Just a day after Independence Day, an exhilarating day turned into a nightmare for over a dozen thrill-seekers along the Ocean City boardwalk in New Jersey when they found themselves hanging upside down on a broken amusement ride.

Among those caught in the thrill turned fiasco were 13-year-olds Charlotte Hacker and Emilia Gordon. The pair had innocently embarked on the new Wipe Out ride at Playland’s Castaway Cove that evening, only to end up part of an unexpected adventure.

After obtaining permission from their parents, the two shared their harrowing story with News Media, recalling the chilling moments of suspense as they swayed helplessly in the air, unclear when their ordeal would end.

“We were inverted for what felt like an eternity,” Hacker revealed on Saturday. “It might have been just five to seven minutes to those watching from below, but for us hanging there, time crawled to a standstill, stretching into what felt like an hour.”

The trip to the boardwalk was a special occasion for the friends, a prelude to Gordon’s 13th birthday celebration. They were no strangers to the attractions there but decided to try their luck on the new Wipe Out ride, seeking the thrill of something different.

The ride swings like a pendulum, repeatedly turning thrill-seekers upside down while its passenger compartment spins. Only this time, the ride inexplicably stopped with everyone suspended upside down.

“I seriously thought I was going to pass out,” Gordon said. “You try to put your head up, but you literally can’t. You can barely get it up at all.”

The girls, seated next to each other, tried to carry on mundane conversations to distract themselves while blood rushed to their heads.

“I remember thinking that the lap bars were going to open and that we were just going to fall,” Gordon said.

Family members on the ground waiting for their kids to get off the ride were terrified as well, the girls said.

“My uncle was there too, because we were all with my cousins, so he was also freaking out,” Hacker said.

Eventually, the ride’s operators managed to get it moving again, but to the girls’ dismay, it kept on going. Once the ride finished, they said they weren’t let off for another few minutes.

It is unclear what caused the apparent malfunction, and if any injuries were reported.

Hacker said the ride did not close, adding that there were some people who stayed in line and rode it after they got off.

“When we came off, people were literally clapping,” Gordon said.

The amusement park offered ticket refunds to the girls, which they didn’t think was sufficient after what they went through.

“That ride is five tickets, so they just gave back our ticket but [Hacker] only got three back. I got five. But still, after all that, I feel like you expect more,” Gordon said.

News Media has reached out to the Ocean City Fire Department, Ocean City Police Department, the ride’s operator and the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs for comment.

(Aug. 8, 2026 / JNS) In Washington, the Israeli embassy solemnly commemorated the second Hebrew yahrzeit on Saturday. This date marks the anniversary of the brutal murder of six hostages by Hamas militants in a tunnel located in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, back in August 2024.

The victims who lost their lives in this tragic event are Master Sgt. Ori Danino, Carmel Gat, Hersh Goldberg-Polin, Alexander Lobanov, Almog Sarusi, and Eden Yerushalmi.

“As we light the Shabbat candles, we illuminate their memories, keeping their light alive. May the recollection of their lives always be a blessing, and may their light continue to guide us,” was the heartfelt message shared by the embassy on Twitter.

These six individuals were abducted during a Hamas-coordinated onslaught on the northwestern Negev on October 7, 2023.

Tragically, the hostages were discovered within a tunnel 65 feet below ground, sustaining gunshot wounds to both their heads and bodies.

One of the hostages showed signs of being tied up, and they all showed evidence of neglect and not having bathed for a long time.

In addition, there was evidence that they sustained injuries during their kidnapping that were treated over time.

The hostages are believed to have been transported from the northern Gaza Strip to the south, where they were murdered.

Their bodies were recovered by the Israel Defense Forces on Sept. 1, 2024.

Perez Hilton’s representatives have come forward to disclose the serious nature of his injuries following a shocking livestream where he inflicted harm on himself using a knife.

A statement shared on Hilton’s official website detailed that he experienced ‘significant blood loss’ during this distressing event, along with several other ‘additional injuries’ that were not specified.

The update further explains that the 48-year-old celebrity blogger is scheduled to undergo surgery in the upcoming days to address his injuries.

Additionally, the statement confirmed that Hilton is currently ‘hospitalized under Florida’s Baker Act,’ a statute allowing for involuntary psychiatric commitment.

Because of these circumstances and the implications of the Baker Act, his team noted that Hilton’s ‘communication has been severely restricted to only immediate family, healthcare providers, and those directly involved in his treatment.’

It emphasized that his ‘condition remains serious but stable,’ and Hilton’s team said his ‘treatment and recovery’ would be a ‘long process.’

They also shared that he had been able to spend time with his mother and sister on Friday. 

Hilton’s team confirmed that his ‘children remain safe and are being cared for by immediate family.’ 

‘Please allow them and the rest of the family the peace and privacy they desperately need during this incredibly difficult time,’ the statement concluded. ‘Thank you for your continued support, compassion, and understanding.’

The latest update from Hilton’s camp comes after the Daily Mail exclusively revealed his first words from his hospital bed. 

The Baker Act – officially the Florida Mental Health Act – allows medical and mental health professionals, as well as judges and law enforcement officers, to involuntarily commit individuals for up to 72 hours if they are believed to be at risk of harming themselves or others.

Earlier this week on Tuesday, Hilton was transported to a hospital in an ambulance after a distressing TikTok livestream which saw him self-harm with a knife.

Surveillance footage from a neighbor’s house captured the moment when law enforcement arrived to the star’s residence in Miami after fans reached out to 911 over concern for his welfare. 

Police cars could be seen puling up to the home not long after 7pm on Tuesday evening. 

Law enforcement was seen trying to get Hilton, whose real name is Mario Armando Lavandeira Jr., out of his home in the video. 

A deputy was heard calling out: ‘Mario, it’s the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office, please step out of the house.’  

Clips taken from the footage, which the Daily Mail will not publish, appeared to show the media personality covered in blood while brandishing a knife. 

The livestream video has since been taken down by TikTok, and his account has also been suspended.  

If you or someone you know needs help in the US, please call or text the confidential 24/7 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. If you are in the UK, call Samaritans at 116 123 for free. If you are in Australia, call Lifeline 13 11 14 or Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800.

Made in the Cade 

Cade Klubnik demonstrated impressive skills as he concluded Saturday’s scrimmage with a bang. Operating the second-team offense, he orchestrated a touchdown drive in a high-pressure two-minute drill, highlighted by a spectacular 66-yard pass to Isaiah Williams.

The rookie quarterback is currently competing against veteran Bailey Zappe for the crucial role of backing up Geno Smith.

Stumbling blockers 

Challenges emerged for the offensive line, struggling not only with blocking rookie edge rusher David Bailey but also with managing the blitz strategies designed by Aaron Glenn, the head coach and defensive play-caller.

In a pivotal moment, Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick executed a well-timed blitz, storming through the middle to secure a sack.

Caught my eye 

With John Simpson previously assuming the role of enforcer on the Jets’ offensive line, speculation arises this season about whether Joe Tippmann might step into those shoes.

The offensive guard got in cornerback Azareye’h Thomas’ face after he was called for a personal foul for taking down wideout Omar Cooper Jr. with a horse collar. 

Injury report 

Bailey limped off late in practice with an ankle injury. Glenn doesn’t believe it is serious, and Bailey was jogging on the sideline after being checked out. Safety VJ Payne (bone bruise) is expected to miss three to four weeks, according to Glenn.

Defensive end Kingsley Jonathan is dealing with a thigh bruise, but Glenn expects him to be fine. 

When someone who cheats is discovered, their reaction can illuminate whether the infidelity was a one-time lapse or hints at a recurring, damaging motif that might persist, according to specialists.

Contrary to the common belief that serial infidels are driven by a sheer obsession with sex, New York-based psychotherapist and sex therapist Chamin Ajjan explains that such conduct usually springs from more profound issues.

In a conversation with the Daily Mail, Ajjan revealed that persistent unfaithfulness is frequently linked to compulsions, unresolved past traumas, and contrary to conventional wisdom, might be a way of managing difficult emotions instead of an endless chase for indulgence.

“There could be deep-seated trauma,” Ajjan shared, “and they may turn to sexual encounters to anesthetize old childhood wounds or previous emotional pain.”

“It’s essentially a mechanism for self-regulation, helping to soothe their nervous system, and is far less about seeking pleasure,” she added.

Ajjan said one of the clearest differences between someone who has a one-time affair and a serial cheater is how they respond after betraying their partner.

While a person responsible for an isolated affair will often immediately express remorse, a serial cheater may minimize the pain they caused, blame their partner and feel worse about being caught than the betrayal itself.

Serial cheaters can also feel entitled to the experience or become addicted to the excitement and risk that comes with getting away with an affair. 

In some cases, the forbidden nature of the act itself becomes part of the appeal. Ajjan said there can also be a neurochemical component driving the behavior.

‘They have a higher reward sensitivity, meaning that they’re chasing dopamine, and the behavior – the sexual indiscretion is more like a neurobiological itch that they were struggling to inhibit,’ she explained. ‘They’re just really having a difficult time managing.’

Ajjan, who has practiced couples and sex therapy for more than 20 years, said one of the first clues someone may be cheating is a dramatic change in their behavior.

But contrary to popular belief, that shift is not always negative.

While some people become distant, critical or argumentative, others suddenly become unusually attentive, showering their partner with gifts, compliments and affection in what can appear to be an effort to compensate for their guilt, she explained.

‘It’s a complete shift in the level of affection. So, all of a sudden, they are showering you with gifts. Or they’re intensely, overly affectionate, or giving you strange or unusual compliments,’ Ajjan said.

Years of working with couples have also taught her to recognize another ‘clear indication’ that someone may be cheating: an unexpected change in the couple’s sex life.

Sometimes that means a partner suddenly loses interest in intimacy. In other cases, the opposite happens.

‘Your therapy senses are activated when a couple who has had a pretty regular, sexual, or intimate routine [and] there’s a sharp change in that.’

‘They, all of a sudden, have intense sexual energy out of nowhere, or they’re using new sexual moves or techniques. Or showing preferences in things that they never were interested in before, without it being a conversation that you’re having.’

Another subtle warning sign is an unexplained personality shift.

A partner who once seemed easygoing may suddenly become overly critical, picking fights over insignificant issues or constantly pointing out flaws. 

Ajjan said this behavior can create emotional distance while allowing the unfaithful partner to justify their own actions by convincing themselves their significant other is somehow to blame.

Infidelity remains one of the most common reasons people seek therapy, according to Ajjan.

However, she said she more often works with individuals trying to understand why they were betrayed than with couples attempting to repair the relationship together.

She added that every relationship defines cheating differently.

While many people view physical affairs as the ultimate betrayal, others are more troubled by what has become known as ‘micro-cheating,’ where someone develops an intimate emotional connection online without ever becoming physically involved.

Ajjan said some clients have even told her they would be less upset if their partner had a one-time sexual encounter than if they discovered months of secret emotional conversations.

‘It’s not for me to tell the client what is and what is not cheating. It’s for me to help them understand how the behavior has impacted them,’ the therapist explained.

‘I could see how each one of those behaviors can be damaging. Damaging to a sense of self, damaging to the relationship. And there are some people who have a partner who’s cheating physically, and to them, it doesn’t impact them,’ she continued.

‘So, in therapy, we often have a saying, if it’s not a problem, it’s not a problem.’

Although discovering an affair can devastate a relationship, Ajjan said it does not always have to signal the end.

In some cases, she has seen couples emerge stronger after confronting the underlying issues that contributed to the betrayal.

One of the first steps she recommends is what her practice calls ‘temporary transparency.’

That can include open-device policies, sharing locations and being more forthcoming about daily routines while trust is gradually rebuilt.

But she warned against allowing those measures to become permanent surveillance.

‘People do it on their Snapchat, which can be problematic if a partner is on Snapchat, because often that serves as a way to have those quick, inappropriate conversations,’ she explained.

Instead, she said something as simple as leaving phones face-up can help demonstrate there is nothing to hide without creating an unhealthy dependence on constant monitoring.

Ultimately, rebuilding a relationship requires understanding what drove the affair in the first place rather than focusing solely on the act of cheating itself.

‘The indiscretion didn’t come out of nowhere, and it’s not necessarily about the partner, it’s about some kind of internal struggle that the client is dealing with, so spending time to understand what that connection gave the partner, what needs were being felt [and] filled by it.’

Ajjan believes infidelity is far more common than many people realize because those affected often suffer in silence rather than discussing it openly with friends or family.

‘As somebody who sees this happen all the time, don’t suffer in silence. It can feel very shameful to have your partner cheat on you, but it’s happened to more people than we know about, because people aren’t talking about it, so look for your support,’ she said.

‘Get the support you need, whether that’s individual therapy, or whether it’s just you’re within your community. Talk to people, and be open to the possibility, if you want, to repair your relationship, and your partner wants to repair your relationship. It is possible, it’s not easy, but it is possible.’