Authorities reported that over 100 cats were rescued from three filthy residences in Queens and the Bronx on Thursday, highlighting a significant animal welfare issue in these areas.

The cats were handed over to the ASPCA by pet owners who, overwhelmed by the sheer number of animals, recognized their inability to provide adequate care as their feline population expanded uncontrollably.

Among those rescued were tiny kittens and expecting mothers, all extracted from the squalid conditions they had been living in, as noted by the ASPCA.

Following comprehensive medical examinations, the cats are now en route to the ASPCA’s recovery facility in Ohio. There, they will receive the necessary care and treatment to prepare them for eventual adoption.

Images depict the endearing felines receiving vaccinations and having their vital statistics recorded by dedicated veterinary professionals.

“The ASPCA has seen an uptick in requests to assist with largescale animal hoarding and neglect situations across New York in recent months, and our teams are working tirelessly to provide critical sheltering, medical care, behavioral treatment and enrichment, legal and investigative support, and safety net services to help animals and pet owners in need,” Elizabeth Brandler, vice president of ASPCA Cruelty Response said in a statement.

“We’re grateful to be in a position where we can mobilize at a moment’s notice to ensure the safety of vulnerable animals and, when appropriate, support investigative and prosecutorial efforts to hold animal abusers accountable. When animals are in need, the ASPCA goes there,” Brandler said.

More than 300 at-risk animals, primarily cats, have been rescued across the five boroughs by the ASPCA through a community engagement program and partnership with the NYPD.

The operations included a Brooklyn apartment where rescuers and cops discovered 27 neglected animals in June.

Jessica Styles, 45, was hit with a slew of charges, including aggressive cruelty to animals, after two dozen animals — including a dead dog — were discovered in her deplorable apartment on Herkimer Street in Ocean Hill.

In July, nearly 40 cats were also removed from an unsanitary, dangerous Queens apartment following an eviction. Nine dead felines were also tragically found in the home, the ASPCA said.

A devastating accident involving a tabletop fire pit—sold on Amazon—has left a former Navy search-and-rescue swimmer with severe burns, according to allegations in a recently filed lawsuit.

The plaintiff, Anthony Trevino, age 31, alleges that he endured critical injuries when attempting to refuel his portable fire pit in September 2025.

Court documents state that the fire pit purportedly exploded, causing devastating third-degree burns to Trevino’s face, ears, neck, torso, arms, hands, and fingers.

The blast’s intensity was such that it reportedly melted nearby lighting fixtures and scorched the balcony fence, illustrating the extent of the incident’s destruction.

As a result of the explosion, Trevino was hospitalized for several weeks, with lingering injuries and scars that he fears may remain permanent, per his assertions in the legal filing.

‘I never imagined a product sold to me as ‘safe and easy’ would do this to me in my own home,’ Trevino said in a statement. 

The product, made by Colsen Fire Pits and Gusar, LLC and sold by Amazon, is a tabletop fire pit fueled by rubbing alcohol.

The lawsuit, filed August 5 in San Diego Superior Court, accused Amazon and Colsen Fire Pits of selling the device despite knowing it was a ‘defective and hazardous product known to have caused numerous burn injuries.’ 

The suit alleges the product was highly susceptible to ‘flame jetting,’ in which flames explode out of the device and travel up a stream of the rubbing alcohol meant to fuel the device. 

‘My whole life, my job was to pull people out of danger. I can’t undo what happened to me, but I can hold Amazon accountable to ensure they stop selling products that are so dangerous they can alter the course of someone’s life,’ Trevino added.

The lawsuit argues he suffered ‘both physically and psychologically’ and aims to compensate Trevino for monetary damages for the loss of earnings and medical expenses.

The suit alleges that Trevino purchased the fire pit on Amazon’s website in 2021. 

Based on Amazon’s algorithm, he also purchased isopropyl alcohol, commonly known as rubbing alcohol, to fuel the device.

‘He was hoping to use the fire pit to provide some nice ambience on his outdoor patio in his apartment in San Diego,’ the lawsuit alleged. 

Trevino’s lawyers claimed the defendants were aware that ethanol burners in general, ‘were and are defective and extremely dangerous,’ as they were already outlawed in Australia and Canada.

The lawsuit confirms Amazon sent an email to anyone who purchased Colsen-branded fire pits saying: ‘the product… may not meet current mandatory or voluntary safety standards.’

However, the lawsuit claims that the notification ‘did not offer to refund the purchase price or advise buyers such as plaintiff that the product was defective and using it could result in catastrophic burn injuries.’

Jeremy Robinson, one of Trevino’s attorneys, said a 2020 decision in a separate San Diego case helped set the precedent for suing Amazon for products it sells through third parties.

The case involved a woman being injured and burned after she purchased a replacement laptop battery.

Amazon claimed they were merely an online marketplace and could not be held liable for third-party product defects, but a panel from a California appeals court disagreed.

According to court documents, many individuals in the United States have filed similar lawsuits against Colsen Fire Pits and Amazon.

Colsen Fire Pits filed for bankruptcy in 2024 and appears to no longer be in business. 

For Larry Fitzgerald, retirement is merely a state of mind rather than a final destination.

As Fitzgerald prepares for his induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this Saturday, he stands firm on his belief that he hasn’t truly retired. In fact, he challenges the very notion of retirement altogether.

The acclaimed wide receiver credits a pivotal conversation between his grandfather and John Stroger, a former Chicago politician, for shaping his perspective on retirement.

Reflecting on that discussion, Fitzgerald shared on Thursday with ESPN, “I recall them conversing about how retirement kills more people in our country than anything else. That idea has always resonated deeply with me. Therefore, I just don’t buy into the concept of retirement.”

“To me, it’s all about moving smoothly into different phases of life, especially for athletes,” he added, emphasizing a continual journey rather than a conclusive ending.

Fitzgerald, who spent his entire 17-year NFL career with the Cardinals, played his final game at 37 years old in 2020.

“Retired? What do you mean retired?” Fitzgerald said about the word. “There’s no retirement in sight. And, so, I don’t know. I protest the word more than the actual thing.

“So, I just want to acknowledge that.”

The questions surrounding Fitzgerald’s retirement followed him during his final few seasons, with the 11-time Pro Bowler insisting that he did not want a farewell tour to close out his NFL career.

During his NFL tenure, Fitzgerald racked up 17,492 receiving yards and 121 touchdowns on 1,432 receptions. He was also named to the league’s 2010s All-Decade team in 2020.

Despite remaining in Arizona for his entire career, Fitzgerald revealed that he had considered leaving the Cardinals at one point.

“I would be lying to you if it didn’t cross my mind, I didn’t think about it, maybe even had conversations about it, but never seriously tried to put it in motion,” Fitzgerald said. “I loved where I was at.

“And quite frankly, I don’t know if it would’ve meant the same for me if I went to somewhere where it was already some super team.”

Fitzgerald is set to enter the Hall of Fame alongside Drew Brees, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri and Roger Craig as part of the Class of 2026.

Sophie Cunningham, Caitlin Clark, and the rest of their Indiana Fever squad enjoyed a chance to escape the relentless scrutiny that had been trailing them after Thursday night’s game.

Returning to their home turf in Indiana offered a stark contrast to the buzz-filled rallies that defined their recent away games. The jeers that haunted them last week had transformed into supportive applause from their loyal fans.

The backlash against Cunningham’s controversial opinion on excluding transgender women from women’s sports had, at least for now, ebbed away.

Players and fans alike seemed eager to shift past the tumultuous debate, even if this brief reprieve is limited to Indianapolis.

‘It feels overdue. I’m really looking forward to focusing on the game,’ expressed Carmen Edmainiston, a die-hard Fever enthusiast aged 24.

Thursday’s game was another marquee matchup between the defending champion Las Vegas Aces and the most visible and televised team in the league. The Aces won it in overtime thanks to Chelsea Gray’s buzzer beater.

They met in last year’s WNBA semifinals and twice earlier this season, with the Fever winning each game by more than 15 points on the road.

Despite a sellout crowd decked out mostly in Fever red, a street vendor selling a T-shirt with a shot of Cunningham pointing with the phrase ‘Sophie Point God’ and loud roars during Indiana’s player introductions, there also were reminders of the controversy that has engulfed the WNBA.

A lone protester outside Gainbridge Fieldhouse made his argument in support of Cunningham’s position with a bullhorn. Inside, the signs carried messages such as ‘I want to play like Sophie’ and ‘Thank you for standing up for girls, Sophie!’

That wasn’t the reception Cunningham got last week in Seattle, Portland or Minnesota, where coach Cheryl Reeve wore a T-shirt during Sunday’s game with the message ‘Trans kids belong.’

The Fever are expected to be greeted with another rally when they travel to Chicago on Saturday because Cunningham has not backed off her stance despite the criticism.

‘I was asked a question and that’s simply what it was. I wasn’t trying to make a statement. I was trying to clear the air, and I did that, back in February, so it is what it is,’ she said Wednesday at practice.

‘We’re in the middle of the season, so I’m going to keep it at that. Our team is good, my teammates are good, our locker room is great.’

Cunningham’s position is merely the latest episode in a Fever season filled with drama.

While Clark and Angel Reese each have seven technical fouls, the most in the league and one short of an automatic one-game suspension, Clark also has been involved in a sideline spat with coach Stephanie White.

And, some of the contact she has incurred this season has stirred a debate that has reached the U.S. Congress over whether she’s being unfairly targeted.

Following a rare three-day break away from her usual media duties, Clark weighed in when asked during a pregame news conference how she has dealt with life inside of a bubble where her every move and word is scrutinized.

‘I think first and foremost, you speak when you feel like you want to speak,’ she said. 

‘I’ve been in this position for what, five years now, four years, and I think I have a good feel of what’s going to be asked, what’s not going to be asked, how to approach each situation and I try to just show up and be myself every single day, and I hope fans can feel like they can connect with me in that way.’