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Ukraine’s drone forces have reported an attack on Russia’s largest Black Sea oil refinery deep inside enemy territory.

Knewz.com has learned that the strike on the Krasnodar facility – in a sheltered bay on the Black Sea  – was punctuated by a tell-tale ball of fire and ensuing smoke.

Russia confirmed the attack with the regional authority saying:

“As a result of the fall of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) debris, the infrastructure of the oil refinery in Tuapse was damaged.” 

“Specialists are extinguishing the fire on an area of ​​50 square meters. Thirty-one units of equipment and 91 people are working on the spot,” one of its social media accounts read.

Footage released by a local outlet depicted a drone flying over an industrial area to the sound of small arms fire—presumably that of Russian security forces trying to shoot it down.

It eventually disappeared and an explosion occurred at the center of the complex.

Whether it was the attempts at eliminating the UAV that were successful, or if it reached its final resting place at the behest of its remote-controlling pilot, is unknown. 

Additional reports indicated two more blasts at the refinery three hours later.

Notably, the Tuapse facility is the only oil refinery in Russia with access to a seaport and produces 12 million tons of oil annually—90% of which is exported.

Russia, which claims to have shot down the attacking drone, claims it eliminated an additional 75 over land, the Azov Sea, and the Black Sea.

It has also been alleged that Ukraine attacked a ferry at the Port of Kavkaz in the Kerch strait separating Sevastopol from the eastern Krasnodar peninsula.

As a result, the traffic crossing the strait was halted.

Krasnodar’s governor, Veniamin Kondratyev, weighed in saying: “Emergency services are on the scene. The fire is localized, there is no danger of its spreading.”

“Unfortunately, there are injured and one killed among crew members and port employees.”

Russia’s defense ministry is also reported to have commented on the matter claiming that its air defenses in the area had shot down 21 drones.

The last time Ukraine bombarded the Black Sea refinery was in January 2024. The ensuing damage then was extensive with footage depicting numerous columns of smoke escaping from the complex.

The Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) claimed responsibility for the attack, saying: 

“An oil refinery in Tuapse, Russia, has become another target of the SBU. Our sources confirm that it was SBU drones that attacked this important facility [of] the enemy.”

“After two powerful explosions last night, a large-scale fire broke out there. The primary oil processing unit, namely the vacuum and atmospheric columns, was damaged.”

The Ukrainian military division also warned that the attack was one of many to come:  “There will be many surprises to come, the systematic work continues,” it said via the Kyiv Post.

Another hiker has died amid sweltering heat in Utah, according to police who responded to an emergency call near a state park on Sunday.

The Hurricane City Police Department said officers responded Sunday to a report of a 56-year-old woman who ran out of water while hiking a trail near Quail Creek State Park in 106-degree heat.

Officers found the woman unresponsive and attempted lifesaving measures, but were unsuccessful, police said in a statement Monday.

Citing the ongoing investigation and pending family notification, police did not release the woman’s identity.

“Our heartfelt condolences go out to the family,” police said.

The woman’s death is among several heat-related deaths across the country in recent weeks, and follows three such deaths in Utah the previous weekend: a father and daughter from Wisconsin died while hiking in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park and a 30-year-old woman died in Snow Canyon State Park amid triple-digit temperatures.

Three hikers have also died at Arizona’s Grand Canyon National Park in recent weeks, where trail temperatures can rise above 120 degrees.

—TMX contributed to this report

South Africa’s “Apartheid killer’ who murdered no less than 39 black and mixed race people over three years in the 1980s, claims that his killings were sanctioned by the police.

Knewz.com has learned that Van Schoor, who was a security guard at the time, tracked down intruders and trespassers who were black or mixed race and shot them to death—actions that the Eastern Cape Community of East London was not only aware of but encouraged.

As a testimony to his claim, he reported every person he killed between the years of 1986 and 1989 to the police himself with no ramifications.

“Every officer in East London knew what was going on… all the police officers knew,” the 73-year-old said.

“Not once did anybody say ‘Hey Louis, you’re on the borderline or you should cool it or whatever’… they all knew what was happening.”

His job at the time was to protect predominantly white-owned businesses that comprised restaurants, shops, factories, and schools. He claims that every one of the individuals he caught breaking into the premises was a criminal.

Although he admitted to getting a rush out of killing people, he still claimed he was only doing his job.

“I was barefoot. It’s quiet. You don’t have your shoes squeaking on tiles and stuff.” 

“If somebody breaks in, the adrenaline gives off an odor. And you can pick that up,” said the former cop who worked in the “attack dog” division.

The Apartheid regime, at the time, permitted the use of deadly force on intruders who resisted arrest or tried to flee—and this is how Van Schoor justified his actions.

Those who survived a brush with him, however, indicated otherwise.

One of his victims (14 years old at the time) who preferred to remain anonymous claimed that when Van Schoor caught him, he stood him up against a wall and shot him several times.

He fell to the floor. Van Schoor told him to stand up and when he was unable to, Van Schoor kicked him in the mouth, picked him up, propped him against a table, and shot him again.

To rack up the noted body count (which some say was closer to 100), he sometimes killed more than one person per night. 

His actions made him a bogeyman figure among the local black community where he fearfully was referred to as “whiskers” in the indigenous Xhosa language.

His homicidal tenure would grind to a halt when the post-apartheid president-to-be, Nelson Mandela was released from jail. 

Increasing pressure led to his arrest and a judge found that 32 of the killings were “justifiable” and Van Schoor was sentenced to 12 years in prison.

According to Isa Jacobson, a local journalist who has been investigating the Van Schoor case for two decades, the then-state-aligned killer’s victims “were intruders who were, in a lot of cases, pretty desperate. Digging through bins, maybe stealing some food… petty criminals.”

According to a report by BBC News, Van Schoor, however, has no regrets.

“I honestly don’t know how many I shot. Some say over 100, some say 40… Let’s say for argument’s sake I shot 50 people,” 

“I don’t feel any guilt,” said van Schoor who also claims he is not racist. “I’ve got no remorse inside.”

After nearly a decade of being America’s favorite fast-food restaurant chain, Chick-fil-A has finally been dethroned in the results of a recent annual survey.

Knewz.com has learned that the “Eat Mor Chikin” food joint currently holds the 3rd position in the list of best American fast food restaurants.

Chick-fil-A, which generated nearly $21.6 billion in sales in 2023, has been dethroned by the popular Mexican food joint Del Taco for the top spot.

The new rankings were the result of the news outlet USA Today’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards in the Best Fast Food Restaurant section.

Chick-fil-A, considered to be the best fast-food chain in the United States for a long time, has a total of 3,059 restaurants across 48 states.

It seems the chicken-centric menu of the restaurant, especially the classic chicken sandwich which has been its most-ordered item for around two years, has lost its charm, losing to the diverse Mexican options available at Del Taco.

“This popular taco stop, which serves all kinds of satisfying Mexican fare including burritos, quesadillas, and nachos, also offers burgers and fries,” the publication wrote about the winner of the Best Fast Food Restaurant rankings.

“In addition, Del Taco has a dedicated breakfast menu, as well as a vegan and vegetarian menu.”

Chick-fil-A was also beaten by the fried chicken titan KFC, which was ranked #2 by the readers in the Best Fast Food Restaurant list.

The brand to follow Chick-fil-A on the list was the West Coast burger chain In-N-Out Burger—revered by chef extraordinaire Gordon Ramsay. Reportedly, the iconic chef modeled his own burger recipe after their burgers.

“These guys are incredible… It’s the perfect drive-thru; you don’t get any hassle. I bring the window down, I give them a little $100 bill as a big ‘thank you,’ and I pick up my Double-Double. Heaven,” Ramsay was quoted as saying about the famous and successful burger chain.

Fifth on the list was the fast food chain Hardee’s, known for its American menu featuring “thick, juicy burgers and made-from-scratch biscuits.”

Notably, Chick-fil-A ranked toward the lower end of the spectrum in the Best Fast Food Fried Chicken category, ranking 7th in the top ten list.

USA Today readers crowned the Asian restaurant chain Jollibee as the fast food joint serving the best fried chicken in the U.S. Pollo Campero, Guthrie’s, Huey Magoo’s Chicken Tenders, and Popeyes were some of the notable names that beat Chick-fil-A in the Best Fast Food Fried Chicken list.

However, Popeyes ranked 8th in the overall Best Fast Food Restaurant category.

“Founded in New Orleans, Popeyes is best known for its ‘famous fried chicken’ served in a Southern way: with a biscuit, mac and cheese, Cajun fries, red beans and rice, coleslaw, or mashed potatoes and Cajun gravy,” USA Today wrote about the fast food chain.

Arby’s, which calls itself “the second-largest sandwich restaurant brand in the world with more than 3,500 restaurants in nine countries,” ranked last on the Best Fast Food Restaurant list.

“One of the largest sandwich chains in the country, Arby’s draws people in with their famous roast beef sandwiches but also offers deli-style sandwiches, burgers, wraps, chicken sandwiches, and more,” USA Today wrote about the sandwich chain from Ohio.

Hot temperatures in the United States have led to a unique phenomenon on Southwest Airlines flights—exploding soda cans.

Knewz.com has learned that around 20 flight attendants on Southwest Airlines have been injured so far as a result of this issue.

The summer of 2024 saw heat waves and unprecedented temperature hikes all over the world, including the U.S.

Texas, Las Vegas, and Phoenix – all of whose airports see a lot of Southwest Airlines flights pass – reached triple-digit temperatures this summer.

Incidents of exploding soda cans have mainly been noted in the cities of Las Vegas and Phoenix, in addition to a few other cities where the airline makes regular halts.

Since Southwest Airlines does not serve perishable foods or meals, their flights do not use refrigeration trucks. As a result, the soda to be served on their flights sits in the heat of especially warm days of the summer before they are brought on board.

While the airline has always encountered the issue of exploding soda cans, Southwest has reported a surge in incidents in 2024.

“Airports where we have a large presence — such as Las Vegas, Phoenix and many in Texas — continue to receive record temperatures, with severe heat arriving earlier and persisting throughout the summer,” Southwest Airlines spokesperson Chris Perry was quoted as saying.

“For the safety of our employees and customers, we are taking education and mitigation measures on all heat-related hazards,” Perry added in his statement.

“We are aware of the [exploding soda cans] and have begun taking steps to attempt to mitigate it,” he said.

It is worth noting that the cities of Del Rio and McAllen in Texas saw temperatures reach 112 degrees and 103 degrees respectively in the summer of 2024.

The National Weather Service of Las Vegas wrote in a July 13 post on X, formerly known as Twitter, that the city experienced record-breaking temperatures for seven days in a row.

“With a high temperature of 115°F this afternoon we not only extended our streak to 7 days, but we also broke the daily record high. This makes today the 7th day IN A ROW that we have broken or tied daily high temps!” the post on X read.

It was reported that Las Vegas recorded an all-time high temperature of 120 degrees on July 7. Furthermore, the city also saw three consecutive days with temperatures crossing 118 degrees.

At the time, the National Weather Service said that the long-duration heat wave was “extremely dangerous and deadly if not taken seriously.”

Notably, over 20 Southwest Airlines flight attendants have sustained unspecified injuries due to the soda can conundrum, while no passenger injuries have been reported as of now.

As part of the “steps” mentioned by Perry, Southwest Airlines is currently working to find a fix for the soda storage issue in Dallas, Austin, Houston, and Sacramento, it has been reported.

Furthermore, the airline has also directed ground crews to digitally measure the temperatures of the soda cans before bringing them onboard a departing flight.

Additionally, flight attendants have been advised to not open soda cans that appear deformed. In Las Vegas, Southwest Airlines is considering using air-conditioned trucks to curb the issue, The Washington Post reported.

A jury awarded $2 million to the family of an elderly man who died from second and third-degree burns from a scalding hot shower at a Kentucky motel.

The victim’s family alleged that the shower reached temperatures over 150 degrees Fahrenheit on the fateful day, Knewz.com has learned.

Alex Chronis, who was 76 years old at the time of the incident, checked into the Econo Lodge motel in Erlanger, Kentucky, on November 19, 2021, along with two associates.

The following morning Chronis tried to take a hot shower but was “almost immediately bombarded with scalding hot water which knocked him to the floor of the shower tub where the water continued to scald him,” according to the filed complaint.

His associates heard his fall and screams, and rushed to his aid and pulled him out of the tub.

According to the complaint, the shower released water at an “extremely excessive temperature,” and Chronis’s family attorney Jeffrey Blankenship alleged that the temperature of the water was over 150 degrees Fahrenheit.

Notably, most adults would suffer from third-degree burns after exposure to a 150-degree shower for only two seconds.

Chronis’s nephew, who was at the motel with him, took photos of the burns sustained by him following the extremely hot shower. According to reports, the photos show patches of damaged and discolored skin all over Chronis’s legs.

It was reported that Chronis initially used nonprescription medication for the burns. He was also admitted to a hospital but left shortly afterward to resume work, according to the family attorney.

However, he returned to the hospital two days later for a skin graft surgery, following which he remained hospitalized for five months.

“He had to go through skin grafting because he had deep-tissue second- and third-degree burns from the scalding temperature of the shower at the hotel,” Blankenship was quoted as saying.

Per the filed complaint, the 76-year-old was transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Knoxville, Tennessee – his hometown – in April 2022.

During his months of hospitalization, Chronis endured “substantial conscious pain and suffering,” the complaint noted. He passed away from his injuries on June 19, 2022.

Since he was not married and had no children, his niece filed a lawsuit against the Econo Lodge motel in Kentucky for his “untimely and wrongful death.”

The company Aspyn LLC, which operates the motel, was also named as a defendant in the wrongful death lawsuit filed by Chronis’s niece.

Blankenship stated that the defense tried to establish that Chronis did not even stay at the motel.

According to the trial order and judgment, the jury found that Sanjay Patel, the owner of Aspyn LLC, “failed to exercise ordinary care in inspecting and maintaining their hotel rooms in a reasonably safe condition for the use of their guests.”

It has been reported that the July 3 judgment from the jury awarded Chronis’s estate a little over $2 million—$1,271,486.60 to cover medical expenses, $16,058.73 for funeral expenses, $250,000 for pain and suffering, and $500,000 for punitive damages.

Igor Sychev, a benefactor of the late Alexei Navalny – who opposed Vladimir Putin and died in an Arctic jail – claims he fears an impending fourth assassination attempt. 

Knewz.com has learned that the Russian national, now in exile after three car crashes in his home country following a fallout with his former employer (PhosAgro), regularly receives death threats.

The 49-year-old father of two who lives in Latvia, claims he received a “poke” on Facebook from a strange account. When he clicked on it he was faced with a profile picture of the late Navalny and text that read: “I can’t breathe. I miss you.”

Sychev – who left Russia after the near-fatal car accidents, including one where a wheel came off and the brakes failed – claims that he fears another “more successful” attempt on his life.

“The threats, they’re like a never-ending stream,” he said, and indicated that the one on Facebook “is just one of the examples.”

“If you talk about emails and various messages, they come almost on a daily basis, or at least a few times a week,” he continued.

“Because I’ve been receiving those threats for many years, I kind of got used to living with them and understanding that I can be killed at any moment.”

“It’s probably similar to how soldiers feel on the front lines knowing they can die at any instance.”

“The second aspect is they already attempted it once,” he said. “Obviously if it can happen again, I’m afraid it will be more successful.”

He went on to speak of another ominous instance that originated in the ether. In June 2024, he visited London to meet a man who reached out to him on LinkedIn.

Said individual claimed that he was a mediator from the Russian-based PhosAgro, whom he (Sychev) had taken to court after accusing the company of not paying him. 

Sychev initially interpreted the development as positive.

However, during the meeting, the conversation steered toward Sychev’s residence with the man asking him in which country he felt safest.

This set the alarm bells ringing and Sychev refused to take the bait. As a result, the meeting ended on a negative note with the man reaching out to the expat on LinkedIn afterwards, saying: 

“You have a lot to learn about the brave, foolish, and eccentric English, Igor!”

“I will not repeat my last message, I will hope that someday you understand its truth and sincerity.”

Sychev, who brought the matter to the attention of the London police, later complained that they failed to follow through on their promises to investigate the matter.

Before this, Sychev took the spotlight in May 2023. At the time it was reported that he received an email warning of an impending threat on his life.

“Igor, I wish to bring your attention to the below: Order to kill you. By poison to make it look like suicide, or a freak fall to make it look like an accident.”

According to the UK Sun, the matter was escalated to the police who said: “We have had a report of malicious communications. We treat any such allegations seriously.”

There are no known developments in the investigation.

South Korea has upped the ante in the ongoing tit-for-tat hybrid war with its northern neighbor.

Knewz.com has learned that in response to the parasite, trash, and soil-bearing balloons, the southern peninsula state is blasting music and news at its northern neighbor using loudspeakers.

The sounds emanating from the said giant sound systems comprise K-pop (a local contemporary genre of music) along with South Korean news bulletins—both of which have been banned by the Kim Jong Un regime.

Announcing the decision in the press, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said: “As we have warned numerous times, we will conduct loudspeaker broadcasts in full-scale at all fronts starting from 1 PM.”

True to its word, the Asian democracy played the speakers for four days in a row from July 17 to 21.

During one of the broadcasts, the JCS indicated that the speakers had been on since 6 AM and were scheduled to be turned off at 10 PM.

“The North Korean military’s tension-escalating acts in front-line areas may lead it to pay a fatal price and we sternly warn that all responsibility for this situation lies with the North Korean regime,” the JCS warned.

This move follows North Korea’s distribution of nearly 2,000 garbage-carrying balloons over South Korea in nine separate instances—1,500 of which were sent since June 2024.

One ensuing examination revealed that they carried soil with “roundworms, whipworms and threadworms,” and damaged “Western clothing”.

In another instance reported on May 29, 2024, the bombardment was preceded by a warning from a Kim military spokesperson.

Knewz.com reported that Kim Kang Il, a deputy minister from the North Korean military cabinet said: 

“Mounds of wastepaper and filth will soon be scattered over the border areas and the interior of the ROK [South Korea] and it will directly experience how much effort is required to remove them.”

Notably, defectors from the reclusive northern state and anti-Kim advocates have been blamed for provoking the trashy assaults after they sent balloons with democratic propaganda northwards.

This drew fury from various Kim blowhards including the dictator’s sister, Kim Yo-jong.

“We give the scum a stern warning again. They should be ready for paying a gruesome and dear price,” she said, referring to South Korea.

It is not the first time the latter has resorted to loudspeakers to get their message across. 

Reports indicate that the southern country, which has a total of 11 loudspeaker systems along its border, employed this tactic as early as 2005.

It refrained from it for eleven years thereafter until relations between the two countries deteriorated and resumed the practice again in 2016.

According to the Yonhap News Agency, the most recent continuation of this tactic followed a forty-day hiatus, which was ended by a new wave of trash balloons.

A woman from San Diego has been sentenced to over five years in prison for running a nationwide grand theft ring with her husband, shoplifting millions of dollars worth of products from major retailers and selling them online.

Knewz.com has learned that in addition to jail time, the couple will also have to pay millions in restitution to the cosmetic brand Sephora and the beauty salon company Ulta.

Back in February 2024, a total of 140 charges had been filed against nine defendants allegedly associated with the retail theft ring.

The 140 charges included 136 felony counts of grand theft, two counts of receiving stolen property, one count of conspiracy, and one count of organized retail crime. However, some of the charges have been reduced as part of a plea bargain.

Michelle Mack and her husband Kenneth, from Bonsall, San Diego, were found guilty of running the cosmetic theft racket in June 2024.

Ringleader Michelle reportedly directed a group of women to target major retail outlets across the United States, providing them with travel expenses – including airfare and car rentals – and a list of retail stores from where they were to shoplift products.

It was reported that the operation targeted 230 Ulta stores, a LensCrafters in Clairemont, and an Ulta store in Mira Mesa, among other retail stores.

According to prosecutors, the ringleader’s accomplices would sometimes mail shoplifted goods to a post office in Bonsall, where Michelle had a company address that was listed under “Online Makeup Store.”

She then resold the products on Amazon at a fraction of their usual retail price, reportedly making millions since she started the operation over 10 years ago. According to Amazon sales records presented to the investigators, Michelle made $1.89 million in 2022 alone.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta stated that the theft ring run by the San Diego couple hit stores in 21 counties in California alone, in addition to retail outlets in other states. He initially estimated the total losses at about $8 million, although he now believes the amount to be much higher.

It was reported that Michelle ran the operation from her 4,500-square-foot mansion in Bonsall, equipped with its own vineyard and chapel that the couple rented out as a wedding venue and Airbnb.

In December 2023, authorities conducted a thorough search of the Bonsall property and recovered over $300,000 worth of makeup and other products, which led to the couple’s arrest.

In June 2024, the couple pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit a felony and organized retail theft, petty theft, and receiving stolen property.

As a result of the plea bargain, the jail sentence of Kenneth – Michelle’s husband – was reduced from five years and four months to one year, and he is to serve the remainder of his sentence “as probation with community service,” according to reports. His incarceration has already begun.

Michelle, however, has to serve the entirety of the jail sentence, a San Diego County judge ruled on Thursday, July 18. She will serve her sentence after her husband’s return from prison so that the couple can care for their minor children.

She has been ordered to not leave the state and go near any Ulta or Sephora retailers during this period.

In addition to jail time, the couple and several of their associates have been ordered by the judge to pay $3 million in restitution to Ulta and $13,000 to Sephora, per a report by NBC 7 San Diego.

NASA‘s Curiosity Rover has recently made a “groundbreaking” discovery – quite literally – on the surface of Mars, as it found yellow crystals made of pure sulfur inside a cracked open rock.

Knewz.com has learned that while the rover is exploring a sulfate-rich region of the Red Planet, the occurrence of pure sulfur on the Martian surface was previously unheard of.

The Curiosity Rover made the discovery when it cracked open a rock while driving over it on May 30, during an investigation into a region known as the Gediz Vallis channel, a winding groove that appears to have been created 3 billion years ago by a mix of flowing water and debris.

The crushed rock with the “mind-blowing” find appeared in a picture of the landscape captured by the rover.

NASA stated in a press release that a rock with pure sulfur crystals inside can form “in only a narrow range of conditions that scientists haven’t associated with the history of this location.”

“And Curiosity found a lot of it — an entire field of bright rocks that look similar to the one the rover crushed.”

Notably, the Curiosity Rover had already found sulfates – a kind of salt that contains sulfur and is left behind when water evaporates – on the surface of Mars, especially in the Gediz Vallis channel region.

The rover had also found gypsum, or calcium sulfate, in the cracks of the Martian surface left behind by the ancient groundwater network.

However, the discovery of pure sulfur on Mars is not something Curiosity scientists had anticipated.

Ashwin Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, the project scientist of the Curiosity Rover, said in a statement via the press release, “Finding a field of stones made of pure sulfur is like finding an oasis in the desert.”

“It shouldn’t be there, so now we have to explain it. Discovering strange and unexpected things is what makes planetary exploration so exciting.”

Briony Horgan, co-investigator on the Perseverance rover mission and professor of planetary science at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana, also commented on the Curiosity Rover’ find in a statement to CNN:

“My jaw dropped when I saw the image of the sulfur… Pure elemental sulfur is a very weird finding because on Earth we mostly find it in places like hydrothermal vents. Think Yellowstone! So it’s a big mystery to me as to how this rock formed in Mt. Sharp [the 3-mile tall Martian mountain where the Gediz Vallis channel is located].”

It is worth noting that pure sulfur is naturally formed on Earth as a result of volcanic processes and can usually be found in natural hot or cold springs.

Curiosity scientists have been trying to further analyze and study the rocks found in the Gediz Vallis channel and finally got their chance on June 18.

While most of the rocks found in the region are small and brittle, they found one big enough to be sampled with the powerful drill at the end of the rover’s 7-foot robotic arm.

The large rock has been nicknamed “Mammoth Lakes,” and according to Vasavada of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, an analysis of the rock’s dust has revealed a larger variety of minerals than ever seen before during the mission.

The Curiosity Rover is currently in the process of carrying out further investigation in the Gediz Vallis channel, according to NASA’s press release.