Six Flags Magic Mountain has kept its X2 roller coaster shut down for over a month after a rider was found unconscious.
The park in Valencia, California, took the ride offline on July 5 when the Los Angeles County Fire Department was called to the scene. 
The California Division of Occupational Safety and Health has since opened an inspection, though it has declined to release any details while the review continues.
A spokesman for the park confirmed only that X2 is not running, saying, “We hope to get the ride back up as soon as possible. We do not have an estimated time of when X2 will be reopening.” 
The park has given no further explanation about why the coaster remains closed or whether any safety or maintenance work is necessary. It has also not disclosed anything about the condition of the rider involved in the July incident.
X2 is billed as one of the most intense roller coasters in the world and the first to deliver a fourth-dimension experience. Riders sit in seats that spin a full 360 degrees and reach out on wings away from the track. 
The course includes face-down drops and hits 76 miles per hour along its 3,610-foot track. The park calls it a rite of passage for the ultimate daredevil, the kind of ride that leaves even the most hardened thrill seeker screaming. It opened as X in 2002 and was later renamed X2.
The shutdown comes as a separate case involving the X2 roller coaster moves toward trial. A Garden Grove family has alleged that their 22-year-old son, Christopher Hawley, suffered a catastrophic brain bleed after riding X2 in June 2022. 
According to the lawsuit, the coaster suddenly and violently jolted to a halt while Hawley was riding. After the ride, he said his head hurt, then grabbed a rail to keep himself up before he went down and lost consciousness. He was taken to Henry Mayo Newhall Hospital and died the next day. A jury trial is set to begin in September.

People on boardwalk near new roller coaster

The Mystery That Forced Six Flags To Shut Down Popular Ride

California

Roller coaster

Six flags

The Trump administration is stepping into the extraordinary surrogacy fight pitting a surrogate against a baby’s biological parents, warning hospitals that the child, who was born with a heart defect, must receive life-saving care as a tense legal battle unfolds.
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) submitted a letter to Children’s Medical Center of Dallas and UT Southwestern Medical Center reminding them of their obligations to treat the child under federal disability civil rights law, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/hhs-warns-texas-hospitals-denying-life-saving-care-newborn-disability">according to Fox News.</a> 
HHS said federal disability protections bar doctors from withholding care because of a patient’s condition, including the belief that a disabled person’s life is less worthy or that their care would place a burden on others, the outlet reported.
McKenna West, a single mother of two children, delivered baby Gabriel Wednesday in the Dallas area after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a court order requiring him to receive life-saving medical care when his surrogate rejected demands from his biological parents to abort him.
At 20 weeks, Gabriel was diagnosed in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) — a serious but treatable congenital heart condition that typically requires three staged surgeries. After learning of the diagnosis, his biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, demanded that West travel to California to abort the child, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-state-comes-to-rescue-of-surrogate-mom-facing-pressure-to-kill-baby?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=3&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Red+State+Comes+To+Rescue+Of+Surrogate+Mom+Facing+Pressure+To+Kill+Baby">The Daily Wire</a> previously reported.
“So we were all really upset. It was completely unexpected. Everything had been going great,” West, who became pregnant through IVF, told <a href="https://www.liveaction.org/news/surrogate-fights-baby-heart-condition-refusing-abortion">Live Action News</a>. “I was full of fear and stress of what they were going to choose. I was feeling pretty confident that they were going to choose termination, and how could I possibly live with myself going through that?”
West refused the abortion demand and fled to Dallas, where she sought legal protection and access to doctors experienced in treating Gabriel’s condition.
Most surrogacy contracts include provisions giving the intended parents a say in whether to terminate a pregnancy. <a href="http://surrogate.com">Surrogate.com</a> says surrogates cannot be forced to undergo an abortion, but refusing to comply with a contractual agreement could carry “financial and legal consequences.”
West says having the baby could cost her $200,000 — a price she was willing to pay.
“This is my body, and I absolutely don’t want to go through this. Nothing was scarier than questioning my own soul and knowing what would happen to this baby boy,” she told Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action. “His life doesn’t have a price tag on it. There’s nothing that they could try to come after me for that would be worth his life.”
Gabriel’s biological parents are now speaking out through their attorneys, accusing Paxton’s office of turning the case into “political theater” through its legal actions.
“Our clients’ child was born earlier this morning and he is now receiving medical care provided by a team of pediatric experts,” attorney Lee Budner said in a statement to The <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2026/08/12/texas-surrogacy-california-alaska-parental-rights/">Texas Tribune</a>. “McKenna West’s baseless attempts to intervene in the child’s medical care have been soundly rejected by the courts.”
“Our clients’ only focus at this time is ensuring that their baby receives the medical care that he vitally needs and that they, as his parents, are able to spend every precious moment they can with him,” Budner added.
In court filings, Gabriel’s biological parents accused West of initially agreeing to terminate the pregnancy before reversing course, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/couple-surrogate-claims-wanted-baby-aborted-break-silence-as-red-state-steps-in?author=Amanda+Harding&amp;category=undefined&amp;elementPosition=11&amp;row=3&amp;rowHeadline=Latest+News&amp;rowType=Vertical+Carousel&amp;title=Couple+Surrogate+Claims+Wanted+Baby+Aborted+Break+Silence+As+Red+State+Steps+In">The Daily Wire</a> reported. 
“It is undisputed that West initially agreed and that she herself made the initial appointment. She then unilaterally changed her mind, cut off all contact with A.B. and C.D., and withdrew medical releases allowing A.B. and C.D. to have contact with all medical providers,” the filing said.
A Dallas judge granted the biological couple’s request for a temporary restraining order against West and blocked her from making any medical decisions for the child she was carrying.
A California court ruled that Gilkar and Ahmed are the legal parents of the baby. But Lincoln Wilson, an attorney for West, said that his client “is lawfully the parent because she gave birth to this child that she carries in Texas, then she should control custody as well.”
A hearing is scheduled for August 25.

03472245-d5f3-4d06-86f8-c7c45e404491

Trump Admin Steps Into Surrogate’s Fight For Newborn’s Life-Saving Care

Abortion

life

McKenna West

News

Pro-Life Movement

Surrogacy

Texas

A self-described “Disney adult” has gone viral after years of documenting her repeated interactions with Disneyland&#8217;s Peter Pan character, and viewers have accused the devoted fan of making one cast member visibly uncomfortable.
A TikTok user, babytoni99, who goes by &#8220;Toni,&#8221; has posted numerous videos of herself interacting with performers portraying Peter Pan at Disneyland. One video posted on July 31 shows Toni giving a present to the Disney employee, who accepts it in a moment that followers deemed “creepy af.”
“Another adventure with the green bean,” Toni wrote in the caption.
The performer appears surprised when Toni approaches with the gift, shouting, “‘What?’” in response to Toni coming at him with a crocheted duck wearing a Peter Pan hat. He thanks Toni during the awkward encounter, but fans say the video feels more like a hostage situation.
“He f***king hates you,” one commenter wrote.
“I bet he wishes he could actually fly,” another agreed.
“You know he went home and cracked open a bottle of whiskey after this,” a third echoed.
“Disney workers need a distress call for backup,” another person chimed in. 
Toni promised to visit Peter Pan again the following week, which is likely more than an idle threat, given the content of her previous videos dating back ten years. Her TikTok profile notes that she’s a “Magic Key Holder,” meaning she has an annual season pass to the theme park.
The TikTok user’s earliest post featuring the character dates back to February 2020 and includes the caption, “We promised to never forget our adventures.” But later posts mention how her obsessions with Peter Pan – including visiting with him – began long before that. 
All of this attention prompted another man to say he was also harassed by a different theme park guest while he was playing Peter Pan at Disney World in Orlando, Florida. 
“I myself, whilst working at Disney World, had a stalker. She came to my line every single shift that I was Peter Pan, and likely to the other two or three people that were cast in the role of Peter Pan at the time, and she would continue to circle the queue line over and over and over again to see Peter Pan,” he <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@backinthacloset/video/7672925590298578189">said</a> in a TikTok clip.
“Now, this person was not a child. This person was easily in her late 20s, early 30s, and would come to my line time and time again asking disturbing questions.”
The incidents have led to a lot of discourse about so-called “Disney adults,” a term for adults who become obsessed with visiting theme parks without any children in tow. 
There were also commenters coming to Toni’s defense, including one former cast member who said her behavior wasn’t the worst he’s seen.
“I honestly don’t understand why everyone’s upset. There are a ton of people that go to the parks that act way worse than she does,” he <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Db4g6_Yspbo/">said</a> in an Instagram video.

Disney adult

Peter Pan Can Fly, But Can He Escape This ‘Disney Adult’?

Disney

Disneyland

TikTok

viral video

A baby with a heart defect at the center of an extraordinary surrogacy dispute was born after Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton stepped in to ensure the child received life-saving medical care when his surrogate rejected demands from the biological parents to abort him.
McKenna West, a single mother of two children and an Alaska nurse, decided to become a surrogate after hearing about a friend’s positive experience, believing it would allow her to earn extra income while helping another family have a child, according to <a href="https://www.liveaction.org/news/surrogate-fights-baby-heart-condition-refusing-abortion">Live Action News.</a> In February 2025, she applied to a surrogacy agency, was approved, and was matched with a California couple she initially described as a “perfect match.”
That all changed when, at 20 weeks, Baby Gabriel was <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-paxton-fights-save-unborn-child-diagnosed-treatable-heart-condition-and-demands">diagnosed</a> in utero with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) — a serious but treatable congenital heart condition that typically requires three staged surgeries. 
After learning of the diagnosis, his biological parents, Nausheen Gilkar and Omar Ahmed, reportedly demanded that West travel to California to abort the child, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/12/us-news/surrogate-mckenna-west-who-refuses-to-abort-baby-despite-its-biological-parents-wishes-scores-early-legal-victory/">New York Post.</a> 
“So we were all really upset. It was completely unexpected. Everything had been going great,” West, who became pregnant through IVF, told <a href="https://www.liveaction.org/news/surrogate-fights-baby-heart-condition-refusing-abortion">Live Action News.</a> &#8220;I was full of fear and stress of what they were going to choose. I was feeling pretty confident that they were going to choose termination, and how could I possibly live with myself going through that?&#8221;
West refused and fled to Dallas, where she sought legal protection and access to doctors experienced in treating Gabriel’s condition.
The vast majority of surrogacy contracts include provisions giving the intended parents a say in whether to terminate a pregnancy, <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2016/02/surrogacy-contract-melissa-cook/463323">The Atlantic</a> reported. <a href="https://surrogate.com/surrogates/surrogacy-contracts/surrogacy-contracts-termination-pregnancy/">Surrogate.com</a> says surrogates cannot be forced to undergo an abortion, but refusing to comply with a contractual agreement could carry “financial and legal consequences.” 
West says having the baby could cost her $200,000 — a price she was willing to pay. 
“This is my body, and I absolutely don&#8217;t want to go through this. Nothing was scarier than questioning my own soul and knowing what would happen to this baby boy,” she told Lila Rose, president and founder of Live Action. “His life doesn&#8217;t have a price tag on it. There&#8217;s nothing that they could try to come after me for that would be worth his life.”
<a href="https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/?tab=1&amp;code=FA&amp;chapter=FA.160&amp;artSec=">Texas law</a> recognizes the woman who carries and gives birth to a child as the “gestational mother,” prompting Paxton’s office to intervene and ask the district court to enter orders directing the child’s care upon birth.
“The intended parents have refused to agree that they will consent to the life-saving surgery upon birth and may attempt to transport the child out of Texas to prevent treatment from being administered,” the attorney general’s office wrote. 
A district court <a href="https://www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/images/press/G%20Relief.pdf?utm_content=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_name=&amp;utm_source=govdelivery&amp;utm_term=">granted</a> Paxton’s petition, ordering that “upon the child’s live birth, medically indicated stabilizing and life-sustaining care shall be provided to the child pending further order of this Court.” No person shall withhold, direct the withholding of, obstruct, or delay that care,” the order stated. 
Paxton’s office also notified UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children’s Medical Center of Dallas of what he described as their legal obligations to provide Gabriel with life-saving care. In a letter to the hospitals, Paxton said physicians have an independent legal duty to treat Gabriel regardless of how the parentage dispute lands in court.
“The court has made the right decision in immediately acting to protect baby Gabriel’s life and ensure he receives the care he deserves,” Paxton said. “Every child in our state deserves to be cared for and protected, and that’s exactly what I’ll fight for.” 
Lawyers for biological parents, who did not commit to providing their child with life-saving care, have not commented publicly on the surrogate’s legal victory. According to <a href="https://www.nyp.org/pediatrics/heart/hypoplastic-left-heart-syndrome-hlhs/treatment">NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital</a>, children diagnosed with HLHS who undergo treatment have roughly a 72% chance of surviving to age 5. Those who reach their first birthday have about a 90% chance of living to age 18. 
Live Action reported Wednesday that Baby Gabriel is “on the path” to receiving the life-saving care he needs, though a temporary restraining <a href="https://x.com/LilaGraceRose/status/2087604817850208749">order</a> is preventing West from seeing the baby. The next phase of the legal battle over custody will likely play out in California court, while a <a href="https://www.givesendgo.com/help-mckenna-fight-for-baby-gabriels-lif?utm_source=sharelink&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_campaign=help-mckenna-fight-for-baby-gabriels-lif">fundraiser</a> for West circulating online has raised tens of thousands of dollars to help cover the costs of saving the baby’s life.
&#8220;God has been so evident about it all in the ways He has connected me with people and surrounded me with people who love Him and love life and are completely willing to stand beside me as I go through this,&#8221; West told Live Action.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
UPDATE: Baby Gabriel is here!
McKenna gave birth after courageously refusing the contracting parents’ demand that she abort him because of his serious but treatable heart condition.
Heartbreakingly, a temporary restraining order issued yesterday prevented McKenna from seeing or… <a href="https://t.co/y41ZvMN3Au">pic.twitter.com/y41ZvMN3Au</a>
— Lila Rose (@LilaGraceRose) <a href="https://x.com/LilaGraceRose/status/2087604817850208749?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Red State Comes To Rescue Of Surrogate Mom Facing Pressure To Kill Baby

Dallas

Ken Paxton

A Los Angeles County grand jury has indicted Nick Reiner on murder charges in the brutal slayings of his parents, actor and director Rob and photographer and producer Michele Reiner. There was an additional allegation that he was lying in wait before the attack.
The <a href="https://da.lacounty.gov/media/news/nick-reiner-indicted-murder-charges-slaying-parents-rob-and-michele-reiner-brentwood">indictment</a> was returned on July 20 and was unsealed Wednesday, when Nick Reiner entered a plea of “not guilty.”
The grand jury indictment allows prosecutors to skip California’s preliminary hearing process. Because Nick is accused of lying in wait to attack, prosecutors are able to seek the death penalty, though they have not specified whether or not they intend to do so, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/nick-reiner-rob-reiner-murder-indictment-5be8501d3ec21690ea031e3c33fb1c63">The Associated Press</a> reported.
“This was a profound betrayal by someone who was loved and trusted by the very people he is accused of killing,” Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan J. Hochman said. “The indictment unsealed today also adds a special circumstance allegation that the defendant committed the murders by means of lying in wait. We hope that by having a grand jury return an indictment in this case it will bring us one step closer to a trial and achieving justice.”
Nick is currently being held without bail. He is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on September 15.
The deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner, who were discovered in their home on December 14, stunned Hollywood. Their son, Nick, was charged with their murders shortly afterward. Witnesses have alleged he was behaving erratically at a party hosted by Conan O’Brien shortly before the killings.
Nick Reiner’s two siblings, Romy, 28, and Jake, 34, issued a statement after their brother’s first court appearance in December.
“Words cannot even begin to describe the unimaginable pain we are experiencing every moment of the day. The horrific and devastating loss of our parents, Rob and Michele Reiner, is something that no one should ever experience. They weren’t just our parents; they were our best friends,” the statement read.
According to police documents, when Romy discovered her parents’ bodies, she told responding officers that her brother had been living in on the property and described him as “dangerous.”
Nick Reiner’s attorney, Alan Jackson, withdrew from the case for undisclosed reasons in January, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nick-reiner-loses-high-profile-attorney-ahead-of-arraignment-public-defender-appointed">reported</a>.

Nick Reiner

Nick Reiner Faces Death As Prosecutors Say He ‘Lay In Wait’ To Kill Parents

Entertainment

Murder

Rob Reiner

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) is bringing the full weight of her political influence to bear in an increasingly bitter fight over who will succeed her in Congress.
Pelosi, who has represented San Francisco in Congress for nearly four decades, is throwing her support behind San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan as she works to defeat state Sen. Scott Wiener, and to do it, the retiring congresswoman has spent weeks mobilizing her network on Chan’s behalf. She has hosted major fundraisers for the supervisor, secured endorsements from congressional allies, and even loaned a top adviser to Chan’s campaign.
“Nancy has basically taken over Connie’s campaign,” Wiener told <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/10/pelosi-wages-war-over-her-succession-01030149">Politico</a>, contrasting Chan&#8217;s operation with his own campaign, which he said has “enormous grassroots support.”
Pelosi has made clear that she intends to see Chan elected. “I know and love this district, I know the Congress, and I know Connie. I’m proud to endorse Democrat Connie Chan and ask you to join me in electing her to Congress,” Pelosi said when she endorsed Chan.
Pelosi’s intervention is particularly notable because Wiener was once considered an ally. The two have known each other for decades, and Pelosi previously supported Wiener in his campaigns for local office. But their relationship deteriorated as Wiener positioned himself to succeed Pelosi. Wiener announced his congressional campaign in October 2025, before Pelosi publicly announced that she would not seek another term.
The timing of Wiener&#8217;s announcement has remained a point of contention among Pelosi&#8217;s allies. Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown, a longtime Pelosi ally who now supports Chan, told Politico that Wiener had assured him he would not announce a congressional bid before Pelosi made her own plans public. Wiener disputes that account, calling it “fabrication” and saying he never made such a commitment.
Several of Pelosi’s longtime political allies and constituencies have followed her in backing Chan, including organized labor. Chan is also supported by Sen. Adam Schiff (D-CA), the California Working Families Party and Our Revolution. Wiener, meanwhile, has endorsements from the California and San Francisco Democratic parties, along with several major labor unions and a majority of San Francisco’s moderate-leaning Board of Supervisors.
The latest escalation in the intraparty feud came over an AI-powered campaign chatbot created by Wiener’s campaign to attack Chan. The website, ConnieChan.ai, portrayed Chan as someone who says “no” to proposals involving housing and public transportation. Pelosi and a coalition of Democratic lawmakers and San Francisco political organizations condemned the chatbot, arguing that it could reinforce sexist and racist stereotypes.
“Women have spent generations fighting to have our own voices heard in the halls of power,” Pelosi and her allies said in a <a href="https://x.com/TeamPelosi/status/2085488807152136474">joint statement</a>. “We should not have to fight against artificial intelligence putting words in our mouths.” Wiener later apologized and announced that he would remove both the chatbot and the billboards advertising it.
The controversy has nevertheless given Pelosi another opportunity to draw a sharp contrast between her preferred successor and Wiener. Pelosi’s political intervention comes after the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pelosis-pick-stumbles-as-pro-trans-radical-moves-one-step-closer-to-congress?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Pelosi%E2%80%99s+Pick+Stumbles+As+Pro-Trans+Radical+Moves+One+Step+Closer+To+Congress">June primary</a> demonstrated that her endorsement alone may not be enough to determine the outcome. Wiener finished first with roughly 41% of the vote, while Chan received about 29%, sending the two into the November general election under California’s top-two primary system.
Pelosi has said her support for Chan is motivated in part by concerns over female representation in the Bay Area’s congressional delegation. Several prominent women who once represented the region, including former Sen. Dianne Feinstein, Vice President Kamala Harris, former Rep. Jackie Speier and former Rep. Anna Eshoo, have all been succeeded by men.
With Pelosi deploying her fundraising network, congressional relationships and longtime San Francisco allies on Chan’s behalf, the November contest is shaping up as more than a race between two Democrats. It is also a test of whether one of the most powerful political figures in San Francisco history can determine who inherits the seat and influence she spent nearly 40 years building.

US Congressional Candidate Connie Chan Campaigns Ahead Of Primary Election

Nancy Pelosi Flexes Political Muscle In Fight To Pick Her Successor

2026 election

2026 elections

2026 midterm

2026 Midterms

California Elections

Democrat

Democratic establishment

Democratic Party

Democrats

Election

House Democrats

House of Representatives

midterm

Midterms

Nancy Pelosi

San Francisco

Scott Wiener

U.S. House of Representatives

The man accused of orchestrating the 1996 murder of rapper Tupac Shakur will finally stand trial nearly three decades after the hip-hop icon was gunned down in Las Vegas. 
Duane &#8220;Keffe D&#8221; Davis, 63, a longtime member of the South Side Compton Crips, has pleaded not guilty to murder with a deadly weapon. He spent years publicly discussing his involvement in the events surrounding Shakur&#8217;s killing, including in interviews and his memoir, statements that eventually helped revive the cold case investigation that led to his arrest, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/tupac-shakur-killing-1996-alleged-organizer-trial-las-vegas-duane-keffe-d-davis/">reported</a>.
Jury selection begins Monday, with the trial expected to last about a month.
Prosecutors do not claim that Davis fired the fatal shots. Instead, they contend that he orchestrated the attack and provided the gun used to kill Shakur.
Shakur was a massive hit in the rap world when he was gunned down on September 7, 1996, while waiting at a red light in the car driven by Death Row Records co-founder Marion &#8220;Suge&#8221; Knight. The pair had just watched a Mike Tyson boxing match in Las Vegas and were headed to a club where Shakur was expected to perform. 
Shakur died six days after the drive-by shooting. Knight sustained minor injuries.
Grand jury testimony placed the killing against the backdrop of several overlapping rivalries, including beef between Death Row Records and Bad Boy Records and between two Los Angeles-area gangs, the South Side Compton Crips and Mob Piru, a Bloods-affiliated gang. 
Bad Boy Records was founded by Sean “Diddy” Combs and included the Notorious B.I.G., while Death Row Records included big names such as Shakur, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre. 
Davis’ defense has accused the prosecution of relying on sources who did not witness the crime. His attorneys also tried to block excerpts from his book, “Compton Street Legend,” along with an interview Davis gave to police, from being used at trial. They argue the book is “fictionalized” and written with a co-author, making it unreliable as an account of what actually happened. 
The book describes a confrontation hours before the shooting in which Shakur and others attacked Davis&#8217; nephew, Orlando “Baby Lane” Anderson. 
&#8220;We couldn&#8217;t let no record company studio gangsters do us like that,&#8221; the book says, adding that Shakur had “crossed the line.” 
In the book, Davis recalls how a gun was passed to individuals in the backseat of the car. According to his account, Shakur appeared to reach for a gun before someone in the backseat opened fire. Davis wrote, &#8220;One of my guys from the back seat grabbed the Glock and started bustin&#8217; back.&#8221;
Police found no weapons in the vehicle after the shooting, per the police detective assigned to the case. 
Anderson has been suspected of being the gunman but was never charged in Shakur&#8217;s killing. He was killed in 1998 in an unrelated gang shooting. The other two passengers who were in Davis&#8217; car that night have also died.
Knight, who was seated beside Shakur at the time of the shooting, is currently serving a 28-year prison sentence in California for voluntary manslaughter. He had previously said he would not testify in Davis&#8217; case.
Combs could also become part of the trial after Davis previously claimed that Combs offered him money to kill Shakur. Combs has denied involvement in Shakur&#8217;s murder.
Combs is currently serving a four-year prison sentence after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. He was acquitted of the more serious racketeering conspiracy and sex-trafficking charges.

Tupac Shakur

Nearly 30 Years After Tupac’s Murder, A Suspect Is Finally Going On Trial

Crime

Las Vegas

Los Angeles

Nevada

Rap Music

Sean 'Diddy' Combs

California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom is rolling out a new organizing strategy aimed at turning ordinary online spaces — including family group chats, neighborhood Facebook groups, and alumni networks — into vehicles for Democratic messaging as he continues expanding his national political operation ahead of a potential 2028 presidential campaign.
Newsom&#8217;s federal political action committee, Campaign for Democracy, emailed supporters this week inviting them to join a new digital volunteer program designed to spread Democratic messaging through personal relationships rather than traditional campaign advertisements, The <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/08/06/us-news/gavin-newsom-recruits-supporters-to-spread-campaign-messages-in-family-group-chats/">New York Post</a> reported.
The program centers on training volunteers to carry campaign-approved messaging into online communities where politics is typically not the focus. &#8220;A lot of those spaces aren&#8217;t political at all,&#8221; the email states. &#8220;That&#8217;s the point.&#8221; 
Rather than asking supporters to simply repost campaign content, the PAC says volunteers will receive weekly training and messaging that they are encouraged to rewrite in their own words before sharing with friends, relatives, classmates, and other acquaintances. &#8220;So the task isn&#8217;t forwarding talking points or propaganda,&#8221; the email explains. &#8220;It&#8217;s taking what we send you and translating it for people you understand better than we do.&#8221;
The email argues that trusted personal relationships provide an opportunity campaigns cannot replicate through conventional advertising. &#8220;The person already in that room is the only one who can get a message in, and the only one who knows how to say it so it doesn&#8217;t feel out of place,&#8221; it says.
Supporters who enroll will participate in weekly virtual training sessions over the next eight weeks and use a web application called &#8220;Echo&#8221; to distribute campaign messaging through their existing online networks.
Political consultant Matthew Klink criticized the organizing strategy, arguing it further blurs the line between everyday social interactions and partisan politics. 
&#8220;The Left has this preoccupation of making everything political and this is carrying it to another extreme,&#8221; Klink told the Post. &#8220;We joke that families are already divided by talking politics at the dinner table — this is that on steroids.&#8221;
According to Newsom&#8217;s PAC, volunteers will receive messaging supporting Democratic candidates in competitive races across the country, including Nevada gubernatorial candidate Aaron Ford and New Hampshire Senate candidate Chris Pappas — two contests that could prove important to Democratic electoral prospects while also raising Newsom&#8217;s visibility in states expected to play significant roles during the next presidential nominating process.
The effort comes as Newsom continues building a national political infrastructure widely viewed as laying the groundwork for a 2028 White House bid, even as he continues to publicly decline to say whether he intends to run.
Newsom&#8217;s political team has framed the new initiative as part of a broader effort to help Democrats perform well in the 2026 midterms. 
&#8220;This is smart political organizing: empowering real people to persuade the people they know best,&#8221; Newsom spokesman Izzy Gardon told the Post.
Gardon emphasized that the effort relies on volunteers rather than paid influencers and said Newsom has used his national political organization to raise millions of dollars for Democratic candidates.
The digital organizing campaign coincides with Newsom&#8217;s increasingly aggressive national travel schedule. This weekend, Newsom will spend three days <a href="https://www.sfchronicle.com/politics/article/gavin-newsom-michigan-democrats-22376220.php">campaigning in Michigan</a> following the Democratic primary victories of several Left-wing candidates, including Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed.
Newsom quickly endorsed El-Sayed after his primary victory and plans to campaign for Democratic candidates up and down the ballot while meeting with black community leaders, students, labor activists, and grassroots organizers.
The Michigan trip follows similar campaign appearances in other battleground states and adds to Newsom&#8217;s growing national profile as Democrats position themselves for both the 2026 midterms and the 2028 presidential cycle.

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Authorities arrested an armed man outside President Donald Trump&#8217;s Southern California golf course ahead of the president&#8217;s scheduled visit Tuesday, officials announced. 
Jeanine John Taele, 38, was arrested Sunday outside Trump National Golf Club in Rancho Palos Verdes after FBI agents allegedly <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/08/04/armed-man-arrested-before-trump-fundraising-dinner-california-01024955">found</a> him carrying a 16-round magazine in his pocket. 
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Taele was also seen taking photographs and videos near the property.
After executing a search warrant at his home in Downey on Monday, investigators said they discovered a notebook containing what they described as “concerning statements,&#8221; body armor, firearms, and ammunition. In a search of his car, authorities found a loaded pistol and loaded magazine. 
The Secret Service is <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/08/04/us/trump-golf-course-armed-man-arrested">reportedly</a> investigating whether Taele posed a threat to the president.  
White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said Trump traveled to California Tuesday to highlight what the administration views as the contrast between Republican and Democrat leadership. Trump is expected to attend a Republican National Committee dinner at the club Tuesday evening.
“The President will draw a sharp contrast between his commonsense agenda and the radical policies of Democrats like Gavin Newsom, who keep raising taxes, inviting rampant fraud in taxpayer-funded programs, and protecting illegal immigrant drug dealers, rapists, and murderers,” Wales said. 
The sheriff’s department emphasized that there is “no credible threat to our communities.”

President Trump Arrives At Los Angeles International Airport

Armed Man Arrested Outside Trump Golf Course Ahead Of President’s Visit

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California Senator Adam Schiff in March introduced a bill that would ban prediction markets, slamming them for, among other things, violating &#8220;tribal sovereignty.&#8221; It&#8217;s a notable objection — one shared by the Native American tribes that have poured hundreds of thousands of dollars into groups backing the Democrat.
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria have steered at least $210,000 to pro-Schiff super PACs and the senator&#8217;s legal defense fund, a Daily Wire review of campaign finance reports and Senate disclosures found. The Agua Caliente Band gave $10,000 to <a href="https://www.notus.org/money/adam-schiff-legal-fund-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Schiff’s legal defense fund</a> a few months before the senator introduced the Prediction Markets Are Gambling Act, which would prohibit platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket from offering predictions on markets that resemble sports bets or casino games.
“Sports prediction contracts are sports bets — just with a different name,&#8221; Schiff said <a href="https://www.curtis.senate.gov/press-releases/curtis-schiff-introduce-bipartisan-legislation-to-ban-sports-prediction-market-contracts/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">of the legislation.</a> &#8220;It’s time for Congress to step in and eliminate this backdoor which violates state consumer protections, intrudes upon tribal sovereignty, and offers no public revenue.&#8221;
Fights over prediction markets have flooded Capitol Hill since they rose in popularity in 2024, with lawmakers from both parties debating whether they should be classified as gambling or something else. Native American tribes that operate casinos on their reservations have come out against the platforms, the latest instance of tribal groups opposing casino alternatives. Several tribes fought to keep sports betting apps like DraftKings and FanDuel from expanding to <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/hospitality/draftkings-fanduel-battle-tribes-for-control-of-california-sports-betting-11651604400" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a>.
The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria each donated $100,000 to pro-Schiff super PACs set up during Schiff&#8217;s 2024 Senate race, the Los Angeles Times <a href="https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2024-02-27/california-senate-election-donors-super-pacs-independent-expenditures-schiff-porter-lee-garvey" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
The political focus of the involved tribes is demonstrated in legal court documents. The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, together with numerous other tribes, filed an amicus brief in the Sixth Circuit against Kalshi in May 2026. The brief was issued by the indigenous nations to rebuke Kalshi&#8217;s nationwide sports prediction market. Among the groups listed on that filing was the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, of which the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria is a member tribe.
Schiff&#8217;s legislation, which was co-sponsored by Utah Republican Senator John Curtis, would “prohibit Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) registered entities from listing any prediction contract that resembles a sports bet or casino-style game.”
A companion to the better-known Securities and Exchange Commission, the CFTC handles derivatives, a broad category encompassing all manner of financial contracts, including those facilitated by prediction markets. In February, the CFTC <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-admin-assembles-financial-dream-team-in-high-stakes-america-first-move" target="_blank" rel="noopener">launched</a> a public-private partnership, the Innovation Advisory Committee, which brings together companies on the forefront of commerce, including Kalshi.
Schiff has raised over a million dollars for his legal defense fund, which he launched amid claims that the Trump administration was waging lawfare against him. In addition to the Native tribe, donors included prominent Democrat politicians and the late actor Rob Reiner. The fund has spent nearly $40,000 on processing fees for ActBlue, the Democrat fundraising platform.
Schiff&#8217;s office did not reply to The Daily Wire&#8217;s request for comment.

Sen. Schiff tours Fullerton fire station, discuses federal funding

Adam Schiff’s Gambling Bill Has An Awkward Coincidence

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A federal judge has <a href="https://www.jns.org/news/u-s-news/federal-judge-dismisses-lawsuit-challenging-california-law-addressing-jew-hatred-in-k-12-schools">slammed the door</a> for good on a legal challenge to California&#8217;s landmark law targeting antisemitism in public schools, tossing the case with prejudice and blocking a repeat lawsuit.
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee had sued on behalf of parents, teachers, students and the group Los Angeles Educators for Palestine. U.S. District Judge Noël Wise in the Northern District of California dismissed the case on Tuesday, delivering a decisive win for backers of AB 715, the law that created a state antisemitism prevention coordinator inside California&#8217;s Office of Civil Rights and set new rules for how discrimination is handled in K-12 classrooms.
The law took effect January 1. The plaintiffs claimed the statute trampled their First Amendment rights.
For the second time, Judge Wise made it clear that she wasn&#8217;t buying it. In December, she had already <a href="https://www.jns.org/u.s.-news/new-california-law-offers-clear-guidance-to-combat-jew-hatred-in-k-12-schools-bill-co-author-says">refused</a> to freeze the law while the case played out, ruling that the educators challenging it couldn&#8217;t show their classroom speech was constitutionally protected in the first place. She also called out what she saw as a contradiction: the plaintiffs claimed the law&#8217;s definition of antisemitism was too vague but simultaneously objected to it referencing the widely used International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance&#8217;s definition.
When the plaintiffs came back this time, Wise found they were mostly recycling arguments she&#8217;d already shot down. When they made the new claim that the law violated equal protection by singling out antisemitism for its own coordinator while other forms of bias wait on future legislation, Wise pointed to a companion law, SB 48, which sets up coordinators for other types of discrimination and undercuts the plaintiffs&#8217; argument that Jewish students were getting special treatment.
StandWithUs legal policy director Carly Gammill said the ruling reaffirms that teachers and students don&#8217;t get to override state curriculum decisions in the name of free speech, and argued it clears California to focus on protecting Jewish students without fear of legal challenges claiming discrimination against others.
Jewish California CEO David Bocarsly called the decision proof that the law is both constitutionally solid and fair, working alongside protections lawmakers have extended to other groups. The Jewish Community Relations Council Bay Area praised Attorney General Rob Bonta&#8217;s office for defending the law and said the ruling paves the way for full implementation.
American Jewish Committee regional director Teresa Drenick noted that Wise has now rejected the legal challenge twice, with detailed reasoning both times, and said it&#8217;s time for Governor Newsom&#8217;s office to staff up the new civil rights office and appoint the antisemitism coordinator the law requires.
Because Wise dismissed the case &#8220;with prejudice,&#8221; the plaintiffs are now barred from refiling the same claims. It remains to be seen whether they&#8217;ll pursue further appeals.

Nazi Grafiiti Found In Brighton Beach, Brooklyn

Arab-American Group Challenges Law Fighting Antisemitism In Public Schools. Judge Says No.

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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!”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
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.

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