Parts of the Appalachian Trail are still damaged after Helene. Volunteers are fixing it by handNew Foto - Parts of the Appalachian Trail are still damaged after Helene. Volunteers are fixing it by hand

UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (AP) — In a rugged patch of the Appalachian Trail in eastern Tennessee, volunteers size up a massive, gnarled tree lying on its side. Its tangled web of roots and dark brown soil, known as a root ball, is roughly the size of a large kiddie pool. The collection of volunteers and staff from the Appalachian Trail Conservancy and local organizations, doesn't plan to move the tree. Instead, their job is filling the gaping holes left by it and many other downed trees along iconic East Coast trail. Almost a year sinceHurricane Helenetore through the mountains of the Southeast, restoration is still ongoing. In places like the Appalachian Trail it's powered primarily by volunteers, at a time whenfederal resources are strained and uncertain. That labor, made up of people spanning several generations and continents, aims to not only return the trail to its former glory but make it more resilient against future inclement weather. "Volunteers are the lifeblood of the Appalachian Trail," said Jake Stowe, a program support specialist with the Appalachian Trail Conservancy. Stretching more than 2,000 miles (3,200 kilometers) miles from Georgia to Maine, the trail attracts more than 3 million people every year, according to the conservancy. Some committed hikerstraverse its entire lengthto cross it off their bucket list. Others visit sporadically just to indulge in its scenic views. Last September, Helene killedmore than 200 peopleand wreckedentire towns. Many rural businesses have struggled due to the drop in tourism, Stowe said, such as in places seeing fewer trail hikers. Directly after the storm, more than 430 miles (690 kilometers) of the trail were closed, the conservancy said. That's down to 5 miles (8 kilometers) today. Hikers still have to take detours around two damaged sections of the trail, both in Tennessee, according to the conservancy. One spot where a bridge collapsed requires a 3.6-mile (5.8-kilometer) walking detour. The other location is near the destroyed Cherry Gap Shelter, where an Associated Press journalist accompanied volunteers this week making the area passable again for visitors who currently have to take a 6-mile (10 kilometer) detour. Fixing trails is hard work Local groups typically take on day-to-day trail maintenance, such as hacking back plant overgrowth, Stowe said. Larger organizations like the Appalachian Trail Conservancy step in to assist with severe damage, although in Helene's case, safety concerns delayed restoration. "At the time, we weren't really in the position to put people in the woods," Stowe said. "It was such bad damage that it was just- you couldn't safely do that." The area near Cherry Gap has already been "sawed out," meaning downed trees that blocked the trail have been cut and moved out of the way. But root balls are still a major problem because of how labor-intensive it is to deal with them. When a tree tips over, the root ball lifts a big chunk of earth with it. Filling that hole can sometimes take a week, said Matt Perrenod, a crew leader with the conservancy. The trail runs along the spine of the Appalachian Mountains, and that rough terrain means crews must rely on hand tools like shovels, rakes and pruners to do the job, rather than heavy equipment. The conservancy also has to consider more sustainable improvements to the trail, such as building steps or features like water bars, which are essentially little ditches that divert rainfall off the side of the trail. It's a slow process, Perrenod said, but a worthwhile venture to improve the experience of hikers. "You don't actually want to think about the thing you're walking on very much. You just want to walk on it," said Perrenod, who hiked the Appalachian Trail's entirety about a decade ago. "Well, if we don't do the work, you won't be able to do that. You'll spend all your time climbing over this tree and walking around that hole." Volunteers travel the world to help out Partnering with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Park Service has long been a critical component of preserving the Appalachian Trail. Through contracts, Perrenod said the agencies fund equipment, gas and the wages of some Appalachian Trail Conservancy staff members like himself. The Forest Service also helps the group lug their gear up to the trail, he said. That's why Perrenod says it's imperative the federal government does notslash those agencies' budgets and workforces. Disrupting support for volunteers could be detrimental for the trail's restoration, as volunteers provide "a lot of muscle" to complete the vast majority of its maintenance, he said. In Helene's aftermath,volunteerism across the regionwas "super high" because everyone wanted to help, Stowe said. This year, interest in volunteering has dipped, Stowe said, but he's heard from people all over the country — and the world — who cited Helene as a major reason they wanted to come out and help. Among the volunteers on the July maintenance trip were three visitors from Japan who work on long-distance trails back home. They were enthusiastic to learn about best practices for improving trail longevity and take those ideas back to Japan. The trio was also motivated by their own experience with natural devastation. After Japan's massive 2011 earthquake and tsunami, volunteer Kumi Aizawa said people from across the globe came to rebuild. By restoring part of the Appalachian Trail, she's returning the favor. ___ Seminera reported from Raleigh, North Carolina.

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July 26, 2025

Parts of the Appalachian Trail are still damaged after Helene. Volunteers are fixing it by hand

Parts of the Appalachian Trail are still damaged after Helene. Volunteers are fixing it by hand UNICOI COUNTY, Tenn. (AP) — In a rugged patc...
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Seven charged in child sex ring run out of Alabama concrete bunker, sheriff saysNew Foto - Seven charged in child sex ring run out of Alabama concrete bunker, sheriff says

Seven people have been charged in connection with an alleged sex trafficking operation that Alabama officials say was run out of a concrete bunker and involved children as young as 3. The case includes charges of rape, sexual torture, kidnapping, and human trafficking, and officials allege the abuse took place in a cinder block building in Brent, Alabama, 50 miles southwest of Birmingham, Bibb County Sheriff Jody Wade said at a news conference Wednesday. He called the alleged abuse and torture "the most horrible thing I've ever seen" perpetrated against children. "I know god's forgiveness is boundless," Wade said. "But if there was a limit to it, I think we've reached it." He said the operators of the sex abuse ring charged people to come to the bunker and abuse the children, adding that the operation may have made $1,000 a night. "Sometimes, the children would be there, tied to a pole that was there, bound to a bed that was there, or in a chair that was there," Wade said. "Sometimes, there would be multiple people that would come by and victimize these children on a nightly basis." An image of the inside of the bunker, released by the sheriff's office, showed a filthy mattress in a corner, a folding chair and a fan. The sheriff also alleged the children were sometimes drugged "to make them a little bit more drowsy and a little bit more compliant." An animal shock collar was used to punish the children, according to complaints obtained by NBC News affiliateWVTM of Birmingham. Wade said the suspects include relatives of some of the 10 alleged victims, who range in age from 3 to 15. The children are in the custody of the state, said Robert H. Turner, Jr., the district attorney for the 4th Judicial Circuit of Alabama. The sheriff said the operation appears to have come together about 2022, and that officials began investigating in February after state child welfare officials alerted Bibb County authorities to the possibility of abuse at a home near the bunker. The children did not live in the bunker, the sheriff said. Wade said a drug trafficking investigation at the location may have delayed the sex trafficking case. "We had a little bit of a hold on until we could rescue these children," the sheriff said. At least two of the arrests were made in April, the sheriff's office said. A number of defendants have confessed to crimes outlined in the charges, Wade said. The seven face a mix of charges including rape, sexual abuse and sexual torture of a child, human trafficking, sodomy, kidnapping, bestiality and animal abuse, according to the criminal complaints. It's not clear if all the defendants have obtained legal counsel. "We are diligently investigating all leads and gathering evidence to build the strongest possible case," Turner said. Turner said additional arrests and charges are likely. "We anticipate that new names that have surfaced during the course of the investigation will also be presented for consideration," he said by email on Friday. Wade also said there could be more victims. Homeland Security Investigations is working to determine if there are possible links to a national, gang-run sex trafficking ring, Wade said. The agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday. If you are a child being abused, or know a child who may be facing abuse, call the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at (800) 422-4453, or go towww.childhelphotline.org. States often have child abuse hotlines, but if you suspect a child's life is in imminent danger, call 911.

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July 26, 2025

Seven charged in child sex ring run out of Alabama concrete bunker, sheriff says

Seven charged in child sex ring run out of Alabama concrete bunker, sheriff says Seven people have been charged in connection with an allege...
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Muslim leaders increase security after vandalism reports at Texas and California mosquesNew Foto - Muslim leaders increase security after vandalism reports at Texas and California mosques

After a spate of vandalism reports involving graffiti at a few mosques in Texas and California, Muslim leaders there have stepped up existing efforts to keep their sacred spaces and community members safe. The incidents and subsequent hypervigilance add to what many American Muslims say has already been a charged climate amid the fallout in the U.S. from theIsrael-Hamaswar that has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians and devastated Gaza. The war started in October 2023 with a deadly attack by Hamas on Israel. "The past two years have been extremely difficult for American Muslims," said Edward Ahmed Mitchell, national deputy director of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, a Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization. A constant stream of images showing the death, destruction andongoing starvationin Gaza has taken a toll, said Mitchell, as has a rise in anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian bigotry in the U.S. He pointed to one of the most egregious examples of that bigotry: After the war started, an Illinois man killed a 6-year-old Palestinian American Muslim boy and wounded his mother in ahate-crime attack. Worry and frustration The recent vandalism reports have left some worried and frustrated — but not entirely surprised. "Since October 2023, we've definitely seen rise in Islamophobia," said Rawand Abdelghani, who is on the board of directors of Nueces Mosque, one of the affected mosques in Austin, Texas. "Anti-Palestinian, anti-immigrant, all of that rhetoric that's being said … it has contributed to things like this happening." Nueces security footage showed someone, their face partially covered, spray-painting what appears to be Star of David symbols at the property. CAIR Austin said similar incidents were reported at two other Austin mosques. They all seemingly happened on the same night in May, in what the group described as part of "a disturbing pattern of hate-motivated incidents." It called for increased security patrols and protective measures. Shaimaa Zayan, CAIR Austin operations manager, called them an intimidation attempt. Less than two weeks earlier, someone had spray-painted graffiti at the Islamic Center of Southern California, including the Star of David on an outer wall there, center spokesperson Omar Ricci said. "In light of what's going on within Palestine and the genocide in Gaza, it felt like an attack," said Ricci, who's also a reserve Los Angeles Police Department officer. Some specifics remained unresolved. The LAPD said it opened a vandalism/hate crime investigation and added extra patrols, but added it has neither a suspect nor a motive and noted that nonreligious spaces were also targeted. The Austin Police Department did not respond to Associated Press inquiries. Nueces had already increased its security camera use following three incidents last year, including someone throwing rocks at the mosque, Abdelghani said. After the May vandalism, it also added overnight security, she added. Nueces serves many university students and is considered a "home away from home," Abdelghani said. It's where they learn about their faith, meet other Muslims and find refuge, including during tense times, like when somestudents got arrestedamid campus protests last year, she added. CAIR says that in 2024, its offices nationwide received 8,658 complaints, the highest number it has recorded since its first civil rights report in 1996. It listed employment discrimination as the most common in 2024. The group says last year, U.S. Muslims, along with others of different backgrounds, "were targeted due to their anti-genocide … viewpoints." Referencing former President Joe Biden, the CAIR report said that for "the second year in a row, the Biden-backed Gaza genocide drove a wave of Islamophobia in the United States." Israel has stronglyrejected allegationsit's committing genocide in Gaza, where its war with Hamas has killed more than 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health officials. The initial Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, killed some 1,200 people, while about 250 were abducted. Tensions in multiple spaces The war has fueled tensions in myriad U.S. settings. After it started, Muslim and Jewish civil rights groupsreporteda surge of harassment, bias and physical assaults reports against their community members. Pew Research Center in February 2024 found that 70% of U.S. Muslims and nearly 90% of U.S. Jews surveyed say they felt an increase in discrimination against their respective communities since the war began. More recently, leaders of U.S. Jewish institutionshave calledfor more help with security after a firebomb attack in Colorado on demonstrators showing support forIsraeli hostagesin Gaza that left one person killed and others injured, as well as a fatal shooting of twoIsraeli Embassy staffersoutside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. Politically, the conflict loomed over last year's presidential election, leaving many pro-Palestinian U.S. voters feeling ignored by their own government's support for Israel. It hasroiled campusesand sparked debates over free speech and where political rhetoric crosses into harassment and discrimination. There've been bitterdisagreements, including among some Jewish Americans, about exactly what thedefinitionof antisemitism should cover, andwhether certain criticismof Israeli policies and Zionism should be included. That debate further intensified as PresidentDonald Trump's administration sought to deport some foreign-born pro-Palestiniancampus activists. The Islamic Center of Southern California has been targeted before, including vandalism in 2023 and separate threats that authorities said in 2016 were made by a man who was found with multiple weapons in his home. Incidents like the latest one cause concern, Ricci said. "People see that it's not going to take very much to spark something in the city," he said. "There's a lot of emotion. There's a lot of passion" on both the pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli sides. Salam Al-Marayati, president of the Muslim Public Affairs Council, said "if people think they can get away with graffiti, then the next step is to firebomb a mosque or even go attack worshippers." Opening doors and receiving support Al-Marayati and others praised how many have shown support for the affected Muslim communities. "The best preparation is what we did in Los Angeles and that's to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our allies and be there for one another," he said. In Texas, a gathering at Nueces brought together neighbors and others, including Christians and Jews, to paint over the vandalism, clean up the property and garden, Zayan said. "It was beautiful," she said. "It's really important to open your doors and open your heart and invite people and to rebuild this trust and connection," she said. "For non-Muslims, it was a great opportunity for them to show their love and support. They really wanted to do something." ___ Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP'scollaborationwith The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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July 26, 2025

Muslim leaders increase security after vandalism reports at Texas and California mosques

Muslim leaders increase security after vandalism reports at Texas and California mosques After a spate of vandalism reports involving graffi...
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Billy Joel's Family: All About His Parents and Siblings (Including One Who Is Also a Famous Musician!)New Foto - Billy Joel's Family: All About His Parents and Siblings (Including One Who Is Also a Famous Musician!)

ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock; Stefan Kiefer/picture alliance via Getty Billy Joelhas written some of the biggest hits of his generation, some of which were inspired by his family. The "Piano Man" singer was raised by his parents — mom Rosalind and dad Howard — in New York. He grew up alongside his sister, Judy, and later learned he had a half-brother, Alexander. In the HBO documentaryBilly Joel: And So It Goes, the music legend opens up about his family life, from his complicated relationship with his father to the support he received from his mother, whom he described as his "cheerleader." "Mom said anything you set your mind out to do you can do," he said. "I credit my mom with sticking with me, she never gave up.She was a believer." Billy's childhood wasn't without hardship, as his parents' divorce marked a difficult chapter in his early life. However, as his sister Judy explained in the documentary, the challenges they faced brought the siblings closer together. "We felt each other's pain and worry, and we would get strength from each other," she said. "We were very close ... we had to be." Here's everything to know about Billy Joel's family, including his parents and siblings. Michael Putland/Getty Billy was welcomed by his parents, Rosalind and Howard, on May 9, 1949, in the Bronx, N.Y., perThe Kennedy Center. He was then raised in Long Island, N.Y. As Billy shared with the U.K.'sThe Timesin August 2019, his parents met in New York when they both appeared in Gilbert and Sullivan. Per his website, they wed in 1946. According toUSA Today, Billy's father died in 2011. Meanwhile, per an obituary on hiswebsite, Billy's mother died on July 13, 2014. Richard Corkery/NY Daily News Archive via Getty Rosalind and Howard divorced in 1957, when Billy was 8 years old. In the documentary, Billy said he had no childhood memories of his parents "having fun" together as a couple. "I saw stuff with them when I was a little kid that was not good, things were very tense between them," he said, noting that he and his sister were "kind of relieved" when they went their separate ways. Billy toldThe Timesthat he grew distant from his dad after the split. "I knew he'd gone to live in Vienna, but I didn't know if he was dead or alive," he said. Billy and his sister were then raised by their mother. In the HBO documentary, Judy said that Howard leaving was "a relief in that my mother felt more free," but it gave her "more stress in that she had to then work very, very hard to keep the family going." Stefan Kiefer/picture alliance via Getty Billy was raised alongside his sister, Judy. Per his website, Judy is the daughter of Rosalind's late sister and was adopted by the Joel family. In 1973, when Billy went to Vienna to see his father, he met Howard's new wife and learned they had a baby son, Alexander. Alexander toldThe Timesthat although they didn't see each other growing up, "the amazing thing" is how "similar" he and his half-brother are. "When he moves, he moves like me," Alexander said. "The same hand gestures and facial expressions, the same dark sense of humour. The ability to be able to laugh at anything, even the bad stuff." Suzanne Kreiter/The Boston Globe via Getty Billy isn't the only musician in the family; his father, Howard, was a classical pianist, and his half-brother is a well-known conductor. As Billy toldThe Times, Alexander has been musically inclined from a young age. "I only met Alex a few times when he was growing up, but it was obvious that he had this music 'thing,' " Billy said. "Music gets in your DNA. Alex was going to see operas when he was five." Alexander went on to become a successfulclassical music composerwho has conducted at the famed Royal Opera House. "When I go to see him perform, nobody's interested in me, I'm just Alex's brother," Billy said. In 1995, Howard and Alexanderjoined Billy onstageat a concert in Nuremberg, Germany. ilpo musto/Alamy Stock Photo InAnd So It Goes, Billy's sister Judy claimed that their father "never really showed Bill kindness and compassion and understanding towards his talent" growing up. Elsewhere in the film, the "Vienna" singer recalled a memory of himself at 8 years old, when he went downstairs and "got whacked" by his father. "I got whacked so hard he knocked me out, I was unconscious for like a minute. And I remember waking up going, 'Well, that got his attention,' and that was my memory of his piano lessons," he said. "So, he didn't teach me much." Billy described his father toThe Timesas "troubled," but told the outlet that he "began to understand" him better after he left the family. By then, Billy began learning more about his upbringing. Howard enlisted in the U.S. Army during which time he "fought the Nazis" and ended up "attacking" his hometown, Nuremberg. "This guy was depressed," Billy said. "Traumatised by what had happened in his life. No wonder things didn't work out for my parents." Gary Gershoff/Getty Among Billy's many classics is a special song written about his mom. "Rosalinda's Eyes" is a tribute to her, based on their family history, per his site. The song was released in 1978 as part of his Grammy-winning album,52nd Street. Following Rosalind's death in 2014, Billy's ex-wifeChristie Brinkleyshared a heartfelt tribute to her onInstagram, where she also touched on how the song (and Rosalind's grandchildren) will help carry on her legacy. "Rosalind's Eyes will live on not only in the song inspired by her, but in Billy, and Alexa... and Nanny Roz herself would find that worth celebrating," Brinkley wrote. Kevin Mazur/Getty In the documentary, Billy described his mother Rosalind as "a very loving woman," adding that he felt "almost smothered" by her affection. "I think it was to try to compensate for my dad's lack of it," Billy said, noting that there were also "some troubling things about her." "She was very isolated. She was lonely a lot, and I think she drank to assuage her loneliness," he continued. Judy added that she was "most likely bipolar," explaining that there "wasn't peace because we knew we had to walk on eggshells, that anything could throw her off." However, Billy and Judy acknowledged that Rosalind was always doing her best as a mother. "No matter how poor we were at the time or how hard she had to work — Mom, she knew that Billy had to have piano lessons," Judy said. "That this had to be nurtured. She knew that he was going to be something someday." Read the original article onPeople

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July 26, 2025

Billy Joel's Family: All About His Parents and Siblings (Including One Who Is Also a Famous Musician!)

Billy Joel's Family: All About His Parents and Siblings (Including One Who Is Also a Famous Musician!) ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy Stock; Ste...
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Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Death: Police Clarify Heartbreaking DetailsNew Foto - Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Death: Police Clarify Heartbreaking Details

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Death: Police Clarify Heartbreaking Detailsoriginally appeared onParade. New details have come to light regarding thetragic deathofMalcolm-Jamal Warner. The longtime actor, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable onThe Cosby Show, died in an accidental drowning in Costa Rica on Sunday, July 20. He was 54 years old. It had previously been revealed that Warner was on a family vacation, and was swimming with his 8-year-old daughter at the time, but now, officials are clarifying the saddening details of his untimely passing. According to local police, the young girl—whose identity has remained private—wasnotcaught up in a rip current with her father off the coast of Playa Cocles in Limón, as previously reported byABC News, and instead, was allegedly on the beach playing with her dad before he headed into the water, according toPeople. Parade reached out to Warner's team for comment, but did not immediately hear back. Surfers nearby rushed in to aid the Hollywood notable at the time, however, despite 45 minutes of CPR,The Residentstar could not be revived. Related:What We Learned About Playa Cocles, the Costa Rican Beach Where Malcolm-Jamal Warner Drowned In a new July 24 statement, Costa Rica's Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ) noted in translation from Spanish to English, "Mr. Warner was playing with his daughter at the seashore at one point. He then left her out of the water, and he and a friend of his entered the sea," the outlet reports. "It was at that moment that they were swept away by the current, and the friend managed to get out," the statement continued. "However, Mr. Warner was unable to get out and was pulled out by several people on the beach. He received care from Red Cross officials, but was pronounced dead at the scene." Though the iconic actor and his wife—whose identity is also private—had been notoriously nonpublic with the details of their family, Warner had expressed love for his daughter plenty of times in the past. "You have absolutely no idea. A love so profound that even a poet can't find the words to describe it," heonce wrote of his only child. "Often I find myself just staring at her and wondering where she came from… I am proud that we have been able to provide a wonderful, loving, and spiritually enriching environment as a home base into which ALL babies should be born and thrive." The Forensic Pathology Department in Costa Rica confirmed theMalcolm & Eddiestar's cause of death as asphyxiation by submersion. Next,'The Bold and the Beautiful' Star Remembers 'Friend' Malcolm-Jamal Warner: 'Your Legacy Will Live On' Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Death: Police Clarify Heartbreaking Detailsfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 25, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 25, 2025, where it first appeared.

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July 26, 2025

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Death: Police Clarify Heartbreaking Details

Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Death: Police Clarify Heartbreaking Details Malcolm-Jamal Warner's Death: Police Clarify Heartbreaking Detail...
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Mama June Shannon Goes to Hospital for 'Severe Pain' Hours After Psychic Told Her She 'May Have a Heart Attack'New Foto - Mama June Shannon Goes to Hospital for 'Severe Pain' Hours After Psychic Told Her She 'May Have a Heart Attack'

Michael Simon/Getty Mama June Shannonis in the hospital just shortly after a psychic warned her about future health troubles. On the July 25 episode ofMama June: Family Crisis, the 45-year-old met with a psychic with daughterJessica Shannonand husbandJustin Stroudfor Jessica's bachelorette party. During the session, the psychic told June that she's "lost a lot of her health" and is carrying a lot of stress, which isn't good. The psychic added that she "may have a heart attack" because of it. Earl Gibson III/Getty https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf Justin suggests taking June to the hospital but she refuses. But as the pain continued, she said she feels like she's "about to throw up" and a producer agrees that they should go get medical attention. "It is way worse than it has ever been," June said as they got in the car to go to the emergency room. Doctors later "determined that ovarian cysts are causing her severe pain" and June is now "considering her treatment options." Ovarian cysts are common; theMayo Clinicstates that "many women have ovarian cysts at some time," and most "present little or no discomfort and are harmless." Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE's free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. However, large or ruptured cysts "can cause serious symptoms," including severe pelvic pain and bleeding, fullness or heaviness in the abdomen and bloating. In rare cases, a ruptured ovarian cyst may require surgery. Many celebrities have revealed their painful experiences with ovarian cysts, includingHailey Bieber,Marsai Martin,Kate Beckinsale,Hilary Swank,Lena Dunham,Olivia Culpo,Miley Cyrusand more. Mama June: Family Crisisairs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on WeTV. Read the original article onPeople

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July 26, 2025

Mama June Shannon Goes to Hospital for 'Severe Pain' Hours After Psychic Told Her She 'May Have a Heart Attack'

Mama June Shannon Goes to Hospital for 'Severe Pain' Hours After Psychic Told Her She 'May Have a Heart Attack' Michael Simo...
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Inmate mistakenly released from jail in 'serious error': SheriffNew Foto - Inmate mistakenly released from jail in 'serious error': Sheriff

An inmate was mistakenly released from a New Orleans jail, sparking an ongoing manhunt, authorities said Friday. Khalil Bryan, 30, was released from the Orleans Justice Center on Friday due to a "human error," when he was confused with an individual with a similar last name, according to Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson. "I want to make a sincere apology to the people of New Orleans," Hutson said during a press briefing on Friday. "The mistaken release of Khalil Bryan was a serious error, and as sheriff, I take full responsibility." The New Orleans Police Department is actively searching for Bryan, Police Chief Anne Kirkpatrick said. Kirkpatrick said it is unclear if Bryan knows he was mistakenly released, but police are now "putting him on notice" that he is a fugitive. She urged him to turn himself in. "You and others who may be harboring him at this moment will be subject to prosecution yourself because you are on notice," the chief said. MORE: 1 of final 2 New Orleans jail escapees found after sheriff received tip: Police At the time of his mistaken release, Bryan was being held on charges including possession of stolen property, drug paraphernalia and resisting an officer, according to Kirkpatrick. He also has an active warrant for aggravated assault with a firearm, domestic abuse, child endangerment and home invasion, she said. He has a "violent criminal history," including aggravated burglary, aggravated assault with a weapon and aggravated criminal damage to property, Kirkpatrick said. Hutson said her office immediately launched an internal investigation after the error was discovered and is questioning those who were on duty at the time. She said she did not know when exactly he was released. "We'll find out exactly what did happen, because we don't know until we talk to them," she said. "We know that there were similar last names. That's all that we know." Disciplinary action "will be forthcoming," the sheriff said. "This should not have happened," she said. "It was a failure of internal processes, and the public has every right to expect better." If you have any information, please call 911.pic.twitter.com/FKz21bgIbg — Orleans Parish Sheriff's Office (@OrleansParishSO)July 25, 2025 Bryan was being held on a $100,000 bench warrant related to a failure to appear for arraignment in a case, and an additional $25,000 bond tied to new felony charges, according to Orleans Parish District Attorney Jason Williams. "Despite those holds, Bryan was released in error when deputies, responding to a bond posted by an unrelated individual for another inmate, failed to properly verify identity and mistakenly discharged Bryan instead," Williams said in a statement. Williams said his office is not ruling out pursuing possible charges against the deputy or deputies who let the inmate walk free -- saying, "We will follow the leads." MORE: Fugitive on the run for over 6 weeks after escaping police at airport captured The Orleans Justice Center is the same jail where10 inmates escapedin May. One remains on the lam. "This is a deeply troubling incident that underscores the ongoing systemic issues surrounding the exercise of custody and control over detained individuals," Williams said of Friday's mistaken release. "The failure to properly confirm the identity of an inmate prior to release is an unacceptable lapse that presents a real and immediate risk to public safety." Authorities have notified the victim in Bryan's case, the sheriff said. Williams said his office is also reaching out to "all victims and witnesses associated with Bryan's prosecution." "Where we are unable to make contact, we are dispatching investigators to ensure the affected victims and their families are notified and receive appropriate support," he said.

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July 26, 2025

Inmate mistakenly released from jail in 'serious error': Sheriff

Inmate mistakenly released from jail in 'serious error': Sheriff An inmate was mistakenly released from a New Orleans jail, sparking...
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Maxwell's lawyer says DOJ asked her about roughly "100 different people"

Washington— Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyer said the former partner of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein answered "every single question" duringthe two days she met with Todd Blanche, a top Justice Department official. "She was asked maybe about 100 different people. She answered questions about everybody, and she didn't hold anything back," Maxwell's attorney David Oscar Markus said Friday. "They asked about every single, every possible thing you could imagine — everything," he said. Maxwell, who is serving a 20-year prison sentence for her role in helping Epstein recruit, groom and abuse underage girls, met Thursday and Friday withBlanche, the deputy attorney general, at the U.S. attorney's office in Tallahassee. Blanche said Thursday the Justice Department would share more about what the government learned in those meetings "at the appropriate time." The Trump administration has struggled to deal with the backlash over its handling of Epstein's case after several officials, including President Trump, spent years pressing for the release of more details. But arecent Justice Department reviewconcluded Epstein did not have a "client list" and confirmed he died by suicide in 2019 in jail, shortly after he was indicted on federal sex trafficking charges. The conclusions have angered those who have pushed claims that the files have been concealed to protect Epstein's alleged list of prominent clients. Mr. Trump has tried to distance himself from Epstein, who was once a friend, and has called the controversy a "hoax." On Friday, Mr. Trump said he had not considered a pardon for Maxwell. "It's something I haven't thought about," he told reporters beforeleaving for Scotland. "I'm allowed to do it, but it's something I have not thought about." Maxwell's lawyer said they haven't asked for anything from the administration in return for her testimony, but they would welcome "any relief." "We haven't spoken to the president or anybody about a pardon just yet," he said. "The president this morning said he had the power to do so. We hope he exercises that power in the right and just way." Maxwell wassubpoenaedthis week by the House Oversight Committee, which wants her to testify next month. Markus said they hadn't made a decision about whether to agree to questioning. Ashley Dickey contributed reporting. Johnson says Jeffrey Epstein files controversy is not a hoax Idaho murders documents released after Bryan Kohberger is sentenced to life in prison How Canine Companions service dogs help with tasks; Chase from "Paw Patrol" joins CBS News

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July 26, 2025

Maxwell's lawyer says DOJ asked her about roughly "100 different people"

Maxwell's lawyer says DOJ asked her about roughly "100 different people" Washington— Ghislaine Maxwell's lawyer said the f...
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One of the grenades recovered ahead of blast that killed 3 L.A. deputies is missing, authorities sayNew Foto - One of the grenades recovered ahead of blast that killed 3 L.A. deputies is missing, authorities say

One of the two hand grenades found in a Santa Monica townhome complex ahead of the deadly blast that killed three Los Angeles County sheriff's detectives is currently missing, authorities said Friday. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives has determined that one of thetwo grenades detonatedJuly 18, "and one of the grenades is unaccounted for at this time," Sheriff Robert Luna said. "We conducted a thorough search to locate the second device, but we haven't found it yet," he said during a briefing. The ATF, which is investigating the blast, will also assume "full control into investigating the whereabouts of this other device," he added. Read more:Bomb squad initially thought grenades that killed 3 L.A. deputies were inert, search warrant says Kenny Cooper, special agent in charge of the ATF's Los Angeles Field Division, said Friday that a nationwide team of detection dogs, explosives specialists and technicians was brought in to survey an area ranging more than 400 feet from the blast origin in an unsuccessful attempt to locate the missing explosive. Investigators were able to determine the type of military grenade that was used, but were still looking into the origin of the devices. The agency will also investigate the origin of the grenade, as well as its movements, he said. According to law enforcement sources, investigators learned one of the grenades was missing when they could only find one of the "spoons" — suggesting just one grenade had exploded at the scene. Read more:Investigation into blast that killed 3 deputies expands to second location in Marina del Rey The bomb squad retrieved the two hand grenades left behind — apparently by a previous tenant — in an underground parking garage storage unit at the complex in the 800 block of Bay Street on the night of July 17 and took them to the Biscailuz Center Training Academy to be "destroyed and rendered safe," Luna said. The next day, one of the grenades exploded as technicians were handling them in the parking lot. The blast was the single deadliest incident for the department in more than 150 years, killing three department veterans: Dets. Joshua Kelley-Eklund, Victor Lemus and William Osborn. Bomb squad technicians had X-rayed the explosives and told city police they believed the devices were inert, according to a search warrant obtained by The Times this week. Luna said there was no evidence that the detectives had attempted to cut into a grenade prior to the explosion, a theory that had been put forward in recent days. "I'm being very cautious about what I say," he said. Read more:Santa Monica apartment is focus of probe into blast that killed 3 L.A. County sheriff's deputies Officials searched a boat docked in Marina del Rey on Monday and storage lockers Tuesday and Wednesday that law enforcement sources told The Times are tied to a person who previously served in the U.S. military. Investigators are still casting a wide net for potential suspects, Luna said. "Every avenue is being looked at, every person, every address," he said. "When we have more information, we'll be putting it out ... I am not ready to discuss here and now any names of any individuals that may be people of interest, or anything of that nature." The ATF's findings are preliminary, but the Sheriff's Department expects the final analysis may be ready in about 45 days, Luna said. Luna added that he has called for an independent review of the department's standards when it comes to disposing of explosive devices, and plans to consult the ATF on future policy and practice decisions. He has also ordered psychological visits for all involved personnel. "We're going to turn this upside down, we're gonna look at everything we can," Luna said. "We need to know what happened. We owe it to the families … I never want this to happen again." Luna and Cooper both implored residents to report any explosive devices that they may encounter to authorities as the investigation continues, but said there is no direct danger to the community. "We used drones, we used bucket trucks to look into trees, we searched well beyond and we didn't do it once," Cooper said. "If you find anything that looks like a grenade or an explosive device or is just an unknown object, please contact law enforcement." Anyone with information can contact the Sheriff's Homicide Bureau at (323) 890-5500 or the ATF tip hotline (888) 283-8477. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared inLos Angeles Times.

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July 26, 2025

One of the grenades recovered ahead of blast that killed 3 L.A. deputies is missing, authorities say

One of the grenades recovered ahead of blast that killed 3 L.A. deputies is missing, authorities say One of the two hand grenades found in a...
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Leslie Jones recalls struggles with drugs before her "SNL" days: 'I did not know how it was affecting me'

Leslie Jonesis looking back at some difficult times in her life before she made it big in Hollywood. In awide-ranging interview inThe Guardian, the comedian andSaturday Night Livestar opened up about her struggles with grief and drug use after the deaths of her parents and brother in the 2000s. Particularly after her brother died at 38 in 2009, Jones says everything in her life was affected, including her style of comedy. "I was evil — not evil, just angry," she told the outlet. "Performing, and angry. My routine was raw, it started getting to where I thought: 'I don't give a f--- whether you all laugh.'" She continued, "I was destroying it. That's when I started wearing a mohawk. People thought I did it for fashion – no, I just didn't want to comb my hair. I was bare minimum getting out of bed." She told the outlet she was also taking drugs, and not just marijuana. "I meandrugsdrugs. Speed," she said. When asked why she did speed, Jones admitted, "Because I was having sex with a guy. I mean, listen, if we're going to be honest, let's be honest. He was hot, first of all. He was really good in bed. And he would do speed, so I did it because he would do it. I did not know how it was affecting me." She said she recalls being pretty nihilistic about the drugs at the time, until she had a "hilarious" epiphany. "I was like: 'Hey, everybody's gone; if it's time for me to die, then I'll die.' Then I saw this couple, who you could tell were on drugs, and I thought: 'That's going to be you if you don't stop this foolishness.' I busted up laughing. That was hilarious." Jones has been open about her use of drugs in the past, particularly weed. She even wrote in thedescription for her memoir,Leslie F*cking Jones, "Now, I'm gonna be honest: Some of the details might be vague because a b*tch is fifty-five and she's smoked a ton of weed. But while bits might be a touch hazy, I can promise you the underlying truth is REAL." Sign up forEntertainment Weekly's free daily newsletterto get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more. Of course, things started to look up for Jones, who got theSNLgig in 2014, first as a writer and then a cast member. But, she was still grieving, and she credits series creatorLorne Michaelswith being instrumental in getting her into therapy. "I was not acting out, but I wasn't well," she recalled. "I wasn't cognizant of how my behavior was affecting others. I remember Lorne texting me; I had said, 'I'm so sorry how I'm acting,' and he said, 'I talk to my wife about a lot of things, and she says: 'I am so glad you are talking about these things, but can you not talk about them to me? Can you find somebody else?' That's whenSNLfound me a therapist." Jones is on tour Sep 19 through Nov. 22. Read the original article onEntertainment Weekly

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July 26, 2025

Leslie Jones recalls struggles with drugs before her “SNL” days: 'I did not know how it was affecting me'

Leslie Jones recalls struggles with drugs before her "SNL" days: 'I did not know how it was affecting me' Leslie Jonesis l...
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New exhibit explores the impact and legacy of the Hollywood blacklistNew Foto - New exhibit explores the impact and legacy of the Hollywood blacklist

New York— The central question in 1947, as the House Un-American Activities Committee investigated alleged Communist influence inHollywood, was: "Are you a member of the Communist Party?" Chaired by Republican Rep. John Parnell Thomas of New Jersey, the committee eventually led to a Hollywood blacklist, now the focus of anew exhibitat the New York Historical Society. "The exhibit really tells the story of the Hollywood Ten," Louise Mirrer, president of the New York Historical Society, told CBS News, of a group of 10 Hollywood writers and directors. "And the charge was for the Hollywood Ten, that they were making movies that espoused the Communist point of view." The Hollywood Ten refused to answer the committee's questions. They were held in contempt of Congress, each sentenced from anywhere between six months to a year in prison, and blacklisted by studio executives. "I think it had an enormous effect," Anne Lessy, assistant curator of history exhibitions for the historical society, told CBS News of the impact of the blacklist. "If you wanted to be a part of the film industry, you essentially forfeited your privacy and your right to your own political ideas and affiliations." Screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, one of the Hollywood Ten, spent 10 months in prison. His daughter, Mitzi, was 5 years old at the time. Her drawings and letters to him are on display in the exhibit, as well as testimony from those who named suspected Communists. "In an effort to save themselves, their careers and their reputations, many, you know, creatives felt compelled to name names, which is what the committee wanted," Lessy said. Even Walt Disney famously testified before the committee. "Walt Disney very much objected to labor organizing that had taken place in his studios and blamed it on Communist infiltration," Lessy said. "And then you also have Ronald Reagan, who at the time, was president of the Screen Actors Guild. While he didn't name names in public, he did to the committee's investigator. And he went on to very much endorse the anti-Communist crusade." The blacklistlater expandedto include classically trained pianist Hazel Scott, the first Black entertainer to have a nationally syndicated TV show. But the show was canceled after she was named in an anti-Communist pamphlet. Once out of prison, Trumbo used pseudonyms to write the Academy Award-winning films "The Brave One" and "Roman Holiday." "So it took about four decades...for the Academy Awards to finally recognize Dalton Trumbo," Lessy said. "And...that was seen as the beginning of eroding of the committee's power." The impact of the Red Scare also extended beyond Hollywood. "A number of regular Americans got caught up in this anti-Communist fervor, members of labor unions, high school teachers," Lessy said. "College professors also came under scrutiny. There was a well-known publication called Red Channels that would provide very detailed information on a wide range of creatives. And so even just your name appearing in one of these publications was enough to get you blacklisted." By the 1960s,as the Red Scarehad faded, so too did the blacklist's power. And in 1975, the House Un-American Activities Committee was abolished. "I think it [the Hollywood blacklist] raises important questions about how to protect a robust democracy," Lessy said. "How do we protect our rights and freedoms, particularly freedom of speech...If you hold unpopular views, should you be punished? Should you lose your job? These are all questions we should be wrestling with." Johnson says Jeffrey Epstein files controversy is not a hoax Idaho murders documents released after Bryan Kohberger is sentenced to life in prison How Canine Companions service dogs help with tasks; Chase from "Paw Patrol" joins CBS News

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July 26, 2025

New exhibit explores the impact and legacy of the Hollywood blacklist

New exhibit explores the impact and legacy of the Hollywood blacklist New York— The central question in 1947, as the House Un-American Activ...
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WWE Pays Tribute to Hulk Hogan on 'SmackDown': 'He Captivated Millions of People'New Foto - WWE Pays Tribute to Hulk Hogan on 'SmackDown': 'He Captivated Millions of People'

WWE paid tribute to Hulk Hogan on this week's episode of "SmackDown." Hogan, whopassed away at age 71on Thursday, was honored during the broadcast with an opening segment featuring a large number of WWE stars and personnel standing at the top of the "SmackDown" entrance ramp. Along with current stars like Cody Rhodes and Jacob Fatu, WWE legends like Jimmy Hart and Sgt. Slaughter were present. More from Variety How to Watch 'WWE SmackDown' Online Without Cable for Free 'Solar Opposites' Final Season Sets Premiere Date, Drops Teaser  (TV News Roundup) Hulk Hogan, Hall of Fame Wrestler and Actor, Dies at 71 As the crowd repeatedly chanted "Hogan," WWE chief content officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque said, "Ladies and gentlemen, yesterday we lost one of the biggest and most globally recognized icons in the world. A man I grew up watching, was fortunate enough to share the ring with, and like so many of us were honored to call a friend." "The truth is, he captivated millions of people and inspired them around the globe," he continued. "We would not be standing here right now, all of us together, if it was not for him." The crowd then stood silent as a ten bell salute rang out in the arena. A highlight reel of Hogan's career followed, narrated by Levesque. Watch the video below. Hogan, a.k.a. Terry Bollea, helped WWE (then WWF) become the powerhouse it is today. When Vince McMahon Jr. took the company from a regional promotion to a national one in the 1980s, Hogan was the face of the company for years and headlined multiple WrestleManias, including the very first. With legions of Hulkamaniacs behind him, Hogan told his fans to "train, say your prayers, and eat your vitamins." Hogan held the WWE Heavyweight Championship six times in his career, memorably winning it for the first time against The Iron Sheik and holding it for over four years. His other notable opponents in WWE included Andre the Giant, Roddy Piper, "Macho Man" Randy Savage, and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. Hogan also famously wrestled for WWE competitor World Championship Wrestling (WCW) in the 1990s, turning heel (wrestling parlance for bad guy) and becoming Hollywood Hulk Hogan as a member of the New World Order (NWO). He has also wrestled for promotions like New Japan Pro Wrestling and TNA. According to the Clearwater Police Department in Florida, Hogan died Thursday morning due to cardiac arrest. He was treated by a rescue crew before being taken to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Tonight, WWE remembers the legendary Hulk Hogan with a 10-bell salute.pic.twitter.com/66vGLZv7bH — WWE (@WWE)July 26, 2025 Take a look back at the career of WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan, narrated by Triple H.pic.twitter.com/YyxNaMzdSU — WWE (@WWE)July 26, 2025 Best of Variety New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week 'Harry Potter' TV Show Cast Guide: Who's Who in Hogwarts? Final Emmy Predictions: Talk Series and Scripted Variety - New Blood Looks to Tackle Late Night Staples Sign up forVariety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us onFacebook,Twitter, andInstagram.

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July 26, 2025

WWE Pays Tribute to Hulk Hogan on ‘SmackDown’: ‘He Captivated Millions of People’

WWE Pays Tribute to Hulk Hogan on 'SmackDown': 'He Captivated Millions of People' WWE paid tribute to Hulk Hogan on this wee...
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Late July's oppressive heat forecast isn't normalNew Foto - Late July's oppressive heat forecast isn't normal

As the clock ticks down the final days of July,thermometers will climb across much of the eastern halfof the U.S., creating a dangerous and long-lasting heat wave that will put millions at risk of heat stroke and other illnesses. Those in the path of the heat wave should plan to take extra measures to stay cool through at least July 30. Keep things chill by staying in air-conditioned spaces, visit friends with pools, pile up the popsicles and lemonade and pull out the recipe for your favorite cold summer salad. "This will be a long duration heat wave, with little to no overnight relief and high humidity levels, leading to an increased danger," the National Weather Service Weather Prediction Center said on July 24. Daily highs in the upper-90s to near 100 degrees are forecast to combine with humidity to create conditions where the "feels like" temperatures could exceed 110-115 degrees, according to a July 25 forecast by Jennifer Tate at the prediction center. A dome of high pressure sitting over the eastern part of the country will help trap the heat while abundant moisture in the air will make actual temperatures feel several degrees warmer. The unusual heat and humidity could linger for several days, keeping heat risk in the major to extreme categories through the end of the month across much of the eastern United States. The dangerous heat will be longest lasting across the Tennessee Valley/mid-South region and the Southeast into the Carolinas, said a Friday forecast by Jennifer Tate at the Weather Prediction Center. Morning lows in the 70s "will not provide much relief." Farther north, into the Midwest, Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic can expect hotter-than-normal temperatures into the 90s. Forecast maps from the weather service show the United States blanketed in warm shades of purple, red and orange, signifying intense heat. By July 30 or 31, a cold front is expected to help cool things in the Ohio valley region. Anyone who absolutely must be outside should take extra precautions to stay hydrated and keep their body safe, according to the American Red Cross. The heat isn't the only danger presented by the high pressure area dominating conditions. Interactions in the atmosphere around the perimeter of the heat dome are forecast to trigger thunderstorms and heavy rain. It has always been hot during the summer. "We've always had heat waves," said Max Holmes, president and CEO of the Woodwell Climate Research Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. "But it's happening a lot more, with greater intensity, greater duration and greater frequency." "This is exactly what we expected to happen," Holmes said. "As the earth gets warmer, we see more extremes and it's the extremes that get us. They kill us. They make us sick." Heat may be the most obvious, but there are others, including drought and the extreme rainfall that caused the deadlyflash flooding in Texas Hill Country on July 4, he said. These extremes can be seen in the current heat wave, with forecasts for record breaking temperatures under the high pressure area, and intense rainfall in storms around the perimeter of the heat dome. June 2025 wasthe seventh hottest June on record, according to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. During the first two weeks of July 2025, temperatures across the country were an average of 1.5 degrees warmer than the most recent 30-year normal. Historical data from the weather service shows average temperatures in July have trended roughly 2.7 degrees warmer since 1950. If a human body temperature is normally 98.6 degrees and warmed 2.7 degrees, it would be the equivalent of having a fever of 101.3. In nature, such an increase has a similar effect, scientists explain. Average overnight temperatures across the country have climbed even higher than daytime high temperatures, the weather service data shows. That means the landscape, trees and buildings don't get a chance to cool down, so they can heat up even faster the next day. Why is it so hot?If you live in a city, the answer might surprise you. Extreme levels of heat stress have more than doubled over the past 40 years, according to NASA, and that trend is forecast to continue. An analysis by Climate Central,published July 21, concluded human-caused climate change made the recent excessive heat at least three times more likely for nearly half the population of the United States. "This is not your grandmother's heat wave," said Kristina Dahl, Climate Central's vice president of science. "Yes, July is usually a hot month, but climate change is making this heat wave significantly hotter — and therefore more dangerous — than heat waves of the past." Prolonged exposure to warmer temperatures can cause serious, life-threatening complications including dehydration, a rapid or irregular heart beat and exacerbation of existing medical conditions. Scientists in recent studies have indicated the warmest temperature that human bodies can withstand without losing their ability to regulate temperature is lower than commonly believed. They've come to rely on a measurement known as wet bulb temperature to determine the dangers. It uses a thermometer with a wet wick over its bulb and measures the effect of humidity on temperatures. Humidity can impair the body's essential cooling mechanism – sweat doesn't evaporate. Scientists previously thought the warmest temperature a human body could take before losing its ability to regulate its own temperature was roughly 95 degrees at 100% humidity or 115 degrees at 50% humidity. A2022 study co-authored by scientists at Penn Stateconcluded the actual maximum temperature humans could take for prolonged periods was even lower using a wet-bulb thermometer, about 87 degrees at 100% humidity, even for people who are young and healthy. Among those even more at risk, such as the elderly and young children, the maximum temperature is probably even lower, the study found. See how a heat dome will trap dangerous temperatures over the central and southern U.S. In short,the Red Cross advises: Know who's most at risk– Look out for older adults, young children, pregnant women, those with disabilities or medications for a chronic health conditions, people who live alone and athletes. Stay hydrated– Drink water every 20 minutes, even if you aren't thirsty and avoid sugary drinks, caffeine and alcohol. Stay cool– Seek out an air-conditioned location if your home gets too hot, limit outdoor activity and dress in lightweight, loose-fitting clothes. If your air-conditioning goes off, it might be cooler outside in the shade than staying inside the house. Act fast– Take measures to cool a person down quickly if they develop signs of heat exhaustion or stroke, such as cramps, heavy sweating, clammy skin, dizziness, fainting or nausea and vomiting. Move them to a cooler place, remove extra clothing and cool them with a wet cloth or cool bath and have them sip water or a sports drink, but not "energy" drinks. Dangerous heat is forecast to expand into the Southeast this weekend, while lingering across the Ohio Valley and Mid-South. Little relief will be available overnight as lows only drop into the upper 70s. Be sure to follow proper heat safety!https://t.co/c3ifZjGC9t🥵pic.twitter.com/Tco1XI83XQ — NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC)July 24, 2025 Resources are available to learn more about the dangers of heat-related illnesses and how to help yourself and others stay safe, but not as many as there used to be. A heat risk tool maintained by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to track heat risk and heat illnesses was taken out of service this year and is no longer active. The website is still available, but no new information is being added. Trump administration officialshave taken steps to curb what they refer to as climate alarmism, and have changed wording about climate change, no longer including it as an environmental topic on the home page of the Environmental Protection Agency, and stopped maintaining other websites, such asClimate.govanda Centers for Disease Control and Prevention page to track heat riskand heat illnesses. A tool on the CDC page now showsan error message. Reporting by the administration's Department of Government Efficiency shows the termination of more than 350 grants that mentioned climate change, including dozens that mentioned heat specifically. NOAA's proposed budget for the coming year statedit would no longer support the National Integrated Heat Health Information System, thefederal website on heat and heat-related illnessesthat brings together information from NOAA and more than a dozen other departments and agencies. For now, the comprehensive guide launched during the Biden administration to try to reduce the rising rate of heat illnesses in the United States is still online. To Holmes, much of the information being obscured is factual, not political. "There are combinations of temperature and humidity the human body just can't tolerate," Holmes said. "Trying to hide the truth doesn't help people." "I see zero rationale for trying to bury that information. It's shameful that our government is doing so," he said. "It's not a partisan thing, it's a fact thing." Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers climate change, weather, the environment and other news. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com or @dinahvp on Bluesky or X or dinahvp.77 on Signal. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:This heat forecast for eastern US in late July isn't normal

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July 26, 2025

Late July's oppressive heat forecast isn't normal

Late July's oppressive heat forecast isn't normal As the clock ticks down the final days of July,thermometers will climb across much...
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Huawei shows off AI computing system to rival Nvidia's top productNew Foto - Huawei shows off AI computing system to rival Nvidia's top product

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China's Huawei Technologies showed off an AI computing system on Saturday that one industry expert has said rivals Nvidia's most advanced offering, as the Chinese technology giant seeks to capture market share in the country's growing artificial intelligence sector. The CloudMatrix 384 system made its first public debut at the World Artificial Intelligence Conference (WAIC), a three-day event in Shanghai where companies showcase their latest AI innovations, drawing a large crowd to the company's booth. The system has drawn close attention from the global AI community since Huawei first announced it in April. Industry analysts view it as a direct competitor to Nvidia's GB200 NVL72, the U.S. chipmaker's most advanced system-level product currently available in the market. Dylan Patel, founder of semiconductor research group SemiAnalysis, said in an April article that Huawei now had AI system capabilities that could beat Nvidia. Huawei staff at its WAIC booth declined to comment when asked to introduce the CloudMatrix 384 system. A spokesperson for Huawei did not respond to questions. Huawei has become widely regarded as China's most promising domestic supplier of chips essential for AI development, even though the company faces U.S. export restrictions. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told Bloomberg in May that Huawei had been "moving quite fast" and named the CloudMatrix as an example. The CloudMatrix 384 incorporates 384 of Huawei's latest 910C chips and outperforms Nvidia's GB200 NVL72 on some metrics, which uses 72 B200 chips, according to SemiAnalysis. The performance stems from Huawei's system design capabilities, which compensate for weaker individual chip performance through the use of more chips and system-level innovations, SemiAnalysis said. Huawei says the system uses "supernode" architecture that allows the chips to interconnect at super-high speeds and in June, Huawei Cloud CEO Zhang Pingan said the CloudMatrix 384 system was operational on Huawei's cloud platform. (Reporting by Brenda Goh and Liam Mo; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

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July 26, 2025

Huawei shows off AI computing system to rival Nvidia's top product

Huawei shows off AI computing system to rival Nvidia's top product SHANGHAI (Reuters) -China's Huawei Technologies showed off an AI ...
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Man dies trying to cross the English Channel from FranceNew Foto - Man dies trying to cross the English Channel from France

PARIS (AP) — One person has died after attempting to crossthe English Channelfrom a beach in northern France, local authorities said on Saturday, bringing the death toll this year in the perilous waterway to at least 18. The Pas-de-Calais department's prefecture told The Associated Press that a man was found in cardiac arrest on board a boat which had attempted to reach Britain and then turned back toward French shores. The man was found near Équihen beach, close to the town of Boulogne-sur-mer. He was pronounced dead despite the efforts of firefighters to revive him. An investigation into the cause of his death has been opened. French media, quoting numbers from France's Interior ministry, said 18 people have died trying to reach Britain by sea since the start of the year. ___ Follow AP's global migration coverage athttps://apnews.com/hub/migration

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July 26, 2025

Man dies trying to cross the English Channel from France

Man dies trying to cross the English Channel from France PARIS (AP) — One person has died after attempting to crossthe English Channelfrom a...
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Riley Green and Ella Langley's Flirty Instagram Moment Reignites Relationship SpeculationNew Foto - Riley Green and Ella Langley's Flirty Instagram Moment Reignites Relationship Speculation

Riley Green and Ella Langley's Flirty Instagram Moment Reignites Relationship Speculationoriginally appeared onParade. Having a rather tumultuous relationship throughout 2025 thus far, country croonersRiley GreenandElla Langleymight have just rekindled their romance once and for all. For those who are unfamiliar, after Green and Langley released their chart-topping duet,"you look like you love me,"in June 2024, fans could not help but comment on the undeniable chemistry between the pair, constantly wondering whether or not the two country superstars were more than just collaborators. With a majority of fans believing that Green and Langley had more of a romantic connection than a platonic connection, relationship rumors were swiftly brought to a halt when the 36-year-old was spottedspending a great deal of one-on-one time with a different country cutie instead:Megan Moroney. With Green and Moroney seemingly attached at the hip, fans simultaneously noticeda major shift in Langley's energytowards the"Worst Way"singer onstage. While singing "you look like you love me," Langley's flirtatious body language transitioned to avoidance, leaving fans with just one question — what the heck happened? While fans have yet to receive any official answers, it's safe to say that Moroney is what caused a rift between Green and Langley. Yikes! Related:Some Not-So Secret Social Media Activity From Riley Green Seemingly Confirms His Relationship With Megan Moroney Based on anInstagram postshared by Langley today (July 25), she and Green have seemingly managed to reconnect, perhaps even romantically. Keep scrolling to see for yourself. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ella Langley (@ellalangleymusic) Today, Langley shared a massive photo dump from her trip to New York City, containing ten must-see photos of the country songstress. From fire outfits to photos with her top-notch team (and everything in between), the photo that has everyone talking is the third one in the carousel, featuring both the 26-year-old and Green in the same frame. How wild is that? In the image, the two (former?) lovebirds are seen canoodling backstage, with Green — donning an Atlanta Braves tee shirt — smoking a cigar and drinking a Celsius. Across from him, Langley is seen sharing a smile with Green, seemingly having a positive conversation with her "you look like you love me" duet partner. Naturally, this caused a great deal of chatter among fans. "Riley is lookin' at you like he loves you," one commented, while another wrote, "Petition for Riley and Ella to get married!!!" A third commented, "3rd pic is giving 'YOU LOOK LIKE YOU LOVE MEEEEE,'" summing up the sentiment of a majority of Langley's followers. What do you think — are Green and Langley back together? Needless to say, we will be keeping up with both parties on Instagram@rileyduckmanand@ellalangleymusic— for any further updates. Riley Green and Ella Langley's Flirty Instagram Moment Reignites Relationship Speculationfirst appeared on Parade on Jul 26, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.

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July 26, 2025

Riley Green and Ella Langley’s Flirty Instagram Moment Reignites Relationship Speculation

Riley Green and Ella Langley's Flirty Instagram Moment Reignites Relationship Speculation Riley Green and Ella Langley's Flirty Inst...
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NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Saturday, July 26New Foto - NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Saturday, July 26

NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Saturday, July 26originally appeared onParade. Get excited—there's another New York Times game to add to your daily routine! Those of us word game addicts who already playWordle,Connections,Strandsand theMini Crosswordnow have Connections Sports Edition to add to the mix.So, if you're looking for some hints and answers for today's Connections Sports Edition on Saturday, July 26, 2025, you've come to the right place. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 Connections Sports Edition is just like the regular Connections word puzzle, in that it's a game that resets at 12 a.m. EST each day and has 16 different words listed. It's up to you to figure out each group of four words that belong to a certain category, with four categories in total. This new version is sports-specific, however, as a partnership between The New York Times and The Athletic. As the NYT site instructs, for Connections Sports Edition, you "group sports terms that share a common thread." Related:The 26 Funniest NYT Connections Game Memes You'll Appreciate if You Do This Daily Word Puzzle Here are some hints about the four categories to help you figure out the word groupings. Yellow:Tony Hawk supplies. Green:Equine. Blue:Olympic heroes. Purple:Newbies. OK, time for a second hint…we'll give you the actual categories now. Spoilers below! Yellow:PARTS OF A SKATEBOARD Green:GAITS OF A HORSE Blue:FIRST NAMES OF US TRACK AND FIELD STARS Purple:FIRST-YEAR NFL COACHES If you're looking for the answers, no worries—we've got them below. So, don't scroll any further if you don't want to see the solutions!The answers to today's Connections Sports Edition #306 are coming up next.Related:15 Fun Games Like Connections to Play Every Day PARTS OF A SKATEBOARD:DECK, GRIP, TAPE, TRUCK, WHEELS GAITS OF A HORSE:CANTER, GALLOP, TROT, WALK FIRST NAMES OF US TRACK AND FIELD STARS:GABBY, NOAH, SHA'CARRI, SYDNEY FIRST-YEAR NFL COACHES:COEN, GLENN, MOORE, SCHOTTENHEIMER Don't worry if you didn't get them this time—we've all been there. Up next,catch up on the answers to recent Wordle puzzles. NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Saturday, July 26first appeared on Parade on Jul 26, 2025 This story was originally reported byParadeon Jul 26, 2025, where it first appeared.

byAdministrator
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July 26, 2025

NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Saturday, July 26

NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Saturday, July 26 NYT Connections Sports Edition Today: Hints and Answers for Sa...
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Amy Bradley Sent Girlfriend a 'Message in a Bottle,' Lamenting 'an Ocean Between Us.' Then She Vanished at SeaNew Foto - Amy Bradley Sent Girlfriend a 'Message in a Bottle,' Lamenting 'an Ocean Between Us.' Then She Vanished at Sea

Courtesy of Netflix ©2025 At first, the message seemed straightforward. In January of 1998,Amy Lynn Bradley, 23, of Virginia, confessed over the phone to her girlfriend, Mollie McClure, that she had kissed another woman while both of them had been drinking. Needing time to process the news, McClure, then 23, stopped taking Bradley's calls. Determined to reach McClure, Bradley sent her a "message in a bottle," expressing her remorse in a handwritten letter — one that took on new meaning after Bradley vanished in March of 1998 during a Caribbean cruise with her family. Courtesy of Netflix ©2025 (2) "Mollie, I hurt you deeper than you can ever forget," Bradley wrote in a letter McClure shares in episode three ofNetflix's true-crime seriesAmy Bradley Is Missing,which premiered on July 16. "I'm not asking you to forget, because that'll never happen," Bradley wrote. "I just wanted to ask you if you could find it in your heart to forgive me." Then, in an eerie foreshadowing of what may have befallen Bradley a month later, she wrote, "I feel like there is an ocean between us, like I'm on a desert island waiting for you to rescue me. A message in a bottle, my only hope. I miss you, Mollie." Bradley ended the missive writing, "Save me, please. Stranded, Amy." On March 24, 1998, exactly one month after Bradley wrote the message in a bottle, she disappeared from a Royal Caribbean ship in Curaçao. She has beenmissing ever since. Some believe that Bradley fell overboard or died by suicide. Others wonder if she had been kidnapped, trafficked and forced into a life of prostitution. FBI In the series, McClure says she has no idea what happened to the woman she loved, who vanished while traveling with her parents and brother. Her father last saw her sleeping on the balcony of their cabin between 5:15 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. on the morning of March 24, 1998. But by 6 a.m., she was gone, and had only taken her lighter and cigarettes with her, leaving even her shoes behind. "Some viewers have fixated on Bradley's letter and phrases that now seem haunting in retrospect — like "an ocean between us" and "stranded." But McClure says in the series that "the convenience of the metaphor is ripe for misunderstanding." "It could suggest suicide," McClure says. "But I don't connect with it in that way." She notes that "it is a love letter." During a nearly 30-year-search for Bradley, her family has received tips that have seemed promising. Canadian tourist David Carmichael said that in August 1998, he believed he saw Bradley in Curaçao, "flanked by two people" on the beach. As he got closer, he says the woman pointed to her tattoos — which matched all of Bradley's. Authorities searched the area after getting Carmichael's tip, but didn't find any sign of Bradley. In January 1999, a Navy petty officer reportedly visited a brothel in Curaçao and said a woman told him her name was Amy Bradley and asked him for help. He told her there was a naval ship about five minutes away, but she responded, "No, you don't understand.  Please help me.  My name is Amy Bradley." Courtesy of Netflix ©2025 The officer didn't take action, her father, Ron Bradley, toldNBC News— in in part because the officer wasn't allowed to be in the brothel and because he didn't know anyone by that name was missing until he saw a magazine cover with Amy's face and name on it. Related:Was Amy Bradley Ever Found? Unpacking the Theories About Her Disappearance and Alleged Sightings Over the Years In September 2005, an anonymous source allegedly sent the Bradleys online photos of a woman named Jas whom they claimed was their daughter. The Bradleys had a forensic detective analyze the photos, who allegedly said it was a perfect match for Amy. Unfortunately, they weren't able to pinpoint the site's IP address, and the FBI still lacks evidence to detain or charge anyone with kidnapping. Amy Bradley Is Missingbegan streaming on Netflix on July 16. Read the original article onPeople

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July 26, 2025

Amy Bradley Sent Girlfriend a 'Message in a Bottle,' Lamenting 'an Ocean Between Us.' Then She Vanished at Sea

Amy Bradley Sent Girlfriend a 'Message in a Bottle,' Lamenting 'an Ocean Between Us.' Then She Vanished at Sea Courtesy of N...
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'I was skinned alive': Patients say cosmetic surgery chains left them disfiguredNew Foto - 'I was skinned alive': Patients say cosmetic surgery chains left them disfigured

A few days after a harrowing cosmetic surgery procedure, Erin Schaeffer says she woke up with fluid leaking from an open wound in her stomach. Schaeffer went on to spend a week in a Florida hospital battling a severe infection after a type of tummy tuck and liposuction at the Jacksonville branch of Sono Bello, a national cosmetic surgery chain. More than a year later, scars remain on her lower body — and in a lawsuit she is accusing Sono Bello of using an inadequately trained obstetrician-gynecologist to remove her excess skin and fat, a procedure she says caused excruciating pain. "I literally felt like I was skinned alive," said the 37-year-old, who works as a training manager for United Parcel Service. Schaeffer and her husband, Jonathan, are suing Sono Bello and Manuel Herrera in Duval County Circuit Court. The suit accuses Herrera, a board-certified OB-GYN, of "performing procedures that he was not trained or qualified to perform." Sono Bello and Herrera denied the allegations in a joint court filing. And in an interview with KFF Health News and NBC News, Robert Centeno, Sono Bello's medical director for the East region, said its surgeons undergo "very rigorous training." Backed by private equity financing, Sono Bello is the largest of a breed of cosmetic surgery chains vying for a slice of the growing body-contouring market in the U.S. One research firm estimated that the market, which includes procedures ranging from wrinkle removal to liposuction,topped $22 billionin 2024. The chains sell an array of body-reshaping operations such as "Mommy Makeovers" and liposuction targeting customers willing to pay up to $20,000 out of pocket for a new figure, often on credit with steep interest rates from companies specializing in credit for elective medical procedures.Sono Belloboasts it is "America's top cosmetic surgery specialist." But a joint investigation by KFF Health News and NBC News found that Sono Bello and other cosmetic surgery chains have been the target of scores of medical malpractice and negligence lawsuits alleging disfiguring injuries — including 12 wrongful death cases filed over the past seven years. Injured patients have accused the chains of hiring doctors with minimal cosmetic surgery training, of failing to recognize and treat life-threatening infections and other dangerous surgical complications, and of high-pressure sales tactics that minimized safety risks, court records show.Sono Belloand the other companies have denied the allegations in court. "These people promise to turn you into the fairest person in the land, and the risks aren't often worth the reality," said Sean Domnick, a Florida attorney who heads the American Association for Justice, a trial lawyers group. Sono Bello's Centeno disagrees. He said the company's mission is to "help each and every one of our patients live their best lives now." Sono Bello offers "life-changing transformations" that enhance a person's "appearance as well as their quality of life," said Centeno, a surgeon himself at the company's Troy, Michigan, office. The doctors who perform such surgeries, court records show, are sometimes paid more for taking on patients with a high body mass, as obesity raises the risk ofdevastating complications. And as the chains grow, there's little regulatory oversight. While the Food and Drug Administration maintains a database of complaints about drugs or medical devices, there's nothing similar for cosmetic surgeries. Schaeffer had liposuction at Sono Bello in January 2024 and was satisfied with the results. On the morning of March 29, 2024, she went in for more liposuction and a mini-tummy tuck thatSono Bello calls AbEX. The medical staff gave her Xanax, a tranquilizer and the painkiller oxycodone in pill form, according to medical records Sono Bello turned over to Schaeffer's attorney. During the procedure, she received an infusion of lidocaine to numb the area but remained awake. Sono Bello says the local anesthesia is safer and promotes faster healing with "minimal discomfort," so patients may return to work or other normal activities within a week. That didn't happen for Schaeffer, who said she felt so much pain during the operation that she began to cry and "begged" the doctor to stop near the end. "I said, 'I don't care what I look like,'" she said in an interview. "'I can't handle the pain.'" Two days later she spiked a fever, and a day after that her pubic area swelled up "severely," she said. Sono Bello medical staff told her that was normal and that she was fine, she said. Two days later, however, blood and fluid spilled out of her stomach when she got up, she said. On one visit to the office, Herrera told her she required surgery at a hospital to treat her wounds. But, she recounted, Herrera said he couldn't arrange that because he was an obstetrician, not a plastic surgeon, and didn't have hospital privileges locally. Herrera has hospital privileges in the Orlando area, about 140 miles southwest of Jacksonville. "I was just in utter shock," Schaeffer said. Sono Bello spokesperson Mark Firmani said the company does not require its doctors to have local hospital privileges, though many do have them. Centeno said Schaeffer's painful experience is not common. "The reality is that over 90% of our patients who have our procedures completed are extremely comfortable during the procedure and they do quite well," he said. Patients of Sono Bello and some other clinics also have complained to theBetter Business Bureauof unexpectedly painful procedures. Centeno said that Herrera still works for the company, but the doctor's name does not appear on the company'sJacksonville website. Herrera runs anOB-GYN and aestheticspractice, which includes skin care treatments, in Winter Garden, Florida, near Orlando, and is board-certified by theAmerican Board of Obstetrics & Gynecology. Sono Bello has considered him a rising star; Herrera's work in 2023 won Sono Bello's annual "New Talent Award," given to a company doctor who exhibits "exceptional technical skills, productivity, and off-the-charts brand loyalty." Herrera completeda Sono Bellofellowship programthat teaches a "suite of aesthetic procedures" in a six- to eight-week course under the direction of a company surgeon. The company says the fellowship offers "patient-focused training in awake total body contouring and skin excision procedures." Sono Bello allows physicians who have completed formal residencies in more than half a dozen types of surgery to apply for its fellowship. In apost on a Sono Bello website, Herrera said that before taking the fellowship course, he "had been a skilled surgeon for over 13 years with extensive experience in other areas but limited knowledge on body sculpting." Herrera did not respond to calls and emails requesting comment and directed Sono Bello to respond on his behalf. Company spokesperson Firmani said Herrera is still a member of the Sono Bello team. Many established plastic surgeons who spoke with KFF Health News and NBC News worry that chain surgery groups may be inclined to spend more effort on marketing and sales than on making sure their doctors are properly credentialed and capable of handling any complications that arise. Medical practices owned by private equity or investment firms have more money to spend drawing in patients, and "the ability to operate and provide quality patient care is now less important," said Mark Domanski, a plastic surgeon in northern Virginia. Formed in 2008 by entrepreneurial physician Tom Garrison, Sono Bello now runs more than 100 centers nationwide. Private equity investors have pumped $816 million into the company, most of it since 2023, according toPitchBook,which tracks the industry. Sono Bello advertises widely on television and online, aimed at what one major investor termed the "everyday woman and man." It hasadvertisedhaving "150+ board-certified surgeons who have performed over 300,000 laser lipo & body contouring procedures." Sono Bello limits its offerings to services such as liposuction and its version of tummy tucks, which it believes its surgeons have mastered. It does not perform Brazilian butt lifts, or fat transfers, though many other cosmetic surgery chains do. While Sono Bello boasts that the vast majority of its patients are satisfied, court records show that allegations of substandard medical care have trailed its rapid growth. Sono Bello and its corporate affiliates and surgeons have defended more than 60 medical malpractice cases, including four suits involving patient deaths, since April 2013, court records show. Sono Bello has settled three of four wrongful death cases filed since May 2018, while one is pending, court records show. Schaeffer's suit in Jacksonville is among at least 19 filed since the start of March 2023. Many are pending in the courts, and the company has denied the allegations. Other physicians who have extended their brands to multiple cities and relied heavily on social media and splashy websites to bring in patients have also faced lawsuits. Mia Aesthetics, formed in 2017 by Texas surgeon Sergio Alvarez, runs a dozen cosmetic surgery clinics from Miami to Las Vegas. Mia Aesthetics provides "the highest quality plastic surgery at affordable prices proving that being beautiful and saving money are two realities that can exist simultaneously,"its websitesays. Alvarez is a board-certified plastic surgeon. Patients filed at least 30 medical negligence cases against Mia Aesthetics and its affiliates from November 2020 through March of this year, court records show. A dozen suits target its Miami surgery center. The company has sought, and often won, dismissal of malpractice suits because patients signed contracts agreeing to arbitration of any disputes, court dockets show. Alvarez did not respond to requests for comment. Owned by New York physician Sergey Voskin since 2016, Goals Aesthetics and Plastic Surgery has branched out from a small cosmetic surgery office in the Brooklyn borough of New York City to anetwork of a dozen surgery centersit manages in eight states. Goals clinics and affiliated surgeons have been named as defendants in at least 40 malpractice suits filed from October 2018 through March, court records show. The Atlanta branch accounted for more than 20 such cases in Georgia courts from September 2022 through June 2024. Most are pending. Goals defended two lawsuits brought by the families of New York patients who died shortly after having liposuction procedures, court records show. Goals denied the allegations and won dismissal of some cases by invoking arbitration agreements, according to court dockets. The company says these agreements are commonly used throughout the medical industry. Voskin declined to be interviewed. In a statement, Goals lawyer Joshua Lurie said the medical offices it manages have performed more than 10,000 procedures and have "one of, if not the highest track records of safety among similar types of medical practices." Lurie said the "vast majority" of malpractice claims are "meritless." These "bad faith filings create an implication of risk when none exist and when, again, there is a very negligible negative outcome from surgery compared to the total procedures performed," he wrote. Malpractice suits by themselves are not proof of wrongdoing. Nobody tracks the outcome of these lawsuits, which often are settled under confidential terms that keep key details out of public view and prohibit patients from discussing their experiences. Surgeons often argue that complications are a risk of surgery and that a poor outcome doesn't mean the doctor was negligent. To prove negligence, injured patients generally must show their care fell below what areasonably prudent doctor with similar trainingwould have done. That can be a challenge. Typically, the surgery chains fight back by arguing that complications are a risk of any surgical procedure and that they never guarantee results. Before their procedures, patients must sign consent forms acknowledging their expectations must be "realistic" and that complications or dissatisfaction with the result does not necessarily mean the surgeon botched the job. The American Society of Plastic Surgeonsinvestigatesethics complaints against its members, but not allegations of incompetence or malpractice. Some presurgery contracts allow for low-cost "revisions" for disgruntled patients. Sono Bello has offered a "satisfaction commitment," which states: "If your surgeon's evaluation determines your results to be deficient, we will touch up the area at no cost to you." Other contracts contain disclaimers, such as reminding patients that dramatic "before and after" photos widely shown in online advertisements and other solicitations may not reflect typical results. Demonstrating the influence of social media in driving sales, Goals once required patients to sign a nondisparagement clause. The contract stated that patients who bad-mouth the company on social media without first giving the company "an opportunity to remedy any alleged issues" agree to pay damages of $10,000 for eachviolation. In a civil investigation of Goals' marketing tactics, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr alleged that policy and others violated state consumer protection laws. In September 2022, Goals agreed to stop using the nondisparagement clause and to pay the state $119,480 to settle the matter, without admitting any wrongdoing. Both Goals and Mia Aesthetics have clauses in their service contracts that require arbitration of any disputes in lieu of court action, a process many consumer advocates believe favors the industry. These agreements are becoming more common among plastic surgeons. The arbitration clauses have prevented some aggrieved patients from getting their day in court. That happened in a wrongful death case filed by the family of Angela Mendez, 57, who was found dead in her apartment a day after liposuction at a Goals office in New York City in March 2021. She died from a pulmonary thromboembolism, a blood clot in her lung, as a complication of cosmetic surgery, according to an autopsy report. Her family sued the company alleging negligence. But in June 2024 a judge ruled that Mendez had signed a form requiring that the case be heard in arbitration and dismissed the lawsuit. Attorney Gary Zucker, who represents the family, is appealing. "It's been a one-two punch for the family," Zucker said. Goals attorney Lurie called arbitration "a common practice throughout the industry and many industries" that is "intended to speed the process to come to resolutions in a more expedited fashion." In a 2023 deposition, Lurie said patients can opt out of the arbitration agreement, which "has happened multiple times." When Erin Schaeffer first visited Sono Bello, a sales agent told her she was a "perfect candidate" for a tummy tuck procedure, she said in an interview with KFF Health News and NBC News. Though she wanted to think about it and talk it over with her family, she says the salesperson persuaded her to go ahead. Because cosmetic surgery is elective, insurance doesn't cover it. Schaeffer made a down payment and signed up for a credit plan through outside companies to repay most of the $19,838 bill over a five-year period, according to her medical records. She said she's now paying $420 a month. "I definitely felt like it was a hard sell," Schaeffer said. "She didn't want me to leave out of there without putting money down on it." Schaeffer said she didn't meet the doctor until about a week before the procedure, and only briefly. Some patients suing other companies have argued in court filings that they didn't meet the surgeon until the day of their operations, a practice that draws sharp criticism from more traditional surgeons. Scott Hollenbeck, president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, said patients need time with their doctor to fully understand the pros and cons of surgery and shouldn't be pressured into quick decisions. "It is not possible to do that when you see the doctor an hour before surgery for the first time," he said. "You should have time to process what they told you, think about it, and make a decision." "That is best done with a surgeon, not a marketer," Hollenbeck said. Many plastic surgeons discourage obese people from undergoing liposuction and other cosmetic procedures because of anelevated riskof infections and other serious medical complications. Candidates are considered obese at abody mass indexof 30 or above. Sono Bello patients have an average BMI of 31, according to Centeno. At the time of her surgery, Schaeffer had a BMI of 36. But there's no consensus on who should be turned away because of their size — and policies vary. Sono Bello says itsAbEX tummy tuckcan be done safely with a body mass index as high as 42, well beyond the body mass limits for atraditional abdominoplastydone using general anesthesia. The AbEX removes loose and sagging skin around the stomach "to achieve a more toned and sculpted look," according to the company. Centeno said that high BMI "does confer additional risk, which can be managed." But he said it would be "discriminatory, unethical and inappropriate for Sono Bello or any other medical practice to deny care to a patient based solely on their BMI." Yet high-BMI patients have alleged they suffered devastating complications, according to KFF Health News' review of court cases filed against Sono Bello and other companies. One patient is Marissa Edwards, then 45, a California medical receptionist with three children. At 5 feet, 3 inches tall, she weighed 237 pounds, with a body mass index of 41. She had AbEX and liposuction at a Sono Bello clinic in San Diego on Oct. 11, 2022, according to court filings. During an office visit eight days later, she complained of swelling and pain in her abdomen, but a nurse "dismissed her complaints," according to the suit. On Nov. 4, Edwards noticed the incision was opening, while a rash formed around her belly button. In a text to Sono Bello, she attached a photo of her wound, which, the suit alleges, should have alerted the staff that it needed "immediate evaluation by a qualified medical professional." On Nov. 5, she woke up "feeling extremely hot" and "nearly fainted," according to her complaint. Her husband drove her to an urgent care center, which diagnosed her with sepsis and rushed her to a hospital by ambulance. When she awoke the next morning, her bedsheets were soaked with body fluid. As she stood up, "fluid began to pour out of her stomach and hit the floor," according to the complaint. She spent six days in the hospital. Edwards alleges in her lawsuit that Sono Bello's medical staff failed to recognize and respond to early signs of trouble. "I have sepsis and could have died," she texted to Sono Bello's office line, according to court documents. "I am very upset." In one text that was included in her lawsuit, she wrote: "So I would appreciate some type of empathy from you!! If you only knew what I have been through and you went through this I'm sure you wouldn't be giving me this snotty attitude." Sono Bello denies any negligence. In a court filing, the company noted that infections are a risk of surgery, and that Edwards had signed a consent form that stated in part: "The practice of medicine and surgery is not an exact science and results are not guaranteed." Sono Bello filed a motion for summary judgment that argued her care was not negligent and "not a substantial factor" in causing her alleged injuries. The case was settled earlier this month under confidential terms. While patients with high BMI are riskier, they also are more lucrative for Sono Bello surgeons, court records show. The company pays its surgeons for procedures based in part on the patient's BMI, using a formula it calls a "surgical value unit." The compensation plan surfaced in a lawsuit filed in December 2023 by Shirley Webb, then a 79-year-old Nevada woman. Hoping to slim down for a dream cruise, she paid $14,703 for an AbEX tummy tuck and liposuction of her stomach at the Sono Bello branch in Las Vegas. Eighteen days after her operation, she was "oozing and bleeding" from her surgical wounds and her son rushed her to a hospital, where doctors diagnosed "severe sepsis with shock," according to the complaint. She spent several months in hospitals and rehabilitation care, running up medical bills of more than $2.6 million, her lawyer stated during a deposition. Lloyd Krieger, a California plastic surgeon who served as a medical expert for Webb's legal team, said the operations never should have happened because she was at "very high risk for multiple procedures given her advanced age and high BMI," according to the suit. In a court deposition, Sono Bello surgeon Charles Kim testified that operating on Webb earned him "surgical value units" that boosted his pay to about $2,000 for the procedure. Sono Bello and Kim denied Webb's negligence claims and the parties settled the case in early 2025 under confidential terms, court records show. Centeno said Sono Bello surgeons are paid more for higher-BMI patients because they "require additional work and additional complexity in terms of decision-making." He added that "our high-BMI patients routinely undergo our procedures safely with an extremely high patient satisfaction rate." Schaeffer said people hoping to reshape their bodies need to do a lot of research before plunging ahead with plastic surgery. She said she was hoping to get rid of excess skin and fat after dropping 100 pounds. Instead, she missed seven weeks of work recovering from her tummy tuck in Jacksonville. "I went into this procedure to try to make myself feel better after losing the weight, and I came out with something even worse," she said. "I trusted. I believed in what they told me, which I think most people do," Schaeffer said. "Not anymore." KFF Health Newsis a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues and is one of the core operating programs atKFF— the independent source for health policy research, polling and journalism.

byAdministrator
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July 26, 2025

‘I was skinned alive’: Patients say cosmetic surgery chains left them disfigured

'I was skinned alive': Patients say cosmetic surgery chains left them disfigured A few days after a harrowing cosmetic surgery proce...
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