Simone Biles Wins Record 8th U.S. Championship ... No Twisties Here!!!

Simone Biles is back to her dominating ways -- the gymnastics superstar won her record 8th U.S. Championship on Sunday ... two years after backing out of the Tokyo Olympics to focus on her mental health.

The 26-year-old became the oldest to win it all after a stellar performance throughout the weekend ... posting an all-around total score of 118.40 over the two-day event, four points ahead of runner-up Shilese Jones and seven above third-place finisher Leanne Wong.

Biles -- who won her first U.S. title a decade ago -- announced her comeback in June after taking time away from the sport ... and picked up right where she left off at the SAP Center in San Jose, scoring the highest results in the vault, beam and floor events.

While many assume Biles has her sights set on competing at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris ... she said she is keeping her future plans private.

"I like to keep (my goals) personal just so that I know what I am aiming for," she said at the competition. "I’m trying to move a little bit differently this year than I have in the past. So I think it’s working so far, so I’m gonna keep it a little bit secretive."

Of course, Biles faced heavy criticism for backing out of competition at the Tokyo Games ... with critics accusing her of bailing on her teammates.

Next up for Biles -- the world championships in Belgium later this year.

'Rich Men North of Richmond' Singer Oliver Anthony ... Not a Conservative Political Pawn

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NOT A POLITICAL PAWN

Oliver Anthony -- the singer whose "Rich Men North of Richmond" currently sits at the top of the charts -- says his message has been clouded, and despite what many may want to think, he's not a political pawn to be used by conservatives.

The Virginia native got candid in a self-taped video just a couple days after the GOP played his song during the first debate for Presidential hopefuls.

Anthony says it's funny because he wrote his hit song about the very people on stage and how they've lost their care and consideration for the common, working man.

The country-folk singer notes his message is bigger than one political party, noting, "It's aggravating seeing people on conservative news try to identify with me like I'm one of them."

Anthony's song seems to take aim at politicians as a whole, not a specific side of the aisle, he notes, "That song has nothing to do with Joe Biden, it's a lot bigger than Joe Biden."

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SOMETHING'S GOTTA CHANGE

He says, "I see the right trying to characterize me as one of their own, and I see the left trying to discredit me. I guess in retaliation. That s***'s gotta stop."

At one point, Anthony gets emotional when talking about the future of the country, including young lives that have been lost in senseless ways ... saying everybody's got to get together and stop being so divisive, something he says he's gonna work to change.

Spain Soccer Prez Luis Rubiales Denies Resigning After Kiss Scandal

UPDATE

6:48 AM PT -- 8/25 -- Luis Rubiales is refuting reports of his resignation ... saying on Friday he isn't going anywhere, and insisting the kiss was consensual.

UPDATE

"Do you think this is so serious that I should go, after the best management in the history of Spanish football?" Rubiales said, according to reported translations. "Let me tell you -- I'm not going to resign. I'm not going to resign. I'm not going to resign."

UPDATE

Rubiales added his own take on the situation ... claiming the kiss was as innocent as if he were interacting with his daughters -- insisting he asked Jenni Hermoso's permission prior to planting his lips on her.

UPDATE

"These people are trying to assassinate me and I'm going to defend myself," Rubiales added. "The false feminists destroy people ... The press, in the majority, will keep killing me but I know the truth, and what my family and the people who love me think. The truth is the truth."

UPDATE

1:27 PM PT -- Rubiales is stepping down from his role as head of the Spanish soccer federation ... with multiple reports claiming the boss will resign on Friday following the backlash and investigation stemming from the kiss scandal.

Spain soccer boss Luis Rubiales is under FIFA investigation for planting an unwanted kiss on one of his players following the country's World Cup victory this week, the soccer governing body announced Thursday.

"The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has informed Rubiales that it is opening disciplinary proceedings against him based on the events that occurred during the final," a statement released by FIFA read.

The international governing body went on to say Rubiales might've violated rules dictating "Offensive behavior and violations of the principles of fair play" for the unsolicited kiss of midfielder Jenni Hermoso after Spain's epic 1-0 win over England in the World Cup Final on August 20.

Rubiales, who is 46, has received widespread rebuke for his actions after the match. He was also photographed carrying a player over his shoulder and grabbing his crotch.

After initially acting defiant, Rubiales apologized, saying, "I made a mistake, for sure."

"I have to accept it. In a moment of such emotion, without any bad intention or bad faith, what happened, happened, in a very spontaneous way."

The soccer president added ... "I have to learn from this and understand that a president of an institution as important as the federation -- above all in ceremonies and that kind of thing -- should be more careful."

But, the apology wasn't enough for many, including the country's top politician, Acting Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez who called the apology "insufficient and inadequate."

FUTPRO, the union that represents Hermoso, the player who was kissed, released a statement on her behalf, saying "acts that should never go unpunished."

As for what will happen to Rubiales, FIFA won't say until the investigation is completed. However, they did offer a rebuke of his actions.

"FIFA reiterates its unwavering commitment to respecting the integrity of all individuals and strongly condemns any behavior to the contrary."

Despite FIFA's investigation still being underway, there's a chance Rubiales loses his job before the disciplinary committee concludes its work. There are mounting calls for Luis' job in Spain, and the Royal Spanish Football Federation is planning to meet Friday to discuss the controversy.

Originally Published -- 8/24 7:34 AM PT

Burglary Suspect Chugs Gasoline As Cops Pull Guns in Arrest

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GAS GUZZLER
Seattle Police Department

A bizarre scene in Seattle as a burglary suspect decided to chug from a can of gasoline as cops moved in for his arrest.

The footage is wild, you see a guy sitting inside a truck parked in a garage as cops shout commands for him to get out of the vehicle. The guy takes a swig of the gasoline, as officers inform they're about to break a window, which doesn't really phase the alleged crook.

Once the glass is broken, the dude takes another gulp before officers wrestle the gasoline away from him, drag him out of the truck and into handcuffs.

Unclear what the alleged burglar thought he'd accomplish with the stunt, though at one point during his arrest it sounds like he says, "Shoot me" ... so it could've been an attempt at self-harm.

As for how the whole thing started -- a spokesperson from the Seattle, WA Police Department says they got a call from a 17-year-old girl Friday about a man trying to break into her parents' home.

In the body cam footage, you see officers force entry into the home, search for the girl and eventually find the suspect in the garage ... where the gasoline scene unfolds.

The suspect was treated by paramedics and then taken to King County Jail and booked for residential burglary.

Vivek Ramaswamy Emerges Victorious In Republican Debate ... New Poll Says

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FIRST ROUND FIREWORKS
Fox News

Vivek Ramaswamy channeled his inner Donald Trump and became the breakout star of the first 2024 Republican presidential primary debate in Wisconsin Wednesday night, at least according to a new poll.

The biotech businessman went toe-to-toe with his fellow conservative candidates onstage at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee -- and emerged victorious with a 28 percent approval rating from voters in the Daily Mail poll.

Ron DeSantis slid into the second spot with 27 percent approval. Former Vice President Mike Pence came in third with 13 percent. The other candidates -- Tim Scott, Nikki Haley, Chris Christie, Doug Burgum, Asa Hutchinson -- all polled in the single digits.

Of course, Trump was nowhere to be found because he's, by far, the Republican frontrunner, electing instead to do an interview with Tucker Carlson that aired on X, formerly known as Twitter.

During the two-hour debate, Vivek was thrust into the spotlight during several heated exchanges with his rivals, especially Christie, who compared him to "ChatGPT" -- a form of Artificial Intelligence technology that allows you to have human-like conversations and more with a chatbot.

Vivek also stirred controversy when he was the only candidate to raise his hand after being asked if they would not support an increase in funding for the war in Ukraine.

At one point, the conversation turned to climate change and Vivek labeled it a hoax, prompting boos from the crowd.

He was also quick to put up his arm when asked about whether the candidates would support Trump if he were convicted in any of his four criminal cases.

Vivek is clearly a big fan of Trump, but now that his polls are going up, it could create some tension between the two.

Rudy Giuliani Stone-Faced Mug Shot Surrenders In Trump Case

Rudy Giuliani's mug shot is in, and he certainly doesn't look like a happy camper after surrendering himself for Donald Trump's RICO case.

Giuliani gave the Fulton County camera the disapproving look Wednesday after he and fellow former election lawyer Sidney Powell walked into county jail for one of Trump's ongoing investigations.

RG agreed to a $150k bond, and Powell's was set at $100k. For those unaware, Giuliani's charged with things like engaging in criminal conspiracies and breaking Georgia's racketeering act -- Powell's facing similar charges.

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"ATTACK ON AMERICAN PEOPLE"

He gave his thoughts about agreeing to work with Trump years ago, especially in hindsight ... but he seems to have no problems with the connection they share.

As we reported, Trump said on Truth Social he will be turning himself in to Fulton County officials on Thursday -- the day after Giuliani and Powell. The announcement follows last week's indictment on 13 counts of 2020 election subversion under GA's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, or RICO.

Apart from Trump, 18 other defendants have been named in the latest case, with Giuliani and Powell being 2 of many ... also facing charges is the ex-president's former Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows.

FYI, Trump's also been indicted in 3 other jurisdictions for alleged incidents like mishandling classified docs, a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, and involvement in the January 6 riots.

Wild West Shoot-Out Dallas Resident Exchanges Gunfire With Intruders ... Caught On Video

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BURGLARY FOILED

Two suspected burglars tried to break into a Texas apartment ... but the gun-wielding resident got all trigger-happy, spraying bullets through the front door and causing them to flee for their lives.

Saturday's Wild West-style shoot-out was captured by a doorbell camera recording the hallway outside a Dallas apartment. Fox News obtained the video showing all the madness.

In the clip, one of the suspects, Aaron Contreras, knocks on the door, posing as a maintenance worker and asking if he could come in to check an air-conditioner filter.

The resident, Ethan Rodriguez, was in his bathroom and used his phone connected to his home security camera to respond, rejecting Contreras, who walks away.

The video then jumps to Contreras -- now gripping a pistol -- and his masked cohort trying to kick in the door to Rodriguez's home.

Suddenly, Rodriguez -- armed with his own gun -- starts shooting from inside the apartment as bullets crash through the door, piercing the walls in the hallway. Contreras returns fire before bolting down a flight of stairs with his accomplice. Both, miraculously, escape without a scratch ... Rodriguez was also uninjured.

Dallas police officers soon arrive, assessing the damage outside Rodriguez's apartment and conducting a search inside. Rodriguez was not arrested because he was protecting his home.

Contreras, on the other hand, was eventually apprehended and booked into the county jail for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of habitation and deadly conduct discharge of a firearm. He's being held on $150,000 bond.

The other suspect is still at large.

India We're On the Moon, Baby!!! Only 4th Country to Make It

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STARTING A LUNAR LEGACY
Indian Space Research Organization

India's boldly gone where no other country has -- landing a spacecraft, the Chandrayaan-3, on the moon's south pole, and becoming only the 4th nation to achieve lunar success.

The Indian Space Research Organisation's mission control erupted in cheers as the unmanned Chyandrayaan-3 softly touched down on the moon's south pole Wednesday morning ... marking a successful end to a more than month-long mission.

India's now earned its Moon Card, along with the U.S., Russia and China -- although, only America's landed manned missions there.

One thing the ISRO has on just about every other lunar mission is cost, 'cause they really did it on the cheap. India's budget for the entire mission is a paltry $75 million ... an amount that pales in comparison to the budgets of several Hollywood movies about space exploration!!!

The Chandrayaan-3 landing on the moon's south pole is a big deal because traces of ice were recently discovered there ... so the ISRO is hoping to explore the area for water that could be used to fuel future spacecraft.

One person who probably isn't cheering India's lunar success is Vladimir Putin -- Russia attempted to land its own spacecraft on the moon just a few days ago, but it spun out of control and crashed into the surface.

Maui Wildfire Victim No Trust in Biden, Feds' Response ... My Family's Lost Everything

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TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE
TMZ.com

Maui resident and former TV host Peter O'Riordan lost his home, car and belongings in the deadly wildfire, and says President Biden's visit is doing little to raise hope for victims like himself.

Peter, a former TMZ staffer who went on to host an Irish TV show before moving to Lahaina, joined us on Tuesday on "TMZ Live" ... revealing the devastating details of what's happened to his family and countless others just like him.

He says he's lost everything in the blaze, and its aftermath is wreaking havoc on his children's lives ... as they've been uprooted from their home, and have school left to attend.

Peter says his crying children were told to grab what they could, and flee for their lives as the fire advanced -- and it's that kind of lasting trauma that's so negatively impacting all kids in the Lahaina area.

As a business owner who relies on tourism, Peter says folks on Maui are super worried about the future and their island's economy ... and they don't feel like the federal government is a reliable source of help.

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BIDEN GETS THE BIRD

POTUS was met with jeers, and even outright chants of "f***k you" and residents flipping the bird, during his Monday tour of the devastation.

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NO COMMENT FOR MAUI
Fox News

Peter tells us the President's delayed visit -- coming 13 days after the fire -- already pissed off many residents, but he added that Biden made it worse when he said "no comment" to a question about the federal government's reaction.

With Peter's home and belongings reduced to a pile of ash, he's crowdfunding for his snorkel biz, Sea Maui, and he's reminding tourists that most of Maui is open for business.

While they desperately need tourism dollars, he's also asking visitors to be respectful of what locals are going through right now.

Peter's also working with the Maui Pono Foundation and Lahaina Restoration Foundation to help rebuild homes and businesses.

It's a first-hand account of what folks on the island are living through as they attempt to recover.

Alaska Airlines Rough Landing During Tropical Storm Hilary ... Sparks Flying From Wing

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TERRIFYING TOUCHDOWN

Passengers on an Alaska Airlines flight in CA had a frightening landing during Tropical Storm Hilary ... the plane took a ton of damage during its descent, causing sparks to fly.

The whole thing went down at Santa Ana's John Wayne Airport Sunday night, as Hilary's rainfall and winds were still going strong.

The pilots were already fighting the strong gusts and downpours, and by the time the wheels hit the ground, the left wing went down with it.

The Boeing 737-800's landing got intense and bumpy ... sparks and smoke can be seen coming out, and some folks onboard can be heard screaming and crying, including a child.

16-year-old passenger Abhi Amineni told KCAL News the aircraft was shaking when it began the final descent and claimed there was no "brace for impact" warning before touching down.

The damage looks pretty rough on the outside of the plane ... and it appears the left turbine fully touched the tarmac while landing, likely where the sparks came from.

You'll recall, the tropical storm was pretty intense for SoCal residents throughout Sunday -- it prompted shutdowns for LAUSD schools, flights in certain airports, and even DoorDash suspended deliveries while the storm passed.

Just another reason why folks leave those windows CLOSED while landing -- who wants to see that?

Donald Trump I'll Surrender Thursday in RICO Case ... Mocks Fulton County D.A.

Donald Trump says he's surrendering to Georgia authorities Thursday while taking aim at the District Attorney prosecuting him ... after she charged him with racketeering for allegedly subverting the 2020 election.

The 45th President made the announcement on Truth Social Monday night and, in doing so, peppered Fulton County D.A. Fani Willis with insults dripping with sarcasm.

DT said, "The failed District Attorney of Fulton County (Atlanta), Fani Willis, insisted on a $200,000 Bond from me. I assume, therefore, that she thought I was a "flight" risk - I'd fly far away, maybe to Russia, Russia, Russia, share a gold domed suite with Vladimir, never to be seen or heard from again."

Trump also pointed out he's too famous to run away and hide, citing his huge TRUMP-labeled jet as an example. DT ended his diatribe with the usual gripes about witch hunts and radical left D.A.s.

Trump's also been ordered not to intimidate witnesses and others connected to the case, including the D.A. and other law enforcement. This could be dangerous territory for Trump who finds it irresistible to attack his foes.

Trump may have picked Thursday because the surrender would come hours after the first Republican debate -- from which he will be absent -- thus hijacking the headlines.

As we reported, Trump was criminally indicted last week by a Fulton County grand jury on 13 counts of 2020 election subversion under Georgia's Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, also known as RICO.

Eighteen other defendants were also charged in the sprawling case, including DT's former attorney Rudy Giuliani and Chief of Staff Mark Meadows.

Trump has also been indicted in three other jurisdictions for alleged federal and state crimes involving the January 6th riots, mishandling classified documents and making a $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Despite all his legal woes, Trump is still the Republican frontrunner in the 2024 presidential race and the likely nominee for his party, at least for now according to most polls.

We'll have to see if that changes considering his 4 indictments.

Joe Biden Heckled Over Response to Hawaii Wildfires ... As He Tours Disaster Zone

Joe Biden was slammed by angry Hawaiians who gave him the middle finger -- and a piece of their minds -- after he touched down in the island state to assess the damage caused by the deadliest wildfires in modern American history.

The 46th President flew into Lahaina, Hawaii, with First Lady Jill Biden on Air Force One Monday and were greeted by residents pissed off about Joe's response -- or lack thereof -- to the disaster that has so far killed a staggering 114 people with an estimated 1,000 more still missing.

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BIDEN GETS THE BIRD

Check out the footage ... survivors are standing on the side of the road flipping Joe the bird as his motorcade passes by, while spitting out, "Thanks for nothing" and "F**k you."

Other images show locals giving Joe the thumbs down while holding signs demanding relief for Lahaina -- which was hardest hit by the wildfires.

Of course, Biden is getting all this criticism because many believe he dropped the ball with his slow response to the tragedy. Biden barely made a peep about it for days after the fires erupted August 8, and he even went on vacation during the whole catastrophe. An official cause has not yet been disclosed.

Now, it appears Biden is trying to make up for it by touring the region, giving a speech about the devastation and offering millions in federal aid to those impacted. The White House has also defended Joe, describing his efforts as "robust" with a "whole-of-government response."

But it might be too little too late judging by the reactions from Hawaiians.

Los Angeles Hurricane Hilary Levels-Up With a DAMN Earthquake!!!

Mother Nature has a bone to pick with Los Angeles, not only sending Hurricane Hilary to the city of angels ... but hitting its residents with an earthquake at the SAME DAMN TIME.

That's right, just as Angelinos were trapped inside, watching their favorite Netflix shows, surfing social media or deciding where to order some Uber Eats, a 5.1 magnitude quake, centered in Ojai rocked the city.

Luckily, at the time of this post, there doesn't seem to have been any significant damage ... but the whole thing's gotta be scary nonetheless as rain continues to come down.

Most West Coast folks also got a firsthand taste of the earthquake warning system on their phones when an alert was blasted out reading, "Earthquake Detected! Drop, Cover, Hold On. Protect Yourself."

The National Weather Service has been using push notifications for the storm since it hit L.A. early Sunday morning. Just 2 hours before the earthquake alert went out, residents' phones blew up with a warning for flash floods in several areas.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

For those unaware, Hilary, which has been downgraded to a tropical storm, made landfall in Mexico, while the neighbors to the north are getting rained down ... officials say it could be the most devastating storm to hit the state in years.

Safe to say, SoCal dwellers have a lot on their plates at the moment ... and the earthquake was the wet and rainy icing on top!!!

Russian Spacecraft Crashes into Moon

Russia's first mission to the moon in 5 decades has ended in failure, as their Luna-25 spacecraft crashed into the surface on approach.

The unmanned vessel, which launched from the Vostochny Cosmodrome earlier this month, crashed on the moon's surface Saturday. Not much is known about the cause of the failure, but officials called it an "abnormal situation."

The launch marked Russia's first attempt to approach the moon since 1976 ... the goal was to attempt a landing near the moon's south pole.

The Russian space agency, Roscosmos, said they lost contact with the craft Saturday afternoon stating, "spacecraft entered an unplanned orbit and ceased to exist after colliding with the surface of the Moon."

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

All additional efforts to make contact have since failed.

Hurricane Hilary Flooding in Baja, 1 Death ... Headed for Cali

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FLOODING IN BAJA

Hurricane Hilary has already proved deadly ... triggering massive floods in Baja, Mexico and claiming at least one life.

The storm hit in the town of Santa Rosalia and clearly packed an enormous punch, flooding streets and damaging or destroying property in its path.

You could feel the intensity from comments on social media .. "Holy sh** 👀 #HurricaneHilary Baja California, Mexico. I hope everyone’s okay."

The good news ... Hilary seems to be losing its intensity ... it's currently a category 1 hurricane but by the time it hits Cali later Sunday it will be downgraded to a category 4 storm -- still intense, but not a hurricane.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

There's still a tropical storm warning for millions of folks in SoCal, and there's fear it will cause flash flooding, as well as landslides.

There are some areas of California that will get more rain in 24 hours than they usually get in a year. Palm Springs is particularly problematic.

There's also an alert for Catalina Island ... 26 miles off the coast of Los Angeles.

It's a weather event Cali hasn't seen in more than 80 years.

Man Splits In Half Plunges 750 Feet To His Death Off New York City High-Rise

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DESPERATE CLEANUP
Freedom News.TV

A man died a gruesome death after jumping roughly 750 feet to his death in NYC ... and he reportedly ended up split in 2 on the pavement.

The man made his fatal jump from the top of the Deutsche Bank Center Thursday night in Manhattan, located on what many call "Billionaire's Row" in Columbus Circle. Creating even more of a spectacle is the fact he ended up slamming into the glass marquee above the entrance to the ritzy Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which is part of the same building.

His body was reportedly split in half by the impact with the marquee -- parts of his body were found across the street on construction scaffolding which was dripping with blood.

The 55-story building houses the hotel, several companies and super expensive luxury apartments where celebs like Jay-Z and Gisele Bündchen have once lived.

It's unclear if the man, who was in pajamas when found dead, worked or lived in the building at the time ... but some reports claim he might have taken a service elevator to the top before meeting his demise.

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TMZ INVESTIGATES

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