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Randy Quaid Slams Anne Hathaway as ‘Horrible Choice’ for Days of Thunder Sequel Amid ‘Woke’ Attack

Randy Quaid is speaking out against Anne Hathaway’s casting in the planned “Days of Thunder” sequel, making clear he believes the franchise should bring back Nicole Kidman instead.

Quaid, 75, who appeared alongside Tom Cruise in the original 1990 NASCAR drama, voiced his frustration on social media after Cruise and Hathaway surfaced in an Instagram Reel announcing that the follow-up film is slated to arrive in theaters in 2028.

“We need Nicole [Kidman] back. Don’t be a pussy @TomCruise,” Quaid wrote on X Saturday. “You need the original girl. It’s not personal; it’s filmmaking. Anne isn’t sexy, because and if you haven’t noticed, she’s pregnant.”

The actor then expanded on his criticism in a second online post, arguing that Hathaway was the wrong fit for the “Days of Thunder” audience. “Anne Hathaway is a leftist, woke, horrible choice for DAYS OF THUNDER NASCAR audience who are MAGA. The sexy older chick for Tom in this film needs to be Nicole. That’s the casting that would sell the idea.”

Quaid went on to suggest the casting move could hurt the sequel’s chances, adding, “This is a weird thing, like they want it to come out and tank.”

The “Risky Business” actor, 64, and his ex-wife Nicole Kidman, 59, starred in the original 1990 production, but the two have not worked together since Cruise filed for divorce in 2001.

Hathaway, 43, who is expecting her third child with husband Adam Shulman, is visibly pregnant in the announcement video, noting that she plans to “have this baby, then make the movie,” to which Cruise replies, “That’s a good idea.”

Cruise will reprise his role as NASCAR star Cole Trickle in the sequel, while Hathaway will play a new character; an engineer and team owner.

Quaid has not apparently been asked to reprise his former role in the movie, Tim Daland, who owned the racing team that recruited Cruise’s Trickle.

Cruise — along with Jerry Bruckheimer and Tommy Harper — will produce, and Jonathan Levine will direct, according to Deadline.

Days of Thunder 2 is expected to release on June 2, 2028.

Albanese Government Adds 28 Public Servants Every Day to Payroll

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The Albanese government has added public servants at a pace of about 28 a day since coming to power, pushing the federal workforce towards an unprecedented 200,000 employees.

An Australian Financial Review analysis of 103 federal agencies found that 92 expanded their headcounts between June 2022 and December 2025, fuelling a 23 per cent rise in the Australian Public Service over just three and a half years.

Since Labor won the May 2022 federal election, public service staffing has climbed from 159,179 employees in June 2022 to 195,847 by December 2025 — an increase of roughly 36,700 workers.

The surge came after one of the Albanese government’s earliest major moves: scrapping the staffing cap introduced under the former Coalition government, which had kept the public service to about 155,000 employees, broadly in line with 2007 levels.

That cap, brought in by former finance minister Mathias Cormann, had limited how many staff federal agencies could employ directly.

Critics argued the policy encouraged departments to rely more heavily on external consultants and contractors, who were not included in the cap.

The government has defended the expansion, arguing the size of the public service remains broadly consistent with historic levels when measured against Australia’s population.

Around 28 public servants have been added to the APS per day since Labor was elected

Around 28 public servants have been added to the APS per day since Labor was elected 

Budget papers released in May 2026 showed public servants accounted for about 0.7 per cent of Australia’s 28 million people in December 2025.

That proportion was slightly lower than when the Howard government left office in 2007, when public servants made up about 0.75 per cent of Australia’s 21 million population.

Labor has also argued that bringing work back into government departments has reduced reliance on consultants and contractors and rebuilt public sector capability.

The biggest increases were concentrated in a handful of agencies responsible for the government’s largest and most complex programs.

The National Disability Insurance Agency recorded the biggest rise, adding 5,986 staff and more than doubling its workforce from 5,066 to 11,052 as the NDIS continued to expand.

Defence added 3,823 employees, growing its workforce to 20,710 as the government ramped up military capability and prepared for projects such as the AUKUS submarines.

The Department of Home Affairs grew by 2,753 employees to 16,611, reflecting greater demands across immigration, border protection and national security.

The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water also saw significant growth, adding 2,420 employees as Labor pursued its climate and energy agenda, taking its workforce from 3,714 to 6,134.

Katy Gallagher (pictured) said the public service size 'about right' when asked in late 2025

Katy Gallagher (pictured) said the public service size ‘about right’ when asked in late 2025

Join the discussion

Is the massive growth in Australia’s public service delivering real value for taxpayers or just waste?

Meanwhile, Services Australia, which administers Centrelink, Medicare and other key government services, added 1,730 employees to reach 34,026, making it the largest agency in the Commonwealth public service.

Asked about the growth in public service numbers last November, Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said the federal workforce was now ‘roughly the right size’.

Gallagher defended the increase, arguing that the additional staff were helping deliver ‘improved service outcomes … for the Australian people’ and reducing the government’s reliance on external consultants and contractors.

Grand Canyon Flash Flood: Urgent Search for 12+ Missing

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Authorities are trying to determine the whereabouts of about 15 people after a powerful flash flood swept through a remote section of the Grand Canyon, triggering an urgent appeal from the National Park Service.

Grand Canyon National Park reported that, as of Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated from Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area, which were hit by significant flooding on Aug. 29.

Park officials are now asking anyone with information to help account for roughly 15 individuals who may have been in the flood-impacted area when the waters surged through.

“Additional evacuations are planned today,” the park said, adding that thunderstorms and heavy rainfall could continue Sunday and Monday, increasing the risk of more flash flooding, debris flows and rockfall.

Muddy floodwater and debris flow through a tree-lined section of Bright Angel Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park.

Floodwater and debris are visible in Bright Angel Canyon following a significant flash flood near Phantom Ranch on Aug. 29, 2026. (J. Thompson/NPS Photo)

The flooding struck Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area on Aug. 29, according to the National Park Service, adding that nearly all footbridges spanning Bright Angel Creek were destroyed.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said state emergency officials are coordinating with federal and local authorities as the search continues.

“My heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon,” Hobbs wrote on X. “DEMA is coordinating with NPS and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts.”

She also thanked first responders “working to keep our communities safe when disaster strikes.”

Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes called the flash flooding “devastating” and thanked first responders for searching for those still unaccounted for and evacuating others from the affected area.

“The physical damage includes a historic lodge near the bottom of the site and untold environmental upheaval,” Fontes said in a statement. “I send my prayers to the community as the search for those unaccounted for continues.”

Flood debris and muddy water surround the Phantom Ranger Station entrance in the Grand Canyon after severe flash flooding

Debris and muddy floodwater are seen near the Phantom Ranger Station entrance after flash flooding swept through Bright Angel Canyon and the Phantom Ranch area. (X/@GrandCanyonNPS)

Park staff and the Arizona Department of Public Safety are continuing evacuation and response operations as they work to account for people who may have been caught in the affected corridor.

Officials are asking anyone with information about hikers or backpackers who were in the inner canyon along Bright Angel Creek that day to contact investigators.

The request also applies to anyone with a campground reservation in the affected area.

The National Park Service said it is trying to identify people who may have been traveling on the North Kaibab Trail between the North Kaibab Trailhead and Phantom Ranch, staying at Bright Angel Campground or traveling through an area known as “the Box” north of Phantom Ranch.

The agency did not release details about the people who may be missing or unaccounted for, including whether they were hikers, campers or park visitors with reservations in the area.

The American Red Cross is opening a shelter at 8 p.m. at Grand Canyon High School, 100 Boulder St. in Grand Canyon Village, for people impacted by the flooding. Those seeking more information can call 1-800-733-2767.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov.

Lanterns Episode 3 Release Time: When Does the New Episode Come Out?

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HBO’s Lanterns raised the stakes in last week’s new episode, sending Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) back into full Green Lantern mode. After suiting up in his legendary uniform, Hal blasted across the cosmos for an uneasy reunion with Thaal Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen). Though Sinestro remains imprisoned, Hal still needs his former mentor’s expertise to investigate a terrifying new danger: a living Manhunter hiding out in Rushville, Nebraska.

So far, Lanterns has leaned hard into the appeal of a prestige mystery-box drama. The HBO series is juggling split timelines, suspicious motives, buried secrets, and yes, actual mysterious boxes. At the center of it all are two major questions: Who is responsible for killing Hal Jordan in 2026? And which resident of 2016 Rushville is secretly a malevolent, shapeshifting alien?

The 2026 storyline has also spotlighted Hal’s growing discomfort with training John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), the courageous new recruit assigned as his backup. During Hal’s tense conversation with Sinestro, the imprisoned alien cuts straight to the real issue: Hal may not see John as support at all, but as a younger, stronger replacement waiting in the wings.

That leaves Lanterns with plenty of combustible questions heading into its next chapter. Can Hal Jordan and John Stewart put their friction aside long enough to become a real team? Is the Manhunter finally ready to expose itself? And will married Sheriff Kerry Kane (Kelly Macdonald) ever admit that the chemistry between her and Hal is impossible to ignore?

Here’s what to know about watching Lanterns Episode 3, including when and where the next installment arrives.

Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) in green lantern suit in 'Lanterns' Episode 2

Photo: HBO

Is Lanterns on Tonight? (8/30/26)

Yes, a new episode of Lanterns will be on HBO tonight.

Lanterns Episode 3 Release Date:

Lanterns Episode 3 will premiere on HBO and HBO Max on Sunday, August 30.

What Time Does Lanterns Episode 3 Come Out?

Lanterns Episode 3 comes out on HBO and HBO Max at 9 PM ET on Sunday, August 30.

Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) holding green lantern in 'Lanterns' Episode 2

Photo: HBO

How Many Episodes are in LanternsLanterns Episode Guide:

There are a total of 8 episodes in the first season of Lanterns. New episodes of the superhero drama will premiere on Sundays between now and October 4, 2026.

Here’s your guide to when every episode of Lanterns comes out:

  • Episode 1 “Pilot”: Sunday, August 16

  • Episode 2 “Trust Fall”: Sunday, August 23
  • Episode 3: Sunday, August 30
  • Episode 4 : Sunday, September 6
  • Episode 5: Sunday, September 13
  • Episode 6: Sunday, September 20
  • Episode 7: Sunday, September 27
  • Episode 8: Sunday, October 4
  • John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) in Marine uniform in 'Lanterns' Episode 3

    Photo: HBO

    How To Watch Lanterns:

    Lanterns is an HBO original, which means you can only catch it with an HBO or HBO Max subscription. Don’t have HBO Max?

    If you’re new to HBO Max, you can sign up for as low as $10.99/month with ads, but an ad-free subscription will cost $18.49/month.

    If you want to stream even more and save a few bucks a month while you’re at it, we recommend subscribing to one of the discounted Disney+ Bundles with Hulu and HBO Max. With ads, the bundle costs $19.99/month and without ads, $32.99/month.

    Jasmine Cephas Jones as Bernadette in 'Lanterns' Episode 3

    Photo: HBO

    Will There Be a Lanterns Season 2?

    We don’t yet know if Lanterns will get a second season, but it sure feels like show that HBO hopes will be a big hit. And if it is, we might get a Lanterns Season 2.

    Is There a Lanterns Trailer?

    Yes, there is a Lanterns trailer. You can watch the official Lanterns trailer by scrolling to the top of this page.

    Lanterns Cast: Who’s Who in HBO’s Green Lantern Show:

    HBO’s Lanterns features an incredible ensemble cast of major stars, TV faves, and up-and-coming talent. You might recognize some of the Lanterns cast from projects like Friday Night Lights, Rebel Ridge, Trainspotting, Deli Boys, Matlock, and more. Here’s who’s in the Lanterns cast:

    • Kyle Chandler as Hal Jordan

  • Aaron Pierre as John Stewart
  • Kelly Macdonald as Sheriff Kerry Kane
  • Garret Dillahunt as William Macon
  • Poorna Jagannathan as Zoe
  • Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner
  • Jason Ritter as Billy Macon
  • Ulrich Thomsen as Thaal Sinestro
  • Beartooth’s Caleb Shomo Opens Up on Homophobia After Coming Out

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    Beartooth vocalist Caleb Shomo is speaking candidly about the backlash he says followed his decision to come out as gay in May.

    During an appearance on The Break Down with Nath & Johnny podcast, the frontman said he encountered “homophobia” earlier this year after publicly sharing his sexuality and later ending his 14-year marriage.

    “I had already decided, like, I’m not gonna water myself down at all. I’m going to just do what I wanna do. I’m gonna wear what I wanna wear. I’m gonna sing how I wanna sing,” Shomo, 33, said, reflecting on the period after his announcement.

    He continued, “I’m gonna look how I wanna look and just enjoy being an artist that’s allowed to do that, and that has the freedom to do that.” But that freedom, he explained, came with a harsh response from some corners. “That was met with a lot of opposition and a lot of… I mean, really, just a lot of homophobia, and a lot of people who really were not okay with me presenting that way at all, with what I was doing, any of it.”

    Shomo first addressed his sexuality publicly on Instagram earlier this year, responding to what he described as “a lot of speculation surrounding [his] personal life” and telling fans he is a “proudly gay man.”

    In July, he and wife Fleur Shomo (née Terry) jointly filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court. The exes, who married in 2012, do not share any children. 

    Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo is opening up about the homophobia he faced after coming out as gay this past May

    Beartooth frontman Caleb Shomo is opening up about the homophobia he faced after coming out as gay this past May

    In July, he and wife Fleur Shomo (née Terry) jointly filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court

    In July, he and wife Fleur Shomo (née Terry) jointly filed for divorce in Los Angeles Superior Court 

    Shortly after Caleb came out, Fleur expressed support for him while also acknowledging the ‘disorientating and hurtful’ split.

    Amid the adverse reaction to his sexuality, the singer said he was ‘going through so much’ and subsequently chose to ‘get off the internet for a while.’

    While his band performed on Bad Omen’s Do You Feel Love? tour, he noted that he needed to be on point during each performance, but it was ‘tough.’

    ‘I mean, a lot of the day I’d be spent in a really, really bad place and just trying to find enough energy and enough will to get myself warmed up and get on that stage and do my f**king job,’ he shared.

    Caleb said he is still met with homophobia.

    ‘It didn’t really change as we kept releasing more songs, and the very vocal opposition continued and still continues to,’ he told listeners. 

    ‘And, yeah, me coming out didn’t help that. And just being honest with people about who I am and what’s been going on.’

    The music artist said that as he prepares his next project, there is ‘a lot that I need to say’ and ‘work through.’

    Caleb and Fleur were married 14 years before filing for divorce two months after he came out as gay

    Caleb and Fleur were married 14 years before filing for divorce two months after he came out as gay

    Caleb is the lead vocalist of Beartooth, which he founded in 2012; pictured in July 2014 from left to right: bassist Oshie Bichar, drummer Brandon Mullins, guitarist Taylor Lumley, Caleb, guitarist Kamron Bradbury

    Caleb is the lead vocalist of Beartooth, which he founded in 2012; pictured in July 2014 from left to right: bassist Oshie Bichar, drummer Brandon Mullins, guitarist Taylor Lumley, Caleb, guitarist Kamron Bradbury

    Caleb penned a lengthy message to his 213,000 Instagram followers in the spring, addressing ‘something I’ve been unpacking and reckoning with in my life for quite some time now.’

    ‘I feel compelled to set the record straight before it affects those I love any further,’ he wrote. ‘I am a proudly gay man.’

    He then admitted it has been ‘difficult’ for him ‘to navigate the feelings surrounding the subject and figure out what to do with this fact.’ 

    In his statement, he explained that he ‘always’ put ‘the deepest part of my soul’ in his art and music. 

    Then, he reflected on four ‘very self-deprecating [Beartooth] albums’ that he created before coming out. 

    Caleb noted his past music explored ‘his religious upbringing, depression, self hatred, self loathing, and hopelessness.’ 

    He said he ‘will express [himself] whole heartedly and fully’ in the music from his upcoming album.

    Hydro One Outage Map Sparks Outrage Over Lake America

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    Backlash over Donald Trump’s move to rename Lake Ontario as “Lake America” intensified as Canadians voiced anger at local organizations that appeared to reflect the controversial change.

    The dispute escalated Sunday after Google Maps said it would display the new name for users in the United States, a decision that was quickly welcomed by Trump.

    Ontario’s largest electricity provider soon found itself drawn into the uproar when its outage map appeared to show the lake under the “Lake America” label.

    Hydro One apologized on Sunday, saying the change was not made by the utility itself but stemmed from a third-party mapping provider used for its outage system.

    “We are aware that Lake Ontario is being incorrectly labeled on our outage map. The issue originates from a third-party mapping service,” the company said in a statement posted to social media.

    ‘We are working with our vendor to correct the issue as quickly as possible and restore the proper geographic reference. We regret the error and apologize for any confusion it has caused.’

    Canadians were furious at the mistake, given Hydro One is itself a Canadian based company.

    ‘Ahhh your vender is American. Better fix that soon Hydro One,’ wrote a Canadian customer.

    Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America

    Donald Trump signed an executive order on Thursday, changing the name of Lake Ontario to Lake America 

    Ontario's biggest electrical provider was forced to apologize after their outage maps showed the change to Lake America

    Ontario’s biggest electrical provider was forced to apologize after their outage maps showed the change to Lake America

    ‘Canadian companies should be sourcing Canadian vendors where possible,’ wrote another.

    One Canadian used the mistake to call out Trump, writing: ‘Your mad king is completely unchecked and creating nothing but chaos for you and the rest of the free world.’ 

    Other sites, including Metrolinx, Infrastructure Ontario and the LCBO also displayed the change. 

    The province of Ontario has launched an investigation and promised a change as soon as possible. 

    ‘Following recent changes by Google, we’re actively reviewing our websites to make sure they all identify Lake Ontario by its correct name: Lake Ontario,’ said Stephen Crawford, minister of public and business service delivery and procurement. 

    As of 9pm ET, the outage map reverted the label on the lake to its original name. 

    Canadians continued to be outraged and baffled by Trump’s move with Ontario premier Doug Ford comparing it to a comedy sketch.

    ‘I just don’t see the purpose. It’s absolutely backwards,’ Ford told ABC News’ This Week. 

    ‘It was like something out of Saturday Night Live when he signed a document saying ‘change to Lake America.’ No one’s going to call it Lake America. It’s been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years. It’s going to continue to be Lake Ontario.’

    Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, hit back at Trump on ABC News' This Week but mostly expressed his confusion with the move, comparing it to a comedy sketch

    Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, hit back at Trump on ABC News’ This Week but mostly expressed his confusion with the move, comparing it to a comedy sketch

    A sign reading "Lake Ontario, Now and Always," unveiled by Ontario Premier Doug Ford at Fifty Point Conservation Area

    A sign reading ‘Lake Ontario, Now and Always,’ unveiled by Ontario Premier Doug Ford at Fifty Point Conservation Area

    Ford said that the move, along with Trump’s hardline strategy on tariffs against Canadian goods, were ‘so, so disappointing.’ 

    ‘I love the US. I love the American people. Canadians love the American people. We differentiate between a great American people and the president,’ he said.

    Trump, however, continued to double down on his anti-Canadian rhetoric in a pair of Truth Social posts Sunday. 

    ‘I don’t want Canadian cars, I don’t want Canadian parts, I don’t want Canadian anything. They’ve been ripping us off for decades, and it’s going to stop,’ he said.

    Trump called them ‘abusers’ and compared the goal of fixing economic relations with Canada to ‘stopping Iran.’

    ‘They want to be treated like a State, but they aren’t one. I deal with the Leadership of many Countries, but I find Canada to be the worst. They are entitled no longer!’

    He then encouraged Canadian companies that do business with the United States to move here ‘immediately. 

    ‘Many of them are Companies that moved out years ago due to stupid U.S. Leadership. When you move back, there are no TARIFFS!’

    Trump shared on Sunday that he was delighted with the decision of Google Maps to accept his renaming on their platforms

    Trump shared on Sunday that he was delighted with the decision of Google Maps to accept his renaming on their platforms 

    Trump announced the renaming on Thursday, signing an executive order directing the Interior Department to adopt ‘Lake America’ as the body of water’s name for US federal purposes amid ongoing trade disputes with America’s northern neighbor.

    The order does not compel Canada or any international organization to adopt the new name, and Canadian officials have spoken out against the move.

    Prime Minister Mark Carney, who has clashed with Trump on a number of occasions, decried the move last week, rejecting the name change from Lake Ontario, pointing to the name’s indigenous roots from a Wendat word meaning ‘the lake is beautiful, the lake is great.’ 

    Doug Ford erected a giant ‘Lake Ontario’ sign on his side of America’s northern border in a show of protest over Trump’s move, posting up a message that read: ‘Lake Ontario. Now and Always’. 

    Google Maps made the switch from Lake Ontario’s name to Lake America for US users following an executive renaming order from Trump last week, and the president posted a screen grab of the change on his Truth Social account on Sunday.

    In a statement, Google noted that the move, ‘does not have any impact on Canadian naming conventions or ​how the rest of the ‌world refers to the ‌lake.’

    ‘Those in Canada will continue to see ‘Lake Ontario’ on Google Maps, ‘and those outside … the US and Canada will see both names,’ the tech giant added.

    The company took a similar approach to Trump’s renaming of the Gulf of Mexico to be the ‘Gulf of America’ earlier in his second term.

    Trump also celebrated the name change with a post of an AI video of himself dancing next to a ‘Lake America’ sign.

    Lake Ontario forms part of the international boundary between New York State and the Canadian province of Ontario.

    It has been jointly managed under the 1909 Boundary Waters Treaty for more than a century.

    But when he signed the executive order on Thursday, Trump said he had contemplated the name change for a ‘long time.’

    He then suggested he may not be finished tinkering with the map – joking that the Atlantic or Pacific Ocean could eventually find itself in his sights.

    ‘Actually, as you know, we took something called the Gulf of Mexico and we changed it, and now it’s very routinely the Gulf of America,’ Trump said last week.

    ‘So, if you think about it, we have a Gulf and we have a lake. Now, all we need is an ocean. So, maybe we’ll have to change the name of the Atlantic and/or the Pacific.’

    Beloved Texas Chiropractor, Hiking Group Unaccounted For After Grand Canyon Flash Flood

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    A Texas chiropractor and members of his hiking group have been reported missing or unaccounted for after a flash flood rushed through a remote area of the Grand Canyon, according to a public appeal shared by his wife.

    Dr. John Giusti, a Granbury, Texas, chiropractor and father of three, was hiking and camping in the canyon when floodwaters hit the Bright Angel Canyon and Phantom Ranch area on Aug. 29, his wife said in an update posted by Whipple City Family Chiropractic.

    “Please pray for Dr. John’s safety,” she wrote.

    According to the family’s update, Giusti’s hiking party is “among those currently reported missing and unaccounted for.” The post said National Park Service search-and-rescue crews were carrying out ground searches and helicopter operations across the canyon floor.

    Texas chiropractor Dr. John Giusti takes a selfie overlooking the Grand Canyon during a hiking trip

    Dr. John Giusti, a Texas chiropractor and father of three, is seen at the Grand Canyon in a photo shared by his practice. His wife said Giusti and his hiking group were reported unaccounted for following flash flooding. (ChiroHabit Facebook)

    His wife asked ChiroHabit’s community to keep “my husband, his hiking group, and our families” in their thoughts and prayers, adding that the family would share official updates as they are confirmed by park authorities.

    A view of the Grand Canyon under cloudy skies, shared by Texas chiropractor Dr. John Giusti during his hiking trip

    Dr. John Giusti shared this view of the Grand Canyon during the hiking trip before he and his group were reported unaccounted for following flash flooding. (ChiroHabit Facebook)

    “Dr. John is the heart of ChiroHabit, but above all, he is a deeply loved husband, father and pillar of our family,” she wrote.

    Photos posted to Giusti’s ChiroHabit business page also show him in the Grand Canyon before the flooding began.

    The National Park Service has not publicly identified the approximately 15 people it is working to locate or account for, and officials have not confirmed Giusti’s name.

    The agency is asking anyone who knows of hikers or backpackers who were in the Bright Angel Creek corridor on Aug. 29 or who had a campground reservation there to contact investigators.

    Giusti practiced chiropractic care for 19 years and was a partner at Whipple City Family Chiropractic in New York for eight years before moving to Granbury in 2020, according to his business biography.

    He and his wife, Janet, are raising three daughters in Texas. Outside of work, Giusti enjoys hiking, hunting, fishing, running and martial arts, his practice said.

    Muddy floodwater and debris flow through a tree-lined section of Bright Angel Canyon in Grand Canyon National Park

    Floodwater and debris are seen in Bright Angel Canyon after a significant flash-flood event near Phantom Ranch on Aug. 29, 2026. (J. Thompson/NPS Photo)

    Separately, the National Park Service said Sunday evening that recovery operations had been completed for a 46-year-old man near Crystal Rapids along the Colorado River. The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office was on scene.

    NPS did not identify the man, disclose a cause of death or say whether his recovery was connected to the search for people who remain unaccounted for after the flooding. 

    The flash flood began at about 2:30 p.m. on Aug. 29, according to the National Park Service. As of Sunday morning, 62 people had been evacuated from Phantom Ranch and the lower North Kaibab Trail, and no injuries had been reported.

    Nearly all footbridges across Bright Angel Creek were destroyed, cutting off hiker access across the waterway. The flooding also forced the closure of Phantom Ranch, Bright Angel Campground, the North Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch, Black Bridge, Silver Bridge and the Colorado River to river traffic.

    Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs said her “heart is with the families and loved ones of every person unaccounted for after the flash flooding at the Grand Canyon.”

    Hobbs said the Arizona Division of Emergency Management is coordinating with the National Park Service and Coconino County Emergency Management to support search and recovery efforts.

    Anyone with information about people who may have been in the affected corridor is asked to contact the National Park Service Investigative Services Branch Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or nps_isb@nps.gov.

    Lanterns Episode 3: Jasmine Cephas-Jones on John’s Mom Twist

    Anyone who has ever questioned the phrase “tough as a mother” may find a convincing answer in Lanterns Episode 3, where Jasmine Cephas Jones brings fierce resolve and emotional weight to the role of John Stewart’s mother.

    **Spoiler alert: This article contains details from Lanterns Episode 3 (“OutKast”) now streaming on HBO Max**

    The opening moments of Episode 1 seemed to suggest that John Stewart’s father, played by J. Alphonse Nicholson, was the driving force behind raising young John without fear — most memorably by shooting an apple off the head of child John (Cairo Cash Lee) and asking whether he was afraid. But Episode 3 reframes that origin story in a major way. The new chapter reveals that the decision actually came from John’s mother, Bernadette (Cephas Jones), who believed her son needed to be prepared for the destiny ahead of him. For Cephas Jones, making Bernadette the spark behind John’s Green Lantern training is not just dramatically satisfying — it is, in her words, deeply “badass.” With someone destined to follow in the path of Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler), the episode makes a compelling case for a mother recognizing her son’s potential and refusing to hold back.

    “I was really, really shocked, and I thought it was a beautiful love letter to mothers who I think can be the unsung heroes, the heroes without capes, the women who make possible happen from the impossible,” Cephas Jones tells DECIDER. “I just thought it was a really beautiful and like badass take on starting John’s training and that it’s her idea and she’s really, really heavy on it. It’s it’s really cool to see women in this way and kind of like drive the force. I think sometimes we see a lot of women take the back seat in TV or films, and here we see her take the front seat and she puts her foot on the gas pretty, pretty hard.”

    Bernadette keeps that pressure on throughout John’s childhood, shaping him with an intensity meant to prepare him for the moment the Guardians may call. That upbringing comes full circle when John finally embraces the harsh logic behind his parents’ choices. In a striking nighttime scene, he brings his mother into the backyard, asks her to balance an apple on her own head, and shoots it off. The moment echoes an earlier scene in the episode, when Bernadette tells John Sr. to do the same to their son, insisting it is the only way to ensure John grows up ready for what awaits him.

    “My first day was actually the decision that I make to John Sr. to shoot the apple off of Cairo’s head and my second scene was me in the white night dress getting shot at by Cairo so that day was really… it I felt a lot of pressure, nobody put pressure on me, but I felt lot of a pressure just as an actor to have everything together,” she adds. “It was just really important that I that I had it together but I think we pulled it off.”

    J. Alphonse Nicholson and Jasmine Cephas Jones in 'Lanterns' Episode 3

    Photo: Warner Bros. Discovery

    As for the fans of the show who will undoubtedly have thoughts about the horror of seeing how John Sr. and Bernadetter bring up their youngest son — including buying him a Green Lantern suit and a rifle for his fifth birthday instead of the simple crayons he so desperately wanted — the actress says that while it certainly isn’t what she would do, personally, this is a character who saw her family falling apart and had to make tough choices on how to try and fix it.

    At the beginning of the episode, John Sr. is visited (i.e. dramatically lifted out of bed) by a Guardian who asks if he is afraid, to which he, of course, responds “Yes.” That is the same question the Guardians would later ask Hal Jordan, who was then selected as the Green Lantern. Bernadette later explains to a Guardian (Laura Linney) that asking a Black man in America if he’s afraid has levels of racial implications that the Guardians had never considered. It’s only as the Guardians attempt to make things right with the Stewarts by offering them a fat diamond that Bernadette and Linney’s character come to a sort-of arrangement about her youngest son. So while it may be tough on him, it’s all for the greater good of his fate and humanity.

    “The setup for that made sense to me for a lot of her decisions. And I think it was a way to get her power back for her and her family, as well. And in a weird way, [it’s] even like some type of healing because of what John Sr. went through,” Cephas Jones explains of the difficult childhood John endures.

    She adds, “I don’t know if I would do that personally, but also at the end of the day, Bernadette is Bernadette and she is such a force and she’s so determined and she did a great job. I mean, she’s raised a superhero. And I think the most important thing is we all believed in his destiny. As a family, the Stewarts believed that he is the chosen one, but we had to make him believe it. So by the time he is getting interviewed, he knows, ‘I know exactly why I’m here and I’m supposed to be here.’ And that was the ultimate goal, I think.”

    Maybe, just maybe, the ends justify the means in this single case. After all, it worked out pretty well for John.

    The first three episodes of Lanterns are now streaming on HBO Max. New episodes premiere Sundays.

    U.S. Strikes Hormuz Mine Launchers as IRGC Vows Revenge

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    U.S. forces carried out strikes Sunday on two Iranian rocket launchers after the military said it detected Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) personnel preparing to fire rockets armed with sea mines into the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route. The operation drew an immediate threat of retaliation from Tehran and marked the first known American strike inside Iran since late July.

    The targets were located on Larak Island, an Iranian island near the strategically vital waterway, U.S. officials told multiple media outlets in confirming the strike.

    “Earlier today U.S. forces struck two Iranian launchers on Larak Island. Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps forces were observed preparing to launch rockets with sea mines into Strait of Hormuz,” one U.S. official said.

    The official added that American forces continue to closely watch activity in the area and are ready to safeguard the free movement of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

    The IRGC soon confirmed the attack, saying Iranian military personnel and civilians had been killed or injured and promising to retaliate against those behind it. Iran’s Tasnim news agency, which is linked to the Guards, reported preliminary and unofficial figures indicating two people were killed and two others wounded.

    “The terrorist enemy’s aggression on Larak Island will be met with punishment for the aggressor,” the IRGC said in a statement carried by Iran’s official IRNA news agency.

    IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebi escalated the threat, calling the strike a “strategic and fatal error” by the Trump administration that would carry “severe repercussions.”

    “The adversary will face the ramifications of this faulty calculus across both the economic and military arenas,” Mohebi said.

    Iranian officials issued additional threats in the hours after the attack, warning that the U.S. response would be met with a more painful retaliation.

    “Undoubtedly, no crime, at any level, goes unanswered; a response that is devastating, more painful, and instructive, which will complete the chain of your failures,” Iranian lawmaker Ebrahim Azizi warned. “Wait in fear and terror!”

    A spokesman for Iran’s armed forces separately declared that Tehran’s response to the attack would be “definitive.”

    Sunday’s strike came days after President Donald Trump specifically warned Iran against attempting to place new mines in Hormuz after U.S. forces cleared Iranian mines from the strait’s international shipping lanes.

    Writing on Truth Social last week, Trump announced that the U.S. Navy had removed or detonated the mines in international waters before warning Tehran: “Iran has been notified that any ship or boat placing new mines will be immediately and systematically destroyed.”

    The president said U.S. forces were monitoring “every square inch” of the strait and declared a “Zero Tolerance policy on mine placement in full force and effect.”

    U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced Thursday that American forces had cleared Iranian sea mines from the internationally recognized Traffic Separation Scheme through Hormuz, a development the command described as a watershed moment in its months-long effort to restore freedom of navigation through the waterway.

    CENTCOM said the shipping lanes were “free of Iranian sea mines” following an operation involving Navy divers, SEALs and U.S. airpower.

    “International shipping lanes are open and momentum is building,” CENTCOM commander Adm. Brad Cooper said.

    The operation followed months of Iranian efforts to restrict commercial shipping through Hormuz, through which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas shipments passed before the war.

    The U.S. has meanwhile continued enforcing its naval blockade of Iran while allowing commercial traffic from other Gulf states to move through the waterway.

    In an update issued after reports of Sunday’s strike emerged, CENTCOM said its forces had now redirected 83 commercial vessels, disabled three and boarded two to ensure compliance with the blockade. The command accompanied the figures with an image of a U.S. sailor directing an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter aboard the USS Delbert D. Black as the guided-missile destroyer sailed in the Arabian Sea enforcing the blockade.

    The update came two days after Trump declared the Strait of Hormuz open, saying Friday of the strategic waterway: “That sucker is open.”

    Iran, however, has continued to insist the strait remains closed and that vessels cannot pass without Tehran’s authorization.

    Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said over the weekend that Tehran considers itself to remain at war and would not reopen Hormuz until the United States fulfills what Iran considers its commitments under an earlier memorandum of understanding.

    “The Strait of Hormuz is closed,” Gharibabadi said, while also warning that Iran could act militarily before coming under attack.

    “Why should we always wait for America to attack?” he asked. “We can take preemptive action.”

    The Trump administration paused its last sustained campaign of strikes inside Iran in late July after two weeks of U.S. military operations, shifting much of its pressure campaign toward the naval blockade and an escalating effort to economically isolate Tehran.

    Sunday’s attack marked the first known U.S. strike inside Iran since that pause — and came just days after Trump warned that any renewed attempt to mine the Strait of Hormuz would be met with immediate U.S. military action.

    The IRGC gave no indication Sunday of when or how it intended to carry out its threatened response.

    Joshua Klein is a reporter for – News. Email him at jklein@breitbart.com. Follow him on Twitter @JoshuaKlein.

    Lanterns Episode 3 Reveals John Stewart’s Twisted Backstory

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    Lanterns Episode 3, “OutKast,” shifts gears for the HBO series, turning its focus to the story behind John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and why the Guardians ultimately saw him as the ideal choice to succeed Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) as Green Lantern.

    **Spoilers for Lanterns Episode 3 “OutKast,” now streaming on HBO Max**

    At first, viewers may have read the show’s cold open as proof that John Stewart Sr. (J. Alphonse Nicholson) shaped his son’s unusual upbringing — the apple-shooting tests, the intense conditioning, the effort to raise a boy without fear so he might someday wear a Green Lantern ring. But Lanterns Episode 3 complicates that assumption. The episode reveals that John’s mother, Bernadette (Jasmine Cephas Jones), was the real force behind that path. After discovering that her husband once had the potential to become a Green Lantern, she makes an emotional plea to a visiting Guardian, who appears in the form of Laura Linney, asking that young John be given his own chance in the future. With that promise in hand, Bernadette sets out to raise young John (Cairo Cash Lee) into the steady, fearless figure seen across the 2016 and 2026 timelines.

    That revelation raises one of the episode’s most intriguing questions: how much of John Stewart’s fearlessness is innate, and how much was carefully cultivated?

    “I believe that John was born fearless and then his parents, arguably through very questionable methods, managed to keep that fearlessness instilled in him through his childhood, through his adolescence, and into his adulthood,” Lanterns star Aaron Pierre told DECIDER. “At which point he takes the reins and he continues keeping himself fearless.”

    Jasmine Cephas Jones as Bernadette in 'Lanterns' Episode 3

    Photo: HBO

    Pierre then changed the subject, calling attention to a key scene in this week’s Lanterns that he thinks fuels the “raging sea” churning inside of his adult version of the character.

    “There’s a moment in Episode 3 that really breaks my heart every time I watch it,” Pierre said. “It’s where John’s mother tells John that essentially the Guardians are not impressed with his progress and that the birds have relayed that. And he says, ‘Well, the birds are lying.’”

    “It breaks my heart because this kid is maybe this high [mimes short height] and he believes that the birds are the narrators and the storytellers and the direct ear to the Guardians. And he feels betrayed by the birds. How could they lie and say that I am not giving everything that I possibly can? I’m having guns aimed at me routinely. An inch south and I’m out of here, I’m out of here! Like how can they say I’m not pouring myself into this?”

    Pierre then said, “I think that is what is the beginning of this raging sea that stays with John all the way through his adulthood. And I believe has not — even when the series ends — [it] is still there and he’s still contending with it.”

    “He has a very excellent way of outwardly making it seem that everything is smooth sailing, but he’s a raging sea internally, and he wrestles with that relentlessly.”

    Lanterns Episode 3 “OutKast” underlines how John Stewart grew up to become a man without fear, but that only means he’s a man full of fury.

    Lanterns will return on Sunday, September 6 at 9 PM ET on HBO and HBO Max.