The Chiefs beat the Bills 42-36 in overtime in the Divisional Round a couple of years ago in one of the most legendary playoff games in recent memory.

In the season prior to that epic Divisional round game, the Chiefs outlasted the Bills 38-24 in the AFC Championship.

This season, Kansas City went 15-2 and earned the No. 1 seed in the AFC and a first-round bye and an easier path to the Super Bowl than Buffalo.

The Chiefs beat the Houston Texans 24-13 in the AFC Divisional round, while the Bills had to play two games.

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Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen (17) celebrates with wide receiver Curtis Samuel (1) after Samuel’s touchdown against the Denver Broncos during the fourth quarter of an NFL wild card playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025, in Orchard Park, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)

The Bills beat the Denver Broncos 31-12 in the Wild Card round and then beat the Ravens 27-25 in the Divisional Round.

Round four between the two AFC powerhouses will come on Sunday at 6:30 p.m. ET, with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line.

Only then will Reid find out wherher his players’ big game experience will give them an advantage.

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Ryan Canfield is a digital production assistant for Fox News Digital.

January 23, 2025
Eli Manning reveals Knob Creek partnership ahead of Super Bowl

Eli Manning, two-time Super Bowl champion, is going up against his brother, former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, as head coaches of the Pro Bowl again in 2025. The former NY Giants quarterback dove into his winning strategy with FOX Business.

NFL legend and former New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning has teamed up with Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey brand Knob Creek to offer Super Bowl fans a limited-edition bottle ahead of game day on Feb. 9.

Manning, opposite Knob Creek’s master distillers Fred Noe and Freddie Noe, personally selected Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick, a single barrel bourbon.

“I got to go down to Kentucky and handpick this bourbon,” Manning told FOX Business.

PEYTON, ELI MANNING LAUNCH PREMIUM BOURBON SWEETENS COVE AT $200 A BOTTLE

Two-time Super Bowl champion Eli Manning partnered with Knob Creek to release a limited-edition bottle of bourbon. (Knob Creek / Fox News)

However, the whiskey aisle in your local stores will probably be bare of this booze as the release is exclusive to locations special to the Super Bowl champion himself — the New York Metro area where Manning played professionally, his hometown of New Orleans and sports hub Los Angeles.

The youngest Manning brother expressed his pleasure in collaborating with the Noe father-and-son duo to craft a unique flavor while diving deep into the history of the brand.

“It was an unbelievable experience,” Manning said.

Bold Pick is said to taste of toffee, honey, dark stone fruit with hints of dark chocolate and finish with spicy cinnamon, black pepper, brown sugar and espresso.

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Manning traveled to Kentucky to work alongside master distillers Fred and Freddie Noe to hand select Bold Pick. (Knob Creek / Fox News)

“It’s just perfect for celebrating the big moments and wins in your life,” Manning said.

Frigid weather conditions in the South, Midwest and East and Sunday football are the perfect excuse to stay inside and sip Bold Pick on the rocks, according to Manning.

Manning’s Bold Pick is “patiently aged for a minimum of nine years in American white oak barrels,” according to a Knob Creek press release provided to FOX Business.

The suggested retail price is $59.99.

Manning, with his older brother and former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, will return to the action-packed Pro Bowl as head coach again this year.

“It’s been a lot of fun coaching the Pro Bowl these last two years,” Manning said. “Especially beating Peyton these last two years.”

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Eli Manning’s 2025 Bold Pick is a single barrel bourbon by Knob Creek. (Knob Creek / Fox News)

The two-time Super Bowl champion will coach the NFC contingent, while Peyton will team up with the AFC, aiming to end Eli’s winning streak on Feb. 2, a week before Super Bowl LIX.

“I know Peyton’s been studying,” Manning said. “He’s brought in experts on all these skills challenges to try to get some extra information.”

As for the Super Bowl, the Manning family will be together in New Orleans on game day, where they will stay with their parents.

“I don’t even have to get a hotel,” Manning said. “We’ll probably be on Bourbon Street, so it’s a good opportunity to drink a little Knob’s Creek bourbon as well.”

January 23, 2025
Putin reportedly concerned over Russia’s economy ahead of possible Trump tariffs

Russian President Vladimir Putin is reportedly worried about the state of his country’s economy as President Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office. According to a Reuters report citing five sources, Trump’s push to end the war in Ukraine is only adding to Putin’s concerns.

Throughout his campaign, Trump pushed to end world conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, which began with Putin’s 2022 invasion.

“I really do have a lot of confidence in his [Trump’s] ability to actually get to a position where this war is actually over,” Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s pick for envoy to Ukraine & Russia, told “America Reports.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin and President Donald Trump. (Contributor/Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)

Russia’s economy has thrived despite international sanctions due to its oil, gas and mineral exports, but, according to Reuters, labor shortages and high interest rates have put strain on the economy. These challenges have allegedly led Russia’s elite to see a negotiated settlement with Ukraine as prudent, Reuters reported, citing two sources.

“There are problems, but unfortunately, problems are now the companions of almost all countries of the world,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told Reuters. “The situation is assessed as stable, and there is a margin of safety.”

In the same conversation with Reuters, Pskov reportedly acknowledged “problematic factors” in Russia’s economy, but said it was able to meet “all military requirements incrementally.”

Members of Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces, volunteer military units of the Armed Forces, train in a city park in Kyiv, Ukraine. (AP/Efrem Lukatsky)

PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA READY TO COMPROMISE WITH TRUMP ON UKRAINE WAR

Last month, Putin said he was ready to compromise over Ukraine in possible talks with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump on ending the war and had no conditions for starting talks with the Ukrainian authorities.

“We have always said that we are ready for negotiations and compromises,” Putin said at the time, after saying that Russian forces, advancing across the entire front, were moving toward achieving their primary goals in Ukraine.

“In my opinion, soon there will be no one left who wants to fight. We are ready, but the other side needs to be ready for both negotiations and compromises.”

President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before a meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia. (AP/Russian Presidential Press Office via AP)

PUTIN, XI VOW TO ‘DEEPEN’ ALLIANCE HOURS AFTER TRUMP RE-ENTERS THE WHITE HOUSE

Putin has made major foreign policy moves in preparation for the possible consequences of Trump’s return, including fortifying ties with Iran and China. On Jan. 21, less than a day after Trump entered office, Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged to “deepen strategic coordination.”

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Recently, Russia and Iran signed a partnership pact, which caused concern with the US and its allies. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov claimed the treaty was “not directed against anyone,” comparing it to the country’s 2024 agreement with North Korea.

Rachel Wolf is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and FOX Business.

January 23, 2025
Pete Hegseth lawyer rips apart claims from ex-sister-in-law ahead of confirmation

President Donald Trump’s pick for secretary of defense, Pete Hegseth, is pushing back on a last-minute affidavit from his former sister-in-law with new allegations.

Hegseth’s lawyer, Timothy C. Parlatore, wrote to Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., on Wednesday to dispel the claims made by Danielle Dietrich, formerly Hegseth, in her affidavit.

“While it is difficult to respond to, or to credit anonymous allegations, the benefit of someone putting their name on the record is that we can examine their credibility and bias. In this case, the credibility and bias is easy to discern,” he said in the correspondence obtained by Fox News Digital.

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Pete Hegseth’s lawyer is urging senators not to rely on an affidavit from his brother’s ex-wife. (Reuters)

Dietrich’s affidavit was obtained by Fox News on Tuesday. Hegseth’s former sister-in-law, once married to his brother, alleged that Hegseth had an alcohol abuse problem and that at times made his ex-wife, Samantha, fear for her safety.

She provided a number of anecdotes in the affidavit, including an event where Samantha supposedly hid in a closet from her husband.

However, Dietrich noted that she never witnessed any abuse herself, physical or sexual, from Pete against Samantha.

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The affidavit also referred to anecdotes about Hegseth’s alleged heavy drinking, referring to several specific occasions, including one at a strip club.

After the affidavit was reported, Sen. Jack Reed, D-R.I., the committee’s ranking member, said in a statement, “As I have said for months, the reports of Mr. Hegseth’s history of alleged sexual assault, alcohol abuse and public misconduct necessitate an exhaustive background investigation. I have been concerned that the background check process has been inadequate, and this affidavit confirms my fears.

“The alleged pattern of abuse and misconduct by Mr. Hegseth is disturbing. This behavior would disqualify any service member from holding any leadership position in the military, much less being confirmed as the secretary of defense.”

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Hegseth had a hearing in the committee last week. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

In the document, Dietrich further suggested her former brother-in-law is not fit to be the secretary of defense.

“She is openly admitting that her purpose is to sink the nomination and has been promised by Democrats that such a statement would have that effect,” Parlatore said in his letter to Wicker.

He pointed out that the “vast majority” of what Dietrich referred to were events she admitted to not being a witness to. “She materially contradicts Sam’s sworn statements in the divorce proceedings where she acknowledges that there was no abuse,” Hegseth’s lawyer added.

Parlatore also pointed out that her claims “inadvertently” accuse Samantha of lying during the FBI’s background check of Hegseth.

“It is important to note that Ms. Dietrich told all of this to the FBI on December 30, 2024, but the FBI was unable to corroborate her claims, which were then flatly refuted by Sam, the actual participant,” he said.

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Scott slammed Democrats for obstructing the confirmation process. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

“There is no basis to credit this deeply flawed and questionable affidavit, which was submitted at the 11th hour in a clear and admitted partisan attempt to derail Mr. Hegseth’s confirmation,” the letter concluded.

Dietrich’s lawyer, Leita Walker, responded in a statement: “Danielle will not be commenting beyond her statement to the Senate Armed Services Committee, which required much courage. She asks for respect for her privacy and the privacy of those she cares about, including Pete Hegseth’s former wives and children.”

While Democrats were quick to claim the affidavit affirmed that Hegseth is not fit for the role, Republicans slammed them as looking to obstruct the confirmation process.

Wicker told reporters on Wednesday that he had seen the affidavit and “I am still a firm yes” on Hegseth’s confirmation.

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“I think the nomination is gonna go forward and that this essentially doesn’t change much,” he said.

“They’re just being the Democrats, being obstructionists,” Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., told reporters.

“They’re just trying to make sure Trump doesn’t have his administration team put together. It’s not good for the American public. President Trump won the election. If he won the electoral vote by [a] significant margin, they should stop being obstructionists,” he continued.

Julia Johnson is a politics writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, leading coverage of the U.S. Senate. She was previously a politics reporter at the Washington Examiner.

Follow Julia’s reporting on X at @JuliaaJohnson_ and send tips to [email protected].

January 23, 2025