CBS L.A.'s KCAL News Meteorologist Faints on Live TV ... Previous Heart Condition

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THE SCARY LIVE INCIDENT
KCAL
UPDATE

12:50 PM PT -- CBS Los Angeles Vice President and News Director Mike Dello Stritto tells TMZ:

UPDATE

“Our colleague Alissa Carlson became ill during our 7 AM newscast this morning. I want to thank her co-workers who took immediate action to comfort Alissa and call 911. Alissa is being treated at the hospital right now. Hopefully we’ll know more shortly. In the meantime, Alissa will be in our thoughts and we’re praying for her to be feeling much better soon.”

UPDATE

12:32 PM PT -- Alissa Carlson took to Facebook to let everyone know she's going to be 'ok!'

A Los Angeles-based meteorologist fainted during a live TV broadcast this weekend -- and there's still no word on her condition after the terrifying moment was caught on camera.

Alissa Carlson Schwartz was helping CBS L.A.'s KCAL team kick off the newscast early Saturday morning, leading the 7:00 AM hour with a weather report about incoming rain for L.A. this next week. However, before she could even get into her report, she lost consciousness.

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The video is absolutely horrifying ... you see Carlson's eyes roll to the back of her head, and she begins to lean forward on the desk she was at. Eventually, she completely collapses.

As the two anchors noted at the beginning of the segment, Carlson was on set with them -- but it appears she might've been at a different location ... because they didn't seem to notice she'd passed out until a few moments later. They panicked and cut to commercial.

It's been a while now and there's still no official update on how Carlson is doing. KCAL never came back to a live news report after this -- the station opted to air pre-recorded/promotional programming for several hours. At the moment, they're covering the NCAA.

Here's the thing ... Carlson had previously experienced a similar episode years ago -- throwing up on set during a weather report when she was at a different station -- and as a result ... she was diagnosed with a leaky heart valve. That was back in 2014.

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Unclear if her previous diagnosis played any role in Saturday's episode. We've reached out to KCAL for a statement ... so far, no word back. They haven't addressed this at all thus far.

Originally Published -- 10:38 AM PT

Oklahoma Body Cam Footage Police Captain Busted For DUI ... Whispers To Cop, 'Turn The Camera Off'

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"TURN THE CAMERA OFF"

An Oklahoma City police captain put on a show after he was busted for allegedly driving drunk ... and it was all caught on body cam video -- which he desperately tried to suppress.

Check out the footage, released Thursday by Oklahoma City PD, showing Capt. James French getting pulled over at his home by a police officer last weekend after cops said he was swerving as he drove down the road.

Right from the get-go, French tried to weasel his way out of trouble by identifying himself as a police captain and whispering to the officer to turn off his body cam. But, the cop refused and asked French if he had been drinking because he was slurring his words.

French changed the subject and made a second attempt to get the camera switched off.

But, the officer was in a no-nonsense mood. He sternly said, "I'm not turning my camera off. You got to be kidding me."

Things only got worse for French, who explained that he had consumed 3 to 4 beers at a poker game earlier that night and had drunk his last brewski about 2 hours before he was stopped by the officer.

Then came the dreaded field sobriety tests, which, of course, French failed. During a balance test, French lifted up his leg only to stumble forward. He then asked the cop to switch off the camera a third time.

But, the officer stood his ground again, saying that he had taken an oath to uphold the law and would not show favoritism to anyone -- even the President of the United States.

That didn't stop French from urging the cop to kill the camera one last time. And, predictably, he got another "no" from the officer.

French was eventually placed in handcuffs and booked into the county jail for driving under the influence of alcohol. He was later released after posting bond.

Oklahoma City Police Chief Wade Gourley praised the officer for his professionalism and for following the department's body cam protocols.

Gourley also said that French was put on administrative leave with pay pending the outcome of an internal investigation.

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NOT ABOVE THE LAW

'Family Feud' Contestant Charged with Murdering Wife Shocking Answer on Show

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SOMETHING A MURDERER WOULD SAY ...

A "Family Feud" contestant gave prosecutors a big clue in their case against him for allegedly murdering his wife ... his response to the "biggest mistake you made at your wedding."

Timothy Bliefnick, who was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of first-degree murder and one count of a home invasion, taped an episode of the 'Feud' back in 2019. Steve Harvey put him on the spot when it was his turn to answer the question -- "What's the biggest mistake you made at your wedding?" His answer -- "Saying 'I do.'"

Fast forward to late last month, when his estranged wife Rebecca Bliefnick was found dead inside her home. Timothy has been charged with breaking into her home and shooting her multiple times. The couple was living apart and in the process of divorcing.

Bliefnick's answer triggered gasps from the audience as he quickly added he loves his wife. As you know, the answers are based on 100 members of the studio audience and, incredibly, "I Do" was the second most popular answer.

Rebecca had reportedly filed for a restraining order against her estranged husband ... it's unclear if was in effect at the time of her death.

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FATAL FEUD

He's being held without bail.

Russian Jet Downs U.S. Drone Video Footage Shows Wild Encounter ... Stunning Mid-Air Collision

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THE DANGER ZONE

Dramatic new video was released Thursday showing a Russian fighter jet downing an American surveillance drone over the Black Sea ... and it destroys Russia's claim they didn't do it.

Check out the footage, which was declassified by U.S. European Command, showing the back propeller of the MQ-9 Reaper drone encountering the fast-approaching Russian Sukhoi SU-27 fighter jet in international airspace. As it got ever so close, the Russian jet showered the drone with fuel.

The Russian plane circled back for another pass and dumped even more gasoline on the drone. Then the Russian fighter tried one last fly by, but collided with the drone, damaging the propeller. As a result, the U.S. was forced to bring down the drone in the Black Sea.

For their part, Russian officials reportedly denied the crash even took place. Guess they haven't seen the video of the 30-to-40 minute mid-air battle.

But, a senior Biden administration official told CNN the video "absolutely confirms" the incident occurred, but the Russian pilots' motives remained unclear.

John Kirby, a rep for the National Security Council, said the drone had not been retrieved yet and it may never be recovered.

As of now, The Kremlin has not made a decision as to whether they would make an attempt to retrieve the drone wreckage.

NASA Astronauts Get Brand New Spacesuits!!!

It's like Fashion Week ... for space, as NASA unveils the freshly designed spacesuits its astronauts will be rocking on the moon.

Axiom Space designed the new look, and NASA proudly flaunted it Wednesday at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX -- the sleek new suits were primarily designed for the Artemis lunar missions scheduled for 2025.

The new suit is called Axiom Extravehicular Mobility Unit, or AxEMU, and it's way more flexible than the old bulky suits worn for over 50 years -- and they can be worn by men and women. Big diff from the Apollo missions of the '60s and '70s.

Fun fact: NASA says the new suits would fit at least 90% of the folks in the U.S.

You'll recall, NASA initially pulled the plug on the first all-female spacewalk back in 2019 ... all because the existing suits couldn't fit the 2 women heading to space.

Although they eventually did make the spacewalk in October 2019, it was clear the space agency needed a new vision for its spacesuits.

NASA enlisted Axiom last year to fix the problem, and they sound thrilled with the end result.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson says, "Axiom's next generation spacesuits will not only enable the first woman to walk on the Moon, but they will also open opportunities for more people to explore and conduct science on the Moon than ever before."

BTW, don't get used to that black and orange color pattern ... Axiom noted that's just to show off its logo. The final version will likely be all-white to reflect the intense heat astronauts are exposed to in space.

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SPACE STYLE

Ryan Reynolds Scores Huge Payday!!! T-Mobile to Acquire Mint Mobile

Ryan Reynolds' has the Midas touch ... his Mint Mobile company just got swallowed up for a price tag of $1.35 BILLION ... and he gets a HUGE chunk of that.

Mint will be sold to T-Mobile, as part of a larger deal with Mint's parent company, Ka'ena Corp.

It's unclear exactly how much Ryan will pocket -- he's a 25% stakeholder in Mint -- but it not gonna be chump change, for sure.

Ryan released a statement, saying "We're so happy T-Mobile beat out an aggressive last-minute bid from my mom," adding the company's 5G network is slightly more sophisticated than "my mom's slightly-above-average mahjong skills."

Mint Mobile founders Rizwan Kassim and David Glickman will stay on board at T-Mobile and continue to manage their company ... while Ryan will remain as the spokesperson. The deal is set to close later this year.

Bryan Kohberger Watches News Coverage of Murders Behind Bars

Bryan Kohberger -- the alleged quadruple Idaho murderer -- spends his days watching TV and more specifically, news reports on his own case.

Kohberger is segregated from other inmates at the Latah County Jail in Moscow, Idaho ... this according to Newsweek.

The alleged killer has his own TV and basic cable. One inmate tells the DailyMail, "He watches himself all the time," referring to news reports about the murders. The inmate adds, "It's really kind of bizarre."

The DM goes on to say Kohberger has found God ... meeting with a local pastor on Sunday mornings.

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HEARING THE CHARGES

The alleged killer faces 4 counts of first-degree murder. The death penalty is on the table though prosecutors have not yet said if they'll seek it.

He will be held at the Moscow jail until his preliminary hearing in June.

JFK Forklift Accident Worker's Leg Crushed, Seriously Injured ... Video Of Chaotic Aftermath

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FORKLIFT DISASTER
TMZ.com

A forklift collapsed and seriously injured a worker at JFK Airport in NYC ... and TMZ has obtained footage of the chaotic aftermath.

Law enforcement sources tell TMZ ... the lift toppled over at a Delta building on Tuesday night, landing on the worker.

We’re told cops and Emergency Service crews quickly responded to the scene and extricated the man from under the lift.

Check out our video showing police cars and ESU trucks with lights flashing and the scene cordoned off with yellow tape. You could also see what appears to be the forklift.

Our sources say the victim was conscious, but suffered a serious leg injury and needed a tourniquet to stop the bleeding. He was rushed to a local hospital for treatment ... his condition was not known.

The cause of the accident was unclear. An investigation is ongoing.

'The Want-Ad Killer' Harvey Carignan Dead At 95

Harvey Carignan, a mass murderer nicknamed "The Want-Ad Killer," is dead ... TMZ has learned.

Carignan, who used wanted ads to lure unsuspecting women so he could rape and murder them with a hammer, died earlier this month in a Minnesota prison ... with officials at MCF-Oak Park Heights telling us his death was from natural causes.

HC was serving a life sentence after being convicted in 1975 of murdering two women, Eileen Hunley and Katherine Schultz. During the trial, Carignan claimed God had ordered him "to kill whores and harlots" and pled insanity, but he was ultimately found guilty.

In the Hunley murder, she disappeared in Minnesota way back in August 1974 and her body was found 5 weeks later ... her skull imploded by repeated blows to the head. She had also been raped with a tree branch.

Carignan admitted to the Schultz murder, killing her after picking her up in south Minneapolis in Sept. 1974 and driving her to a rural area. Her badly beaten body was found in a cornfield. Like Hunley, her skull was also imploded with a hammer and why he was given the nickname "Harvey the Hammer."

Carignan committed his first murder in 1949, when he was in the Army and stationed in Anchorage, AK. He was convicted of killing 58-year-old Laura Showalter during an attempted rape, and even served part of his sentence at Alcatraz before being released.

While convicted of only 3 murders, Carignan allegedly killed at least 5 women.

He was 95.

SVB FDIC Takeover Sparks Bank Runs ... BoA & Wells Fargo Fears

Silicon Valley Bank collapsed this week, forcing the feds to step in and take over -- which is now having a ripple effect across the country ... and manifesting in a lot of fear nationwide.

ICYMI ... the FDIC took over SVB's operations Friday due to mass withdrawals that were happening among their many clients -- this after just about everyone got spooked by word of them trying to shore up more capital amid concerning investments (mortgage-backed securities and whatnot) that they'd made of late, which are starting to backfire/come due.

As a result, folks started to yank their cash out of the bank all at once ... which translates to a good old-fashioned bank run -- like the ones we saw during the Great Depression.

Some photos/video are starting to circulate on the internet, and the lines forming outside of SVB branches -- especially in the Bay Area, where they're mostly headquartered -- are quite startling. People are obviously flocking to try and recoup their money, but it might be too late at this point ... once the FDIC gets involved, a queue is formed -- and there's only a handful of guarantees they can make under federal law. The key figure, of course, is $250k.

The FDIC insures up to $250,000 for any given depositor in federally protected banks -- anything more than that isn't promised back though ... and reports indicate much of SVB's clientele -- typically steeped in the tech startup world, who often have boatloads of assets deposited -- might have way more than just that ... which may be lost when the dust settles.

On top of this, there are now reports of Wells Fargo accounts freezing for people who are trying to withdraw and transfer funds. Bank of America is also getting swept up in this -- both are trending, with a lot of Twitter users suggesting everyone get their cash out ASAP.

WF cited a "technical issue" their customers might be experiencing, but are saying not to panic. BoA's been quiet so far, but it also doesn't sound like anything concrete has happened just yet in their court -- just speculation/forecasts of things to possibly come.

Scary times, indeed.

Mexico Kidnapping Two of Four Americans Dead ... After Border Abduction

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THE SCARY AFTERMATH
UPDATE

11:35 AM PT -- Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said they have one suspect in custody.

UPDATE
UPDATE

State Department spokesperson Ned Price said the two survivors have been brought back to the U.S.

Two Americans who were kidnapped along the Mexico border near Texas last week are dead ... this according to state officials.

Americo Villarreal -- the governor of the Mexican state of Tamaulipas, which encompasses the border city of Matamoros, where the abductions occurred -- confirmed Tuesday that they'd found all 4 U.S. citizens who were taken by armed assailants ... and 2 were deceased.

As for the 2 others, one is reported to be injured. No word yet on where they were found or under what circumstances, but emergency personnel are on the scene and attending to the surviving Americans.

The crew of four -- who have since been identified by friends and family as Latavia McGee, Shaeed Woodard, Zindell Brown and Eric James Williams -- were traveling in a car with North Carolina plates, although it's unclear what state they were traveling from originally.

What we do know ... they crossed over into Mexico from Brownsville, TX in a white minivan, shortly after which they were descended upon by gunmen, who opened fire on them and snatched them up in the middle of the road -- part of which was caught on video.

Some have assumed this is cartel-related, but so far ... there's no evidence of that. The FBI has also said the group of four had no criminal ties to Mexico, and they also don't believe they were targeted before arriving in Mexico. This appears to have been carried out at random and on the spot by the criminals ... who remain at large at the moment.

The reason they were heading down to Mexico in the first place is that one of them was planning on undergoing a tummy tuck south of the border. The U.S. State Department has warned Americans to steer clear of Matamoros, noting its high risk of crime/kidnapping.

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TROUBLE AT THE BORDER

There have been reports this could be a case of mistaken identity.

Originally Published -- 8:07 AM PT

Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell Beach Bods In Australia!!! Shooting New Rom-Com

Sydney Sweeney and Glen Powell are havin' some fun in the sun ... all smiles while down under filming their latest project.

The duo's spending some time near Sydney, Australia for their latest film -- a romantic comedy with "Easy A" and "Friends with Benefits" director Will Gluck leading the shoot.

Not much has been said about the mystery project, but Sydney and Glen have been reported as the stars ... and we now know it's gonna feature their rockin' bods frolicking in the ocean.

They both were splashing around with Alexandra Shipp and Hadley Robinson -- 2 actresses who are costarring in the film. We're told the cameras weren't rolling when they were spotted, so this is just coworkers having some after-hours fun.

Looks just like your happy hours, right?

FYI, the "Euphoria" star's also taking on the role of executive producer for this one ... that's a first for her career.

Enjoy the rays, dudes!

Wild Airplane Video Man Attacks Flight Attendant with Spoon ... Tried to Open Exit Hatch!!!

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AERIAL ASSAULT
Courtesy of Lisa Olsen

Intense new video shows a man threatening to kill people and trying to stab a flight attendant after he nearly opened the emergency exit door aboard a United Airlines flight.

Check out the footage, shot by a passenger ... the Dept. of Justice says the guy shouting at everyone is Francisco Severo Torres, who stood up from his seat and went absolutely apes***t during the Sunday flight from L.A. to Boston.

According to DOJ docs, Torres kicked off the incident when he forced the exit door handle into an unlocked position. A flight attendant allegedly noticed the handle had been tampered with and remembered Torres was lurking around the door.

The attendant went to question Torres and that's when all hell broke loose in the cabin -- he screamed, "So where's Homeland Security with a gun? Because I am waiting for them to point the gun at me so I can show everybody that I will die when I take every bullet in that clip, and I will kill every man on this plane."

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WHAT WENT DOWN
CNN

Torres' terrifying rant continued, "Where are they diverting us? Because wherever they do, there's going to be a bloodbath everywhere. You can run away if you want. I won't kill you."

He also said, "I'm Balthazar. Or put up your hands, because I'm Balthazar ... since I'm taking over this plane." In the Bible, Balthazar is one of the 3 wise men who went to visit baby Jesus, but who knows if that was his reference.

DOJ docs say Torres brandished a broken metal spoon, confronted 2 flight attendants near the emergency exit, repeatedly stabbing one of them in the neck. The attendant's condition was not disclosed.

Thanks to several passengers, Torres was eventually restrained and taken into custody. The feds have charged him with interference and attempted interference with flight crew members and attendants using a dangerous weapon, which carries a potential life sentence.

Activist Erin Brockovich East Palestine's a Mess, People Pissed ... IDK If Biden Should Go

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UNPRECEDENTED DISASTER
TMZ.com

Erin Brockovich -- the famous paralegal turned activist who helped a massive PG&E scandal in the '90s -- has seen the aftermath in East Palestine ... and according to her, it's grim.

We got Erin at LAX Friday, where she'd just arrived from a visit in Ohio ... meeting and helping folks while surveying the damage and assessing the needs of the community. As she put it to us flatly, the situation is dire there ... and residents are without clear answers.

Based on what EB's seen, she says the area -- including groundwater and residential wells -- is very much contaminated ... despite government agencies and other politicians trying to tell the folks living there otherwise. Erin says there's contradictory information flying all over.

She even describes some symptoms of sickness she says she felt just by being in East Palestine for an extended period of time -- and it sounds very hazardous and dangerous.

So, on the question of next steps ... Erin says a lot of people living in the town have already lawyered up, which is her specialty. Apparently, there are massive class action lawsuits in the works, and it sounds like Norfolk Southern -- the company whose train derailed -- might have to pay out the nose for damages these people are alleging ... assuming they settle.

Now, when it comes to President Biden -- who has yet to visit in person, and has shown no signs of wanting to go -- Erin tells us he might be better off staying away. The people of Ohio are angry, and he may have already missed his chance to show face and sympathy.

Wild High-Speed Police Pursuit Teens Crash Through Overpass In Stolen Car ... Caught On Video

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CAR CHASE CHAOS

Two teens led police on a wild high-speed car chase through Minneapolis that ended with them crashing through an overpass railing and tumbling down an embankment ... and it was all caught on video.

Check out this surveillance footage showing the 14-year-old driver and 15-year-old passenger in a Kia ... racing along Interstate 94 as police gave chase. The Minnesota state trooper tried to pull over the stolen Kia, but the driver kept going, reaching speeds of 94 MPH.

At some point, the Kia lost control during the pursuit and crashed through the fence of the overpass, flipping over on the embankment. The teens ran across the busy highway from the wreckage, but police soon captured them. It's unclear what charges they may face.

Luckily, no one was seriously injured ... but the teens might have some explaining to do to their parents, not to mention a judge.

Matthew McConaughey Onboard Recent Turbulent Lufthansa Flight Wife Camila Shows Aftermath, Dropped 4K Feet

Matthew McConaughey and his wife were on board the Lufthansa flight that sent 7 to the hospital after plummeting thousands of feet in severe turbulence ... and she's detailing their frightening experience.

Camila Alves McConaughey shared a pic of the damage aboard Lufthansa's flight 469 after pilots were forced to make an emergency landing Wednesday in Washington D.C. -- they'd taken off from Austin, TX bound for Germany before the turbulence and drastic drop in altitude.

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Camila's photo shows the cabin in complete disarray, with food and cloth all over the place. She says she was told the aircraft dropped almost 4K feet, adding "everything was flying everywhere."

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IN FOR A BUMPY RIDE

She also posted an update on their rescheduled flight, which got off to a troubling start -- the pilot told them they'd be in 45 minutes of turbulence while flying outta D.C. ... which had to trigger some PTSD for passengers on the previous flight.

The airline's Airbus A330 made headlines when the turbulence struck over Tennessee ... and at least one passenger was sure they were going to die.