In a move that left many bewildered, a university in California abruptly terminated its leading equestrian program right after clinching its third consecutive conference championship in March. This decision has left student-athletes without both a team and an institution to call home.

The unexpected decision by UC Davis to discontinue equestrian as a college sport was announced this January. The choice was based on an external evaluation conducted by Collegiate Consulting, which weighed the program’s expenses to rationalize the decision, according to a report by The Chronicle.

Many parents voiced the deep disappointment felt by the team following this announcement. The timing was particularly painful as it came after the deadline for athletes to transfer to other institutions had passed, leaving them in uncertainty.

Additionally, several students who had recently been recruited to join the team were subsequently denied regular admission to UC Davis, adding to the upheaval.

The university primarily attributed the program’s closure to funding issues. However, emails and documents procured by parents and shared with The Chronicle indicate a contradiction. The records showed that the administration continued recruiting athletes and soliciting donations until just a month prior to the announcement, despite having internally contemplated the termination for over a year.

An independent audit of the university’s report is also coming under fire for allegedly misrepresenting the true cost of the equestrian program, which supporters argue would actually net the university up to $700,000 annually.

Rosemary Fritsch, whose daughter Rayna was recruited back in October 2024 — when schools officials behind the scenes had already planned on cutting the program — said she was devastated when she received the news over email. 

“She knew she would have been overlooked” at other colleges, the mother told the Chronicle, “because she didn’t have fancy clothes or the most expensive horse.”

While Fritsch said he daughter was offered a chance to still attend the university, other parents told the outlet their student-athletes were either wait-listed or denied. 

The timeline of the events and the financial audit used to justify the decision are now under scrutiny.

In February 2025, UC-Davis Chancellor Gary May told all university administration to plan for a 10 percent budget cut, a month later the equestrian team was on the chopping block as it would reportedly save just over a million dollars annually. 

By early April, it seemed the decision was set in stone and other possibilities no longer needed to be considered “due to elimination of the equestrian program moving forward,” the Chronicle reported citing and an internal spreadsheet. 

The was seemingly confirmed in August, when an athletic budget spreadsheet said axing the program was approved pending an external review, according to the outlet. 

But that third-party analysis was completed after the university announced its decision to end the equestrian program sparking outrage from parents and student-athletes.

Supporters of the team are now pushing back, telling the Chronicle that UC-Davis athletics director Rocko DeLuca was merely looking for an excuse to frame the program as too expensive. 

“I don’t understand why they’re not reinstating the team,” said Sigrid Elschot, a parent of an equestrian athlete. “We don’t even have a locker room.”

Supporters are suing De Luca and other school officials, alleging the athletics director “fraudulently inflated the Equestrian program’s budget” and misled recruits when they knew for months the team was being cut. 

The University’s police department is also investigating potential wire fraud as school leadership effectively decided to end the program while still soliciting donations, the Chronicle reported. 

Andy Schwarz, one economist who was hired by supporters to conduct an independent audit, told the Chronicle the numbers from the external review don’t add up when determining the actual cost of the program. 

The biggest error was a $665,000 price tag to purchase the horses, despite the animals being donated to the University, Schwarz told the outlet. 

Schwarz also said the report didn’t take into account that many of the students pay out-of-state tuition, and estimated the university could bring in up to $700,000 annually.

UC-Davis issued a statement back in April, defending its decision to cut the program. 

“We believe that all policies and practices were followed and that decisions regarding the Equestrian program were made appropriately and with the best interests of the UC Davis community in mind,” the university said in a statement. 

The school is conducting its own review to determine the reliability of the financial information that was used to evaluate the program and the fundraising practices — but its findings won’t be released until June 30, the equestrian team’s final day, the Chronicle noted. 

Authorities in California have uncovered a shocking discovery at a supposedly ‘no-kill’ animal shelter, where the remains of at least 117 dogs, many with gunshot wounds, have been found.

The unexpected find came from the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, which disclosed their grim findings on Friday. During searches at Miranda’s Rescue Animal Sanctuary in Fortuna, officers found not only the dog remains but also 21 canine skulls, along with hundreds of bones and other related debris.

Investigators carried out a thorough search of the premises on Thursday, pinpointing a specific area within a barn that they suspect was the site where the dogs met their demise.

Adding to the distressing discovery, more than 600 dog collars were located in close proximity to the site. Sheriff William Honsal described it as a ‘horrific scene.’ Despite the severity of the situation, no charges have been filed yet.

Sheriff Honsal emphasized that the inquiry is only in its early stages, stating, ‘This investigation is just getting started.’

‘There is a tremendous amount of data to process, witnesses to interview, and evidence to examine.’

The 50-acre shelter, owned by Shannon Miranda, has been under investigation since April 2026 over allegations of ‘felony animal abuse, animal cruelty, fraud, and conspiracy.’

An earlier affidavit from the property search states the sheriff’s office was alerted by two animal advocates – one a neighboring landowner – who used trail cameras on the edge of the shelter grounds to monitor activity near a suspected burial site. 

The advocates later went onto shelter property and dug up dog remains, the affidavit said.

Investigators used ground-penetrating radar – a tool that scans underground without digging – to locate 117 intact canine bodies in various stages of decomposition buried in an open field. 

More than 70 of the remains were X-rayed, and investigators found bullet fragments in many of them. 

The findings suggest that gunshot wounds were likely the cause of death for many of the animals.

Some of the dog remains were discovered in ‘advanced stages of decomposition,’ according to the sheriff’s office. 

In a June 18 statement on the shelter’s website, Miranda’s rescue said recent media coverage and online commentary had ‘presented an incomplete and, in some cases, inaccurate picture of our work.’

‘At Miranda’s Rescue, our mission is to save as many animals as we safely can—always balancing compassion for animals with our responsibility to protect families, children, other pets, and the public,’ they wrote.

Miranda’s Rescue collects fees from shelter transfers, as well as donations that it says helps cover the costs of food, housing, veterinary care, medications, facility expenses and staffing. 

Shelters paid the Fortuna facility anywhere from $400 to $1,450 per dog, according to the affidavit obtained by the SFChronicle.

Hundreds of dogs have been transferred or turned over to the rescue by private citizens and animal shelters. 

Daily Mail reached out to Miranda’s rescue for additional comment.  

‘Miranda’s Rescue is a no-kill rescue. We do not euthanize animals simply to make space,’ the shelter wrote in the June 18 statement.

However, they added ‘there are rare circumstances in which euthanasia may be necessary — when an animal is suffering from a terminal condition or when it poses a serious, ongoing danger to people or other animals.’

‘In those situations, we make the most humane and responsible decision we can, always with public safety and animal welfare in mind,’ the shelter said.

In early June 2026, Bay Area shelters started to take back the dogs that had been placed with Miranda’s Rescue amid the investigation, SFChronicle reported. 

Napa County Animal Shelter said the safely returned dogs are now available for adoption.

Three dogs that were previously at the rescue – Blanche, Gus, and Clem Smith Jr – were also returned.

Staff noted they came back thinner and bruised, the outlet reported.

 This is a breaking news story.

In a week that promised excitement, the Islanders instead experienced a subdued period of activity.

As the rest of the NHL buzzed with major moves involving players like Brady Tkachuk, Jordan Kyrou, and William Eklund, the Islanders opted for a quieter strategy. While stars such as Dylan Larkin, Zach Werenski, Jason Robertson, and Kirill Marchenko were speculated to be on the move, the Islanders remained steadfast in their approach.

They secured a key piece by re-signing Tony DeAngelo and kept communication open with Anders Lee. Their draft proceeded as planned, with defenseman Malte Gustafsson selected 13th overall. They further expanded their prospect pool by drafting Lincoln Kuehne, Vladimir Dravecky, Artyom Matyuk, and Robert Cowan.

With DeAngelo’s contract valued at $4.5 million annually, the Islanders have approximately $6 million left in cap space. This figure could fluctuate based on the rosters of players like Victor Eklund and Isaiah George. General Manager Mathieu Darche needs to secure a backup goaltender during free agency to support Semyon Varlamov. Despite his optimism about Varlamov’s return from double knee surgery to back up Ilya Sorokin, other key decisions loom. Darche must also address the status of restricted free agents Max Shabanov and Marc Gatcomb, having decided not to extend a qualifying offer to Adam Boqvist.

On Sunday, a plane involved in a skydiving event tragically crashed soon after takeoff in northeastern France, resulting in the deaths of all 11 individuals aboard, according to French authorities.

The crash occurred shortly after the plane left Nancy-Essey Airport, as confirmed by the Meurthe-et-Moselle Prefecture on platform X. In response to the crash, local officials swiftly established the department’s operational command center to manage the situation.

According to the Associated Press, the tragic event saw the loss of five parachuting instructors, five novice jumpers preparing for tandem dives, and the pilot, all of whom were aboard the ill-fated flight.

Prefect Yves Séguy told reporters the aircraft suffered a malfunction and “fell almost vertically,” narrowly missing a populated area.

“Had it occurred just a few dozen meters away, the accident could have caused collateral casualties,” Séguy said.

Flight tracking data from Flightradar24 showed the single-engine Pilatus PC-6 banked left shortly after takeoff before crashing less than a minute later near residential homes, about 300 yards from the runway.

Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said he traveled to the crash site with Transport Minister Philippe Tabarot, where they met with local officials and emergency responders.

Nunez wrote on X that he felt “immense emotion” while meeting with local officials and praised the coordinated response of firefighters, emergency personnel, police, gendarmerie and civil security teams.

He said a medico-psychological emergency unit was activated shortly after the crash to support victims’ loved ones and those who witnessed the tragedy. Some family members waiting at the airport witnessed the crash, according to officials.

Nunez added that the investigation, directed by the Paris prosecutor’s office and assigned to the Air Transport Gendarmerie’s investigative unit, will determine the cause of the crash.

Tabarot described the incident as a “terrible tragedy” and extended his condolences to the victims’ families before traveling to the scene alongside Nunez.

In a later post on X, Tabarot said investigators from France’s Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses had visited the crash site and opened an investigation to determine the precise circumstances of the accident. He also described the crash as France’s deadliest aviation accident involving a skydiving flight in about 30 years.

The parachutists were preparing for tandem jumps, in which novice participants are harnessed to experienced instructors for the descent.

French broadcaster BFM-TV spoke with a local resident who said he heard what sounded like the aircraft’s engine stopping before a loud impact. When he reached the crash site, he said there were no signs of life.

Sunday’s tragedy came just weeks after another deadly skydiving plane crash in the U.S. that killed 12 people about 65 miles outside Kansas City, Missouri.

In that crash, the aircraft was carrying 11 skydivers and a pilot. Many of the passengers were preparing for tandem jumps and were inexperienced first-time skydivers, officials said. Some family members waiting at the airport also witnessed the crash.

South Korea’s national football team manager, Hong Myung-Bo, has reportedly resigned following the team’s early exit from the World Cup.

In Group A, the South Koreans secured a win against Czechia but suffered defeats by Mexico and South Africa, placing them third overall in the group.

Their final match ended in a 1-0 loss to a less favored South African side, prompting a public outcry. Fans initiated a petition for Hong’s dismissal, and even the nation’s president echoed the call for his resignation.

Despite being ranked higher than both Czechia and South Africa, South Korea’s expectations to advance were unmet. Hong faced criticism for a series of controversial decisions, notably the choice to sit star player Son Heung-min during the decisive group game.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, with Hong stepping down, his departure marks the conclusion of a turbulent period for South Korea’s football leadership.

Hong was hired after the expensive sacking of Jurgen Klinsmann in 2024. The appointment process for both of those bosses was deemed improper by the Seoul Administrative Court, who found that the football association’s president, Chung Mong-gyu, had bypassed procedures and undermined the board to hire them. 

Football president Chung may yet face discipline amid a legal scrap with the nation’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Hong was never a popular appointment. He had previously led them to the 2014 World Cup but finished winless and bottom of a group containing Belgium, Algeria, and Russia. 

Their qualification and pre-tournament friendlies were unconvincing. While they went unbeaten in their third round qualifying group, they also drew against Oman, Jordan, and twice against Palestine, whose top divisions have not been contested since 2023.

In the year leading up to the World Cup, they were thrashed 5-0 by Brazil and 4-0 by the Ivory Coast, which did not fill fans with confidence. 

They looked impressive enough in their 2-1 opening victory against Czechia, but failed to carve out many chances in their 1-0 losses to Mexico and South Africa.

Hong’s in-game management was questioned. While they were losing against South Africa, he hooked centre-back Kim Min-jae and replaced him with another defender, rather than an attacker, a decision which frustrated fans. 

South Korean president Lee Jae Myung said he was ‘utterly baffled’ by the results and called for an investigation into their World Cup exit in a statement on X. 

‘I am not just taken aback by this unexpected outcome. I am utterly baffled,’ Lee wrote on X.

‘I find the unexpected outcome not merely disappointing but truly absurd. 

‘When loyalty and factionalism are valued over competence, and incompetent people are appointed to leadership positions, the outcome is all but inevitable,” Lee said in a post on X.

‘I offer my deepest apologies to the public for the profound disappointment caused by this unacceptable outcome.

‘We will move swiftly to reform sports administration to ensure that nothing like this happens again.

‘The reason such botched appointments – which fail to distinguish between public ‌and ⁠private interests and prioritise personal gain over the public good – are possible is that it is impossible or difficult to monitor, check, and hold those with appointment authority accountable

‘Given that significant national taxpayer funds and state support resources are invested even in World Cup participation, I ask that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism thoroughly investigate the precise circumstances of this incident, analyse its causes, and develop thorough measures for preventing recurrence and improvement.’

Meanwhile, the fan petition read: ‘The Korea Football Association’s official selection process was effectively ignored, making it difficult to avoid criticism that the appointment was fundamentally illegitimate.

 ‘Despite fielding what many considered the strongest squad in Korea’s World Cup history, the team finished with one win and two losses, placing third in the group.

‘The performance against South Africa was so lifeless that it could be regarded as one of the worst displays by a Korean team in World Cup history.

‘The arbitrary appointment of a head coach by a particular individual while bypassing official bodies such as the National Team Strengthening Committee must be strictly prohibited.

‘The only way to prevent the privatization of the football association is through the power of an institutional system.’ 

Have you paid attention to the action so far? Try our World Cup quiz HERE 

As reigning NBA champions, the New York Knicks enter the 2026 NBA Free Agency with a unique challenge. Instead of focusing solely on adding new talent, the pressing issue for them is the investment required to retain their championship roster.

Dexter Henry teams up with Jeremy Cohen from Knicks Film School to offer insights into the free agency period and the pivotal choices awaiting Leon Rose and the Knicks’ management team. Should New York surpass the second salary cap to maintain their depth as champions? Are they prepared for the possibility of losing Mitchell Robinson? Furthermore, after Landry Shamet’s impressive playoff performance, does he become essential for the Knicks to re-sign?

Dexter and Jeremy also delve into the return of Jose Alvarado on a favorable deal and explore potential alternatives for Mitchell Robinson, such as Goga Bitadze, Yves Missi, Moussa Diabate, Nick Richards, and Andre Drummond. They explore affordable free agents who might bolster the Knicks’ defense of their title. The big question remains: Can the Knicks skillfully manage their finances while assembling a team capable of back-to-back championships?