Consider avoiding alfalfa sprouts for the time being.

On Friday, the CDC released a safety alert connecting outbreaks of E. coli and Salmonella to alfalfa sprouts, with more than 55 cases of illness reported across the country.

In New York, two individuals have reportedly become ill, as noted by the CDC.

Although no fatalities have occurred, the outbreaks have led to the hospitalization of four individuals.

Investigations have identified Everything Sprouts and Calco as suppliers linked to these outbreaks.

Officials recommend throwing away any alfalfa sprouts in your refrigerator and washing any items or surfaces that the vegetable may have contaminated with hot, soapy water.

Businesses have been instructed to not sell or serve affected alfalfa sprouts. 

Early warning signs of E. coli and Salmonella infection include diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 Fahrenheit, diarrhea for more than two days that does not improve, extreme vomiting and severe dehydration. 

Young children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems may experience more severe illness that requires medical treatment or hospitalization.

Just days before Hayden Panettiere’s untimely death at age 36, her on-and-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson faced allegations of drug use during a court session, according to media reports.

The actress was found unresponsive in a South Carolina apartment on Sunday, August 16, and was later pronounced dead from a suspected overdose.

In a recent statement to TMZ, Hickerson’s brother, Zach, shared details about Panettiere’s final moments, revealing that Hickerson administered Narcan to her after realizing she was unconscious.

Only several days before her passing, on August 13, a hearing had been held concerning Hickerson’s request to expunge domestic violence convictions from his record. This request was filed on July 20, as reported by People.

Although Hickerson asserted compliance with his probation conditions, prosecutors disputed his expungement petition, citing ongoing alleged drug use and two separate arrests in Los Angeles in 2025, according to the magazine.

Back in 2021, Hickerson pleaded no contest to two felony counts of injuring Panettiere. He was sentenced to 45 days in jail and four years’ probation, plus $500 in fines and mandatory domestic violence classes. 

Panettiere’s on-and-off felon ex did not make an appearance at the hearing last week, nor did his attorney. 

Hickerson had been arrested at a West Hollywood bar called Barney’s Beanery in August 2025. 

However, he was not prosecuted due to insufficient evidence at the time. 

He was arrested again later that same month and was charged with a misdemeanor count of being under the influence of a controlled substance, according to People. 

Earlier this year in January, Hickerson ‘submitted proof’ that he completed 10 Narcotics Anonymous sessions. The misdemeanor charge was then dismissed.

During the hearing, prosecutors additionally cited a TMZ interview that Hickerson did back in May where he appeared ‘quite high’ and ‘very clearly not sober,’ per People.

Regarding the interview, the D.A. said that Hickerson ‘speaks for 15 minutes about the abuse that’s been documented in his victim’s best-selling book, and he makes several admissions about that,’ per TMZ.

‘And more significantly to his request today, he is quite high on what appears to be a stimulant, notwithstanding his lawyer’s representations that he is seeking expungement because he is now sober.’ 

A judge denied Hickerson’s petition at the hearing.

Hickerson had previously attempted to remove the convictions from his record one year earlier in July 2025, with the petition also being opposed by prosecutors, per People.  

The Los Angeles County D.A.’s Office told People in a statement following the August 13 hearing Hickerson’s petition was opposed due to ‘continued demonstrable drug use’ as well as last year’s arrest. 

Daily Mail reached out to a rep for comment. An attorney for Hickerson denied to comment.  

Panettiere tragically passed away on August 16 at the age of 36. 

Hickerson’s brother, Zach, recently broke his silence on the actress’s final moments in a statement to TMZ. 

Hickerson administered Narcan to Panettiere after he and his brother, Zach, found her unconscious in their Airbnb in Greenville, South Carolina.

Zach, who said he wanted to ‘clarify my involvement’ in the situation, said he was calling 911 while Hickerson gave Panettiere the medication, which is typically administered to reverse an opioid overdose.

Zach said he, Hickerson and the actress were planning to get lunch and go indoor golfing after he attended church.

He called and texted Panettiere and his brother as he was leaving the Sunday service, but didn’t hear back from them, he recalled.

Zach assumed the pair were sleeping so he drove back to the rental, but he didn’t have the door code to the unit so he couldn’t get in.

‘I knocked loudly which apparently woke Brian up from a nap they were both taking on the pull out couch bed in the living room. When we went in and tried to wake Hayden up for lunch, we realized she was unconscious,’ he said.

‘I immediately called 911 and Brian gave her Narcan. We then jointly performed CPR while 911 was on speaker until Fire and EMS arrived.’

‘At that point we watched as they tried every measure possible to save her life,’ he added.

Zach says he is ‘beyond heartbroken and devastated’ by Panettiere’s death.

He shared how over the past eight years the actress had become one of my ‘dearest and closest friends,’ adding that she was someone he loved and cared for deeply.

He urged for an end to the ‘assumptions, speculations and accusations’ that are swirling around the star’s death.

Zach claimed the ‘truth’ will come out once police have completed their investigation.

The Heroes star was later declared dead following the suspected overdose.

Details about Panettiere’s final moments come just hours after her ex-fiance Wladimir Klitschko paid a heartbreaking tribute to the actress on what would have been her 37th birthday.

Sharing a photo of the actress on August 21, the boxer wrote: ‘Today is Hayden’s birthday. Instead of celebrating the way we had planned, today we celebrate her life, her spirit, and the love she brought into this world.

‘I want to thank all of Hayden’s fans, friends, and everyone who has reached out for the incredible outpouring of love and support. At a time filled with so much sadness, your kindness has reminded me that there is still so much good in humanity.

‘If you’re reading this, I ask just one thing: Even if only for a moment, think about LOVE. Reach out to a friend. Forgive someone. Be kind. Love is a superpower. Use it.

‘Happy Birthday, Hayden. You are loved, you are missed, and you will never be forgotten.’

The actress had a daughter with the boxer. In 2018, when Kaya was three, she signed full custody to her ex amid her battle with postpartum depression and addiction and Wladimir moved their daughter to his native Ukraine.

On Monday, Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said that the post-mortem had been completed and that no signs of trauma were found on the star’s body.

Further investigations will take place to establish her cause of death, with chief deputy coroner Shelton England telling the Daily Mail that it was too early to discuss the drug overdose theory.

On Thursday, Hickerson addressed the star’s death through his lawyers.

‘Hayden’s death remains under investigation and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed,’ said his attorney Sloan Ellis, from the Ellis Hinton law firm.

‘As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play.

‘Out of respect for Hayden’s loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.’

A Greenville police officer who responded to the residence Sunday afternoon was met by the brothers and then observed paramedics performing CPR on an unresponsive woman, according to a police report.

‘The patient did not seem to have any obvious physical reasons to be unresponsive,’ the officer noted. After attempting lifesaving measures, the emergency workers declared Panettiere dead at 2:31pm on Sunday.

Panettiere and Hickerson were said to have flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina one day before she died.

Hickerson is originally from Greenville, public records show. It is unclear what the purpose of the couple’s visit was.

Earlier, a representative for Panettiere confirmed her death, saying her family would remember her as an ‘incredible light’ who brought ‘immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her.’

Tragedy struck as Karoline Heintz, an 18-year-old freshman set to join the soccer team at Pennsylvania Western University — California, was reportedly killed in a stabbing incident. The alleged assailant is her boyfriend, Royce Moser, whose mother is also accused of complicity in the aftermath.

In a shocking revelation during a police interview, Moser, also 18, claimed that he was under the influence of a “demon” that urged him to attack his girlfriend, according to the court documents filed in connection with the case.

According to Pennsylvania State Police reports, the tragic event unfolded when Heintz went to meet Moser outside his father’s home in North Strabane for a conversation.

Detailing the horrifying incident, investigators noted that Heintz was inside her parked vehicle, conversing with Moser in the driveway. The conversation reportedly took a dark turn when Moser, angered by something Heintz said — though he couldn’t recall what — claimed that a ‘demon’ seized control of his actions and directed him to stab her, as stated in the court documents.

“He told her ‘wait I have something for you’ and went inside of the residence to get a knife. He then came back outside and stabbed her in the chest. She fell out of the vehicle and he attempted to drag her to the back of her car. He put her in the back hatch of the vehicle and then got in the driver seat,” the criminal complaints say.

Authorities say the 18-year-old Moser then called his mother, Rachel, who allegedly proceeded to assist him after the stabbing.

Rachel Moser allegedly told him to come to her house. When he arrived, she allegedly told her son to pull the car into the garage and that she would help him clear the vehicle with disinfectant spray, according to court documents.

“She then gave him latex gloves and told him to follow her vehicle toward the university. They left the victim’s vehicle in the parking lot and he got in her car to leave,” the criminal complaints state. “She took the knife that was used to stab the victim and put it in a garbage bag to be put in the trash outside of her residence. She put his clothes into the washing machine.”

The California Police Department was notified just after midnight Thursday to check the area near the California Library after Heintz failed to return to campus.

Officers found her body in the rear hatch of a Jeep Cherokee near the library, and authorities said noticeable blood spatter was visible inside and outside the vehicle.

Royce Moser is charged with homicide, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse and obstruction of justice, Pennsylvania State Police said Thursday.

His mother faces charges of hindering apprehension of a fugitive, tampering with evidence, abuse of a corpse, conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence, conspiracy to commit abuse of a corpse and obstruction of justice, state police said.

The school provided News Media with the following statement on Friday: “PennWest University is heartbroken by the tragic death of Karoline Heintz, a first-year student-athlete at the California campus. Our deepest condolences are with Karoline’s family, friends, teammates, and all those whose lives she touched. We are focused on supporting members of our university community as they grieve this devastating loss.”

In a significant development, Portuguese President António José Seguro has approved legislation imposing a sweeping ban on face coverings in public spaces. This new measure, widely interpreted as targeting Muslim women, was reported by AFP and has sparked a broad discussion.

However, the rule comes with several exceptions. The prohibition makes allowances for scenarios such as health and professional obligations, artistic pursuits, weather-related conditions, and settings like places of worship, diplomatic missions, or when traveling on airplanes.

Individuals who violate this policy may face monetary penalties ranging from 150 to 3,000 euros, the outlet detailed. This introduces a significant enforcement aspect to the legislation.

When converted, these fines amount to approximately $175 to $3,500, underlining the seriousness of the financial consequences for non-compliance.

The law, often referred to by local media as the “burqa law,” draws its name from the traditional attire worn by some Muslim women. This legislation was passed by the Portuguese parliament in the last month, AFP reported, marking a pivotal moment in Portugal’s approach to public attire regulations.

The law bans sporting coverings meant to hide a person’s face or block identification in public areas and bans requiring someone to cloak their face due to gender, religion, age or origin, the report states.

“For the president of the republic, the uncovered face constitutes a structuring dimension of social trust, a characteristic of Portuguese society,” according to an English translation of a Portuguese-language press release.

“Social integration, non-discrimination based on gender and the security resulting from similar decisions by the European Court of Human Rights underpin this decision. The president of the republic shares this court’s conviction that the face is central to human identity and communication, serving as a minimum element for mutual recognition among fellow citizens.

“And to admit that women, and only women, must hide their entire faces implies an asymmetry incompatible with the values ​​of parity and equal dignity between men and women, values ​​that shape European democracies,” the release added.

In the face of potential Democratic victories in the upcoming fall elections, Donald Trump and his inner circle are bracing for a potential tidal wave of congressional investigations. Should the Democrats capture control of either the House or the Senate, the former President could find himself and his associates under intense scrutiny.

Every facet of Trump’s business dealings and political maneuvers is likely to come under the microscope. From the intricate workings of World Liberty Financial’s cryptocurrency endeavors to the extensive renovations at Trump’s Washington, DC properties, nothing would be off-limits. Expected probes may also extend to the grand White House ballroom, activities related to stock trading, immigration strategies, and the plans for the new Air Force One. Notably, there is a spotlight on the high-profile Epstein files, whose release could become a focal investigation point.

Concerns have been expressed by Trump’s allies, who told the Daily Mail about the administration’s apparent lack of preparedness for this looming wave of legal confrontations aimed squarely at Trump and his family. This anticipated surge of legal battles was described as ‘lawfare,’ a strategic use of legal proceedings to target opponents.

“They have no idea what’s coming,” a source confided to the Daily Mail. The source ominously predicted a ‘tsunami’ of Democratic attorneys ready to descend upon Washington, DC, driven by the resolve to hold Trump accountable on various fronts.

Inside sources suggest that the burden of steering the White House through this potential onslaught of investigative inquiries will largely rest on the shoulders of Will Scharf, the soon-to-be White House counsel. His ability to navigate the legal challenges could prove crucial for the administration in the tumultuous times ahead.

On September 1, Scharf will replace the President’s top lawyer, David Warrington. White House associate counsel Samuel D Adkisson is also departing after being nominated by Trump for a federal judgeship.

Scharf will have to act quickly to prepare the office for war.

‘They’re going to have to staff up and staff up fast,’ a second Washington legal source told the Daily Mail.

Washington legal sources praised Scharf as ‘loyal,’ ‘well-liked,’ and ‘influential’ in the White House, but remain skeptical that the office is prepared.

‘Scharf’s an upgrade from Warrington but I just don’t know if it’s enough,’ one source close to the White House told the Daily Mail.

Some of Trump’s more combative allies were critical of Scharf’s role in drafting legal memos discouraging the President from enacting the Insurrection Act and also expressing legal concerns about suspending habeas corpus for illegal immigrants.

Others were willing to give Scharf the benefit of the doubt on the memos, as one source argued, was more about his realistic assessment that the administration could successfully fight legal court challenges, not his personal opposition to the idea.

‘He’s always had a lot of influence in that world,’ a second source close to the White House told the Daily Mail. 

Other sources expressed confidence in Scharf’s abilities, especially working in tandem with newly confirmed Attorney General Todd Blanche.

Both Scharf and Blanche worked together on the high-stakes case surrounding Trump’s presidential immunity that went to the Supreme Court.

Scharf’s affability and respect from his colleagues in the West Wing have earned Trump’s support. His legal efforts on behalf of the ballroom construction and other Washington, DC, renovations also earned the President’s respect.

But the incoming fire directed at the president would be unprecedented, sources warned, in the very likely scenario of Democrats taking the House and perhaps the Senate.

‘Democrats are very angry and agitated and Republicans are kind of fat and happy and complacent,’ Mike Davis of the conservative legal group Article III Project told the Daily Mail. ‘It’s going to get ugly, I don’t think Republicans in Congress understand what’s coming.’

The White House has also suffered a number of high-profile staff departures this month, including White House legislative affairs director James Braid, Emily Underwood, the top deputy to deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, press secretary Karoline Leavitt and deputy national security advisor Andy Baker. 

Meanwhile, Democrats have already previewed plans that Trump would face an onslaught of investigations and likely even impeachment hearings.

One source told the Daily Mail it would be a mistake for the President to rely on House and Senate Republicans in the Judiciary Committee to defend him, particularly if they lost their majority status.

With his polling numbers low and legally unable to run for reelection, Republicans would be less inclined to stick their necks out to support a president officially in ‘lame duck’ status.

One source compared the upcoming legal and political climate to that of the wake of the 2020 election, where Republicans were anxious to move past Trump as his enemies piled up lawsuits and charges against him.

The White House counsel office should start staffing up with lawyers familiar with Capitol Hill and Congressional investigations, sources familiar with the process explained.

One Trump ally told the Daily Mail they wanted to see Trump’s first White House counsel pick, Bill McGinley, return to the office, citing both his aggressive expertise and low-profile demeanor.

President Trump initially named McGinley to the job in 2024, but he was pushed aside in favor of Warrington and sent to help shepherd Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. 

After just 30 days in the job, however, he stepped down and returned to the private sector.

McGinley did not return a request for comment.  

The White House downplayed concerns about the strength of the counsel’s office with Scharf at the head.

‘There is no shortage of American patriots who want to serve their country and fight back against frivolous lawsuits and legal battles that seek to slow down President Trump from delivering on his promises to the American people,’ Lauren Bis, a White House spokeswoman told the Daily Mail.

Trump is also expected to lean on private legal assistance, particularly if he faces another impeachment effort by House Democrats.

Trump’s MAGA PAC now has a war chest of $400 million, and with very little spending so far in the campaign, there will likely be plenty of funds remaining to pay for his legal defense.

The PAC’s failure to open up its coffers for Republican candidates has triggered the alarm of candidates facing tough midterm elections, including in Texas and Iowa. 

But one source indicated to the Daily Mail that more money would open up for candidates in early September, possibly after the high-profile midterm convention in Dallas on September 9 to 10. 

A man accused of causing chaos in downtown Philadelphia last week by donning a chilling Chucky-style mask may now be lurking in the Los Angeles area, according to law enforcement sources.

Identified as Zymire Hughes, the 22-year-old has significant work and personal connections to LA, and authorities believe he might already have made his way there, as FOX Los Angeles reported.

Surveillance cameras captured footage of Hughes packing a suitcase and leaving his apartment complex earlier this week, the news outlet disclosed. Given his frequent trips between Los Angeles and Las Vegas, investigators suspect he might be in the vicinity.

Despite these efforts, officials have yet to pinpoint his location. Hughes is currently sought after by both the Philadelphia Police Department and the U.S. Marshals Service.

Law enforcement agencies in Southern California and Nevada were monitoring transportation stations and following up on any reported sightings of Hughes.

Hughes was identified Thursday as the masked suspect who allegedly approached, chased and threatened several people in the early morning hours of Aug. 12 in Philadelphia while filming the strange encounters on a cellphone.

He was on probation and now faces felony and misdemeanor assault charges from last week’s incident.

In one incident, Hughes allegedly asked a 40-year-old female jogger: “Are you ready to die?” while holding his hand behind his back, prompting her to flee. She sustained a leg injury that will require extensive treatment, police said.

“Zymire Hughes was trying to scare people, make them run. Who’s scared now? Who’s running now?” Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner said during a news conference Thursday. 

“He’s a punk. I mean, that’s the bottom line. He’s a punk who scared a lot of people for no good reason, and we’re not going to tolerate it.”

Investigators said they believe Hughes may have been trying to create social media content in an effort to monetize it.

“There wasn’t an attempt by himself to lay hands on anyone,” Philadelphia Police Capt. Jason Smith said Thursday. 

“He didn’t brandish any weapon, although, in the case of the jogger, he did have his right arm behind his back, implying that he had a weapon. But at no point in time did he furnish a weapon.”

In a stark example of the controversial content found on TikTok, a disturbing incident has led critics to question the app’s impact on youth culture.

Authorities detained two 13-year-old boys on Friday, accused of launching a violent attack on a California father. The incident unfolded when the boys allegedly disrupted the man’s peaceful jacuzzi session, with one reportedly kicking him in the back of the head and the other swiping his iPhone.

The arrests followed the boys being turned in by their own parents.

Greg Medina, the victim of the assault in San Bernardino on August 14, was first contacted by the father of one of the suspects. The father reached out through Facebook to inform Medina of his son’s participation in the alarming event.

Subsequently, the concerned father took decisive action by escorting his son to the authorities and handing him over to the police.

Medina later met both teens, their fathers and other family members at the jail.

The boys apologized, and Medina shook hands with them.

“They were very respectful, the fathers were very respectful as well,” Medina told The California Post.

Medina said he later learned the teens had been trying to film something for TikTok when they attacked him.

According to Medina, they took his phone so he would not be able to call the police.

“I was glad to get an answer, but disappointed TikTok was the reason.”

The attack was captured on surveillance video.

Medina was sitting in the jacuzzi when one of the teens approached from behind and delivered a hard kick to the back of his head.

The second boy then reached down and grabbed Medina’s phone from the concrete.

The teens never said anything to him, Medina said. They laughed.

“They thought it was funny to do this to me.”

The boys also laughed as they ran away.

Medina never got his phone back.

The teens ditched his new iPhone somewhere after taking it, he said.

The phone cost more than $1,000, and Medina had just finished paying it off.

His AirPods were also lost, while his glasses were broken during the attack.

The kick sent Medina to the emergency room with a concussion.

He was later diagnosed with “post-concussion syndrome” and continues to suffer from headaches and dizziness.

The 48-year-old has also had to miss work and lose money while recovering.

Medina works full time as a chef for Lutheran Social Services, preparing meals for roughly 70 to 75 homeless men in San Bernardino. His workday starts at 5 a.m. and typically ends around 1 or 2 p.m.

He is also a full-time father to his 12-year-old daughter, Emmy.

After a long day of work, the jacuzzi was supposed to be his chance to unwind.

Instead, Medina was left injured, robbed and facing a recovery that has kept him away from work.

He had to miss work Friday and said he would miss Saturday as well.

“You’re doing this and you’re not realizing that there’s a real person behind this.”

The teen accused of delivering the kick was booked into Juvenile Hall on robbery and battery charges.

The other teen was booked on robbery charges.

Neither suspect has been identified because they are minors.

For Medina, their arrests brought peace of mind.

“I don’t have to worry about them being out on the streets now, there is a sense of relief from that.”