President Donald Trump issued an invitation to a teenage lifeguard who went viral after saving a young boy’s life from roaring waves.
On Monday, Eric Trump posted a <a href="https://x.com/EricTrump/status/2081834610757927248">video</a> on X of a 16-year-old lifeguard saving a young boy’s life from massive waves in Santa Cruz, California. The post went viral with over 17 million views the next day as Trump commended the teen, saying, “This is truly the best of America! Well Done!” President Donald Trump also commented on the video in a post on <a href="https://x.com/RapidResponse47/status/2082151034768535594">Truth Social</a> and <a href="https://x.com/realDonaldTrump/status/2082159711852298494?s=20">X</a>.
“We’re going to bring this heroic young man, and his family, into the White House with, perhaps, the boy he saved, to give him a High Civilian Honor,” Trump said. “Very brave, he deserves it!”
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Give this 16-year-old lifeguard the highest civilian honor. This is truly the best of America! Well done! <a href="https://t.co/Pq99xNK6WI">pic.twitter.com/Pq99xNK6WI</a>
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) <a href="https://x.com/EricTrump/status/2081834610757927248?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 27, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The man who recorded the video, Scott Vander Dussen, told <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/santa-cruz-lifeguard-rescue-seabright-beach/4119430/">NBC News</a> that the conditions at the beach had been relatively normal earlier in the day.
&#8220;The waves, I wouldn&#8217;t say they were tranquil, but they were what you&#8217;d expect, a normal cadence and intensity,&#8221; Vander Dussen said. &#8220;And then that just changed in a heartbeat.”
As the waves grew in intensity, a 10-year-old boy was quickly overwhelmed.
“It caught a lot of people off-guard. Unfortunately, this young man was overwhelmed and swept out in just a moment&#8217;s time,” Vander Dussen said.
True to his training, the lifeguard sprinted into action, per <a href="https://www.ksbw.com/article/lifeguard-waves-rescue-young-boy-seabright-beach/73278534">KSBW Action News</a>.
“That just missed the opening seconds where the first lifeguard just fearlessly ran out into those huge waves and did what was needed to bring help to that boy,” Vander Dussen added, noting he had never witnessed a rescue this intense before.
The teen began pulling the limp boy to shore as white-foamed waves continued trying to suck them both out to sea. Each time a breaker came, the lifeguard dove under the waves, moving as they lulled. As they neared shore, another lifeguard came to the rescue. Eventually they reached the shore and were met by a group of men, who carried the boy.
Others attempted to assist the lifeguard and boy in the waves, but couldn&#8217;t hold their ground against the powerful surf. Officials often say that while they recognize this desire in people to help, jumping into a dangerous situation without training can create more victims.
“I understand the instinct to want to go and help someone,” Anaiis Moise, marine safety officer for the City of Santa Cruz, said. “And often the more effective way to help is going to be getting someone who is trained and professional to respond to that.”
The boy is in stable condition thanks to the lifeguard&#8217;s quick response and bravery.
A woman on social media, who claims to be the lifeguard’s mother according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/heroic-16-year-old-lifeguard-rescues-child-monster-surf-heart-stopping-video">Fox News</a>, said the teenager’s name was Ryder. After receiving many requests to start a GoFundMe for the young hero, she thanked everyone for their praise and gratitude, but said that Ryder was just doing his job. 
&#8220;I am blown away by the love, kindness, gratitude and respect you&#8217;re sending his way!&#8221; she said. &#8220;A few people have asked about a GoFundMe — but honestly he was just doing the job that he absolutely loves.&#8221;
NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/santa-cruz-lifeguard-rescue-seabright-beach/4119430/">reported</a> that lifeguards in Santa Cruz are required to complete 80 hours of marine safety lifeguard training in addition to 56 hours of basic lifeguard training and 24 hours of medical training.

Sydney Weather

Trump To Honor 16-Year-Old Lifeguard After Heroic Rescue Goes Viral

California

Donald Trump

Eric Trump

Pacific Ocean

K-pop singer Jang Won-young surprised fans when she threw the opening ceremonial pitch at the Mets game on Sunday with a “helluva windup.”
On Sunday, the IVE K-pop band, with over six million daily listeners across the globe, was invited to attend the New York Mets game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. While the entire IVE group was there, Jang had the honor of throwing out the first pitch, and her mechanical windup caused people to question whether South Korea taught basic pitching mechanics to its students. 
“​​To be fair, Jang has a helluva windup, which has me thinking, do they teach pitching mechanics in elementary schools in South Korea and Japan?” <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/outkick-sports/mets-trot-korean-pop-star-amazing-windup-first-pitch-duties-wemby-plays-soccer-rosie">OutKick Senior Director of Content</a> Joe Kinsey asked.
Kinsey wondered how Jang could come over here and put “our travel ball kids to shame?”
The K-pop group also filmed content with former Korean major leaguer Kim Byung-hyun and former professional pitcher Dustin Nippert. 
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to throw the first pitch at a game watched by baseball fans around the world,” Jang said according to <a href="https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/entertainment/k-pop/20260717/ive-invited-to-mlb-game-jang-won-young-to-throw-1st-pitch">The Korean Times</a>. 
“I’ll do my best to share positive energy with both the players and everyone in the stands,” she added.
The IVE K-pop group participated in the ceremony while on the North American section of its second world tour “SHOW WHAT I AM.” Called an “undeniable force in K-pop&#8217;s next generation” by Billboard, IVE will perform in eight arena shows in both the United States and Canada from July to August. Their world tour launched late in 2025 also includes performances in Australia, New Zealand, and Southeast Asia.
This is not the <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/bts-soundtracks-mlb-opening-day-2026">first time</a> the MLB has integrated K-pop stars into the league in an effort to appeal to a younger audience. On the league’s opening day, <a href="https://www.grammy.com/news/bts-facts-proof-k-pop-butter-dynamite-records-collaborations-songwriters/">BTS</a> — one of the most popular music groups in global history — teamed up with MLB after its album “ARIRANG” debuted shortly before the baseball season began. MLB used the song for a hype video on Instagram.
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BTS band member V threw the ceremonial opening pitch at Dodger Stadium and met baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani in 2025.
K-pop has exploded in popularity in the United States, particularly due to BTS, who <a href="https://www.colorado.edu/today/2026/03/10/curiosity-why-k-pop-so-popular-united-states">won</a> the Billboard Music Award for Top Social Artist in 2017.

Los Angeles Dodgers v. New York Mets

K-Pop Singer Takes The Spotlight At Mets Game With Polished Windup

Baseball

Los Angeles Dodgers

Music

New York Mets

Video captured a good Samaritan dressed in a Spider-Man costume rushing across the road to push a struggling man’s wheelchair across the street in busy traffic in Arkansas on Tuesday.
As cars waited for the traffic light, a wheelchair-bound man attempted to slowly cross the intersection. Eventually, he tried thrusting himself forward to move the wheelchair faster. Then, the web-slinger jumped out of a red Jeep and ran to the rescue, pushing the man’s wheelchair across the intersection to safety. 
The 20-year-old hero, Christopher Hellenthal, was coming home from his work at Ultimate Air Trampoline Park in Jonesboro, which held Superhero Day, according to <a href="https://jonesbororightnow.com/news/268862-video-jonesboros-very-own-spider-man-helps-man-cross-busy-intersection/?utm_source=chatgpt.com">Jonesboro Right Now</a>. 
“That morning we had a superhero day, and so I brought it for the toddlers, and they had a blast,&#8221; Hellenthal said, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/good-samaritan-spider-man-costume-helps-man-wheelchair-cross-busy-intersection-viral-moment">Fox News</a>. “And I noticed that there was this man, and he was in a wheelchair, and he was having a lot of trouble, he wasn’t going to make it.”
According to Jonesboro Right Now, Hellenthal was “a little bit hesitant at first,” thinking, “Man, I’m wearing this suit, everyone’s gonna think I’m a little dork.”
“But I got out and I went up to him,” he continued. “I said, ‘Don’t worry, I got you.’ And I grabbed a hold of his wheelchair, and I put him somewhere where he’d be safe, out of traffic.”
Afterward, Hellenthal went home to Lake City and took a nap. Later, his mom woke him up to a video shared by the Jonesboro Police Department on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1346082903745907">Facebook</a>, which quickly went viral.
“Some people say cops are heroes, but even we need a little helping hand,” the post read. “Thank you, sir, for helping this gentleman reach his destination safely. Whether it’s a red light or green light, there is always time to do what’s right!”
Hellenthal said he wears the suit while driving to “get a kick out of people.” Now, the huge Spiderman fan, who wears the costume for all sorts of kid events at the trampoline park, has been interviewed by The New York Times and Good Morning America, as well as other local and national media outlets.  
“This kind of stuff just doesn’t happen,” Hellenthal said. “I’m pretty quiet, I keep to myself, I keep a small group of people around me, and then all of a sudden, I got all sorts of people, and millions of people who know who I am now. It’s just crazy.”
Hellenthal has worked at the Ultimate Air trampoline park for three years, and the business’ assistant manager, Packy Magel, said Hellenthal is a “good kid” and “that’s just like him to help somebody.”

Screenshot

WATCH: Wheelchair-Bound Man Rescued By Superhero As He Struggles To Cross Intersection 

Arkansas

Heroism

Spiderman

Superheroes

Driving down Tennessee roads with rolling green fields, a big blue sky, and beautiful 19th-century homes, I wasn’t sure what to expect from my interview with Lakelin Lemmings, but I couldn’t wait to find out. Three years ago, the rising star signed a publishing deal with Quartz Hill Records at 17 and a label deal at 19. Just days before the release of her debut album, the Gen Z singer spoke with me about her music, passion for God, goals of motherhood, and mission to &#8220;remain country.&#8221;
Lakelin arrived at the recording studio in a boot-cut denim jumpsuit and red paisley scarf around her neck, and I knew right away this girl wasn’t someone who takes herself too seriously. When I told her that we share the same birth year and I couldn’t wait to hear from a woman who’s dealing with the same issues as other Gen Z girls our age, she smiled. With Lakelin&#8217;s <a href="https://open.spotify.com/prerelease/1UnCpJJNyTv1D8nlKVlgiI">first album</a> coming out on Friday, she is excited.
“I&#8217;m feeling like all the hard work and stuff is about to pay off, and that hopefully everybody loves it as much as I do,” Lakelin said. “I think one of the earliest songs in the album I wrote was when I was freshly 16 and the last one when I turned 19. It&#8217;s finally gonna be introduced into the world.”
Many of the songs in the album tackle the topics of young love, relationships, and heartbreak. As someone who loves “How To Lose A Guy In Ten Days” and any good rom-com, Lakelin said she sometimes pulled inspiration from shows she watched, but she has also dealt with a series of her own relationship struggles.
Like other young women her age, Lakelin has had her share of situationships — a <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/experimentations/202403/are-you-in-a-situationship/amp?utm_source=chatgpt.com">term</a> Gen Z uses to describe a romantic relationship without commitment labels. Lakelin&#8217;s song “What Are We Doing” is trying to figure out just that. In “Get Around Boy,” the song lists the places Lakelin hopes to travel to and describes a young man who stays behind in Tennessee as she chases her dreams. Eventually, Lakelin did travel to nearly all the places she mentions, and now says she has a boy “in the back of my mind.”
As the title “19 &amp; Single” suggests, the song touches on the pressure to get married with lyrics like, “I’m all for a Friday night with the girls / &#8216;Cause 19 and single ain’t the end of the world.” Lakelin said she feels pressure when friends get engaged, married, and start having babies. With earnest hopes for marriage and motherhood, Lakelin said she has made sacrifices to be where she is, but still wants to perform her music and pursue her dreams.
Not all of Lakelin&#8217;s lyrics were inspired by what you’d expect. After singing along in the car to Lakelin’s <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DbHG1muBl1G/?hl=en">“He Ain’t Coming Back,”</a> I had to get the scoop behind this earworm. Another smile.
“Yeah, so everybody thinks that, you know, ‘He Ain&#8217;t Coming Back’ is about some boy that did me wrong and something like that,” Lakelin said. “But the story of it is actually — I was finishing up writing the album and we needed an up-tempo song.” 
Just days before it was time to record the album, Lakelin texted her two favorite co-writers to tell them the emergency: They had to come up with one more track. They convened on a Friday, but the co-writers had to cancel another appointment to make the timing work. 
“We get there, and we’re writing, and we hadn&#8217;t really gotten a title or anything yet, and — a knock on the door. It&#8217;s the guy that they were supposed to write with,” Lakelin said.
After the co-writers explained the rescheduling and the man’s confusion passed, he left. But the situation was “just really awkward,” Lakelin said.
“My co-writer, after he leaves, is like, ‘Man, I hope he comes back,’ and I just look at him, and I go, ‘Oh, he ain&#8217;t coming back.’ And a light bulb and a flip switched, and we were like, ‘We&#8217;re writing that.’”
Throughout Lakelin’s journey, her faith in God has been central. There have been difficult moments, Lakelin said, but she believes “God’s called me to country music.” Lakelin describes herself as a Christian who writes country music, not as a Christian country artist.
“I feel like there&#8217;s a need in country music for somebody that loves country music and can talk about those types of things, but also is rooted in her faith and is genuinely someone who&#8217;s only after God&#8217;s will,” Lakelin said, noting that Christian country singers often sing traditional Christian songs that feel less “country.”
“I love Christian music, and I&#8217;m sure I&#8217;ll dabble in it,&#8221; she said. &#8220;And I have a little bit to keep the faith life of mine, but I&#8217;m always going to remain country.”
As someone who stays with her family whenever she’s not on the road, Lakelin loves seeing her two little sisters — aged one and three — who know her as “Lae Lae.” Lakelin said she’s like their second mother, with a large age gap between them and the three oldest siblings. Lemmings was the middle child for years with her now 23-year-old sister, whom she would compete with in singing, and a 17-year-old brother. However, after the first daughter left the nest, Lemmings said her parents wanted more kids, dreaming of having a family of eight.
Lakelin’s family couldn&#8217;t be more supportive of her burgeoning music career. Since she was little, Lakelin has performed in competitions, and her extended family still recalls when she was performing at their barbecue singing competition. Lakelin said she does wonder what they think watching her grow from small performances to standing on grand stages. 
How does she stay grounded in some sort of routine with a life that is always moving from writing and recording sessions to performances and tours? She named only two things: her coffee in the morning and her Bible in the evening. 
“After a long week or a long day in the music world, I like to just go home and have a cup of coffee, read my Bible, maybe tan a little bit, and just spend time with family and friends,” she said.
Lakelin has a message to other girls who are dreamers with a desire from God but see too many roadblocks.
“If you&#8217;re gonna be a dreamer, you got to be a doer. And I think that if you have a dream, then chase it,” Lakelin said. “If it&#8217;s God&#8217;s will and his plan, then it&#8217;s going to work out just the way it&#8217;s supposed to. It&#8217;s going to be hard at times to trust that and trust in Him, but you just got to keep the faith.”
***
This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/introducing-upstream-a-lifestyle-and-culture-section-of-the-daily-wire" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream,</a> The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.

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The Country Star Bringing Faith To Center Stage

Country Music

interview

Tennessee

Upstream

The building that was once St. Ann’s Church in Buffalo, New York, burned down after sustaining two fires in less than a week, and officials have confirmed the latest fire was arson. 
The 140-year-old church suffered a three-alarm fire last Friday, which the firefighters contained for the most part, per <a href="https://www.btpm.org/local/2026-07-17/buffalo-firefighters-take-on-second-multi-alarm-fire-this-year-at-former-st-anns-parish">PBS</a>. The building seemed to remain structurally stable after the fire, but firefighters were called back to the church at 5:45 p.m. on Tuesday as another fire tore through the building. 
These were not the first fires at the St. Ann’s Parish this year, where the 140-year-old church resides. Back in January, a massive four-alarm fire gutted St. Ann’s schoolhouse, causing $600,000 in damages, according to <a href="https://www.wivb.com/news/local-news/buffalo/tuesday-fire-at-former-st-anns-church-determined-to-be-arson/">WIVB</a>.
St. Ann’s Parish was closed by Bishop Richard Malone in 2013, but the Vatican confirmed the closure in 2017, according to <a href="https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/buffalo/news/2017/11/21/historic-st--ann-church-in-buffalo-officially-closed">Spectrum News</a>. The Catholic church was then sold to the Buffalo Crescent Holdings, which is associated with a Muslim group, in November 2022 for $250,000. It was set to be converted into a mosque. The multimillion dollar project, which included an Islamic school and college, shopping plaza, and Muslim funeral home. Developers have made no further plans for the project, according to <a href="https://www.ewtnnews.com/world/us/will-a-buffalo-catholic-church-become-a-mosque-here-s-what-to-know?utm_source=chatgpt.com&amp;redirectedfrom=cna">EWTN News</a>. 
Leah Halton-Pope, Buffalo Common Council Member, said that earlier on Tuesday she had talked about securing the building. 
“I literally just had a conversation this afternoon with a member of the administration asking what are we going to do about it and stressing that something has to be done over there to secure it, and then said it’s probably going to be set on fire again, but I just didn’t think it would happen today,” she said.
Bernice Radle, executive director at Preservation Buffalo Niagara, said that the owners of the property have been unresponsive and “refuse to secure the building.”
“Preservation Buffalo Niagara calls on the City of Buffalo to pull out all the stops to wrestle this landmark church from its negligent absentee owner,” Radle said. “Enough is enough!”
This <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/173-year-old-church-burned-down-its-not-the-first-in-recent-months?author=Trinity+Gentry&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=9&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=173-Year-Old+Church+Burned+Down.+It%E2%80%99s+Not+The+First+In+Recent+Months.">church fire</a> isn&#8217;t the first for New York in the past months. In June, a landmark 173-year-old church, whose congregation still met weekly, was burned in Brooklyn. Officials determined that the blaze was caused by a firebug. In April, a 138-year-old church in Astoria was destroyed by a five-alarm fire and still remains under investigation. Police also arrested a man on July 8 who allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at two different houses of worship in Queens.

Church building

Another Historic New York Church Burned Down In Arson Attack

Arson

Catholic Church

Church

Mosques

Muslim

A suspect dove off a bridge headfirst in a daring attempt to evade law enforcement following a car chase in Missouri last weekend.
In the early morning of Saturday, July 18, the deputies engaged in a vehicle pursuit of 26-year-old Missouri man, Gavin Thor Lundgren. The Stone County Sheriff&#8217;s Office released dashcam footage of Lundgren jumping out of his still-moving vehicle during a car chase, and sprinting over the bridge’s railing headfirst into Table Rock Lake. 
Despite Lundgren’s bold escape, the deputies later arrested him, charging Lundgren with three counts of third-degree assault on a special victim, which covers <a href="https://www.revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=565.054&amp;utm_source=chatgpt.com">attacks</a> on law enforcement officers, emergency teams, along with the elderly, and other vulnerable people. He was also charged with resisting arrest by fleeing, careless driving, and resisting arrest for a felony, according to <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/missouri-suspect-dives-headfirst-off-bridge-wild-bid-evade-deputies">Fox News</a>.
At 1:50 a.m., deputies tried pulling Lundgren over for going 75 mph in a 45-mph zone in his 2004 Chevrolet Malibu, according to the probable cause statement per Fox News. However, the suspect refused to pull over, leading the police on a car chase until he exited his vehicle and jumped from the bridge. 
“This was definitely a first and luckily he survived the fall,&#8221; the sheriff&#8217;s office said. &#8220;He resisted arrest and deputies suffered minor injuries taking him into custody.&#8221;
Lundgren headbutted two of the three deputies in the struggle. The deputies suffered facial bruising, abrasions, and cuts on their forearms, hands, and elbows. 
Lundgren was booked in the Stone County Jail without bond.

WATCH: Suspect Makes A Death-Defying Escape Gamble

arrest

Crime

Missouri

Police

Tropical Storm Bertha made landfall in southeastern Louisiana on Wednesday afternoon, bringing heavy rain, strong winds, storm surge, and the threat of isolated tornadoes to parts of the Gulf Coast.
The storm came ashore around 2 p.m. CDT near the Biloxi Wildlife Management Area in St. Bernard Parish with maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. Coastal flooding from storm surge was already being reported as Tropical Storm Warnings remained in effect for the New Orleans metropolitan area and the Lake Pontchartrain region.
Forecasters warned residents across southeastern Louisiana and portions of coastal Mississippi to expect sustained tropical-storm-force winds, heavy rainfall, and the potential for isolated tornadoes through Thursday. 
Farther east, Bertha also generated dangerous surf and rip current conditions along Alabama&#8217;s Gulf Coast. AccuWeather reported double red flags at Orange Beach, warning beachgoers of life-threatening surf and rip currents. Waves were expected to build between 9 and 11 feet, and swimmers who ignored the warnings could face fines or arrest. 
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Tropical Storm Bertha brought high surf, storm surge, and coastal flooding advisories to Alabama&#8217;s Gulf Coast on Tuesday evening, creating hazardous conditions along the shoreline. <a href="https://t.co/GsE51kqB3v">pic.twitter.com/GsE51kqB3v</a>
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) <a href="https://x.com/accuweather/status/2079967990276337976?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 22, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The storm also caused <a href="https://www.accuweather.com/en/hurricane/live-news/tropical-storm-bertha-live-updates-landfall-ocurrs-in-st-bernard-parish-louisiana/1913848?utm_source=chatgpt.com">significant beach erosion</a> in Alabama. At least six vehicles were submerged at the western end of Dauphin Island, while flooding forced officials to close portions of Dauphin Island Parkway near Dog River and restrict access to the eastbound I-10 Bayway ramp.  
Bertha is the second named storm in the 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, following <a href="https://wlos.com/news/local/tropical-storm-arthur-forms-texas-coast-first-named-storm-2026-atlantic-season-national-hurricane-center-forecast-weather-rain-thunderstorms-flooding-rainfall-noaa-outlook">Tropical Storm Arthur</a> in June. 
Forecasters said Bertha remains somewhat disorganized as strong upper-level winds continue to disrupt the storm&#8217;s structure. Despite that, the system is expected to produce hazardous conditions across portions of the Gulf Coast. 
The greatest threats remain damaging wind gusts, creating rough surf conditions, flooding and storm surge. ” Florida&#8217;s Panama City Beach experienced wind gusts up to 42 mph on Tuesday, while portions of Florida&#8217;s Panhandle experienced gusts as high as 50 mph. 
Forecasters also warned that a storm surge of up to three feet is possible along parts of the immediate Gulf Coast, per Yale Climate Connections.

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Tropical Storm Bertha Makes Landfall, Bringing Flood, Wind Threats

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A Florida pastor has sued OpenAI, alleging ChatGPT repeatedly discouraged him from seeking professional medical care before he nearly died from a pulmonary embolism. 
Scott Winters, who led a congregation at a Florida church before his health crisis, claims ChatGPT provided “extremely dangerous medical recommendations,” according to a lawsuit covered by the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/22/well/openai-chatgpt-health-lawsuit.html?campaign_id=60&amp;amp;emc=edit_na_20260722&amp;amp;instance_id=179141&amp;amp;nl=breaking-news&amp;amp;regi_id=313459440&amp;amp;segment_id=223509&amp;amp;user_id=78f711be30ac4139b3a0a041b9e1adc5">New York Times</a>. As Winters experienced early stages of a pulmonary embolism, a potentially life-threatening blood clot in the lungs, he turned to ChatGPT for advice. 
Using ChatGPT-4o, released in May 2024, Winters initially received recommendations to seek professional medical care. But according to the lawsuit, those warnings stopped providing disclaimers as the conversations continued. Medical AI researcher Dr. Adam Rodman described the allegations as a “nightmare scenario.”
The lawsuit alleges ChatGPT eventually told Winters that his symptoms were “not something dangerous” and that “God did not design your body to endlessly fail.” 
As Winters began experiencing dizzy spells, including one that forced him to stop a sermon, friends encouraged him to seek medical attention. He told ChatGPT that “the people in my church think I’m crazy for not going to the hospital,” but the chatbot reassured Winters and instructed him to “take it easy,” certain he would recover in time.
The chatbot also allegedly told Winters that resetting his nervous system at home with its help was a decision “most people simply don&#8217;t understand,” according to the New York Times.  
Winters’ health continued to worsen as he spent much of his time in his recliner because he became too dizzy to stand. The lawsuit alleges ChatGPT continued to &#8220;downplay&#8221; his symptoms while offering “specific regimens for prescription medications.” 
After experiencing severe groin pain in July 2025, ChatGPT allegedly told Winters it was “very likely another minor piece of the long story.” Hours later, he was rushed to intensive care with a massive pulmonary embolism, according to the New York Times. 
Doctors later told Winters that his earlier dizzy spells were likely symptoms of smaller pulmonary embolisms and that the blood clots may have worsened after weeks of reclining, the lawsuit claims.
As a result of the pulmonary embolism, Winters required weeks of assistance with “standing, eating, dressing and using the bathroom” and will face years of “intensive physical and psychological recovery,” according to the lawsuit. 
More than <a href="https://www.healthcaredive.com/news/40-million-use-chatgpt-health-questions-openai/808861/">40 million</a> people ask ChatGPT health-related questions daily. While the newer chatbot models include additional safeguards, experts told the Times that lengthy conversations can sometimes weaken those protections. Rodman said newer models make scenarios like Winters&#8217; less likely but warned AI systems could still fail in ways researchers have not yet anticipated.

In this photo illustration, an OpenAI logo is seen displayed

A Pastor Asked ChatGPT For Medical Advice. It Didn’t End Well.

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Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) suggested Tuesday that racism may help explain why many soccer fans rooted against Argentina during this year&#8217;s World Cup, drawing a puzzled response from a Yale history professor testifying before Congress.  
During a House <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=961Mclohmi8&amp;t=6901s">hearing</a> titled &#8220;Rewriting American History: Examining the Smithsonian&#8217;s Efforts to Reshape the Past,&#8221; Crockett asked Yale historian David Blight why so many people rooted for Spain over Argentina in the tournament&#8217;s final.
Noting that the World Cup captured the “imagination of the entire world” where everyone saw people of color playing for these teams, Crockett pointed to the championship match between Argentina and Spain. 
“And it seemed like the vast majority of the world was rooting for Argentina … or, actually, against Argentina, right?” Crockett said. “And why was that? Just give me an explanation if you can guess.” 
“Spain had the best team,” Blight responded with a smile while shaking his head. “Maybe that’s why they were rooting for them.&#8221;
After laughing at Blight&#8217;s response, Crockett suggested there was also “a racist history that exists as it relates to Argentina.”
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Rep. Jasmine Crockett (D-TX) implies it was racist to root for Argentina vs Spain: <a href="https://t.co/NoJqioHhDq">pic.twitter.com/NoJqioHhDq</a>
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) <a href="https://x.com/EndWokeness/status/2079599936660811930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Earlier in the hearing, Crockett welcomed attendees to what she called “Republicans&#8217; white-pride rally disguised as a congressional hearing,” according to <a href="https://www.theblaze.com/news/jasmine-crockett-world-cup-argentina">Blaze Media</a>. 
She followed with a series of remarks about America’s history being rooted in racism and white supremacy. 
“It’s a fact that there is a violent, exclusionary, discriminatory, sexist, and racist part of American history where our indigenous populations were forcibly displaced from their land,” Crockett said.
Crockett also cited the Biden administration&#8217;s 2021 claim that the greatest &#8220;domestic threat to the United States is violent white supremacists.&#8221; She accused Republicans of pushing to ban books and &#8220;attack museums.&#8221;
Crockett also claimed that &#8220;white men,&#8221; whom she accused of having a &#8220;fetish&#8221; and &#8220;fragile egos,&#8221; are attempting to feel &#8220;oppressed&#8221; over changes at the Smithsonian Museum, according to Blaze Media.

Bill Gates Appears For Closed Interview With House Oversight Committee Over Epstein Connections

Jasmine Crockett’s Latest Racist Target? The World Cup

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Paramount Skydance Corp’s $110 billion takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc. is temporarily halted by a federal judge.
On Monday, U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín paused the merger between the two media giants for 14 days after they hoped to seal the deal on July 22, according to <a href="https://news.bloomberglaw.com/ip-law/paramount-warner-bros-deal-temporarily-paused-by-federal-judge">Bloomberg Law</a>. Fearing that the merger would harm cable and film competition, 12 states, including California, Arizona, Massachusetts, and Washington, sued Paramount and Warner Bros. on July 13, blocking the deal. 
Though Warner Bros. has already agreed to sell to Paramount, the judge is preventing Paramount from finalizing the decision. A pre-existing merger-agreement provision mandates Paramount pay WBD shareholders if the deal isn&#8217;t closed by September 30. 
The hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3, determining whether the deal will be blocked indefinitely. 
The deal would allegedly result in 90% of the media market controlled by four companies: Walt Disney Co., Universal, Sony Pictures Entertainment, and the Paramount-Warner merger. The lawsuit also claims that the merged company would control 27% alone of the “market for films widely released to theaters” as well as 30% of anticipated blockbusters, according to Bloomberg Law.
New York Attorney General Letitia James, one of the 12 state attorneys general, <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2026/attorney-general-james-wins-court-order-halting-paramounts-merger-warner-bros">celebrated</a> the judge’s decision, saying the deal would harm industries, workers, artists, businesses, and consumers. 
“Paramount’s unlawful merger with Warner Bros. would mean more expensive theater tickets, higher cable bills, fewer opportunities for workers, and fewer original stories shared with audiences across the country,” James said. 
This merger would bring two streaming platforms, two movie studios, and two news organizations under <a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1911103/bio/?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm">David Ellison’s</a> control, the chief executive officer of Skydance Media.

Several States Are Preparing Lawsuit To Challenge Paramount’s Purchase Of Warner Bros. Discovery

Judge Throws Hollywood’s Biggest Media Deal Into Limbo

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As hiring teachers becomes <a href="https://educatorsrising.org/teacher-shortage-by-the-numbers/">increasingly difficult</a>, a rural New York school is set to become one of the first schools in the nation to use a robot to teach students.
Salamanca City Central School District bought the robot, Sally, for $57,590 — less than the median annual <a href="https://usafacts.org/answers/how-much-do-teachers-get-paid-in-the-us/state/new-york/">salary</a> for a New York teacher. Sally is an AI-powered humanoid robot from Realbotix, according to <a href="https://www.audacy.com/krld/news/local/new-york-school-district-to-pilot-first-humanoid-robot-teacher-in-us-classroom">KRLD Newsradio 1080.</a> The robot will function as a teaching assistant tool starting in September for 11th- and 12th-grade coding, robotics, and artificial intelligence classes.
Andrew Kiguel, CEO of Realbotix, said in an interview with the <a href="https://nysfocus.com/2026/07/14/new-york-humanoid-robot-teacher-salamanca-school-district">New York Focus</a> that the company is currently building the robot, furnishing it with silicone skin, long brown hair, and a mobile upper body and facial expressions to make it look as human as possible. 
While the robot cannot walk around the classroom, students can log into Sally with a unique identification code during class, according to the New York Focus. Then, the robot has access to the student’s learning data, exclusively using it to provide specialized support based on their profile, according to Kiguel. 
“They’ll be able to say, ‘Hey, I’m student number 1234,’ and then the robot will be like, ‘Hey, we were talking about this yesterday, do you want to continue that conversation?’” Kiguel said.
The robot is not a replacement for teachers, but functions as a teacher’s assistant specifically in the school’s nationally recognized and highly regarded <a href="https://www.salamancany.org/o/high-school/article/402980">STEM program</a>. Using the WozEd curriculum developed by Apple co-founder <a href="https://nationalmedals.org/laureate/steve-wozniak/?gad_source=1&amp;gad_campaignid=22980874520&amp;gbraid=0AAAAACJSddaSuD1KbdbNvD7RYRCNOwZ5d&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwjvfSBhDpARIsAEiOpStagWbBG1FOzraVBWX2InsntrXSn0sw_wqiFxX2PF-k8zO6fPE2cdYaAkCqEALw_wcB">Steve Wozniak</a>, the program prepares students for essential college degrees and tech careers. 
If Sally is successful, the school district hopes to integrate robotic assistant teachers into other high school classrooms, according to the New York Focus. After school hours, students can interact with an AI avatar of Sally, receiving help with assignments by uploading pictures of homework for feedback. Students can also have the robot create lessons for topics of interest and “receive real-time translations in over 100 languages.”
As of <a href="https://allaccess.collegeboard.org/high-school-student-use-ai-surging-are-schools-ready">October 2025</a>, almost 40% of schools banned AI outright, with only 13% of high schools encouraging it. As schools <a href="https://sites.campbell.edu/academictechnology/2025/03/06/ai-in-higher-education-a-summary-of-recent-surveys-of-students-and-faculty/">grapple</a> with both optimism and concern about integrating AI into the classroom, Salamanca Superintendent Mark Beehler said he is not taking the “easy solution.”  
“I also believe it is critical for schools to teach proper use of technology, not simply exclude it,” Beehler said. 
Under a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalamancaWarriors/posts/pfbid02fhXE5EAWNUQ4XTCFAmWXTUPiSCDxmHDTtnN35JZ6YWrQxC99KARNAWRdVUnPp43Fl?rdid=qVPvf4M4mCkQy1Wv#">Facebook post</a> from the school district about the robot, some parents raised concerns about the district’s further integration of AI in what it describes as an “underserved area.” The school district is located on a Native American reservation with about 1,300 students, 32% of whom identify as Native American and 79% are considered economically disadvantaged. 
“I just don’t understand the concept of adding AI onto that,” said local parent Sierra Abrams. “Bringing it into the school district is contradicting everything we believe, in my opinion.” 
Others were upset that the school did not appear interested in hearing parents’ opinions before implementing the pilot.
<a href="https://www.realbotix.com/use-cases">Realbotix</a> boasts about its robots&#8217; human appearance and ability to “remember your previous interactions, building genuine connections with its audiences.” 
While the robots can be used from media and entertainment to healthcare and corporate services, Realbotix claims that the robots are “ideal to tackle North America’s staggering loneliness epidemic.&#8221;

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School Sparks Debate After Buying Humanoid Robot Teacher

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On Thursday, the FDA approved a new daily pill that lowers cholesterol, potentially decreasing the risk of adverse events such as heart attacks or strokes.
<a href="https://www.merck.com/news/mercks-lipfendra-enlicitide-is-the-first-and-only-once-daily-oral-pcsk9-inhibitor-approved-by-the-u-s-fda-to-reduce-ldl-c-in-adults-with-hypercholesterolemia/">Lipfendra</a>, developed by the pharmaceutical company Merck, can significantly reduce <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/cholesterol/about/ldl-and-hdl-cholesterol-and-triglycerides.html">LDL</a> — a type of “bad” cholesterol that can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke — by 56% when compared to placebo at 24 weeks. Clinical trials involving 2,912 people showed the drug can lower LDL levels by 60% with “no difference in side effects between the drug and a placebo” — suggesting a similar success rate to injectable drugs aimed at reducing LDL, according to the <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/16/science/the-fda-approves-a-new-pill-to-slash-cholesterol-levels.html">New York Times</a>.
Lipfendra can reduce LDL levels to 50 or lower, a dramatic decrease from the average adult LDL level of 100. For those with an “above-average risk” for heart attacks or strokes, the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology recommend LDL levels below 70. For high-risk patients, LDL should be below 55.
Until now, most medications to lower cholesterol have been injectable. Only 1% of 6 million eligible patients would take these drugs, according to the New York Times, and prices ranged from $500 to $600 a month or more. The result was that even though a PCSK9 inhibitor could potentially reduce heart attack risk by 20% for high-risk patients, few could actually reap the benefits if the prices remained high.
Lipfendra also functions as a PCSK9 inhibitor, but can be taken orally rather than by injection — and also comes with a much smaller price tag. With a price of $315 for a 30-day supply — and without the pain of injection — Lipfendra is being held up as a potential game-changer. Merck spokesperson Julia Cunningham said the drug will be available in a few weeks.
Dr. Christopher Cannon, a cardiologist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said he was “thrilled” by the new drug, and Dr. David Maron, a preventive cardiologist at Stanford, believes it will “make a big difference compared with the cost of injectable PCSK9 inhibitors.”
Currently, Merck is testing Lipfendra to evaluate whether it yields the same results as an injectable drug, blocking PCSK9 and reducing chances of “heart attacks, strokes and cardiovascular deaths by 20% in high-risk people.” Dr. Dean Li, president of Merck Research Laboratories, said he is “confident that it will,” per the New York Times. The goal is to make this drug available to all doctors for prescription, not just cardiologists.

FDA Plans To Speed Up Drug Trials With Real-Time Data, AI

FDA Approves New Wonder Drug That Could Fix Your Cholesterol

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