One Chip Challenge Massachusetts Teen Dies After Eating Dangerously Spicy Snack

A Massachusetts teen is dead after eating an incredibly spicy chip that's the subject of a viral challenge -- and his family is directly blaming the snack.

14-year-old Harris Wolobah passed away Friday in Worcester -- and, according to his mother, it's the result of complications he suffered after eating a Paqui chip at school earlier in the day.

His official cause of death is still pending, but Harris was attempting the "One Chip Challenge," which has been around for a few years now. Paqui advertises its chip with a skull on a coffin-shaped box ... which contains the one tortilla chip.

There are warning labels all over the packaging ... including one that says children should not eat it, nor should people who have certain allergens or who are sensitive to spicy foods.

Harris' mother says she was contacted by his school Friday, because he was complaining of a stomach ache after eating the chip. By the time he came home, she says he felt better -- and was even on his way to a basketball tryout -- before things went south and he collapsed.

He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Now, his mom is ripping the response, telling NBC Boston Harris should've been taken straight to the hospital by school officials ... rather than being sent to the nurse's office.

The school hasn't responded to that criticism, but the district superintendent says they're mourning his death.

Paqui's One Chip Challenge has been scrutinized before, and the company's defended itself ... saying it goes out of the way to warn consumers about who should and shouldn't partake.

For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

U. of Wisconsin Pier Collapses ... Univ. Of Wisconsin Students Crash into Lake

090523_dock_collapse_kal
OVER CAPACITY

Dozens of college kids went crashing into a lake this weekend after dozens of them crowded onto a rickety, old pier that couldn't sustain them ... and the video's absolutely insane.

The horror unfolded Monday in Madison, WI where U. of Wisconsin students descended upon Lake Mendota to celebrate Labor Day -- and where the tail end of Memorial Union Terrace pier became a gathering place for at least 30 people (if not more) ... to disastrous results.

Check out what happened in a moment's notice -- one minute, they're all there enjoying themselves and mingling among one another ... and the next, the wooden dock crumbles.

You can hear the screams both from the students who plunged into the water as well as from onlookers who saw the whole thing -- not to mention the chaos thereafter. The young people in the lake went swimming for what was left of the dock. That ... or swam for shore.

Luckily, this dock isn't too far out over the lake ... and even more fortunate is the fact that nobody appears to have been seriously harmed either. At least 25 people reportedly sustained minor injuries, and only one person was transported to the hospital for treatment.

An investigation is underway to figure out exactly what caused the collapse -- but it seems obvious ... too many bodies at one time.

For more viral news, tune in to the TMZ Verified Podcast. Dropping every Thursday on all podcast platforms.

Vlad to Kim Jong-Un Hey Bud, Send Over Some Weapons!!! Leaders Set to Meet: Report

Vladimir Putin is apparently set to meet with Kim Jong-Un in the near future, and he wants to talk about teaming up for the Ukraine war ... which is definitely a terrible update.

The NYT reports that the North Korean leader and Russia's president are supposed to have a face-to-face sometime later this month ... and that it'd be Kim who travels to Russia for the sit-down. As far as what they'll be discussing -- the Times says it's all about weapons.

Apparently, Putin and co. are in need some of major reinforcements amid the ongoing war -- specifically, artillery shells and anti-tank missiles ... which he believes N. Korea can supply.

In exchange ... the NYT says Kim is seeking newer satellite tech and nuke-powered subs, as well as food for his people. Nothing's guaranteed, but it sounds like N. Korea is certainly open to the talks and seriously committed to discussing the possibility, at the very least.

Obviously, this is bad news in general ... as it appears Putin wants to form an alliance of sorts with Kim Jong-Un, with both nations being adversaries of the U.S./the West at large.

There's two takeaways from this -- one, Putin/Russia are low on firepower and seem to be out of allies/resources, so they're going to the isolated N. Korean state for backup. Second, it seems to prove that America's funds to Ukraine are helping Zelensky fight off Russia.

It remains to be seen how America will respond to this latest development.

Nebraska Volleyball 92,000 Fans Attend Women's Match ... Sets World Record!!!

083123-nebraska-volleyball-kal
PACKED HOUSE
Instagram / @bigtennetwork

Huskers fans do NOT play when it comes to the Nebraska women's volleyball team ... and 92,000 of them pulled up to their outdoor match on Wednesday, setting a new world record!

History was made last night when nearly 100 thousand fans watched as the Huskers squad swept Omaha 3-0 at the Memorial Stadium -- a.k.a. the Sea of Red -- on "Volleyball Day in Nebraska."

The official attendance was 92,003 ... and Memorial Stadium is one of the biggest out there. SoFi Stadium in L.A., for example, has a capacity of around 70 thousand.

Waiting for your permission to load the Instagram Media.

This number tops the previous world record of 91,648 (Barcelona vs. Wolfsburg Champions League soccer match in 2022) for attendance at a women's sporting event. The all-time record at Memorial Stadium of 91,585 was also broken ... which was set by the football team in 2014.

On the court, Nebraska kicked ass ... recording seven blocks and limiting Omaha to only 18 kills on 88 attacks.

The volleyball fans got a lot of praise for their historic show of support ... even getting a shoutout from NBA legend Magic Johnson, who said he was "blown away" by the achievement.

"Shoutout to all the Husker fans that showed their support for women’s athletics and the Nebraska Volleyball team," Johnson tweeted.

Former NFL star QB Robert Griffin III also gave the Huskers fans a round of applause, saying "WHAT A SCENE for this Volleyball game."

Hurricane Idalia Intense Winds, Flooding, & Rainfall ... As Storm Reaches Florida

083023_storm_surge_kal
OVERWHELMING FLOODING, WINDS
X/@JimCantore

Hurricane Idalia has hit Florida in a big way ... and it's bringing the Sunshine State flooding, roaring winds, and certain devastation.

The Category 3 storm made landfall Wednesday morning in the state's Big Bend region -- Meteorologist Jim Cantore shared some shocking sights from Cedar Key -- as gusting winds rip through the city and come straight for nearby houses.

BTW, he gave his followers an update less than an hour later ... and the winds and water levels got worse in no time at all.

Damage from the storm is expected to cover 200 miles, with up to 16-foot surges ... residents would have to get up to the 3rd floor of buildings to stay dry. Wind gusts approached 125 mph.

083023_idalia_flooding_kal
COMPLETELY UNDERWATER
WFLA-TV

The Tallahassee area is also predicted to be uninhabitable for several weeks or even months, according to the National Weather Service office.

Officials have said Idalia shows great potential for death and catastrophic devastation, and locals have been told to hightail it out of the area. As of Wednesday, over 240k residents are already without power.

This is the 3rd hurricane to make landfall in FL in the past year, after Ian last September and Nicole a month later. Both storms brought devastation and this one's shaping up to be no different.

082023-baja-kal 8/20/23
FLOODING IN BAJA

You'll recall, the West Coast was hit with Tropical Storm Hilary earlier this month, causing flooding in Baja, Mexico, and taking at least one life.

UNC Shooting Students Leap From Building After Shots Ring Out ... Alleged Gunman In Custody

082823-unc-students-jump-from-building-kal
ESCAPING TO SAFETY
X / @MarkBoyleTV

Students at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill resorted to climbing out of windows and jumping out of buildings after bullets started flying on campus.

In new video from Monday's deadly school shooting, you see college students fleeing a building through an open window ... dropping their book bags to the ground and then jumping to safety.

Amid spreading reports of an active shooter on campus, the students are left to climb out a window and onto a ledge, where they take a few steps to find a soft spot to land ... jumping down into some bushes.

The university shots were fired inside a chemistry lab Monday afternoon around 1 PM and the suspect, Tailei Qi, a UNC doctoral student, was taken into custody around 2:30 PM after a faculty member was shot dead.

Campus police say there is no longer an immediate threat ... and the video shows just how scary the situation was as it unfolded.

Adele Fan She Defended Hit Record ... Was Just Standing/Singing

082823-adele-fan-kal
THE FULL INTERACTION
TikTok / @juanp_lastra

The guy Adele defended this weekend in Vegas appeared to be getting hassled by security without due cause -- but he recorded the whole incident, so it's now clear why security came over, and why she stood up for him.

The fan in question goes by @juanp_lastra on TikTok, and he was filming himself Saturday night while attending Adele's Vegas residency at Caesars. As you can see -- he was very much into the festivities ... standing up and belting out every lyric while she performed.

On its face, this would seem like NBD -- it is a concert after all -- but it looks like some folks behind him were bothered by him blocking their view ... one of 'em came up and told him so.

Juan here was sorta shamed into sitting down and piping down for a bit -- but it wasn't long before he was up and singing again. Once again, someone came up to him to address it -- only this time, it was a security guard working the venue.

That's when Adele spoke up and asked what the heck was going on ... noting that she'd been seeing him get bothered the whole time she was up on stage. At first, security didn't appear to notice she was talking to them -- but as soon as they did, they dropped it.

Of course, this fella was ecstatic Adele came to his defense, and thanked her online -- but he's re-ignited the ol' debate about how amped a fan can/should be at concerts.

Waiting for your permission to load TikTok Post.

Quite a moment, indeed -- and once again, it proves Adele loves her loyal supporters.

It's just the latest example of her connecting with her fan base, and explains why people love her. Remember, she had other highlights this weekend too ... so this was the cherry on top.

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

082523_oliver_anthony_kal
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."

082523_oliver_anthony_emotional_kal
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

082423_drinking_gas_kal
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

082423-gop-debate-kal2
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.

082323-rudy-giuliani-kal 8/23/23
"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

082323_attempted_break_in_kal
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

082323_indian_moon_landing_kal
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

082223-peter-oriordan-kal
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.

082223_biden_hawaii_f_you_kal_v2
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.

082223_biden_hawaii_no_comment_kal 8/14/23
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.

Old news is old news!
Be First!

Get TMZ breaking news sent right to your browser!