Oprah Hands Out Supplies At Maui Fire Shelter ... After Devastating Blaze

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HELP FROM OPRAH
Instagram / @Kakoo_Haleakala

Oprah is helping her ohana on Maui ... personally delivering crucial supplies to folks who lost everything in the deadly wildfires that wiped out an historic town.

The media mogul, who is one of Maui's biggest private landowners, visited wildfire victims Thursday at a makeshift relief shelter ... passing out cots, pillows and toiletries.

Video shows Oprah giving a man in a cot a pillow, and he appears bandaged. Oprah reportedly offered to buy supplies for the shelter, which is overrun with folks who lost their homes in the deadly blaze.

Oprah shared moments with evacuees at War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku, which is being used as a shelter and a drop-off location for donations and supplies, even taking a moment to pose for photos.

Oprah owns more than 1,000 acres on Maui ... including in Hana and Kula, which is in one of the areas where the fires are raging. The blaze completely wiped out Lahaina, an historic town and popular tourist destination.

Maui's been absolutely devastated by the wildfires that ripped through the island this week, and as of Friday the death toll stands at 55. In addition to the tragic loss of life, thousands of structures burned to the ground.

Folks on Maui were forced to flee the flames with just the clothing on their backs ... so they need all the help they can get.

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LAST SECOND ESCAPE
TikTok / @ChefJoshuaMarten

TMZ broke the story ... boxer Floyd Mayweather is paying for 68 families displaced by the fires to fly to safety and stay in a hotel for several weeks, and he's also footing the bill for their food and clothing.

Now, Oprah's stepping up too.

Hawaii Wildfires Lahaina Residents Dive into Ocean To Escape Deadly Maui Fires

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LAST SECOND ESCAPE
TikTok / @ChefJoshuaMarten

In what could be a scene directly out of a horror movie ... Lahaina residents barely escape with their lives after diving into the ocean for relief from the city's deadly fires.

The terrifying clip shows residents -- many who appear to have grabbed whatever belongings they could last minute -- getting into the water for shelter. Some cling onto pieces of wood to stick together, while others appear to be solo.

The smoke and ash make it almost impossible for residents to see, let alone breathe ... and the diving into the water shows just how desperate the situation got on Maui.

As of Thursday night, the wildfires -- which spread at an unimaginable speed because of high winds -- were about 80% contained. However, there's still been a significant loss of life, with at least 55 people reported dead and more expected once rescue efforts conclude.

Lahaina has seemingly taken the worst hit of the towns in the area -- leaving it essentially flattened and thousands of residents without water, power and forms of communication.

We covered the story on the latest episode of The TMZ Podcast, available on all podcast platforms.

Southwest Airlines Mom Suing Over Child Trafficking Claim ... Says It Was Racial Profiling, No Need for Cops

The mom suing Southwest Airlines for accusing her of child trafficking says it's really a case of racial profiling ... and adds, there's a better way to protect kids if the airline would train its employees better.

Mary MacCarthy joined us Wednesday on "TMZ Live," telling us why she feels her daughter's race was the only reason Southwest reported her, back in 2021, to Denver PD.

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THIS IS RACIAL PROFILING
TMZ.com

For those unaware, Mary and her child, Moira -- who was 10 at the time -- were flying to Colorado because Mary's brother had died, but cops greeted them as soon as they landed.

Southwest employees suspected Mary was trafficking Moira.

Mary insists the airline's only red flag was skin color -- she is white, while her daughter is biracial -- and she told us the misunderstanding could've been cleared up, if a crew member had spoken to them instead of calling police.

She also claims she never got a proper apology from the airline and is still waiting for it to admit fault for racially profiling them.

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SERIOUS ACCUSATION

She's also hoping the airline's employees will undergo more training to prevent this from happening again.

Senator Dianne Feinstein Taken to Hospital After Tripping, Falling in San Francisco

UPDATE

7:30 AM PT -- Senator Dianne Feinstein's office released this statement ... "Senator Feinstein briefly went to the hospital yesterday afternoon as a precaution after a minor fall in her home. All of her scans were clear and she returned home."

Senator Dianne Feinstein was at the hospital, TMZ has learned, after tripping and falling Tuesday in her home city of San Francisco.

We do not know how serious her injuries are ... only that she was taken to a nearby hospital. We're told she returned home Tuesday night.

The 90-year-old Senator has struggled with health issues over the last year. She was absent from the Senate for nearly 3 months earlier this year dealing with shingles, Ramsay Hunt syndrome and encephalitis.

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I NEVER LEFT
Benjamin Oreskes / Los Angeles Times

She's also appeared confused ... telling a reporter upon her return she wasn't absent at all. She's also appeared confused at recent Senate hearings.

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"JUST SAY AYE"

There have been quiet talks among Democrats and louder talks among Republicans for her to step down.

We reached out to the Senator's officer for comment ... so far, no word back.

Originally Published -- 6:36 AM PT

O'Shae Sibley Arrest Made in Fatal NYC Stabbing of Gay Dancer ... Charged as Hate Crime

Police have arrested someone in connection to the killing of O'Shae Sibley -- a gay dancer who was recently stabbed to death in NYC ... this after voguing to Beyoncé's music, no less.

The NYPD announced Saturday that they had a suspect in custody, whom they believe is responsible for Sibley's death. The unidentified perp is a 17-year-old boy, per cops, and he's being charged with murder ... which NYPD says is being prosecuted as a hate crime.

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MOMENTS BEFORE THE STABBING

The suspect surrendered Friday in Brooklyn, accompanied by a lawyer. He'd been on the police's radar since the July 29 incident ... as they believed he went to school in the area. So far, he's the only one being charged, although it's unclear if he'll be tried as an adult.

The fact this is being pursued as a hate crime lends credence to what friends of Sibley's -- some of whom say they were actually there at the gas station that night -- have been saying on social media ... namely, that the suspect and whatever group of people he was with apparently had an issue with Sibley and co. being gay. It led to a full-blown shouting match, and an eventual scuffle that resulted in Sibley being stabbed ... which was caught on video.

Based on reports, it sounds like the whole thing emanated from Sibley and his friends dancing in the parking lot ... and playing Bey's music in the background. The singer paid tribute to Sibley after hearing about it -- she has his name up on her website's homepage.

Since his death, tons of people have been paying their respects in a number of ways -- including visiting the site of his murder and voguing/protesting en masse, in his name.

Sibley was 28.

Idaho College Student Murders Suspect Bryan Kohberger Gives Alibi ... Late-Night Drives Are Just My Thing

The suspected killer of four University of Idaho students has served up an alibi for that fateful night ... claiming he routinely drives around alone late into the evening.

Bryan Kohberger filed a motion in Latah County Court in connection with the fatal stabbings of classmates Ethan Chapin, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Kaylee Goncalves in an off-campus house last November.

Kohberger, a former criminology student at Washington State University, is charged with all four slayings and faces the death penalty if convicted. He has pled not guilty.

In his court filing, Kohberger says he "has long had a habit of going for drives alone" and "often he would go for drives at night."

He noted that he "did so late on November 12 and into November 13, 2022," during the time of the murders, indicating he had nothing to do with them.

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PLEADING INNOCENCE
Court TV

As we reported, Kohberger was arrested at his parent's home in Pennsylvania weeks after the deadly attack.

Prosecutors say they linked Kohberger to the homicides after finding his DNA on a knife sheath at the crime scene. Other evidence against Kohberger includes cell phone records and an eyewitness who survived the frightening ordeal.

GILGO BEACH MURDERS SUSPECT'S WIFE SAYS KIDS CRY THEMSELVES TO SLEEP

The wife and children of alleged Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann are reeling in the wake of his arrest ... with all the crippling anxiety and sleeping difficulties you'd expect for a family suddenly thrust into a nightmare.

The suspected killer's wife, Asa Ellerup, says the couple's son and daughter are crying themselves to sleep.

Heuermann's wife revealed the toll the grisly allegations are taking on her family in an interview with the NY Post, telling the publication she often wakes up shivering from anxiety in the middle of the night.

As we reported ... Heuermann's family recently returned to the Long Island home where cops believe he gruesomely murdered his victims.

The couple's 33-year-old son, Christopher, got super emotional as he sat down on the front porch last week.

Now, Asa says the home is a complete mess as a result of a 12-day search by police ... and the couple's daughter, Victoria, feels like the family is being treated like animals.

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TAKING EVIDENCE
FOX

Living and sleeping in that home under the gruesome circumstances seems like an impossibly traumatic situation -- but Heuermann's wife says they have nowhere else to go.

Among the alleged damage left by police ... cat litter boxes strewn about, a couch in shambles, a broken guitar, and some damaged collectibles.

Heuermann has been charged with 3 murders ... and investigators are digging into a theory he might have killed the victims in the home while his wife and kids were out of town.

He's pleaded not guilty and is due back in court Tuesday. His family has reportedly refused to visit him in jail.

Moscow Ukrainian Drone Blows Up in Capital Explosion Caught on Video

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DEVASTATING EXPLOSION

Volodymyr Zelensky has said Ukraine is taking the fight in the ongoing war to Russia's doorstep -- and now, it appears like that's manifesting ... in the nation's capital, no less.

A viral video shows an explosion that went down in Moscow Sunday -- right in the heart of the financial district, it seems -- and it's pretty wild to see. You hear a woman who's filming, and she's got her camera aimed at a bunch of skyscrapers off in the not-too-far distance.

Suddenly, you see a massive ball of fire erupt near one of those buildings ... and it absolutely shocks the bystanders, who start to scream in a panic ... and even cry.

The Russian Defense Ministry is saying this was actually a Ukrainian drone ... and it was apparently just one of three that they say they took down before they could make impact. In this instance, RDM says the drone blew up near skyscrapers that housed government offices.

The Russian government also says there were no injuries or casualties here ... only minor damage to the façade of the two buildings. Still, people on the ground are reeling from this. BTW, this is the second reported attack on Russian soil in a week ... so they're escalating.

During a Sunday address, Zelensky is quoted as having said ... "Russian aggression has gone bankrupt on the battlefield. Today is the 522nd day of the so-called 'special military operation,' which the Russian leadership expected to last for a week or two. Ukraine is getting stronger. Gradually, the war is returning to the territory of Russia — to its symbolic centers and military bases, and this is an inevitable, natural, and absolutely fair process."

As you know, Russia has been on the attack in Ukraine for well over a year now ... and countless lives have been lost. Now that Zelensky is encroaching into Russia -- time will tell if Putin changes his tune.

Lake Lanier Georgia Man Dies Jumps In, Gets Electrocuted?!?

Lake Lanier has claimed yet another life in Georgia -- only this time, the mode of death is one no one seems to be able to explain ... because a guy was shocked to his demise.

24-year-old Thomas Milner was killed Thursday after he reportedly jumped into the water from his nearby family dock -- only to start screaming moments later and calling for help ... apparently, he was being electrocuted from within the lake itself.

Reports say, citing Georgia officials, that family friends tried pulling Milner out ... but were unsuccessful. It seems a neighbor had to actually drive over to his location with their own boat -- only for someone in the boat to finally jump in and attempt to bring him ashore.

That person, who hasn't been identified, reportedly told authorities they started to feel a burning sensation as soon as they got into the water ... which they assumed was electricity.

According to one local outlet, the diver actually got out of the water briefly ... turned off a power box that was adjacent to the dock ... and then went back in to get Milner, at which point they were able to pull him out. Unfortunately, it was too late for everyone involved.

They tried life-saving measures, but Milner later died at a hospital.

There's no official word why the water had electric currents in it -- but, believe it or not, this is something Lake Lanier officials have actually warned the public about over the years ... citing the risk of "electric shock drowning." Some say faulty outlets could cause this.

Here's another thing ... there's a dam not too far from where Milner died (around Dove Trail) that actually generates a ton of power for surrounding counties. According to Lake Lanier's own site ... "Buford Dam produces hydo-electric power for surrounding counties. Tubes continuously pass water through the dam at a minimum rate of 600 cubic feet per second (CFS)." Lastly ... officials have actually told people to swim in Lake Lanier at their own risk of late -- as this body of water has caused upwards of 700 deaths dating back to the '50s.

Larsa Pippen, Marcus Jordan We Witnessed An Officer-Involved Shooting!!! ... 'It Was Scary AF'

Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan are counting their blessings today ... 'cause the couple says they were at the scene of a terrifying officer-involved shooting Thursday evening.

The incident went down at around 5:30 PM in a popular shopping area in Miami ... after a man had allegedly taken two people hostage inside a Victoria's Secret and threatened to stab them with a knife.

According to police, in an attempt to de-escalate the situation ... an officer opened fire on the man and struck him.

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AT THE SCENE

Larsa said in an Instagram post following the shooting that she was just feet away from it all ... and it was "scary AF."

"So thankful for the Miami Beach Police Department," she said, "everyone was running and screaming."

In footage from the scene that Pippen shared, you can see people were panicked ... as officers tried to clear out the area.

A spokesperson for the Miami Beach Police Dept. says the suspect was taken to the hospital following the shooting ... though he was later pronounced dead there.

An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

UFO Congressional Hearing People Murdered in Cover-Up Plot?!? U.S. Military Whistleblowers Testify

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KEEPING THINGS UNDER WRAPS

The federal government goes to great lengths to keep alien spacecraft secret from the public, even killing its own citizens ... at least that's what a whistleblower is strongly suggesting.

The bombshell claim was levied during Wednesday's historic Congressional hearing on UFOs ... with former Air Force intelligence officer David Grusch hinting murder has been a key part of a government conspiracy to hide evidence of extraterrestrials.

Ya gotta see the exchange on Capitol Hill ... Rep. Tim Burchett straight-up asks Grusch if he has any personal accounts of people being murdered over something they've seen in our skies.

The whistleblower's answer is revealing ... "I have to be careful answering that question. I directed people with that knowledge to the appropriate authorities."

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I WANT TO BELIEVE
NAVAIR

Grusch is one of 3 whistleblowers from our military testifying under oath about UFOs and secret government programs allegedly involving extraterrestrial technology. He claims almost 95 percent of UFO sightings go unreported, mainly out of fear of being blackballed, or worse.

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NON-HUMAN ORIGINS

The 2 other men being sworn in are Navy fighter pilot commander David Fravor, a witness of the infamous "Tic Tac" UFO sighting, plus former pilot Ryan Graves.

Grusch also testified the U.S. has known about extraterrestrials since at least the 1930s, with the feds covering up a longstanding government program that retrieves and reverse engineers UFOs ... or as he put it, "non-human" spacecraft and pilots.

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WATCH THE SPECIAL

Meanwhile, the Pentagon has denied the claims.

NYC Crane Collapse Multiple People Injured ... As Crane Snaps, Plummets to Ground

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CRANE CHAOS
Twitter / @jimmy_farring

A scene straight out of a Hollywood thriller unfolded in NYC, as a crane not only caught fire, but collapsed and crashed into a neighboring building ... sending people below running for cover.

The crane was operating on a vacant building near Hudson Yards when it caught fire. Emergency crews responded almost immediately but were essentially helpless as it burned hundreds of feet in the air.

Eventually, the flames got to be too much, and the crane snapped ... striking a neighboring building and falling to the ground.

You can see people scrambling for safety on the ground, and reports say 4 civilians and one firefighter were injured from the debris. Thankfully, their injuries were non-life-threatening.

Carlee Russell Ex-BF Puts Her On Blast ... You're a Liar!!

Carlee Russell has majorly ticked off a key member of her inner circle after news surfaced Monday that her kidnapping story was BS.

Thomar Simmons posted a lengthy statement on Instagram, slamming Carlee for her lies and now referring to himself as her "ex" boyfriend. He also scrubbed all signs of Carlee from his social media accounts and stopped following her.

Simmons wrote, "Carlee's actions created hurt, confusion and dishonesty. I was made aware of the false narrative after coming to the defense of my ex Carlee Russell."

He explained that he and his family reacted with love and concern at first, but they are "disgusted" with the outcome of the case.

Simmons went on to say they were totally blindsided by Carlee's phony tale, noting they've gained some closure with her confession while acknowledging the police investigation is ongoing.

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NO KIDNAPPING
Hoover Police Department

As you know, Russell's attorney, Emory Anthony, issued his own statement, which was read by Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis Monday night at a news conference.

Anthony said Carlee made up the whole abduction story, as well as her claim she saw a toddler walking along the highway. He also apologized on behalf of Carlee and asked everyone to pray for her as she works on her issues. But Anthony failed to address why Carlee did what she did.

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CARLEE'S 911 CALL

Meanwhile, the Jefferson County District Attorney's Office is reviewing the case to determine if Carlee should be criminally charged. Police spent many hours and tax dollars searching for Carlee after she called 911 to falsely report the child wandering on the interstate.

When the police got to the scene, no one was around, and Carlee's family thought she'd been kidnapped. Two days later, Carlee returned home without so much as a scratch on her, making investigators suspicious.

INSANE VIDEO Hollywood-Style Car Crash In San Francisco ... Miraculously, No Injuries

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FLYING OFF THE LEDGE
YouTube / Julia Brown

In a scene straight out of a Hollywood action film ... a car careened off an embankment on a San Francisco hilltop street and rocketed through a line of trees, crashing upside down to the roadway below.

But this was no movie ... the real-life accident was recorded by Nest cameras and 2 videos were uploaded to YouTube. Miraculously, everyone walked away from Saturday's crash with their lives fully intact.

The clip below is shot from the top of the street and shows the vehicle barreling through a guardrail in a residential area, plummeting into a small forest while flipping over several times.

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BURSTING THROUGH
YouTube / Julia Brown

From a different angle below, the second video captures the sedan launching off the edge of the embankment above, tumbling through the foliage and landing on its roof.

Pedestrians rushed over to help several passengers out of the wreckage. All of the occupants fled on foot after one was overheard saying, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I've got to go."

Witnesses told NBC Bay Area News ... the vehicle might have been stolen. San Francisco PD is investigating, but no arrests have been made.

Twitter Name, Logo Officially Changed ... Welcome to 'X,' Y'all!!!

Twitter is dead, and in its place -- a new name and logo live ... welcome to the world of X!

Indeed ... Elon Musk followed through on his promise from this weekend, rebranding the storied social media company and completely getting rid of the familiar white bird icon and blue background. Ditto for its moniker ... now, Twitter will forever be known simply as "X."

EM touted the big change by retweeting re-X'ing his new CEO's announcement, which reads ... "It’s an exceptionally rare thing – in life or in business – that you get a second chance to make another big impression. Twitter made one massive impression and changed the way we communicate. Now, X will go further, transforming the global town square."

She adds, "X is the future state of unlimited interactivity – centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking – creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities. Powered by AI, X will connect us all in ways we’re just beginning to imagine."

Now, the actual site/app itself still pretty much looks the same in terms of design, function and format. In fact, you can actually still see remnants of the old Twitter floating around ... like on the search bar, for instance, where it continues to read "Search Twitter."

Even when it comes to retweets, those are labeled as such ... so on its face, it still very much feels like Twitter. It's unclear if more of a relaunch will take place over the coming days.

While Elon and co. really got the word out about the switch-up this weekend ... they'd actually been telegraphing this for a while, especially in official corporate docs tied to the organization.

The group of investors that came together to buy this thing -- again, for $44 billion -- had called themselves X Corp. earlier this year. Now, they'll be known as such going forward.

One last thing ... it appears the new "X" is going to be powered by AI -- at least according to this above-mentioned CEO. Funny enough, Elon was railing against AI not too long ago ... calling on a slow-down, if not a full-blown pause, because he thought it was dangerous.

Carlee Russell Boyfriend Pleads With Public ... Stop Bullying Her On Social Media

Carlee Russell's kidnapping story is slowly melting away and so is her mental health apparently ... 'cause her boyfriend is begging the public to cut out all the cyberbullying.

Thomar Lattrel Simmons was interviewed Saturday by the New York Post and made his desperate plea on behalf of Russell.

Simmons said, "The only thing I can say is, I want everyone to stop bullying her. I know what it seems like what she did. Just stop bullying on social media."

He continued, "Think about her mental health. She doesn’t deserve that. She doesn’t. Nobody deserves to be cyberbullied."

As we reported, Russell has come under intense scrutiny after she claimed she was abducted on the side of a highway while trying to help a child.

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CARLEE'S 911 CALL

She called 911 on June 13 and told the dispatcher she saw the toddler wandering along the interstate as she was driving home from work.

Russell promised to wait with the child until the police arrived, but, when the cops got there, Carlee was nowhere to be found and neither was the kid.

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FIGHTING FOR HER LIFE
NBC

Two days later, Russell returned home without so much as a scratch. Since then, police have investigated the incident and publicly stated they have not been able to verify Carlee's suspicious account.

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ODD ACTIVITY
Hoover Police Department

As a result, Russell was recently fired from her job at a day spa in Birmingham, Alabama.

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