INTERNACIONAL
Republicans fear they ‘haven’t done a damn thing’ to lower prices ahead of midterm reckoning
The key focus of this election, like many before it, is the economy, but the Senate has spent its waning weeks in Washington focusing on something else: college sports.
And that has proven a sticking point for some Republicans who are eager to maintain power in the upper chamber and worried that they aren’t meeting the moment to address voters’ concerns over the cost-of-living.
«I’m just hoping that this will be the best bill ever passed by the United States Senate considering the ungodly amount of time we’ve spent on it,» Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Digital.
«So maybe this will be the most perfect and pristine piece of legislation ever,» he quipped.
POLL: SQUEEZED BY COSTS, FRUSTRATED VOTERS TURN TO THE DEMOCRATS
«There’s a lot of things we could be doing and should be doing,» the senator added. «So I hope we’ll do those before we leave. We’ll see.»
Hawley rattled off those issues that he hoped lawmakers would tackle that all ended in one word, costs — be it for fuel, prescription drugs, health care or the financial burden of the artificial intelligence boom.
The Senate is expected to leave the nation’s capital on Wednesday to hit the campaign trail for the homestretch of the fast-approaching midterm elections. But from the summer of 2025 to now, with several shutdowns and partisan fights in between, the sting on voters’ wallets, to some concerned Republicans, has become an afterthought.
Still, Republicans are quick to tout their accomplishments from last year, notably the «big, beautiful bill,» as their signature achievement to tackle the growing issue of affordability in the country — it was a predominant pitch during the midterm convention in Dallas earlier this month, and can be heard increasingly in the halls of the Senate as Nov. 3 nears.
SENATE MOVES TO REIN IN COLLEGE SPORTS ‘WILD WEST’ WITH SWEEPING NEW RULES FOR PLAYERS, SCHOOLS
The concern over inaction in the recent weeks and months has intensified as the main business in the Senate has been devoted to passing the Protect College Sports Act from Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, which cruised through the upper chamber late Monday night.
«We’ve been spending all week on trying to make the football coaches happy,» Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said. «I’m voting for the bill, but I can assure that moms and dads out there across America, when they lie down to sleep at night … they’re not worried about the football coaches.»
Kennedy said that he and others have been pressuring Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to take another shot at reconciliation tailored exclusively toward affordability issues, or at the very least to put a bill that would shield consumers from increasing electricity costs as part of the AI boom.
«Because we haven’t done a damn thing,» Kennedy said. «And it’s biting us in the ass right now.»
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Thune did tee up what will likely be the Senate’s last attempt at dealing with affordability for a vote this week on a bill that would require AI companies to bear the brunt of rising utility costs from data centers.
That bill, from Sen. Jon Husted, R-Ohio, is expected to be blocked by Democrats, however, who aren’t eager to give Republicans or Trump a victory — especially so close to the midterm elections.
But for some Republicans, it’s too little too late when it comes to actually trying to address voters’ worries.
Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., recalled a story when he won the North Carolina House and became speaker. He ran to fix the economy, and once he won the power to do so, he and Republicans in the state would have to own the issue, regardless of the previous administration’s actions.
«That’s how you actually show some leadership and get it done. You can’t rationalize that we’re here because of a problem caused by the prior administration,» Tillis told Digital. «That’s how we got elected. But you gotta fix it if you promise to. And that’s what we have to work on. I just think rationalizing away, that’s just not good politics.»
Still, Republicans are asking for a second chance this fall, specifically Vice President JD Vance, who earlier this month asked voters to «give us another chance.»
When asked about Vance’s plea, Tillis said, «You know what? If it works, it’ll be a first.»
senate, midterm elections, campaigning, republicans elections, john thune, politics
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Iranian security forces have stepped up their presence in Tehran and other cities, with motorcycle patrols, checkpoints and forces positioned across major urban areas as authorities brace for possible unrest, multiple sources inside Iran told Fox News Digital.
The security buildup comes as university students have returned to the streets in Tehran, protesting compulsory hijab rules, rising education costs and political repression, videos published on Iran International show.
Sources inside Iran confirmed to Fox News Digital that motorcycle units have been operating across Tehran and other cities during events surrounding Iran’s annual «Sacred Defense Week,» while members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Basij and law enforcement have been positioned at major squares and other locations.
IRAN INSTALLS NEW WAR CHIEFS AS TEHRAN SIGNALS ‘PROLONGED CONFRONTATION,’ EXPERT WARNS
Motorcyclists ride during a state-organized motorcycle parade called «Janfada,» meaning «Sacrifice for Iran,» in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)
The sources also said security personnel have stopped pedestrians, searched some individuals and examined mobile phones, including material authorities consider «anti-regime.»
One source in Tehran told Fox News Digital that the heightened security presence extends beyond what is visible on the streets.
«Motorcyclists taking photos of shops, and prisoners being threatened and forced to tell their families not to physically participate in any protests that might arise,» the source said.
INSIDE TEHRAN: IRANIANS DESCRIBE IRGC’S BRUTAL RULE, POVERTY — ASK TRUMP TO ‘STAY THE COURSE’
Motorcyclists ride during a state-organized motorcycle parade called «Janfada,» meaning «Sacrifice for Iran,»in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Sept. 25, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP)
The source said Basij members who previously received military training have been placed on alert and are being housed or assembled at educational facilities and large properties on the outskirts of Tehran.
The measures were not limited to the capital. «This situation exists in all cities, but the nature of the presence and the way things are organized differ,» the source told Fox News Digital, citing information received from Borujen, Isfahan and other cities.
«In those places, plainclothes agents are more prevalent and try to remain out of public view; however, in Tehran, they appear openly on the streets in military uniforms and gear specifically to instill fear and terror,» the source said, adding that leave had also been canceled in smaller cities and claimed shops, telephone communications and everyday activities were under increased surveillance.
IRAN ACCELERATES EXECUTION CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANTI-REGIME ACTIVISTS AMID INTERNET CENSORSHIP
Military members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in western Tehran, Iran. (Morteza Nikoubazl/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Iranian journalist Mehdi Ghadimi, who lives outside Iran after years of opposition activity, separately told Fox News Digital that he had received similar accounts.
«I’ve received reports of new checkpoints being set up in Tehran, and there have also been reports of military forces being put on alert, as well as civilians who had previously been trained by the regime for urban repression being called up,» Ghadimi added that people are being detained on espionage charges simply because they communicate with people outside of Iran.
Ghadimi also said he had received reports that individuals with serious criminal records had been released from prison in exchange for reporting to local Basij bases and participating in the suppression of demonstrations.
IRAN INMATES SEW LIPS SHUT IN MASS HUNGER STRIKE AT NOTORIOUS US-SANCTIONED JAIL: REPORT
Members of the Basij paramilitary force stand at a checkpoint in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, March 29, 2026. (Vahid Salemi/AP Photo)
The accounts follow a report from the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s (NCRI’s) Committee on Security and Counterterrorism alleging that Iranian authorities ordered a «100%» state of readiness for the Army, IRGC, Basij and law enforcement and canceled leave through Sept. 27. The NCRI also claimed 51,000 personnel had been deployed across Greater Tehran, including 30,000 IRGC and Basij members and 21,000 law enforcement personnel. The reported preparations are taking place as signs of public unrest have begun resurfacing on university campuses. Fox News Digital has not independently confirmed those claims.
Students at Allameh Tabataba’i University in Tehran held a protest Monday against compulsory hijab, rising tuition and university living conditions, according to videos reported by Iran International on Sept. 28 and 29. Students were recorded chanting against the morality police and political repression.
Iran International reported that the protest began over tuition, dormitory and food costs before expanding into broader political chants. The outlet, citing the student publication Amirkabir, reported that Basij members attempted to disrupt the gathering and threatened students.
IRAN’S REGIME CAME FOR TEENAGE TWINS. THEIR FATE OFFERS A GLIMPSE OF TEHRAN’S WIDENING DEATH CAMPAIGN
The protests also come amid renewed pressure over compulsory hijab rules on university campuses. On Sept. 8, Iran International reported that a senior official in the office representing Iran’s supreme leader at universities said a new compulsory-hijab directive for universities had been drafted and was expected to be issued by the ministries overseeing higher education.
Separately, the IRGC escalated its rhetoric toward Washington on Tuesday, with spokesman Hossein Mohebbi calling on Americans to pressure President Donald Trump’s administration. «This lying administration must be changed,» Mohebbi said at a Tehran press conference, according to Reuters video distributed Sept. 29.
His remarks came as U.S. and Iranian officials continued indirect contacts through mediators in an effort to end the seven-month conflict, Reuters reported.
The combination of visible security preparations and renewed demonstrations is fueling speculation among Iranians about whether the country could face another broader wave of unrest.
Members of the Iranian police stand guard at a protest in front of the British embassy following anti-government protests in Tehran, Iran, January 14, 2026. (Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via)
«The reality is that nobody knows what’s going to happen,» Ghadimi told Fox News Digital. «Everyone I talk to says that this situation cannot continue and that, somehow, it has to come to an end.»
war with iran, national security, world, iran, world protests
INTERNACIONAL
Drug cartel kingpin among targets in sweeping Trump crackdown on alleged Mexican corruption network
FIRST ON FOX: The Trump administration is seeking to disrupt with a sweeping set of sanctions a sprawling Sinaloa cartel network accused of corrupting Mexican officials just across the U.S. border.
Los Mayos, a powerful faction of the Sinaloa cartel, and its U.S.-born leader are accused of funneling fentanyl and drug money through California and hiring hitmen to kill rivals on American soil.
The Treasury Department, according to material exclusively obtained by Digital ahead of their public release on Tuesday, will sanction 21 individuals and 25 entities in a crackdown against Los Mayos and their alleged illegal activity within U.S. borders.
The targets of the sanctions include Ismael Zambada Sicairos, known as «Mayito Flaco,» a dual U.S.-Mexican citizen born in Anaheim, California, whom Treasury describes as the «undisputed head» of Los Mayos.
MEXICAN GOVERNOR FACING US DRUG CHARGES SEEKS LEAVE JUST ONE DAY AFTER RETURNING TO OFFICE
The action lays out how one of Mexico’s most powerful cartel factions allegedly maintains its grip on two critical trafficking corridors along the U.S. border — through political and police corruption, money laundering and violence that Treasury says has extended into Southern California.
It also exposes what Treasury describes as deep cartel penetration of government and law enforcement in Baja California, the Mexican state bordering California.
The Treasury says Sinaloa-linked «narco-corruption has reached the highest levels» of the state government, alleging that the ex-husband of Gov. Marina del Pilar Ávila Olmeda used his political influence to protect cartel operations and that a former Mexicali public security chief accepted bribes to allow the cartel to exert control over municipal police.
The allegations shed new light on a controversy that erupted last year when the U.S. revoked the visas of both Ávila and her then-husband, Carlos Torres Torres.
Treasury now says the State Department revoked Torres’ visa in May 2025 because of his «cartel affiliation and work on behalf of the Sinaloa cartel.» U.S. officials had not publicly disclosed why Ávila’s visa was revoked.
The State Department revoked Torres’ U.S. visa in May 2025 over what Treasury now describes as his «cartel affiliation and work on behalf of the Sinaloa cartel.» Olmeda’s U.S. visa was also revoked around the same time, though U.S. officials did not publicly disclose a reason for the action against her.
POTENTIAL SECURITY THREAT PROMPTS US TRAVEL SUSPENSION FOR BORDER CITY ON ALERT
Treasury also alleges the cartel’s reach extended directly into California.
Lorenzo Castillo Maldonado, an associate in Mayito Flaco’s network, allegedly hired hitmen on the cartel leader’s orders to kill rival cartel members in Southern California. Another part of the network allegedly worked with complicit Southern California money exchanges to collect bulk cash from U.S. drug sales and move the proceeds back to Mexico.
The sanctions are aimed in part at disrupting Los Mayos’ grip on the Tijuana and Mexicali «plazas,» strategic corridors Treasury says the cartel uses to move fentanyl and other narcotics into the U.S.
«Today’s action underscores that no cartel kingpin, corrupt Mexican government official, or financial facilitator is beyond the reach of Treasury’s authorities,» Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said. «Our message is clear: the Trump administration will identify and disrupt any cartel actor who threatens our security or the integrity of our financial system.»
The designations effectively cut the targets off from the U.S. financial system, blocking property and assets under U.S. jurisdiction and generally barring Americans from doing business with them. Foreign financial institutions that knowingly facilitate significant transactions for sanctioned individuals could also face U.S. sanctions.
At the center of Tuesday’s action is Mayito Flaco, who Treasury says has emerged as the undisputed leader of Los Mayos following the July 2024 arrest of his father, longtime Sinaloa cartel kingpin Ismael «El Mayo» Zambada Garcia.
SINALOA CARTEL BOSS ‘EL MAYO’ SENTENCED TO LIFE, ORDERED TO PAY $15B IN DRUG TRAFFICKING PROFITS
El Mayo’s arrest set off a violent struggle between Los Mayos and Los Chapitos, the Sinaloa faction led by sons of Joaquin «El Chapo» Guzman. Treasury says the two factions remain locked in a costly internal war that has forced both sides to rebuild their leadership and alliances.
Mayito Flaco, 44, was born in Anaheim in 1982 and later filed a U.S. name change to Fernando Sicairos Aispuro, according to Treasury. He was federally indicted in California in 2014 on drug trafficking and money laundering charges and remains a fugitive in Mexico.
The Treasury says he now commands Los Mayos’ drug trafficking, murder, extortion, corruption and kidnapping operations.
The sanctions also target Torres’ brother, Luis Alfonso Torres Torres, whom Treasury accuses of collecting bribes and laundering illicit funds through companies and political campaigns.
Former Mexicali Public Security Director Pedro Ariel Mendivil Garcia is also being sanctioned. The Treasury alleges Mendivil accepted bribes from Los Rusos leader Juan Jose Ponce Felix, known as «El Ruso,» in exchange for allowing the cartel to exert control over municipal police, facilitate drug trafficking and carry out enforcement operations.
mexican cartel violence, corruption, sanctions, mexico, organized crime, corruption crime, politics
INTERNACIONAL
El luchador brasileño de jiu-jitsu que quedó paralizado por un golpe prohibido dejó el hospital: “Todavía intento procesar todo”
Willian Hiroyuki Masuda, conocido como “Kabuto”, dejó el hospital y continúa su recuperación en casa bajo cuidados médicos, tras la lesión cervical que sufrió durante un torneo de jiu-jitsu en Londrina, en el estado brasileño de Paraná. Mientras el atleta brasileño recibe fisioterapia y apoyo psicológico, la Policía Civil mantiene abierta una pesquisa para establecer eventuales responsabilidades por el golpe que lo dejó sin movilidad.
El cinturón negro, de 37 años, sufrió la lesión el 22 de agosto durante el torneo Super Pro Jiu-Jitsu 2026, en el gimnasio Moringão. Su rival, Juliano Di Pelli Machado, ejecutó una maniobra conocida como “bate-estaca”, prohibida por los reglamentos de la disciplina. Masuda, que actualmente se encuentra paralizado (aunque sin tener un diagnóstico definitivo), padeció fracturas en las vértebras C5 y C6, pasó por una operación de estabilización cervical y permaneció internado durante más de un mes.
La recuperación continúa con cuidados médicos, fisioterapia y apoyo psicológico
Kabuto se pronunció por primera vez desde el accidente en un video publicado en su cuenta de Instagram. Allí informó que regresó a su domicilio, aunque aclaró que aún requiere medicamentos y supervisión profesional. En el mismo mensaje, pidió limitar las visitas a familiares cercanos y al personal sanitario, debido a las condiciones del tratamiento y a la necesidad de atravesar esta etapa con privacidad.
“Estoy en casa, pero sigo con internación domiciliaria”, dijo el deportista. También señaló que intenta asimilar las consecuencias físicas y emocionales de la lesión. “Todavía intento procesar todo esto”, expresó. Masuda agradeció los mensajes y las oraciones recibidas desde el accidente, que, según afirmó, ayudan a sostener su ánimo.
La información difundida por el medio local SBT News confirmó que el atleta sigue en tratamiento en su vivienda. En paralelo, el portal de noticias regional Banda B añadió que la nueva fase incluye sesiones de fisioterapia motora y acompañamiento psicológico continuo, sin precisar frecuencia ni un plazo de evolución.
La familia tampoco difundió un pronóstico sobre una posible recuperación de la movilidad y la sensibilidad. Durante las primeras semanas, medios locales informaron que Kabuto no sentía la parte inferior del cuerpo y tenía sensibilidad limitada en los brazos. El equipo médico comunicó que el cuadro exige un proceso largo y que aún no existe un diagnóstico cerrado.
La Policía Civil analiza videos, testimonios y documentos del torneo
En paralelo con la recuperación, la Policía Civil de Paraná (PCPR) examina las circunstancias del combate. El promotor de Justicia Renato de Lima Castro presentó una noticia criminal —equivalente a una denuncia penal en el derecho brasileño— para que el episodio fuera evaluado como una posible lesión corporal de naturaleza gravísima.
Según informó G1, tres profesores de jiu-jitsu ya declararon ante los agentes. Los testigos coincidieron en que el “bate-estaca” está vedado en la modalidad. No obstante, esa apreciación debe contrastarse con el reglamento aplicable, el material audiovisual, la actuación arbitral y otros elementos antes de concluir la causa.
Los agentes solicitaron a la organización del campeonato fichas de inscripción, permisos y documentación vinculada al evento. Esos registros permitirán revisar las condiciones bajo las cuales se celebró la competencia y los protocolos de seguridad previstos. La pesquisa también contempla nuevas declaraciones.
En este contexto, la PCPR esperaba una mejora en la condición de Masuda para tomarle testimonio. Machado figura entre las personas pendientes de prestar declaración. Su defensa indicó en agosto que el competidor está a disposición de las autoridades y que los hechos deben esclarecerse dentro del procedimiento oficial.
La causa deberá determinar si existió una conducta penalmente relevante
La autoridad policial deberá establecer cómo ocurrió la maniobra, si existió una infracción a las reglas, qué nivel de riesgo era previsible y si el resultado guarda relación directa con la acción investigada. El hecho de que una técnica esté prohibida en competencia no define por sí mismo una responsabilidad penal.
También será relevante la declaración de la organización del Super Pro Jiu-Jitsu, que sostuvo tras el incidente que Masuda recibió atención inmediata en el lugar, con ambulancia y personal médico. El contraste entre ese protocolo, las imágenes del combate y los testimonios de quienes presenciaron la lucha formará parte de la evaluación policial.
Una vez reunidas las pruebas, la PCPR deberá elaborar sus conclusiones y remitir el expediente al Ministerio Público de Paraná. El organismo podrá solicitar nuevas diligencias, archivar el caso si no encuentra elementos suficientes o impulsar una acusación ante la Justicia.
Por ahora, no existe una imputación formal ni una decisión judicial contra Machado. La causa sigue abierta mientras Willian Masuda avanza en su rehabilitación.
Kajukenbo,artes marciales,cinturón negro
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