Tag: report

  • Elon Musk says he’ll drop OpenAI bid if its board does this: report

    Elon Musk says he’ll drop OpenAI bid if its board does this: report

    Elon Musk will withdraw his unsolicited bid of $97.4 billion to take over OpenAI if its board of directors stops the company’s conversion into a for-profit entity, a report said. 

    The development reported by The Wall Street Journal comes after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman rejected Musk’s offer earlier this week, saying that the SpaceX and Tesla CEO is “probably just trying to slow us down” and that OpenAI – the maker of ChatGPT – is not for sale. 

    “If [the] OpenAI board is prepared to preserve the charity’s mission and stipulate to take the ‘for sale’ sign off its assets by halting its conversion, Musk will withdraw the bid,” Musk’s lawyers wrote in a court filing Wednesday, according to the newspaper. 

    Both Musk and Altman started OpenAI as a charity in 2015. When Musk left, Altman became the chief executive and the company established a for-profit subsidiary to raise money from investors and Microsoft. Now, Altman is looking to turn the subsidiary into a traditional company, The Wall Street Journal reported.  

    ALTMAN SAYS MUSK ‘TRYING TO SLOW US DOWN,’ OPENAI NOT FOR SALE 

    OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, left, has rejected a bid from SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, right, to purchase his company. (Sean Gallup/Andrew Harnik/Getty Images / Getty Images)

    OpenAI did not immediately respond Thursday to a request for comment from FOX Business. 

    “It’s time for OpenAI to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was,” Musk reportedly said in a statement when he launched his bid. “We will make sure that happens.” 

    Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI but cut ties with the company in 2018 after he was unable to persuade its other leaders to put him in charge of a for-profit OpenAI entity or merge the company with Tesla.  

    MUSK CLAIMS THERE ARE 150-YEAR-OLDS RECEIVING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS 

    Sam Altman

    Open AI CEO Sam Altman speaks during a talk session with SoftBank Group CEO Masayoshi Son at an event titled “Transforming Business through AI” in Tokyo, Japan, on Feb. 3. (Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images / Getty Images)

    “Look, OpenAI is not for sale,” Altman told Bloomberg on the sidelines of the AI Action Summit in Paris on Tuesday. “Elon tries all sorts of things for a long time. This is this week’s episode.”  

    “I think he is probably just trying to slow us down. He obviously is a competitor. He’s working hard to raise a lot of money for [his startup] xAI and they are trying to compete with us from a technological perspective from getting the product into the market and I wish he would just compete by building a better product but I think there has been a lot of tactics, you know many, many lawsuits, all sorts of other crazy stuff and now this,” Altman added. “And we’ll try to just put our head down and keep working.”  

    Elon Musk and Sam Altman at event

    Elon Musk, left, and Sam Altman are seen onstage together during an event at the Vanity Fair New Establishment Summit in San Francisco, Calif., in October 2015. (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for Vanity Fair / Getty Images)

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    Altman also responded to Musk’s offer on X, saying, “no thank you but we may buy twitter for $9.74 billion if you want.” 

    FOX Business’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.  

  • Pro boxing match could take place at Alcatraz this summer: report

    Pro boxing match could take place at Alcatraz this summer: report

    A historic landmark may host a professional boxing match this summer.

    According to Ring, WBO junior welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez is close to an agreement to get into the ring on Alcatraz Island.

    Ring notes that Riyadh Season promoter Turki Alalshikh recently told ESPN he was hoping to host a fight at the former prison turned museum one day. Lopez will fight for the brand.

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    Alcatraz Island could host a championship boxing match this summer. (Brandon Sloter/Getty Images)

    “You know, sometimes I get in my mind I want different places to do [fights]. Sometimes in mountains, maybe someday in the Pyramids in Mexico, someday in [the] Eiffel Tower in France, [the] Colosseum in Italy,” Alalshikh said.

    It’s unclear whether the title would be up for grabs, but considering Lopez defended his title twice last year, it seems likely.

    The prison opened in 1934, but it didn’t even last 30 years.

    Considering its 1.25-mile distance to shore, the Bay Area island was considered practically escape-proof, although there were 14 documented attempted escapes.

    The most notorious one was the June 11, 1962, escape by John and Clarence Anglin and Frank Morris, which inspired “Escape from Alcatraz.”

    Teofimo Lopez

    Teofimo Lopez celebrates after defeating Jamaine Ortiz in their WBO junior welterweight world title bout at Michelob Ultra Arena.  (Joe Camporeale/USA Today Sports)

    It remains a mystery whether the three reached shore and survived. The FBI concluded the escapees drowned due to harsh conditions.

    The three prisoners chiseled an escape route from their own jail cells and built makeshift, papier mâché heads.

    The final attempted escape from the prison, almost six months later, inspired what has become the swimming route of the “Escape from Alcatraz” triathlon.

    Both Al Capone and George “Machine Gun” Kelly served time at the prison.

    Alcatraz Island

    Low fog swirls around Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge under clear skies as boats sail on the San Francisco Bay Sept. 16, 2020, in Berkeley, Calif. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)

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    Lopez is 21-1 with 13 knockouts but has not fought since June, a 12-round unanimous decision victory over Steve Claggett.

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  • Alex Bregman leads list of MLB free agents still available as pitchers and catchers report to spring training

    Alex Bregman leads list of MLB free agents still available as pitchers and catchers report to spring training

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    Pitchers and catchers are in Florida and Arizona to gear up for the marathon that is the baseball season.

    Spring training is officially underway after a wild offseason that saw over $3.3 billion in contracts signed.

    However, there are still some players with All-Star resumes who do not know where they will be on March 27 when the season starts.

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    Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, #2, celebrates after hitting a home run during the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Minute Maid Park. (Troy Taormina-Imagn Images)

    Here are the top six available free agents who are still on the market with just over six weeks until Opening Day.

    Alex Bregman

    One of the more consistent players in baseball is a free agent for the first time, and it has not exactly been the ideal offseason for the two-time All-Star.

    Alex Bregman just won his first Gold Glove Award with the Houston Astros in 2024, and since 2021, he is slashing .262/.350/.444.

    It was reported that Bregman was offered a six-year, $156 million deal to return to the Astros, but he declined. His name has circulated around several rumors, but the Scott Boras issues continue this side of Juan Soto.

    While Bregman may not be his MVP-candidate self anymore (he led the majors with an 8.9 WAR in 2019), his bat-to-ball skills are still elite, and as the Gold Glove Award states, so is his defense.

    Alex Bregman waves to fans

    Alex Bregman, #2 of the Houston Astros, waves to fans prior to playing the Detroit Tigers in Game One of the Wild Card Series at Minute Maid Park on Oct. 1, 2024 in Houston. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

    Jose Iglesias

    Jose Iglesias, 35, had a career resurgence upon releasing the hit song “OMG” that became the rallying cry for the New York Mets.

    After not playing in the 2023 season, Iglesias was scooped by the Mets midseason and was more than what anyone had expected. The sure-handed infielder hit .337 and racked up a career-high 3.1 WAR despite playing just 85 games.

    His veteran leadership surely played a role in Queens throughout 2024, and if anyone needs a post-game concert, Iglesias will not cost anything extra.

    Jose Quintana

    To stick with the Mets, Jose Quintana is coming off a 170-inning season, his most in five years. The lefty posted a 3.75 ERA and could very well be a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy for some teams out there.

    The 2025 season would be Quintana’s 14th, and while no team should expect him to make the All-Star Game for the first time since 2016, pitching comes at a premium in the big leagues.

    At age 36, the Colombia native could be a cheap short-term option.

    Jose Quintana

    New York Mets pitcher Jose Quintana, #62, throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning during game four of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. (Brad Penner-Imagn Images)

    Nick Pivetta

    One thing that all teams yearn for is a swing-and-miss arm, which is exactly what Nick Pivetta is. He ranked in the 88th percentile in whiff rate last season, while his 2.2 BB/9 was the best mark of his career.

    YANKEES MANAGER TAKES SHOT AT DODGERS, ALLEGES LACK OF ‘CLASS’ WITH WORLD SERIES TITLE TALK

    Sure, Pivetta’s career ERA of 4.76 is not ideal, but he has pitched to a 4.09 in the last two years with the Boston Red Sox, and his metrics showed he pitched into some bad luck, as well.

    He does get hit hard, but if a team can tap into that strikeout potential, he could be a weapon. Pivetta also turns 32 on Thursday, so it is a young arm to take a chance on.

    David Robertson

    David Robertson just wrapped up his 16th MLB season but seems to be a bit of an ageless wonder. This past season with the Texas Rangers, he pitched to a 3.00 ERA, which is par for the course throughout his career.

    He will turn 40 on April 9, but he knows how to get the job done and has shown no signs of slowing down. His 12.4 K/9 was his best since 2017, as well.

    In a game built on bullpens, Robertson’s services would be more than welcome.

    Alex Verdugo

    Alex Verdugo’s bat had a down season with the New York Yankees in 2024, but in his lone season patrolling the outfield in the Bronx, he looked more than comfortable and was a Gold Glove finalist.

    Alex Verdugo

    Alex Verdugo, #24 of the New York Yankees, celebrates after hitting an RBI single against the Kansas City Royals during the seventh inning in Game One of the Division Series at Yankee Stadium on Oct. 5, 2024 in New York City. (Elsa/Getty Images)

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    From 2019 to 2022, Verdugo hit .289 with a .778 OPS; his numbers deteriorated in his final year in Boston amid rumors of tension between himself and the team, and perhaps he felt the pressure of playing in a contract year in 2024.

    However, Verdugo can play all three outfield positions very well and is another guy who can put the bat on the ball when you need him to.

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  • USAID inspector general fired days after publishing report critical of aid pause

    USAID inspector general fired days after publishing report critical of aid pause

    The White House has fired the inspector general of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Fox News has learned.

    USAID Inspector General Paul Martin was fired Tuesday, though rather than coming from USAID acting administrator and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the firing reportedly came from the White House Office of Presidential Personnel.

    The dismissal comes days after the USAID inspector general published a report that was critical of the Trump administration’s pause on aid.

    It also comes a day after USAID warned that the Trump administration’s dismantling of USAID had made it all but impossible to monitor $8.2 billion in humanitarian funds.

    DESIGNATED TERRORISTS, EXTREMIST GROUPS RAKED IN MILLIONS FROM USAID, MULTIYEAR STUDY REVEALS

    A United States Agency for International Development (USAID) flag in front of the agency’s offices in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

    USAID is under fire from the Trump administration as the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and its chair, Elon Musk, investigate the agency’s spending practices and prepare to revamp and potentially shutter the agency. 

    The agency announced on its website Feb. 4, that nearly all personnel would be placed on leave by Friday, making a few exceptions for those in roles related to “mission-critical functions, core leadership and specially designated programs.” 

    Its overseas missions reportedly had also been told to shut down.

    USAID EMPLOYEE SAYS STAFFERS HID PRIDE FLAGS, ‘INCRIMINATING’ BOOKS WHEN DOGE ARRIVED

    USAID food split image with President Trump

    The Trump administration fired USAID’s inspector general on Tuesday. (AP Photo/Fernando Vergara, File/Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)

    Lawmakers, news outlets and think tanks have dug into past reports related to USAID spending amid the apparent dismantling of the agency, finding countless examples of money channeled to questionable organizations or programs, such as creating a version of “Sesame Street” in Iraq, or funding pottery classes in Morocco.

    This week, it was discovered that USAID provided millions of dollars in funding to extremist groups tied to designated terrorist organizations and their allies, according to a report published by Middle East Forum, a U.S. think tank.

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    USAID was established in 1961 under the Kennedy administration, operating as an independent agency that works closely with the State Department to allocate civilian foreign aid. 

    Under Rubio, the agency could be abolished after its reorganization over the coming days, he said in a letter to bipartisan lawmakers on Feb. 3.

    Fox News Digital’s Emma Colton and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

  • Jets gave Aaron Rodgers ultimatum on ‘Pat McAfee Show’ appearances: report

    Jets gave Aaron Rodgers ultimatum on ‘Pat McAfee Show’ appearances: report

    As reports swirl that the New York Jets will move on from Aaron Rodgers this offseason, his media appearances may factor into the decision.

    Rodgers joined the Jets in the offseason ahead of the 2023 season after spending 18 years with the Green Bay Packers.

    Before his departure, Rodgers found himself in some controversies, most notably when he said he was “immunized” against the COVID-19 virus. He also spoke fondly of the hallucinogen ayahuasca.

    Then, shortly after what became his final game with the Packers, he went on a “darkness retreat.”

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    New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers walks on the field during the second half of a game against the Buffalo Bills in East Rutherford, N.J., Oct. 14, 2024.  (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)

    Throughout this time, Rodgers had become a mainstay on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” on which he had been known to push the envelope.

    Rodgers has continued to make controversial headlines during his appearances on the show, including calling out Dr. Anthony Fauci for his vaccine measures, linking Jimmy Kimmel to Jeffrey Epstein and mocking “celebrities bought by China” ahead of the 2024 presidential election.

    A new report from The Athletic claims new Jets brass told Rodgers he would not be allowed to appear on the show if he plays for the Jets in 2025.

    “I was told that when they had conversations with Aaron Rodgers about what the future would look like, ‘If you’re going to be part of this team, you’re going to attend all of training camp, you’re not going to do Pat McAfee interviews anymore,’” Dianna Russini said on her “Scoop City” podcast. “They had a conversation with him of, ‘If you were to stay here, here is how we would want it to be.’”

    Pat McAfee on the ESPN College GameDay set

    Pat McAfee sits on the set of ESPN’s “College GameDay” before a game between the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa., Nov. 2, 2024. (Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)

    Fox News Digital reached out to Rodgers’ representative, the Jets and ESPN.

    CHIEFS PLAYER SPEAKS OUT AFTER PATRICK MAHOMES SKIPPED HIM WHILE GREETING TEAMMATES DURING SUPER BOWL LOSS

    The Jets hired Aaron Glenn as their head coach last month and brought in Darren Mougey as their general manager. Apparently, Glenn told Rodgers the quarterback would have to abide by Glenn’s terms, which included full offseason involvement.

    Rodgers had an unexcused absence from mandatory minicamp, which turned out to be a scheduled trip in Egypt. Robert Saleh, the head coach at the time, said, “If it’s important to Aaron, it’s important to us.”

    Perhaps Rodgers’ time with the Jets was done anyway. In a season where they had, at minimum, playoff expectations, they went 5-12 with Rodgers under center. And although there were times he looked like he turned back the clock, for the most part he did look like a quarterback on the wrong side of 40 coming off a serious Achilles injury.

    Aaron Rodgers waits for the snap

    New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) waits for a snap during the first half of a game against the Los Angeles Rams in East Rutherford, N.J., Dec. 22, 2024.  (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

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    Perhaps that injury robbed Rodgers and the Jets of a run, but with the team losing two more games in 2024 than it had in 2023 when Zach Wilson took over for Rodgers — even after they added Davante Adams — it may be time to close the door.

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  • Travis Kelce undecided about playing in 2025; Super Bowl result could determine future: report

    Travis Kelce undecided about playing in 2025; Super Bowl result could determine future: report

    Travis Kelce said earlier this week in New Orleans that he sees himself “hopefully still playing football” in three years.

    However, a new report says that there’s a chance Super Bowl LIX could be the star tight end’s last.

    According to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, Super Bowl LIX could possibly be “the final game” of Kelce’s career, and he’s “expected to take time after the Super Bowl, consider his future and make a decision before free agency, which officially begins March 12.”

    SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

    Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) against the Buffalo Bills during the AFC Championship game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.  (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

    Rapoport added that Kelce’s future could be riding on the result of Sunday’s game.

    With a victory, it would be quite the way to end a future Hall of Fame career: by being a part of a dynasty that would be the first to win three Super Bowls in a row.

    Among tight ends in NFL history, Kelce ranks third in catches (1,004) and yards (12,151), and fifth in touchdowns (77). That comes despite 11 tight ends, including those ahead of him in those prior categories, playing more games than him. For reference, Tony Gonzalez, who leads in catches and yards, played in 270 games, 95 more than Kelce.

    While Kelce has clearly been able to turn it on in the postseason (he had a season-high 117 yards in the divisional round), it’s clear that he’s not his All-Pro self anymore. This season marked the first time since 2015 in which Kelce played in at least 16 games and failed to reach the 1,000-yard mark. He also scored only three touchdowns in the regular season, the lowest mark of his career outside his one-game rookie season.

    Travis Kelce

    Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce (87) scores on a 48-yard touchdown reception during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Colin E. Braley)

    HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

    If Sunday is it, it’s certainly the end of a legendary career. Kelce has made 10 Pro Bowls and was either a First- or Second-team All-Pro seven times.

    Kelce’s off the field superstardom has skyrocketed within the last 18 months due to his relationship with Taylor Swift, but even prior to that, he was beginning to become a household name. He hosted “Saturday Night Live” in March 2023, shortly after winning his second Super Bowl. A win on Sunday would give Kelce four rings.

    Tubi promo

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

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    His brother, Jason, retired last year after 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, who the Chiefs will be going against in Sunday’s big game – it’s a rematch of the Super Bowl two years ago that featured both brothers.

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  • New report by panel of experts claims killer nurse Lucy Letby is innocent

    New report by panel of experts claims killer nurse Lucy Letby is innocent

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    MANCHESTER, England — The trial of Lucy Letby made headlines around the world due to the sheer horror and scale of the crimes for which she was convicted, but some believe the neonatal nurse is innocent and the victim of a miscarriage of justice.

    Letby, 35, was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill seven more at the Countess of Chester Hospital in North West England during a year-long killing spree between June 2015 and June 2016.

    She was portrayed by the prosecution as a “constant malevolent presence” on the hospital’s neonatal unit and a “calculating and devious” nurse who liked “playing God.”

    ‘COLD-BLOODED’ NURSE LUCY LETBY FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING 7 BABIES AT HOSPITAL NEONATAL UNIT

    In an apparent handwritten confession note found by police, she said she had killed babies “on purpose.”

    She also wrote, “I am a horrible evil person” and “I AM EVIL I DID THIS.”

    This undated handout issued by Cheshire Constabulary shows nurse Lucy Letby, a British neonatal nurse convicted of murdering seven babies and the attempted murder of seven others. (Cheshire Constabulary via AP)

    Letby, considered to be the United Kingdom’s worst serial child killer, was sentenced to 15 life prison terms and has lost two bids to appeal her convictions.

    But there has been a growing clamor among leading medical professionals, legal experts and commentators that she is innocent.

    Ex-Conservative cabinet minister Sir David Davis has also spoken out and called for a new trial, telling fellow members of parliament (MPs) there was “no hard evidence” against her.

    This week, a fresh report presented by a panel of 14 international experts has claimed there is “no medical evidence” she murdered or harmed any of the babies in her care.

    During her first ten-month trial — Letby later faced a second trial — she was accused of murdering four of the seven babies by injecting air into their bloodstreams and attempting to kill others by the same method.

    Letby being questioned

    In this frame from a video provided by Cheshire Constabulary, Lucy Letby is questioned after her arrest July 3, 2018, in Chester, England.  (Cheshire Constabulary via Getty Images)

    The prosecution claimed other babies were harmed by insulin poisoning, being force-fed milk or by trauma to the liver.

    But the experts’ report rules out any criminality and points to babies deteriorating due to natural causes or “bad medical care.”

    Therefore, it’s claimed Letby is the victim of “one of the major injustices of modern times.”

    Letby’s new lawyer, Mark McDonald, told The Guardian newspaper the report demolished the case against her, and there was “overwhelming evidence this conviction is unsafe.”

    LUCY LETBY TRIAL: FATHER TESTIFIES BABY GIRL WAS LEFT SEVERELY DISABLED AFTER NURSE TRIED TO KILL HER

    A drawing of Letby in court

    This court artist drawing by Elizabeth Cook from Aug. 10, 2023, shows nurse Lucy Letby at Manchester Crown Court in Manchester, England. (Elizabeth Cook/PA via AP)

    The report’s findings have been sent to the Criminal Cases Review Commission (CCRC), the body that investigates potential miscarriages of justice, which is now formally examining the case.

    The CCRC will also be tasked with reexamining the contentious medical evidence used to convict Letby.

    In particular, questions have been raised about the prosecution’s main medical expert, Dr. Dewi Evans, who claimed babies died from having air injected into their bloodstreams, causing air embolism, a fatal condition.

    During Letby’s trial, he pointed to skin discoloration in several victims as an indicator of air embolism, citing a 1989 academic paper.

    NURSE LUCY LETBY WROTE SYMPATHY CARD TO PARENTS OF BABY GIRL SHE’S ACCUSED OF MURDERING

    But retired Canadian neonatologist Shoo Lee, a co-author of the paper and chair of the panel, believes the research was misinterpreted by the prosecution, and Dr. Evans’ findings have “no basis in evidence.”

    The panel has also cast doubt on supposed insulin poisonings after Letby’s original defense team did not dispute them.

    It’s claimed that babies were not properly cared for, and there were failures to carry out “basic medical procedures, delays in their treatment and the misdiagnosis of diseases.”

    Dr. Lee also claimed the hospital was overworked and inadequately staffed, saying, “If this had happened at a hospital in Canada, it would be shut down.”

    Countess of Chester hospital

    The maternity ward of the Countess of Chester Hospital in the U.K., where Letby worked and is alleged to have killed seven babies between 2015 and 2016. (Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

    It will take many months for the CCRC to review the case, and there’s no guarantee it will be referred back to the Court of Appeal. So, Letby will remain in prison for the foreseeable future, with any bail application likely to be resisted by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

    Meanwhile, a public inquiry examining events at the hospital is due to conclude next month while prosecutors are considering bringing further charges against Letby in other baby deaths at a second hospital, Liverpool Women’s Hospital.

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    A CCRC spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “We have received a preliminary application in relation to Ms. Letby’s case, and work has begun to assess the application.

    “At this stage, it is not possible to determine how long it will take to review this application. A significant volume of complicated evidence was presented to the court in Ms Letby’s trials.

    “We anticipate further submissions being made to us.” 

    Police search Lucy Letby home

    Cheshire Police in the U.K. search the home of Lucy Letby in 2018. (Peter Byrne/PA Images via Getty Images)

    A CPS spokesperson told Fox News Digital, “Two juries and three appeal court judges have reviewed a multitude of different strands of evidence against Lucy Letby. She has been convicted on 15 separate counts following two separate jury trials.

    “In May 2024, the Court of Appeal dismissed Letby’s leave to appeal on all grounds, rejecting her argument that expert prosecution evidence was flawed.”

  • Mavericks GM getting boost in security for first home game since Luka Dončić trade after death threats: report

    Mavericks GM getting boost in security for first home game since Luka Dončić trade after death threats: report

    The Dallas Mavericks will play their first home game since the organization traded Luka Dončić Saturday, and general manager Nico Harrison will be on alert.

    The trade took the entire sports world by surprise, and Mavs fans have made their displeasure known.

    The anger is understandable. A 25-year-old global superstar who led the NBA in scoring last year and helped the Mavs to an NBA Finals appearance was traded away.

    SIGN UP FOR TUBI AND STREAM SUPER BOWL LIX FOR FREE

    Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Dončić on the bench during the second quarter against the Washington Wizards at the American Airlines Center in Dallas Jan. 27, 2025. (Jerome Miron/Imagn Images)

    Protests took place outside American Airlines Center Sunday, with one group of fans even bringing a casket to signify their fandom dying.

    But other fans have apparently taken it to an unacceptable level and have made death threats against Harrison.

    According to ESPN, that has led to “beefed up” security for Harrison for Saturday’s game.

    “This is a heartbroken fan base. There have been some very unfortunate developments regarding that anger. Nico Harrison has been subjected to death threats. There have been racial epithets included in some of those. Certainly, security is going to be beefed up. There will be protests outside the arena,” Tim McMahon said on Friday. 

    “Nico Harrison is not going to be in his normal seat. There’s no reason to subject him to that kind of security risk. That has been an unfortunate part of this storyline. Obviously, the fans’ anger, they have every right to feel like they got a generational superstar ripped away from them, but, certainly, lines have been crossed.”

    Luka Doncic holds up jersey

    Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Dončić poses for photos with general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick at UCLA Health Training Center.  (Gary A. Vasquez/Imagn Images)

    HOW TO WATCH SUPER BOWL LIX BETWEEN CHIEFS, EAGLES STREAMED ON TUBI

    Harrison cited defense as a primary reason for the trade, while also noting the risk Dončić, eligible for a $345 million contract, could have left the team next year.

    “We really feel like we got ahead of what was going to be a tumultuous summer, him being eligible for the supermax and also a year away from him being able to opt out of any contract,” Harrison said earlier this week. “And so we really felt like we got out in front of that. We know teams, they’ve had it out there, teams have been loading up to try to sign him once that comes available.”

    The Lakers acquired Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks got Anthony Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles’ 2029 first-round pick. To complete the deal, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks.

    In the Mavs’ first game without Dončić, they lost by over 40 points, but neither Kyrie Irving nor Davis played.

    Luka Doncic talks Lakers

    The Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić speaks during an introductory press conference Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in El Segundo, Calif.  (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

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    Dallas will host the Houston Rockets at 3 p.m. ET Saturday.

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  • ‘Fulfill the mandate’: New election integrity report calls for critical changes to guarantee secure elections

    ‘Fulfill the mandate’: New election integrity report calls for critical changes to guarantee secure elections

    FIRST ON FOX: A nonpartisan election integrity watchdog has released a detailed report outlining what it says are must-needed reforms to be taken up in states across the country to ensure election integrity.

    The Honest Elections Project (HEP) released its 2025 “Safeguarding our Elections” report that lists over a dozen “critical” measures, ranging from voter ID to cleaning up voter rolls to banning foreign influence in elections. 

    “Election integrity ballot issues passed with flying colors across the board on election night. Now that state legislative sessions are starting up, lawmakers have a duty to fulfill the mandate the American people gave to make it easy to vote and hard to cheat,” HEP Executive Director Jason Snead told Fox News Digital.

    “Honest Elections Project’s 2025 ‘Safeguarding Our Elections’ report gives legislators a roadmap to do exactly that.”

    SELLING AMERICANS A ‘LIE’: HOW ELECTION INTEGRITY ATTORNEYS BATTLED LEFT-WING EFFORTS TO UPEND VOTING LAWS

    An elections official prepares to count mail-in ballots on the first day of tabulation on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the Maricopa County Recorder’s Office in Phoenix. (AP/Matt York)

    HEP has been active in recent years advocating against foreign influence in statewide elections via dark money and various loopholes, which the report discusses in the first section and points to polling showing 78% of Americans oppose foreign funding in elections. 

    “It is illegal for foreign nationals to contribute to political candidates, but a legal loophole allows them to contribute both directly and indirectly to ballot measure campaigns,” the report states.

    STEPHEN A. SMITH ARGUES HE CAN WIN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION AFTER DEMOCRATS’ ‘PATHETIC’ 2024 RUN

    Ballots are stacked on a table at the central count in Baird center

    Ballots are stacked on a table at the central count in Baird center, during the 2024 U.S. presidential election, in Milwaukee on Nov. 5, 2024. (REUTERS/Vincent Alban)

    “A single left-wing group, the Sixteen Thirty Fund, has simultaneously accepted approximately $243 million from foreign billionaire Hansjörg Wyss and spent $130 million supporting or opposing ballot issue campaigns in 25 states. Ballot issues can rewrite election laws and change state Constitutions. These campaigns should not be a Trojan Horse for foreign influence, whether from activists like Wyss or hostile foreign powers like China and Russia.”

    The report also warns against Ranked Choice Voting (RCV), which some states have banned but other states, including Alaska, continue to use it.

    “RCV makes it harder to vote, harder to understand election results, and harder to trust the voting process,” the report explains.

    “Nevertheless, a small group of left-wing megadonors are pushing RCV as a way to drag politics to the left. In 2024, donors like John and Laura Arnold collectively spent $100 million on ballot measures to bring RCV to six new states. Voters rejected them all, defeating ballot issues in states as diverse as Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, and Oregon.”

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    Voting booths stand during the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day

    Voting booths stand during the 2024 U.S. presidential election on Election Day at the Detroit Police Department, 12th Precinct in Detroit on Nov. 5, 2024. (REUTERS/Emily Elconin)

    “Zuck Bucks” became an increasingly controversial aspect of election security after Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg poured $400 million in grants during the 2020 election to fund a variety of work and equipment. HEP’s report urges states to prevent similar instances from occurring in the future.

    “Elections should be accountable to the public, not to special interest groups and liberal megadonors,” the report says. “In 2020, left-wing nonprofits pumped more than $400 million from Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg into thousands of election offices, giving more money to places that ultimately voted for Joe Biden.”

    Other issues in the report include, requiring transparency and robust post-election audits of election processes and procedures, ensuring that elected lawmakers write election laws, and protecting vulnerable mail ballots.

  • Rubio assume another Trump admin role, acting director of US Archives: report

    Rubio assume another Trump admin role, acting director of US Archives: report

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who was tapped as the acting director of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) just days ago, is taking on another new role in President Donald Trump’s new administration. 

    Rubio is now also serving as the acting director of the U.S. Archives, ABC News reported, citing a high-level official. Fox News Digital reached out to the State Department for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

    Trump signaled last month his intention of replacing the now-former national archivist Colleen Shogan, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, during a brief phone interview with radio host Hugh Hewitt. The National Archives notified the Justice Department in early 2022 over classified documents Trump allegedly took with him to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving office. That would later result in an FBI raid and Trump being indicted by former Special Counsel Jack Smith. 

    The source told ABC News that Rubio has been the acting archivist since shortly after Trump was sworn in as the 47th president last month. 

    USAID HAS ‘DEMONSTRATED PATTERN OF OBSTRUCTIONISM,’ CLAIMS TOP DOGE REPUBLICAN IN LETTER TO RUBIO

    Rubio speaks after a tour of a migrant return center and a demonstration of a dog trained to sniff out narcotics at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, on Feb. 5, 2025.  (MARK SCHIEFELBEIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

    This week, Rubio is traveling on his first official State Department trip to Central America, during which he convinced the Panamanian president to end its Belt and Roads project deal with the Chinese government. Trump has said the United States could claim the Panama Canal through economic or military measures if necessary after raising concerns about Beijing allegedly controlling the strategic waterway that was constructed by the U.S. 

    The Trump administration has suspended some foreign aid pending a review into how U.S. taxpayer dollars are being spent abroad, resulting in thousands of layoffs and ended programs. 

    Addressing reporters in Guatemala City on Wednesday, Rubio said he issued waivers for certain programs that assist in gathering biometric information to better identify fugitives, as well as bolster technology and K-9 units to identify shipments of deadly fentanyl and precursor chemicals, showing “firsthand the kind of foreign aid America wants to be involved in.” 

    “This is an example of foreign aid that’s in our national interest. That’s why I’ve issued a waiver for these programs, that’s why these programs are coming back online, and they will be functioning, because it’s a way of showing to the American people this is the kind of foreign aid that’s aligned with our foreign policy, with our national interest,” Rubio said.

    Rubio arrives in Guatemala

    Rubio is welcomed by Guatemalan Foreign Minister Carlos Ramiro Martinez at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City on Feb. 4, 2025.  (JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

    ‘VIPER’S NEST’: USAID ACCUSED OF CORRUPTION, MISMANAGEMENT LONG BEFORE TRUMP ADMIN TOOK AIM

    America’s top diplomat said the United States wants some fugitives who are “strategic objectives, meaning they help us strengthen our partners, and they help us to cut the head off the snake of a transnational group that’s particularly dangerous.” He said the State Department would be “working very closely” with U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi and the Justice Department in “prioritizing our extradition requests so that they align with our strategic objective with regards to who it is that we’re going after.”

    The State Department announced on Wednesday that “the government of Panama has agreed to no longer charge fees for U.S. government vessels to transit the Panama Canal,” saving the U.S. government “millions of dollars a year.” 

    However, the Panama Canal Authority denied having made any adjustments to the tolls or transit agreements of the canal despite the State Department’s announcement, adding that they are “ready to establish a dialogue with the relevant officials of the United States regarding the transit of warships.” Earlier this week, Rubio voiced frustration about U.S. Navy ships having to pay to transit through the canal despite the U.S. being under treaty agreement to defend the canal if it’s attacked. 

    Rubio and Guatemala president

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Guatemala’s President Bernardo Arevalo at the Culture Palace in Guatemala City on Feb. 5, 2025.  (JOHAN ORDONEZ/AFP via Getty Images)

    “Secretary of State Marco Rubio is such a breath of fresh air & he’s proven to be incredibly effective in implementing President Trump’s PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH vision for the world,” Rep. Carlos Giménez, a Republican ally of Rubio in Congress representing south Florida, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Panama has agreed to drop its ‘memorandum of understanding’ with Communist China & to waive the toll for U.S. Navy ships transiting the Canal Zone. Panama must continue to work with the United States to evict Communist China from their country & achieve a productive, long-term deal that prioritizes both of our countries’ shared interests.”

    Besides the canal, Rubio has focused his trip on immigration, praising the Panamanians for the decreased flow of migrants through the Darien Gap and overseeing a deportation flight of Colombian nationals back to Colombia. 

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    Rubio secured two agreements with first, El Salvador, and then Guatemala on Wednesday, for the countries to accept deportees from the U.S.