Throngs of out-of-control teenagers hit Horny Corner beach in Long Beach, California, sparking fights that caused police to detain several teens June 11.
Video shows hundreds of teenagers crowding Horny Corner, Rosie’s Dog Beach, and nearby streets Thursday evening, which was the first night of summer break for multiple schools in the area, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/12/us-news/long-beach-teens-brawl-in-belmont-shore/">according</a> to the New York Post.
Residents called the police after girls in bikini tops began punching each other, the Post reported — and police responded, but the local chief warned that continued disturbances would only create more risks by drawing officers away from emergency calls and other responsibilities.
“Large-scale disturbances like this deplete our resources and divert our officers from addressing other safety concerns in Long Beach, including emergency responses,” Long Beach Police Chief Wally Hebeish said in a statement from the Long Beach Police Department.
Police officers arrived in the area within five minutes of the first call, around 7 p.m., and began breaking up the crowd of roughly 200 teenagers at Horny Corner, according to the LBPD’s statement.
Another fight a few blocks away led police to detain multiple teens, according to the Post. Teens were still in the area around 9:45 p.m., at which point police took five teenagers to their parents after citing them for violating curfew, the LBPD’s statement said.
The gathering began as a celebration of the end of the school year, but quickly escalated into a brawl, Long Beach residents told CBS News.
“I was happy to see them all here at first,” resident Charles Cobb told the outlet. “It looked like they were all having a good time. But then, once it started getting out of hand, just a poor representation for us.”
The police also received reports that one of the teenagers had a gun. Despite detaining multiple people, police did not arrest anyone.
“I think it’s very irresponsible,” resident Erick Rodriguez told CBS. “Go to the theme park. Pick up a sport. Go to the beach. Something productive instead of going out and causing trouble.”
The LBPD is maintaining an increased presence in the area, according to the statement.
“When inappropriate activity occurs, our response will be prompt, direct, and focused,” Hebeish said. “We will maintain an enhanced presence throughout the weekend, and any form of violent behavior or law violations will not be tolerated.”

Orange County Register Archive

Bikini Brawl: Teen Takeover Turns Popular Beach Into Chaotic Mess

Fight

Teen-Takeover

Teenagers

New Yorkers may not get the chance to attend NBA Finals Game 5 — which could be the last game of the championship series — thanks to a rule blocking out-of-town fans from purchasing tickets to the San Antonio-based game.
A Ticketmaster warning shows sales for Game 5, which might see the New York Knicks win the NBA Finals for the first time in 53 years, are limited to fans within a 150-mile radius of the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.
“Residency will be based on credit card billing address,” the warning reads. “Orders by residents outside of a 150-mile radius of Frost Bank Center will be canceled without notice and refunds given.”
The Ticketmaster rule has been in effect for the entire playoffs, according to social media users. Other ticket sites, however, including StubHub and SeatGeek, do not appear to restrict ticket sales to specific locations.
The New York Knicks currently lead the series 3-1 over the San Antonio Spurs. If the Knicks win Game 5, the team will secure the NBA title for the first time since 1973. If the team loses, the series will return to Madison Square Garden for Game 6.
This is the Knicks’ first Finals appearance since 1999, when the New York team lost to the Spurs. The Spurs’ last appeared in the NBA Finals in 2014, when the team defeated the Miami Heat to win the championship.
Despite the roadblock from Ticketmaster, fans from New York and New Jersey have already purchased 45% of Game 5 tickets, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/12/sports/new-york-new-jerseys-knicks-fans-bought-50-of-tickets-for-game-5-in-san-antonio/">as reported by</a> the New York Post. According to the Post, some New Yorkers bought Game 5 tickets because they were cheaper than tickets to Madison Square Garden, the Post reported.
The cheapest seats for Game 5 cost around $1,000 on Ticketmaster, while the best seats cost anywhere from $10,000 to $36,000.
In contrast, the cheapest tickets for Game 3 at Madison Square Garden cost around $5,000 — with courtside tickets going for as much as $100,000, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/knicks-star-calls-out-crazy-ticket-prices-for-nba-finals-see-how-much-fans-spent">reported</a>.
Win or lose, the Knicks have already made history in their Finals run. The team won Game 4 with a 29-point comeback, the largest in NBA Finals history.

Knicks Fans Gather Around NYC To Watch Game 4 Of The NBA Finals Against The San Antonio Spurs

Ticketmaster Rule Could Lock Some Knicks Fans Out Of Game 5

Basketball

New York Knicks

San Antonio

Sports

Spurs

Fast food chain Chick-fil-A has launched its first non-chicken kids meal featuring one of customers’ favorite sides: macaroni and cheese.
The mac and cheese kids meal features a medium cup of macaroni and cheese, made with Chick-fil-A’s blend of Parmesan, Cheddar, and Romano cheeses.
The meal also includes a side, a drink, and a toy. The fast food chain — famous for chicken — first introduced macaroni and cheese as a been a side item for regular meals in 2019.
The new kids meal reflects customers’ requests for more flexible menu options for children who do not like chicken. A February Reddit thread was <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/ChickFilA/comments/1rfm5up/its_been_years_why_havent_they_added_a_mac_cheese/">filled</a> with users excited about the idea of a macaroni and cheese kids meal.
“This really seems like a no brainer [sic] to me,” one user said. “I didn’t eat meat as a kid and would have loved to have this option.”
The kids meal is now available at participating locations for $6.75.
“My kids absolutely love their Mac and Cheese and one of [them] won’t touch the nuggets,” another Reddit user said. “I’d love to see them add a Mac and Cheese kids meal.”
This is the first time Chick-fil-A has offered a non-chicken entree in a kids meal. Its other options include regular or grilled chicken nuggets and chicken strips.
Customers can choose from sides including applesauce, a fruit cup, and waffle fries. Drink options include apple juice, chocolate milk, regular milk, and orange juice.
The new meal is being debuted alongside several new kids meal toys as well, <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/fox-news-food-drink/chick-fil-a-launches-its-first-non-chicken-kids-meal-entree-mac-cheese-available-nationwide">according</a> to Fox Business. The toys include a Cow Case with foldable games, a Cow Kart cardboard racer, a keychain, and Hasbro Cow Games.
The kids meal was introduced as Chick-fil-A announced the return of seasonal summer menu items such as the pineapple dragonfruit lemonade, the honey pepper pimiento sandwich, and the peach milkshake.

Chick-fil-A Draws Conservative Criticism For Its Diversity, Equity And Inclusion Policy

The Latest Chick-fil-A Menu Move Has Nothing To Do With Chicken

Chick-fil-A

Food

kids

Parenting

Restaurant

Women’s greatest legacy is their children, Isabel Brown, host of “The Isabel Brown Show” on The Daily Wire, told attendees at Turning Point USA’s 2026 Women’s Leadership Summit on Saturday.
The three-day women’s conference, held June 5–7 in San Antonio, Texas, featured speakers from across the conservative movement, including Brown, Alex Clark, Riley Gaines, Erika Kirk, and Allie Beth Stuckey. Brown spoke on the Left’s attack on motherhood and encouraged young conservative women to have families.
“It is normal, healthy, and beautiful for you to want to bring new life into the world,” Brown said. “It’s a gift that is only available to women. It’s the only experience humanity has to participate in the creation of new life right alongside God.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Isabel Brown: “It is normal, healthy, and beautiful for you to want to bring new life into the world. It&#8217;s a gift that is only available to women.”<a href="https://x.com/theisabelb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theisabelb</a> live at WLS 2026 <a href="https://t.co/9GNO5WqiaZ">pic.twitter.com/9GNO5WqiaZ</a>
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) <a href="https://x.com/TPUSA/status/2063368586757066913?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Brown argued that modern culture increasingly devalues motherhood and traditional family formation, while elevating individual fulfillment above sacrifice and service to others.
“Despite calling me out by name repeatedly, the women of The View weren’t really upset about me,” Brown said. “They were threatened by the fundamental truth that the women sitting in this room know and live out every day: that our greatest contributions are bigger than ourselves.”
Brown also encouraged attendees to reject fears surrounding marriage and raising children.
“Have the courage to fall in love, to get married, and to have children, more children than you think you’re ready for, and far more than you think you can afford,” Brown said.
The Daily Wire host also pointed to Mary, the Mother of God, as the ultimate example of feminine virtue and self-sacrifice.
“Her greatest legacy will always be how she raised God incarnate to become a man, in what she gave rather than what she received,” Brown said.
While acknowledging that many women pursue successful careers, Brown said motherhood remains the most important calling for many women and noted that many of the conference&#8217;s speakers balance professional success with raising families.
Brown also reflected on the sacrifices associated with motherhood, arguing that suffering and hardship can draw people closer to God.
“We do live in a world where we experience pain, discomfort and suffering, but the beauty of suffering is that it uniquely links our experience to that of God, who enduring the ultimate hardship and pain to the point of death for the redemption of all of us,” Brown said.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Isabel Brown: “We do live in a world where we experience pain, discomfort and suffering, but the beauty of suffering is that it uniquely links our experience to that of God.”<a href="https://x.com/theisabelb?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theisabelb</a> live at WLS 2026 <a href="https://t.co/kCexonVwaA">pic.twitter.com/kCexonVwaA</a>
— Turning Point USA (@TPUSA) <a href="https://x.com/TPUSA/status/2063371103402401802?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The summit also featured remarks from TPUSA CEO Erika Kirk, who reflected on the mission of the organization founded by her late husband, Charlie Kirk.
“He saw a generation drifting away from faith, away from a sense of purpose, and he wanted to cultivate a space for community, a space that was so needed, especially on college campuses,” Erika Kirk said of her husband. 
At one point during her speech, a heckler attempted to interrupt Kirk, but was removed from the venue.
“It’s important to remember that happiness comes and goes, and I pray that you find it,” Kirk told the heckler as the woman was removed.
After the audience applauded, Kirk urged attendees to pray for their opponents rather than view them as enemies.
“You pray for your enemies. You pray for those that persecute you,” Kirk said. “That’s not the enemy. We know who the real enemy is.”
&nbsp;

Isabel Brown

Isabel Brown Urges Women To Embrace Motherhood At TPUSA Women’s Summit

Erika Kirk

Republican Women

The Daily Wire

Turning Point USA

Women

The Auburn University student who disappeared in Japan has been found dead, his mother said on Facebook Saturday.
James “Weston” Higginbotham was found by a volunteer search-and-rescue group outside of Kyoto, Nancy Higginbotham <a href="https://www.facebook.com/nancy.higginbotham.50/posts/pfbid02ziddTrQ5h3QGquHD4cjJTtQ5sgcXUgNudkf9Gpdg2X6bGxMNBaJ3ZzoNJdFF1zGQl">wrote</a>. Additional details such as cause of death are not currently known.
<iframe loading="lazy" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnancy.higginbotham.50%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0wAzSYgmiqwjhtPSjRddE5JCRRqQnwggbNiGGMKhDXxPKBBmS1nirFRFqo2KMWNAMl&amp;show_text=true&amp;width=500" width="500" height="737" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
“The grief we feel is impossible to put into words,” Higginbotham said. “We are deeply grateful to the countless people across the United States, Japan, and around the world who shared Weston’s story, prayed for our family, offered encouragement, and helped in the search efforts. The outpouring of kindness and support has carried us through the darkest days of our lives.”
Weston, 20, vanished May 29 after deciding to explore on his own, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/search-intensifies-for-auburn-student-missing-in-japan">reported</a>. He and his mother had argued over the use of ChatGPT to help navigate the family’s vacation, and Weston often went exploring “to blow off steam,” Nancy said.
Local police said Weston left Kyoto Station alone before he was last seen on surveillance footage in Yamashina, on a path leading to a hiking trail in nearby woods, CNN <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/04/us/weston-missing-american-student-japan-hnk">reported</a>. Higginbotham said Weston was found in “a mountainous area.”
Search efforts had focused on wooded, mountainous terrain outside Kyoto, where Higginbotham was ultimately found by the rescue group, according to his mother. Authorities believed Weston may have entered after leaving the trail area.
Dozens of Japanese authorities, along with search dogs and helicopters, were searching for Weston amid waist-high mud after a typhoon struck the area.
The family had asked people to share Weston’s photo on social media to help people in Japan recognize him.
“We shared our story here and in the media in the hope of finding Weston,” Nancy said on Facebook. “We now ask for privacy as we begin to navigate this unimaginable loss. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We will need them now more than ever.”

Credit: Nancy Higginbotham

Missing Auburn Student Weston Higginbotham Found Dead In Japan

auburn

College students

Japan

Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner raised roughly $200,000 in the days following a New York Times report highlighting abuse allegations from three of his former girlfriends, even as critics challenge key elements of the working-class biography that fueled his political rise. 
The fundraising haul came as Platner sought to reassure supporters that his campaign remains strong despite a series of damaging reports about his past.
Speaking at a recent campaign rally, Platner argued that his personal history was being “weaponized,” to the applause of his supporters.
“When hurtful things I said on the internet a decade ago came out into the public, as I shared my personal journey through PTSD and darkness, of recovery and accountability and growth, Maine had my back,” Platner said. “Now, as every single piece of that past and journey gets dug up, litigated, and weaponized, you have my back.”
Democrat politicians, such as Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA), have attempted to strike a careful balance between supporting Platner and acknowledging the seriousness of the accusations against him.
“No one should make excuses for his past relationships, some of which were toxic and volatile, and no one on our side should attack the women who came forward,” Khanna said. “You know why? Because Democrats believe in respecting the equality and the dignity of women, and we always will.”
The comments stood in contrast to Platner&#8217;s own response to the claims.
“These are the statements of someone who is politically motivated,” Platner said during an appearance on MSNOW. “I do expect the Republican party to fight as dirty as possible.”
At the rally, Platner again denied the allegations. 
“When politically motivated, serious, and false accusations are made against me, Maine, you have my back,” Platner said.
The New York Times reported that three former girlfriends alleged physical abuse during their relationships with Platner, and said the Maine Democrat knew the meaning behind his controversial Totenkopf tattoo. 
Platner has denied the accusations, saying any claims about physical abuse or knowing the tattoo&#8217;s meaning are false.
While Platner attempted damage control about his past, critics have continued to scrutinize his biography, which helped fuel his rise in Democratic politics.  
At the same rally, Platner described how healthcare gave him the freedom to &#8220;start a business&#8221; and &#8220;make a living on the sea.&#8221;
“My healthcare gave me freedom,” Platner said. “It gave me the freedom to take a risk, to start a business, and to sink my intellect and my physicality into mastering the skills necessary to make a living on the sea.”
The Washington Free Beacon has challenged that portrayal, reporting that Platner borrowed $200,000 from his father to purchase his home and relies heavily on veterans disability benefits. The outlet also reported that the primary purchaser of oysters from Platner&#8217;s oyster farm is a restaurant owned by his mother.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Graham Platner today falsely claimed to “make a living on the sea.” That’s not true. He lives almost entirely off his VA disability payments and he bought his house with $200,000 from his dad, as we’ve reported <a href="https://x.com/FreeBeacon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FreeBeacon</a> <a href="https://t.co/zD7DfJE2Vl">https://t.co/zD7DfJE2Vl</a> <a href="https://t.co/v76JLON2hz">pic.twitter.com/v76JLON2hz</a>
— Peter J. Hasson (@peterjhasson) <a href="https://x.com/peterjhasson/status/2063050311711760595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Platner has also frequently highlighted his experience serving as his town&#8217;s harbormaster. The Free Beacon reported that he held the position for approximately 18 months.
In addition to these current allegations, other revelations show that Platner sent sexually explicit messages to multiple women while married and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/see-it-graham-platner-has-active-profile-on-predators-paradise-messaging-app" target="_blank" rel="noopener">has an account</a> on Kik, a messaging platform flagged by child safety advocates for being associated with sexual predators.

Maine Democratic Candidate For Senate Graham Platner Campaigns Across The State

New Questions Emerge About Platner’s Biography As Scrutiny Intensifies

Elections

graham platner

Maine

Politics

U.S. Senate

As California continues counting votes from this week&#8217;s primary elections, the Department of Justice has launched multiple investigations into potential election fraud and plans to audit the state&#8217;s voter rolls.  
Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, announced the investigations Friday, saying his office is working with the FBI. 
“We will follow the evidence wherever it leads and prosecute any violations of federal election law to the fullest extent,” Essayli posted on X.
Essayli also said the Justice Department intends to audit California&#8217;s voter rolls. 
“The state has stonewalled every effort to verify that only eligible U.S. citizens are registered to vote,” he wrote. “This case is now before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeal.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Protecting the integrity of California’s elections is a top priority for my office.
California’s election system has serious structural vulnerabilities. Universal vote-by-mail with no voter ID requirements creates conditions where fraud can go undetected and unpunished, eroding…
— F.A. United States Attorney Bill Essayli (@USAttyEssayli) <a href="https://x.com/USAttyEssayli/status/2062889608787161176?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2026</a></blockquote>
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A federal prosecutor also visited the Los Angeles County ballot processing center on Friday, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/doj-office-investigations-california-elections-trump-claims-cheating-rcna348746">according</a> to NBC News. A county spokesperson told the outlet the prosecutor participated in a walkthrough of ballot-processing operations, which are open to public observation.
The developments come as California election officials continue tabulating millions of outstanding ballots.
President Donald Trump accused California Democrats of attempting to “steal” elections multiple times this week, citing the state&#8217;s lengthy vote-counting process. Two big races remain unresolved: the gubernatorial and Los Angeles mayoral elections. 
“Look what’s happening in California, the Dumocrats, right before our very eyes, are stealing the Vote,” Trump <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116693025089379568">wrote</a> on Truth Social Thursday.
With 68% of the gubernatorial vote <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/california-governor-results">reported</a> as of Saturday morning, Democrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the November runoff in the general election with 26.78% of the vote. His opponent is still unknown, but Republican Steve Hilton narrowly trails Becerra with 26.35% support. Both were ahead of Democrat billionaire Tom Steyer, who is at 21.05%. Under California&#8217;s top-two primary system, candidates from the same party can advance to the runoff if they finish in first and second in the primary.
In the Los Angeles mayoral election, incumbent Democrat Mayor Karen Bass has been projected to advance to a runoff in the general election. As of Saturday morning, Bass has received 35.0% of the vote, with 71% of the vote <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2026-primary-elections/los-angeles-mayor-results">counted</a>.
Republican challenger Spencer Pratt is still in second with 28.2%, ahead of far-left Democrat Nithya Raman, who has been <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/la-mayor-election-spencer-pratt-nithya-raman/3900642/">closing in</a> on Pratt in recent days. She currently has 24.9% support.
In the L.A. mayoral race, two members of the same party can advance to the general election if neither receives more than 50% of the vote. Around three million votes have yet to be counted, and the state has 35 days for counties to process ballots, verify signatures, and let voters cure defective ballots.

U.S. DOJ Sends Observer To Watch California Primary Ballot Processing

DOJ Investigates California Election As Trump Warns Democrats Are Trying To ‘Steal’ It

California

Donald Trump

Election Fraud

Karen Bass

Nithya Raman

Spencer Pratt

steve hilton

Tom Steyer

Vote Fraud

Xavier Becerra

Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico’s mystery girlfriend is a vegan and political activist.
Brianna Menard, 30, is also a lobbyist for the Texas Medical Association, an organization that has supported puberty blockers and hormone treatment and criticized Republicans for so-called “criminalization of evidence-based, gender-affirming care for transgender youth and adolescents,” The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/29/us-news/senate-candidate-james-talaricos-vegan-girlfriend-revealed/?utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=nypost&amp;utm_source=twitter">reported</a>.
She also enjoys yoga and dancing at &#8220;Cheer Up Charlies,&#8221; a local vegan gay bar in Austin, Texas, according to the Post.
Menard met Talarico while working as his chief of staff in 2022, but the two did not start dating until 2023, according to the Post. She also worked as chief of staff for Democratic Texas state Rep. Salman Bhojani.
The identity of Talarico’s girlfriend comes to light as Talarico has been denying rumors that he is vegan himself — even though he once suggested eating meat is morally wrong. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Talarico&#8217;s Republican opponent in the Senate race, has dubbed him “Tofu Talarico.”
A spokesman for Talarico’s campaign said Talarico is not vegan.
“James is not and never has been a vegan, much to his girlfriend’s chagrin,” spokesman JT Ennis said. “As the saying goes, true love conquers all.”
During his re-election campaign to the Texas House of Representatives in 2022, however, Talarico announced his entire campaign would be “non-meat” to counter climate change, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/james-talarico-keeps-denying-the-vegan-label-video-suggests-otherwise">reported</a>.
“Not just because it’s the right thing to do, and the moral thing to do, but also, as all of you know, it’s necessary to fight climate change,” Talarico said at the time. “It is now existential that we try to reduce our meat consumption and that we try to respect animals in all aspects of society.”
To push back against the vegan claims, Democrats posted a picture of Talarico eating barbecue as the Democrat nominee hopes to flip the Republican Senate seat.
“I’ve been eating barbecue since before Ken Paxton’s first indictment,” Talarico said earlier this week.
In addition to his vegan nickname, Paxton has called Talarico “Six-Gender Jimmy” and “James Tala-FREAKO” for his comments on transgender ideology — including Talarico’s <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-book-is-gay-read-the-sexually-explicit-volumes-james-talaricos-church-gives-kids">remark</a> that what he loved most in the world was &#8220;trans children.&#8221;

US Senate Candidate Talarico Holds Rally As Paxton Trounces Cornyn In Runoff Election

James ‘Tofu Talarico’ Has A Vegan, Leftist Activist Girlfriend

James Talarico

Texas

Veganism

A non-English speaking bus driver killed five people and injured 44 after crashing into stopped traffic along I-95 in Virginia early Friday morning.
The driver, Jing S. Dong, is a Chinese native with U.S. citizenship who received a commercial driver’s license from New York in 2024, according to Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy.
“Unacceptable. This is exactly why we are holding states accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can’t speak English,” Duffy wrote on X. “If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Update on the tragic bus crash in Virginia:
Five people are dead, including a 13-year-old girl and a 7-year-old boy, after the driver of a motorcoach slammed into stopped traffic on I-95. <a href="https://x.com/FMCSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FMCSA</a> Administrator Derek Barrs and our investigators are on the ground at the crash… <a href="https://t.co/NWPBd9aLPr">pic.twitter.com/NWPBd9aLPr</a>
— Secretary Sean Duffy (@SecDuffy) <a href="https://x.com/SecDuffy/status/2060474587071074381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 29, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Dong was allegedly driving the motor coach from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina, when he failed to stop for slowing traffic and rammed into a Chevrolet Suburban, causing a chain reaction of at least six vehicles, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/30/us-news/virginia-bus-crash-that-killed-5-involved-non-english-speaking-driver-who-got-license-in-ny-says-sean-duffy/">reported</a>.
The driver of the Suburban, a 25-year-old woman from Massachusetts, was killed. After the bus slammed into it, the Suburban hit an Acura occupied by a family of four, killing 45-year-old Dmitri Doncev, his 44-year-old wife Ecaterina, their 13-year-old daughter, and 7-year-old son. The young family&#8217;s vehicle caught on fire after the collision, the Post reported.
“With broken hearts, we share the devastating loss of our beloved brother and his family in the tragic accident on South I-95 in Virginia early this morning,” Iuri Doncev, Dmitri Doncev’s brother, said on Facebook.
The Department of Transportation is investigating how Dong received his license from New York.
“Our investigators are reviewing New York licensing records, training documentation, and the driver’s history,” Duffy said. “Any company, trainer, or school that contributed to putting an unqualified driver on the road will face intense scrutiny.”
Earlier this year, an illegal immigrant with a CDL from California allegedly caused a multi-car pileup that killed two people and injured five others, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-immigrant-trucker-with-blue-state-license-accused-of-causing-fatal-multi-car-pileup">reported</a>.

Bus Crash

Chinese-Native Bus Driver Who Can’t Speak English Causes Pileup That Kills Young Family

Car Crash

Death

New York

Sean Duffy

Virginia

SpaceX just pulled off one of its wildest Starship tests yet — launching the biggest and most powerful version of the rocket ever built before intentionally slamming it into the Indian Ocean in a fiery ending straight out of a sci-fi movie.
Elon Musk’s company launched the 12th Starship test flight Friday using the brand-new Super Heavy V3 booster, a towering 407-foot rocket built to eventually carry humans back to the Moon and, one day, all the way to Mars.
The upgraded Starship blasted off from a brand-new launch pad in South Texas carrying roughly 45 tons of payload simulators, making it one of the biggest payload launches the world has seen in decades.
Of course, this being SpaceX, things got a little chaotic.
One of Starship’s engines failed during ascent, but the giant spacecraft somehow kept powering forward anyway and still completed its primary mission objectives.
The rocket successfully deployed 20 mock Starlink satellites before continuing its planned path halfway around the world. SpaceX also used modified camera-equipped Starlink satellites to capture footage of Starship flying through space.
Then came the jaw-dropping ending.
After nearly an hour in flight, Starship slammed into the Indian Ocean in a massive fireball that looked more like the finale of a Hollywood disaster movie than a routine aerospace test.
But unlike previous Starship explosions, this one was completely intentional. SpaceX planned for the spacecraft to burn up at the end of the mission while engineers gathered critical flight data for future launches.
“Congratulations @SpaceX team on an epic first Starship V3 launch and landing!” Musk posted on X. “You scored a goal for humanity.”
<iframe loading="lazy" title="BREAKING: Starship Flight 12 Launches Successfully — SpaceX&#039;s Most Powerful Rocket Heads To Space" width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/cC1mP1llT0o?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman also celebrated the launch, writing: “Congrats @SpaceX team and @elonmusk on a hell of a V3 Starship launch. One step closer to the Moon… one step closer to Mars.”
This is the same giant rocket NASA is now betting on to help land astronauts back on the Moon as part of the Artemis program before Musk ultimately tries pushing humanity toward Mars.
SpaceX is also attempting to make Starship fully reusable, with future plans involving giant mechanical arms literally catching rocket stages out of the sky during landing.
The launch comes just days after Musk announced plans to take SpaceX public in what could become the biggest IPO in history.
The company is reportedly seeking a staggering $1.75 trillion valuation and could raise between $40 billion and $80 billion.
SpaceX currently owns both Starlink and Musk’s AI company xAI.

US-SPACE-AEROSPACE-SPACEX-STARSHIP

WATCH: SpaceX Just Pulled Off Its Wildest Starship Launch Yet

Elon Musk

SpaceX

Funding for the Department of Homeland Security resumed after a 75-day shutdown — but Democrats are already threatening to cut funding again in September if their demands are not met.
Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS), a ranking member of the House Homeland Security Committee, said Democrats would “absolutely” shut down DHS again if Republicans do not agree to proposed reforms to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) — such as banning law enforcement officers from wearing masks and requiring judicial warrants for immigration-related arrests.
“In America, police shouldn’t wear masks while walking the streets,” Thompson said, ignoring the dramatic uptick in threats and violent assaults against immigration enforcement officers and their families. “They need identification, they need cameras, and they need judicial warrants.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
NEW: Rep. Bennie Thompson (D-MS) says Democrats “absolutely” may shut down DHS again in September if the ICE/CBP reforms they demanded aren’t included in the next DHS approps bill. Dems failed to get any reforms with this shutdown &amp; GOP plans to go around them to fund ICE/CBP. <a href="https://t.co/FOjRZcXOvf">https://t.co/FOjRZcXOvf</a>
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/BillMelugin_/status/2050575956427891178?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The House of Representatives ended the record-setting shutdown on Thursday after passing a bill funding most of the DHS — including the Transportation Security Administration and the Secret Service — through the end of September. ICE and Customs and Border Patrol were left out of the measure. Republicans are relying on a reconciliation bill — which would let the Senate bypass the 60-vote procedural threshold and thus the Democrats’ demands — to move ahead with funding for ICE and CBP.
The shutdown began in February after Democrats refused to approve DHS funding unless Republicans agreed to include sweeping federal immigration enforcement reforms. Travelers <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/travelers-spent-nine-hours-in-tsa-line-as-major-hub-becomes-dhs-shutdown-flashpoint?author=Cameron+Arcand&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Travelers+Spent+Nine+Hours+In+TSA+Line+As+Major+Hub+Becomes+DHS+Shutdown+Flashpoint">spent</a> hours in TSA security lines at major airports, and the Coast Guard <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-lights-go-out-coast-guard-faces-shutoffs-financial-crisis-as-dhs-shutdown-hits-day-75">faced</a> utility shutoffs at military installations.
Despite the hardships shouldered by everyday Americans during such shutdowns, Thompson was clear that Democrats are willing to trigger another shutdown if they do not get what they want.
CNN&#8217;s Victor Blackwell pressed Thompson on his answer, asking whether Democrats were willing to force government employees to go without pay again.
“When you say ‘absolutely,’ that suggests that there could be another shutdown, and there could be another lapse in pay for those TSA workers, the Coast Guard, if Democrats withhold those votes at the end of September,” Blackwell said.
“Absolutely. Victor, look, we have to stand for democracy. If we have to fight for it, there has to be sacrifice,&#8221; Thompson added, apparently unconcerned with the fact that it would be average American families making the &#8220;sacrifice&#8221; he was so quick to offer.

Rep. Bennie Thompson

Democrat ‘Absolutely’ Willing to Trigger Another Shutdown If Demands Aren’t Met

Bennie Thompson

Democrats

Federal Government

Government Shutdown

A massive liberal donor network is planning to spend “ten of millions” of dollars on new media to counter conservatives.
Democracy Alliance, founded in 2005 to pool liberal funds, spent most of 2024 trying to flip House seats in New York and California. The group has spent $2 billion on electoral campaigns, media outlets, and think tanks since its creation. But following the new media success of conservatives, the group is shifting its strategy to developing alternative media, Semafor first <a href="https://www.semafor.com/article/05/01/2026/progressive-megadonors-bet-big-on-content-creators">reported</a>.
“It became crystal clear after 2024 that we collectively had relied too much on forms of media that were not reaching people,” Pamela Shifman, president of Democracy Alliance, told Semafor. “Too much focus on paid advertisements, too much focus on broadcast television, and that is simply not where the majority of people consume their news.”
The 2024 election cycle – during which President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance made huge gains through appearances on podcasts — convinced liberal donors to change their strategy.
“Donors are more fired up, are more clear about the stakes, and more ready to go all in to defeat authoritarianism,” Shifman said. “Because it is more than just about one election, right? It is about defeating authoritarianism.”
An internal memo recommended donors invest in Democracy Alliance’s new media fund, which would promote organizations such as More Perfect Union, an advocacy journalism nonprofit. The fund would also help liberals break into predominantly conservative spaces, such as Make America Healthy Again influencing, Semafor reported.
In 2024, President Donald Trump went on a variety of podcasts, including those hosted by Joe Rogan and Theo Von, for interviews that got millions of views. Former Vice President Kamala Harris, the 2024 Democratic nominee, attempted to counter by going on podcasts such as Alex Cooper’s “Call Her Daddy,” but her efforts failed to sway voters.
“The right has spent decades cultivating and organizing young people,” the memo, which was shared with Semafor, said. “They build relationships through culture and community — and engage in politics after. We can’t cede these voters. It’s time for progressives to invest heavily in our own trusted messengers who can meet young people where they are — both online and in-person.”
Shifman told Semafor the problem has been progressives’ messaging strategy.
“That is not why we are losing, because the Democrats are too ‘woke,’” Shifman said. “Our strategy really is about meeting people where they are. And we also need to have a vision of what we are going to do to improve people’s lives.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani used social media to effectively reach voters, she said.
“I live in New York, and I saw the Mamdani campaign use media and tactics that reached people, that spoke to people, that resonated with people, and that was joyful and positive and compelling,” Shifman said. “It doesn’t have to be negative to reach people.”
Despite Mamdani&#8217;s ability to reach people and sell a message, his administration has stalled as he&#8217;s been forced to beg for more money to fund his socialist agenda.

One Story. One Future: GLAAD Celebrates Pride 2025

Liberal Megadonors Plan To Dump Tens Of Millions Into Astroturfing New Media

Media