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Martina Navratilova Stands Firm Behind Sophie Cunningham Amid Controversy

Martina Navratilova Stands Firm Behind Sophie Cunningham Amid Controversy

Tennis legend Martina Navratilova is lending her unfettered public support to Sophie Cunningham as the basketball player continues to make headlines for her anti-trans views. “Sophie is not ANTI-TRANS- rather she is PRO-WOMEN!!!,” Navratilova, 69, wrote via X on Sunday, August 2. “Wrong headline!” The former tennis player reshared a post from the Telegraph, in which the news organization referred to Cunningham, 29, as “basketball’s new anti-trans MAGA poster girl.” A social media user replied to Navratilova’s post, describing the ongoing political discourse surrounding trans athletes competing in sports “a non-issue.” “There are zero trans athletes in the professional space and only like 10 in the NCAA to which it seems like no one knows their names so it’s not like they are dominating the space,” the user argued. (Fewer than 10 trans athletes compete in collegiate sports as of publication.) Navratilova doubled down on her support of Cunningham’s anti-trans views, replying, “If it’s such a non issue, why the fuss? Maybe not an issue at WNBA but it sure is an issue in many sports, many countries.” When another user called out Navratilova for being “anti-trans” too, the athlete fired back, calling the user “anti-women.” Last month, Cunningham made headlines after she spoke to ESPN about her belief that trans women should not be allowed to compete in sports alongside cisgender women. “I got a lot of negative feedback about me hating trans. And I’m like, ‘I never once said that,’” the Indiana Fever player told the outlet in July. “I think that I am here to extend love. But I also think, with that, love is truth, being honest. And I want to protect young girls in a locker room, or young girls in sport who shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” Cunningham’s controversial remarks earned swift backlash online and among her peers. Days later, the basketball player doubled down on her stance. “I said what I said,” she told reporters at a July Fever practice. “I think it’s kind of common sense. I think I’ll always believe in that. I think it’s really important to protect children.” Cunningham continued, “I’m not a very political person but I do have beliefs. I have morals and I’ll always stand on those and be true to who I am. People are going to take it how they want to take it, but I never really said anything about that. When it comes to protecting young girls in sport and women in sport, I feel very strongly about that.” Cunningham insisted that despite her desire to exclude certain athletes from competition, she doesn’t “dislike anyone.” “I think there is room for absolutely everyone here and I think there’s room to love everyone,” she said. “I truly think when you get people in the same room and have conversations, you have a lot in common with a lot of people. I’m there to love, but I’m also there to love biological women and I think there are rights that need to be protected. Whatever I say, I’m going to get hate and I’m going to get love. I beat to my own drum. People are always going to have something to say.”

Aug 04, 2026
Ashley Garibay: The Inspiring In-N-Out Worker Lost in Idaho Tragedy

Ashley Garibay: The Inspiring In-N-Out Worker Lost in Idaho Tragedy

Ashley Garibay, one of three victims in the mass shooting at an Idaho In-N-Out, loved working at the restaurant, her first job, according to a heartbreaking statement from her family.“In-N-Out Burger was Ashley’s first job, and she fell in love with it. She proudly traveled to open new stores, and her dream was to one day manage an In-N-Out store. She was passionate about serving Customers and left this world doing what she loved to do,” Garibay’s family told the California Post.Garibay, originally from Stockton, California, was described by her family as a kind, adventurous and driven young woman whose bright smile and infectious laugh touched everyone she met.Ashley Garibay, one of three victims in the mass shooting at an Idaho In-N-Out, loved working at the restaurant, her first job, according to a heartbreaking statement from her family. GoFundMeAshley Garibay, a victim of the Idaho In N Out shooting. GoFundMeThey said she always put others first, helping people through difficult times despite her own challenges.“We are grateful for the In-N-Out Associates, first responders and those nearby who rushed to Ashley’s aid to comfort her in her final moments on earth,” the family said.A still image captured from video by a witness shows the scene of a shooting that started at an In-N-Out . Kevin Bell Jr. via APAshley Garibay and her co-workers at In-N-Out. GoFundMeGaribay was gunned down Saturday at the In-N-Out location in Twin Falls.Authorities said the horror unfolded shortly after 2 p.m. inside the Idaho In-N-Out before extending into the parking lot, where police described a fast-moving and chaotic scene.Witnesses said the gunman, identified as 24-year-old Chad Williams, appeared to carry an AR-style rifle as he emerged from the drive-thru.Two armed bystanders returned fire, while employees rushed to aid the victims, including one worker who pulled an injured co-worker across the parking lot before first responders arrived.Authorities said Williams acted alone and was later found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Aug 04, 2026
Heartfelt Tribute: Dog's Ashes Sent to Space for One Last Adventure

Heartfelt Tribute: Dog's Ashes Sent to Space for One Last Adventure

A dog’s ashes were launched 119,000 feet and scattered in space.Oscar, a six-year-old French bulldog who died suddenly from a brain tumor earlier this year, has been given one final adventure after his ashes were sent to the edge of the atmosphere in a weather balloon.His favorite Toy Story alien plush and a pet GPS tracker traveled to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere in a weather balloon tribute on May 7, 2026.Oscar the dog posing on a couch. Callum King / SWNSCallum King, Jacob Battersby, Skye Broad and Pawan Julani recovered the package near Nottinghamshire. Callum King / SWNSHis owner, Jacob Battersby, 26, from Stockport, and friend Callum King, 26, from Rugby, launched the balloon from Rugby, Warwickshire.After climbing to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere, where temperatures dropped to -72 degrees Celsius (-97.6 degrees Fahrenheit), the balloon burst, scattering Oscar’s ashes before the package descended by parachute and landed 55 miles away near Nottinghamshire.Callum, an entrepreneur, said: “Oscar couldn’t see the world, so we decided to show the world Oscar.“Jacob lost Oscar at the start of the year and it came completely out of the blue. He had a brain tumor and it happened so quickly.The balloon carrying Oscar’s ashes burst at the egde of Earth’s atmosphere. Callum King / SWNS“When we started planning the launch, taking his ashes up there wasn’t really a question. It was just how we were going to do it.“It felt like one last adventure for him.”The pair had expected the journey to last around two hours, but when the balloon stayed airborne far longer than planned they feared it had been lost forever.Having abandoned the search and headed to a pub to drown their sorrows, they were stunned when the GPS tracker suddenly pinged, allowing them to recover the package later that evening from a field.Battersby, Oscar’s owner, and King launched the weather balloon on May 7, 2026. Callum King / SWNSThe flight also doubled as a real-world test of the tracker developed by their company, Zoomi, which launched last month, proving it could successfully locate the package after its journey.Callum said: “We thought we’d lost it. We’d gone to the pub because there was nothing else we could do. Then suddenly the GPS tracker pinged with a location.“We drove straight there and ended up walking through fields until we found the payload. It was an amazing feeling.”Jacob and Callum first met at Insomnia Gaming Festival in 2016 before later founding Zoomi, a company developing GPS and health trackers for pets.Before Oscar became ill, Jacob had hoped to travel the world with him, but they never got to go.It also doubled as a test of their company Zoomi’s GPS tracker. Callum King / SWNSWanting to create a lasting tribute, the pair decided to combine Oscar’s memorial with a weather balloon launch – something Callum had unsuccessfully attempted while at school years earlier.On May 7, 2026, they launched a helium-filled weather balloon from Rugby carrying cameras recording the entire flight and a Zoomi GPS tracker housed inside a custom-built payload box.The balloon lifted off at 2:24 p.m. and eventually climbed to around 119,000 feet before bursting near the edge of Earth’s atmosphere. The payload touched down shortly after 7 p.m. – 55 miles from the launch site.Callum told Sell Us Your Story: “I’d done a weather balloon launch years ago at school and we never recovered the payload.“It always stayed with me because we’d got all this incredible footage but never knew where it had ended up.Julani holding the payload box with the GPS tracker. Callum King / SWNS“So being able to come back years later, build our own payload, send something to the edge of space and recover it ourselves was incredibly satisfying.”He added: “There’s actually a surprising amount of math involved.“We had to calculate the amount of helium, predict where it would travel and build the payload ourselves.“We expected it to be in the air for around two hours, so when that time passed we genuinely thought it had gone forever.“Finding it proved not only that Oscar had completed his final journey, but that our tracker had done exactly what it was designed to do.”The Zoomi team preparing to assemble the balloon for Oscar’s launch. Callum King / SWNSSpeaking about why they wanted to share the story, Callum said: “We never did this for money or publicity.“We just wanted to give Oscar one last adventure and create a lasting memory.“Jacob’s other dog, Toby, has recently been diagnosed with cancer as well, so it really reminds you how precious every moment with your pets is.”Jacob, a content creator, said: “It’s really special. They say after about six months, his ashes will eventually return to Earth as rain.A photo of Toby, Battersby’s other French bulldog. Callum King / SWNS“I really like the idea that a little part of him is still up there.“People always look up at the sky when they’re thinking about loved ones they’ve lost. And mine is actually up there.“And when I go away with Toby, I like to think that Oscar can see us.”Jacob said he was keen to take his other French bulldog, Toby, on the adventures he didn’t get to do with Oscar.He said: “Our other French bulldog, Toby, was diagnosed with cancer just a couple of weeks ago.“I’ve probably got a year with her so I’d definitely like to plan things. We’re going away in September hopefully, and she loved the Dolomites.“We’d love to take her paragliding, it’s probably the closest she’ll ever get to space, and to Oscar.

Aug 03, 2026
Aaron Rodgers' Bold Attack on Dr. Fauci Sparks Heated Debate

Aaron Rodgers' Bold Attack on Dr. Fauci Sparks Heated Debate

Aaron Rodgers — who was criticized for refusing to adhere to the NFL’s COVID-19 protocol at the height of the pandemic — is attacking Dr. Anthony Fauci following the physician’s contentious Senate hearing on the government’s response to the public health crisis. "I'm going to plead the fifth, like that absolute coward, Tony Fauci,” Rodgers, 42, said while appearing on the Monday, August 3, episode of ESPN’s The Pat McAfee Show. “Absolute coward. Yeah. Are you kidding me? You got a pardon, and you pleaded over 100 times at the White House?” (Fauci, 85, received a preemptive presidential pardon from former president Joe Biden on January 20, 2025.) The NFL quarterback continued, “What are you scared of, Tony? I thought you were the science. I thought you were, 'I am science,' and you get up there and you can't answer a question?” On July 29, Fauci declined to answer numerous questions during a fiery Senate hearing on the origins of COVID and the government’s handling of the pandemic. In prepared remarks, the On Call: A Doctor’s Journey in Public Service author said he wanted to avoid the very real possibility that Republicans would use portions of his testimony to potentially prosecute him for perjury. (Republican lawmakers have long threatened to prosecute Fauci for his role in the COVID-19 response. In the wake of his Senate hearing, Republican Sen. Rand Paul has scheduled a vote on a resolution that would hold the scientist in contempt of Congress, per Politico.) Rodgers also appeared to take aim at various networks who spent time covering his own controversial remarks regarding the pandemic — and his refusal to obtain the safe and effective COVID vaccine — at the height of the crisis. “How much time did the network spend on that? How much time did they spend on my responses every week, on my vaccination status? On Taylor [Swift] and Travis [Kelce’s] wedding? Did they do even a minute?” he argued. “Did they do even a minute on Tony Fauci? Nah I bet they didn’t.” Rodgers sparked controversy in November 2021 when he tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted he was unvaccinated, despite previously telling reporters he was "immunized." He was ordered to pay $14,650 for breaking the NFL’s COVID-19 protocols. After Fauci’s Senate hearing testimony, Rodgers believes people should be less focused on his and other players’ personal lives and more on issues that impact the nation. “Writing in his diary about how fun it is to be famous. You got to be kidding me,” the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback told host Pat McAfee. “Seriously, what are they going to say about me now? Now you can't talk about the COVID stuff because obviously it was made, you know, in a lab in China. That's not even questionable anymore. Tony Fauci is an absolute criminal.” (There is no definitive proof or scientific finding that has determined COVID-19 was purposefully made in a lab.) In a diary entry from May 2020, Fauci wrote about the ramifications of becoming a household name during the pandemic. At no point, despite Republican claims, did the immunologist write that he wished to find fame as a result of the deadly pandemic. “The situation with my national and international fame is explosive and really unimaginable,” he wrote via USA Today. “It is not [hyperbole] to say that today I am the most famous and talked about person in the country and one of the most recognizable [person] in the world.” During his rant, Rodgers also made a point to remind viewers that he’s “on good terms” with his family. “What are you gonna say now?” he asked, pointing to the media coverage of his family’s previous estrangement as another point of contention for the quarterback. In July, Aaron made headlines when he shared photos with his once estranged mom Darla Rodgers, dad Ed Rodgers and brother Luke Rodgers. (It’s unclear where Aaron stands with his brother and The Bachelorette alum Jordan Rodgers.) "It's been a great, great life and a great career, and it's nice to be sitting on this side now, especially after that coward pleaded the Fifth over 100 times,” Aaron said of his family and when referencing Fauci once again. “Why couldn't you, uh, answer one question the entire time?" In a statement to Us, Fauci’s attorney highlighted his client’s 54 years of public service at the National Institutes of Health, where the physician “established a lengthy record of cooperation with Congressional oversight and inquiries, including frequent testimony in both the Senate and the House during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.” “The circumstances surrounding Dr. Fauci’s appearance today before the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, pursuant to a subpoena issued by Committee Chairman Rand Paul (R-KY), regrettably made his continued cooperation impossible,” the statement read. “For that reason, on the advice of his legal counsel, Dr. Fauci asserted his right under the Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to decline to answer questions.” The statement continued, “Dr. Fauci devoted his lengthy career to saving millions of lives globally through scientific discovery and sound public health policy. The accusations that Chairman Paul continues to propagate are false and disgraceful, and we will examine all options to hold him accountable.”

Aug 03, 2026
Bruce Springsteen's Emotional Update: Patti Scialfa's Cancer Remission Journey

Bruce Springsteen's Emotional Update: Patti Scialfa's Cancer Remission Journey

Bruce Springsteen revealed his wife, Patti Scialfa, is in remission after battling blood cancer for eight years. Springsteen, 76, shared the news while appearing virtually at Boston's Pan-Mass Challenge fundraiser on Saturday, August 1, thanking the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute for its efforts in research and treatment. “As you know, Patti’s been living with her multiple myeloma for over eight years, but now, thankfully, she is in remission,” he told the crowd in a pretaped segment. “However, like millions of families facing cancer, we’ve learned what every patient learns: Hope has a face.” The Grammy winner gave a shout-out to everyone who makes fighting cancer more bearable. “It’s our physician who refuses to stop searching and caring. It’s our nurse who sits beside us when we’re scared and always makes our journey a little bit easier,” he said. Springsteen, who has been married to Scialfa, 73, since 1991, noted that he’s become attuned with the how the health care system works as his wife battled the disease herself. “Patti’s journey has taught us something I hope every one of us and every American can understand. Medical research isn’t an idea. It isn’t politics. It isn’t a line in a budget,” he explained. “It’s the reason families find hope when hope seems hardest to find. When we lose sight of that we lose sight of one another and that’s too high a price for anyone to pay.” Springsteen concluded his speech by thanking everyone at Boston’s Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC), saying, “Patti and I are grateful for everything you continue to do. Thank you.” The rocker then played an acoustic version of his 1975 hit “Born to Run” for attendees. “Have a great ride, and God bless!” he added. Springsteen’s appearance at the 47th annual PMC fundraiser came less than two years after Scialfa publicly shared her diagnosis. She opened up about her battle with multiple myeloma in the 2024 documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, revealing she had been diagnosed in 2018. Scialfa, who shares sons Evan, 36, and Samuel, 32, and daughter Jessica, 34, with Springsteen, explained in the documentary that her medical condition was a big part of her stepping back from her husband’s world tour, which began in February 2023 and ended in July 2025. “This affects my immune system, so I have to be careful what I choose to do and where I choose to go,” Scialfa, who has been part of the E Street Band since 1984, said at the time. “Every once in a while, I come to a show or two and I can sing a few songs on stage, and that’s been a treat. That’s the new normal for me right now, and I’m OK with that.” Springsteen, for his part, revealed in October 2024 that his wife’s illness had changed his perspective on life. “Hey, you get up around our age, and those are the things you’re thinking about,” Springsteen told the audience at the Los Angeles premiere of Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. “Patti and I have had to deal with her illness, and you’re worried about … it is a part of your life now, questions of mortality, and it just becomes a part of your life.”

Aug 03, 2026
Dr. Ashish Jha's Lab Leak Revelation Stirs Fresh Debate on COVID Origins

Dr. Ashish Jha's Lab Leak Revelation Stirs Fresh Debate on COVID Origins

Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House COVID-19 response coordinator during the Biden administration, revealed Sunday that he now favors the so-called lab leak theory as the most plausible origin story of the pandemic.“When I went into the White House [in April 2022], my view was, this was almost surely a natural outbreak, maybe a lab leak,” Jha told CNN’s “State of the Union.”“Based on information I learned and based on information I have seen, I have come to conclude that it is more likely to have been a lab leak,” he added. Dr. Ashish Jha argued that the circumstantial evidence favors the lab leak theory. AP“Here’s the bottom line: No one in the United States knows for sure. The only people who know for sure are people — officials in China, and we still need transparency and accountability on that,” concluded Jha, the former dean of Brown University’s School of Public Health.“So that is my best assessment. I’m not suggesting I know for sure, but I’m saying my best assessment is that it probably was a lab leak.”Later Sunday, Jha clarified that he favors the theory that the lab leak was accidental and that he warmed up to it during his time in the Biden administration.Most US experts have universally accused China of not providing sufficient transparency about the origins of COVID-19. REUTERS“Based on strong circumstantial evidence I’ve seen, I think lab leak is much more likely. Not engineered. Not deliberate. Accidental,” he posted on X. “Reasonable people can look at the same evidence and disagree.”The Wuhan Institute of Virology was a top SARS research lab in the Chinese city where the virus originated, and is known to have studied coronaviruses in bats.My view on COVID origins isn't new — I've held it since my time at the White HouseHere's the truth: no one in America knows for sure. Anyone telling you they do is selling you somethingBased on strong circumstantial evidence I've seen, I think lab leak is much more likely.…— Ashish K. Jha (@ashishkjha) August 2, 2026Researchers there are believed to have fallen ill with COVID-19-like symptoms in the fall of 2019 before the outbreak became widespread, according to US intelligence.Republicans such as Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) have crusaded against US funding of so-called gain-of-function research, which can enhance the virulence of viruses during the study of them.Dr. Anthony Fauci, who pleaded the Fifth before a Senate panel last week, had long cast doubt on the lab leak theory. APEarly last year, the CIA concluded in a “low confidence” assessment that a lab leak was the most likely explanation for the origins of COVID-19.The FBI and Energy Department, which manages a network of labs and research facilities across the US, reached a similar conclusion.Many scientists still favor the natural spillover theory and the topic remains hotly debated.

Aug 03, 2026
Tourist's Terrifying Slide at Dangerous Santa Paula Punch Bowls

Tourist's Terrifying Slide at Dangerous Santa Paula Punch Bowls

A woman was caught on camera slamming into jagged rocks after losing control on a natural waterslide in Southern California.The stomach-churning footage shows the woman hurtling down the slick granite chute at the popular Santa Paula Punch Bowls in Ventura County before smashing into the canyon wall beneath a rocky overhang.She appears to strike the rocks multiple times before coming to a stop in the pool below as stunned onlookers watch from the surrounding granite.A woman was caught on camera slamming into rocks after losing control on a natural waterslide in Southern California.The stomach-churning footage circulating on social media shows the woman hurtling down the slick granite chute. Instagram/@california.localThe Punch Bowls — deep inside the Santa Paula Canyon in Los Padres National Forest — have become a viral destination thanks to social media videos of visitors cliff-jumping, swimming and racing down the naturally carved rock chute into the emerald pools below.The Punch Bowls in the Santa Paula Canyon have become a viral destination thanks to social media posts. Instagram/@california.localShe appears to strike the rocks multiple times as stunned onlookers watch from the surrounding granite. Instagram/@california.localBut the picturesque swimming hole has also earned a reputation as one of Ventura County’s most dangerous outdoor attractions.Authorities have repeatedly warned visitors that the smooth granite becomes dangerously slick when wet. Submerged rocks, swift-moving water, steep cliffs, and the area’s rugged terrain have contributed to numerous serious accidents over the years.The remote location also makes rescues especially difficult, with injured hikers and swimmers frequently requiring helicopter evacuations from the narrow canyon.The swimming hole has also earned a reputation as one of Ventura County’s most dangerous outdoor attractions. Instagram/@outer_spacecase/socaloutdoorexplorerThe remote location also makes rescues difficult, with injured adventurers frequently requiring helicopter evacuations. Instagram/@outer_spacecase/socaloutdoorexplorerThe latest viral clip comes just weeks after a hiker died near the Punch Bowls following a fall — adding to the area’s long history of fatal and serious accidents that have prompted repeated warnings from authorities.Officials have asked visitors not to take unnecessary risks at the popular swimming hole. They warn that activities like cliff jumping and sliding down the natural waterslide, which may seem harmless, can become very dangerous.Despite those warnings, videos of daring jumps and high-speed rides down the granite chute keep spreading on social media — drawing thousands of thrill-seekers to the secluded canyon each year.The latest video is another clear reminder that one of California’s most beautiful swimming holes can also be one of its most dangerous.Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!

Aug 03, 2026
Outrage as Kentucky Child Killer Walks Free After Serving Sentence

Outrage as Kentucky Child Killer Walks Free After Serving Sentence

A Kentucky child killer who butchered a sleeping boy to death but was acquitted by reason of insanity was released from prison on Wednesday– as the boy’s father fumed at the judicial system.Ronald Exantus served out his entire prison sentence and was back on the streets after he was released from the Kentucky Department of Corrections for the deadly Dec. 7, 2015, stabbing melee that killed 6-year-old Logan Tipton.“Pursuant to state laws passed by Kentucky’s General Assembly, Ronald Exantus has served the sentence issued by the Woodford Circuit Court and has been released. He is no longer in the custody of the Department of Corrections. The Kentucky Parole Board did not release Exantus, and he was not released early,” the state’s Department of Corrections said, WKYT reported.Ronald Exantus was released from prison after serving his sentence for the December 2015 stabbing that killed Logan Tipton. Kentucky Department of CorrectionsExantus doesn’t face any other probation regarding the killing. Tipton’s father, Dean Tipton, said his family was punished more than his son’s killer, who was charged with assault. “The judge and jury gave this monster a slap on the wrist while handing down a life sentence to my family,” the heartbroken father wrote on Facebook Wednesday.“Trying really hard to not let this break me….I’ve carried so much over the years since Logan going to be with our Lord. I have woke up everyday, put on my fake ass smile and have carried on with life and literally living through hell. Today though, I’m having a hard time trying to figure out how to go on with life. Knowing that this monster gets to walk free and live his life, while I lay in this bed and my baby boy is in the grave. This may be my breaking point,” he added.The now-42-year-old had broken into a Versailles, Ky., home, where he butchered little Logan Tipton to death while the kindergartner slept.Logan Tipton was killed by Exantus while he slept at his family home in Versailles, Ky., on Dec. 7, 2015. Find a graveDean Tipton with his son Logan before the deadly break-in at their home in Woodford County, Kentucky. Facebook/Kota TiptonExantus also stabbed Dean Tipton and his two sisters, telling the one sibling, Dakota, that he would kill the entire family.The madman was arrested and tried for the kindergartner’s killing but was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity after his attorney argued Exantus was genetically schizophrenic, WKYT reported.Exantus, a former dialysis nurse, was instead sentenced to a maximum of 20 years behind bars for assault charges against the three other family members during his 2018 trial.During his time in prison, Exantus received nearly nine years of sentence credit, speeding up his release.Toys surround the grave of Logan Tipton after his death on Dec. 7, 2015. Facebook/Kota TiptonExantus was tried for the kindergartner’s killing but was found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. Facebook/Heather PujolHe was first released on parole on Oct. 1, 2025, but was quickly back behind bars after moving to Florida when he failed to register as a convicted felon and violated his parole eight days later. He was extradited to Kentucky, where he served out the remainder of his sentence locked up until Wednesday.During that time, the Kentucky State Legislature passed Logan’s Law, which amended the state’s parole eligibility for violent offenders, changed insanity defense procedures and eliminated some of the early-release options.Despite the bill being signed into law by Gov. Andy Beshear in April, it does not retroactively affect Exantus’ release, allowing him to walk free.“So I’ve come to terms that even though we got Logans Law passed it is still not enough,” Dean Tipton wrote on Facebook Saturday. “Violent criminals should not be able to knock so much time off their sentence.“So this is my next goal. Im going to fight to have the amount of time limited and considering on how Violent the crime is no time being knocked off. Our judicial system as a whole needs to be over hauled and I am gonna fight for more change,” he said.Dean Tipton notably threatened to kill Exantus after his initial release, warning his son’s killer of his fate if the two ever crossed paths.“I’ve had my talks with God cause I’m not afraid to tell you all, I told the court — if I ever cross paths with him, I will kill the man. I will kill him where he stands,” he previously told WKYT.

Aug 03, 2026
Sandra Bullock's Adorable Sister Tribute Sparks Heartfelt Reactions

Sandra Bullock's Adorable Sister Tribute Sparks Heartfelt Reactions

Sandra Bullock knows a thing or two about the power of sisterhood. “I am so lucky to have this brilliant soul by my side who knows me, missteps and all, and still chooses to love me. Every. Single. Day,” Bullock, 62, wrote via Instagram on Sunday, August 2, sharing throwback family photos with her sister, Gesine Bullock-Prado. “Happy Sisters Day. Both those born to you, and those you have chosen along the way! I love you Gigi.” The actress also quoted Alice Hoffman’s The Book of Magic, writing, “When you have a sister, someone who knows the story of who you were and who you will always be, there is no deeper tie, no stronger bond.” Hoffman’s book was later adapted into 1998’s Practical Magic, where Bullock stars opposite Nicole Kidman. The two stars recently reprised their roles as witchy siblings in Practical Magic 2. “Last year, I was quiet. I had other things going on. I was in my shell. Now, I’m in a place of saying, ‘2026. Here we go,’” Kidman, 59, told Variety in March of the follow-up flick. “I have Practical Magic with Sandy. I’ll be in full witch mode.” Kidman and Bullock will be joined in the highly anticipated sequel by Joey King and Maisie Williams portraying their daughters. “As fans of the original film ourselves, I feel like when you love something as much as we already love Practical Magic, there’s just massive responsibility of joining the team and wanting to do it justice,” King, 27, told People at Teen Vogue Fest held late last month. “They are the best duo ever. Nicole and I worked together a few years ago [on Netflix’s A Family Affair]. She plays my mom in a movie and we become really close from that, which is so crazy. I’m just such a fan of her. I’m so in awe of her. She’s the nicest person ever.” King further revealed that Bullock took the two young actresses “under her wing” when they filmed Practical Magic 2. “It is really special to have this post-movie bond with her that we have. She sends us voice notes all the time,” the Kissing Booth star gushed. “She’s always hyping us up. She’s just the sweetest. They’re the best.” As for Williams, 29, she told People that Bullock will “text us both straight away.” “I think it says, ‘Hello, it’s your mother here.’ And I think, ‘Wow,’” the Game of Thrones alum recalled. “It is just amazing. She’s so lovely. The nicest woman in Hollywood.” Practical Magic 2 hits theaters Friday, September 11.

Aug 03, 2026
Alexa PenaVega's Heartfelt Revelation About Daughter Indy's Impact

Alexa PenaVega's Heartfelt Revelation About Daughter Indy's Impact

Alexa PenaVega ultimately found purpose in the wake of her late daughter Indy’s stillbirth. “Two years ago, we lost our daughter at birth. She was adorable, just chunky, beautiful. It was a full-term stillbirth,” PenaVega, 37, recalled on the Thursday, July 30, episode of the “Dear Future Husband” podcast. “Never in your wildest dreams would you ever imagine walking through that ever, and it's going to sound crazy, but it was such a gift.” Alexa and her husband, Big Time Rush singer Carlos PenaVega, announced in 2024 that their fourth child was born sleeping. (Alexa and Carlos, 36, also share sons Ocean, 9, and Kingston, 7, and daughter Rio, 5.) “Indy's life is so full. She may be in heaven, but, like, she is so full,” Alexa noted to podcast host Christian Bevere. “I didn't grow up thinking about death, you know, ‘cause it’s scary. Death has lost its sting. We have felt the valley, and I think we feared the valley so much because everyone told us to fear the valley.” She continued, “But in the valley with God, there are diamonds. The valley is loaded with rubies and gold and gems and the things that everyone is so afraid to go get, you know, and here we are, like, swimming in luxury in the worst time of our lives because He was just there for us.” Alexa and Carlos, in particular, found solace in their faith following Indy’s death. “We lost her on a Saturday morning and Sunday, the next day, my husband's like, ‘How are you doing?’ [He was] just trying to check in with me and be an amazing husband, but we're both equally just hurting,” the Spy Kids actress recalled of Carlos’ support. “[He] had his peace immediately. It’s a weird space to be in like, total peace but total pain. I'm like, ‘I really have to go to church.’” Standing in church one-day postpartum, Alexa held hands with the musician as they hung onto every word of the preacher’s sermon. “We just begin to just cry uncontrollably uncontrollably. It wasn't loud,” she recalled on Thursday. “It was like it was just us in our own little world, our hands are raised and we're worshipping.” In the months and years since grieving the stillbirth, Alexa and Carlos held onto their relationship even more. “When her loss happened, it was still a big blow, but [God’s] peace was so evident and so all over our lives, and the way he used her life to ignite our family,” Alexa stated. “I hear about these couples who end up breaking up after the loss of a child and it hurts my heart so much because, for us, it ignited us. It was, like, the fan to the flame that [made us] so much more intentional with each other. Walls were broken.”

Aug 02, 2026
AI Prodigy's $45 Billion Fund Crashes Days Before His Lavish Wedding

AI Prodigy's $45 Billion Fund Crashes Days Before His Lavish Wedding

A 24-year-old Silicon Valley AI prodigy watched his $45 billion hedge fund implode just days before walking down the aisle for his lavish California wedding.Leopold Aschenbrenner, the founder of the AI-focused hedge fund Situational Awareness, was putting the finishing touches on his wedding in Carmel this week when his high-flying investment empire began to unravel after reportedly borrowing heavily to make massive AI bets.The German-born investor, and turtleneck enthusiast, amassed a staggering $45 billion portfolio by piling into AI stocks and taking a huge private stake in Anthropic.Leopold Aschenbrenner, 24, is the founder of the AI-focused hedge fund Situational Awareness. Columbia CollegeAschenbrenner was putting the final touches on his wedding this week in Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Getty ImagesAs his portfolio tumbled, Aschenbrenner scrambled to stop the bleeding, appealing to some of the world’s biggest hedge funds and selling billions of dollars in holdings to Ken Griffin’s Citadel, according to The Wall Street Journal.In a letter to investors Thursday, Aschenbrenner said he had sold part of his public stock portfolio and vowed to focus on risk management “to ensure a higher level of resilience going forward.”The German-born AI wonderkid saw his $45 billion portfolio collapsing just days before his marriage. Linkedin/Leopold AschenbrennerDespite the dramatic selloff, his firm still manages a portfolio valued at more than $10 billion.Aschenbrenner’s meteoric rise has been nearly as remarkable as his recent fall.He graduated from Columbia University at just 19 before working at Sam Bankman-Fried’s FTX. He later joined OpenAI in 2023, where he was part of a team tasked with overseeing artificial superintelligence.He was fired roughly a year later after allegedly leaking sensitive information to the husband of an Anthropic executive.The setback did little to slow his rise in Silicon Valley.Avital Balwit is now married to Aschenbrenner. X/@AvitalBalwitAschenbrenner became an AI celebrity after publishing a 165-page essay, “Situational Awareness: The Decade Ahead,” which earned praise from figures including Ivanka Trump and helped attract deep-pocketed investors to his firm.Situational Awareness focuses on investments tied to artificial general intelligence and has been backed by tech heavyweights including Stripe co-founders Patrick and John Collison, Nat Friedman and Daniel Gross.Dubbed the “Nostradamus of AI,” Aschenbrenner met his fiancée Avital Balwit while the pair worked at FTX. She now serves as chief of staff to Anthropic’s CEO.Now, instead of celebrating one of the biggest weeks of his life solely as a newlywed, the AI wunderkind is also trying to rebuild one of the most spectacular hedge fund collapses in recent memory.Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters California Post News: Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, YouTube, WhatsApp, LinkedInCalifornia Post Sports Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, XCalifornia Post Opinion California Post Newsletters: Sign up here!California Post App: Download here!Home delivery: Sign up here!Page Six Hollywood: Sign up here!

Aug 02, 2026
Why Saudi Arabia's Potential Ground Invasion Against Houthis Is Raising Eyebrows

Why Saudi Arabia's Potential Ground Invasion Against Houthis Is Raising Eyebrows

Saudi Arabia is reportedly gearing up for a major assault on the Iran-backed Houthis, as fears of a widening war in the Middle East heighten.The Kingdom is preparing for a naval and possible ground invasion against the terror group in order to break open its stranglehold on vital shipping routes in the Red Sea.Saudi forces have withdrawn from Eastern Yemen in what could be the beginning stages of a possible invasion in the country’s southern region, The Guardian reported. Saudi Arabia could be gearing up for a ground invasion against the Houthis. REUTERSThe Sunni Gulf State has also established a maritime coalition to protect against renewed Houthi attacks in the Bab al-Mandab Strait, where the terror group has imposed a blockade on Saudi ships.The moves come as Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged President Trump Saturday not to go through with planned strikes on Iran, according to a report in Axios.The two countries teamed up to strike Iran-backed Iraqi militias Tuesday, but the Saudi royal is reportedly weary of further escalation in the Islamic Republic.The Houthis, whose slogan is “God is great, Death to America, Death to Israel, A curse upon the Jews, Victory for Islam,” has attacked Saudi ships in the Red Sea — a critical shipping lane for Saudi Arabia — and also targeted oil infrastructure inside the country.The waterway has become increasingly critical with the Strait of Hormuz ensnared in dueling Iranian and US embargos as a result of the ongoing war.Tensions have risen between the two groups since the start of the Iran War. YAHYA ARHAB/EPA/ShutterstockOver 80% of the Saudis’ crude oil exports were previously shipped through Hormuz, but now about half of that transits the Red Sea.Losing access to Bab al-Mandab also poses a major shipping obstacle for the kingdom, as it would require them to divert ships to a path through Africa in order to reach Asia — turning a normally 16-day-trip into a 50-day trek.Thirteen countries, including non-Houthi-occupied Yemen, have joined the naval alliance with the Saudis and issued a joint statement Thursday vowing to ensure freedom of navigation in Bab al-Mandab.The Houthis have imposed a blockade on Saudi ships. REUTERSThe Saudis have also urged the US and Europe to join. Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman met with US Vice President JD Vance and Trump Wednesday to discuss the country’s plans to fend off the terror group.Shipping in the Red Sea has not seen a stready flow since the Houthis began attacking ships navigating the waterway in November 2023 in support of Hamas’ war on Israel.

Aug 02, 2026