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Several medical staff workers were fired after a now viral TikTok video filmed at Sutter Health’s Pesetas Urgent Care clinic in Santa Barbara sparked widespread backlash over Labor Day weekend.

Who was involved in the controversial TikTok video?

The original video was posted by a former health care worker named “Angie” under the handle @angieuncut, showing the health care workers in Sansum Clinic scrubs posing for photos alongside what appeared to be patients’ bodily fluids left on the exam tables, KTLA 5 and the Santa Barbara Independent reported.

She captioned the post with “guess the substance!” Screenshots of the original video show that the first image featured a group photo, and the on-screen text read, “Are patients allowed to leave you guys gifts?” The post included a slideshow of six images of people smiling, pointing and laughing at the stained medical furniture in the exam rooms.

The last photo featured a group shot of the health care workers standing around an exam table. One woman was standing on top of the table, squatting down near human secretion while others surrounded her, pointing and holding back laughter, with the text reading, “Make sure to leave your healthcare workers sweet gifts like these.”

The TikTok post quickly circulated on the platform as well as other social media platforms. Critics on Instagram, Reddit and Yelp described the former health care workers’ actions as  “dehumanizing,” “unprofessional,” and “unethical.” Some social media users recognized the medical center, stating that it was an OB/GYN clinic where the incident happened.

While Sutter Health has been filtering out negative comments left on its Instagram posts about the video, the company addressed the incident in a statement shared Tuesday morning. Additionally, the woman who shared the video was a “former employee” and was not actively employed with Pesetas Urgent Care at the time the workers created the content.

Sutter Health speaks out and launches probe

“The trust and dignity of our patients always remain our top priority,” Sutter Health’s statement read. “We are deeply concerned about a disrespectful social media post made on a personal account by a former employee and we are conducting a full review in line with our policies.”

Sutter Health has launched an investigation into the incident, according to the Santa Barbara Independent. As of Wednesday afternoon, all staffers featured in the video were fired, per KTLA.

“The post goes against the values, professionalism, and respect we expect from all staff,” the company’s statement read, ac. “We have strict policies to protect patient privacy and dignity and any behavior that disrespects those standards is unacceptable. The trust and dignity of our patients always remain at the center of everything we do.”

The family of R&B singer Angie Stone has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against a trucking company and others involved in the deadly Sprinter van crash that killed Stone in March while returning to Atlanta from an Alabama show.

Stone’s family is suing multiple companies and people involved in the deadly crash

According to The Associated Press, Stone’s two children, Diamond Stone and Michael D’Angelo Archer, along with Sheila Hopkins, one of the survivors of the crash, filed the lawsuit on Tuesday in a Georgia state court in the Atlanta suburb of Lawrenceville.

They are suing the van driver, the truck driver, the man and the companies that owned the van, the trucking company, and the maker of the 18-wheel truck that slammed into the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van.

In the suit, the plaintiffs argue that the driver lost control of the van, and when he tried to steer it back onto the highway, it flipped over with Stone, 63, her bandmates and her entourage inside. The “Wish I Didn’t Love You” singer, along with other passengers, survived the initial early hours wreck, and bystanders pulled over and helped five of the nine passengers crawl out, per the AP.

The plaintiffs believe the crash could have been prevented if the truck’s collision avoidance system had not malfunctioned

When Stone was trying to escape, the 18-wheeler truck carrying sugar slammed into the Sprinter van, according to the legal complaint. Stone was immediately ejected from the van due to the impact and was pinned underneath, where she later died. Hopkins was also still inside and sustained injuries from the accident.

Hopkins and Stone’s children emphasized in the suit that the truck’s collision avoidance system had failed to detect the van, which was lying stationary in the middle of the interstate. They also claim the truck driver was listening to headphones and not paying attention, nor did he hit the brakes before slamming into the van at 70 mph, the AP reported.

Blavity reported that a week before the crash, Stone shared with her Instagram followers that she would perform at the CIAA basketball tournament in Baltimore that Saturday. However, her daughter had to break the heartbreaking news that morning about her mother’s passing.

Stone was a legendary R&B soul singer-songwriter, rapper, actor and record producer. She first launched her career in 1979 with The Sequence, the first all-female hip-hop group, according to Fox 5 Atlanta. She went on to create classic hits both as a member of the group and as a solo artist.

Maj. Gen. Joseph McNeil, a key activist who led peaceful sit-ins that took place across the South, died Thursday morning. A press release published by his alma mater, North Carolina A&T University, confirmed the civil rights advocate passed away at the age of 83 on the morning of Sept. 4.

He was known as one of the “AT&T Four” protestors, which consisted of McNeil and his dormmates Jibreel Khazan (formerly Ezell Blair Jr.), Frank McCain and David Richmond. Khazan is now the last surviving member of the pioneers.

Rest in power, Maj. Gen. Joseph McNeil. As one of the Greensboro Four, you lit the spark for decades of nonviolent resistance. We promise to keep sitting, marching, and organizing—turning the seats you claimed into the foundation of a future no one can deny us. 🖤✊🏾 pic.twitter.com/FKBlNfTdAY— Black Lives Matter (BLM) (@Blklivesmatter) September 5, 2025

RIP Joseph Alfred McNeil, major general in the United States Air Force & member of the Greensboro Four. February 1, 1960, McNeil and three other NC A&T students sat down at a segregated Woolworth’s lunch counter in downtown Greensboro, NC – starting the Greensboro Sit-In’s. pic.twitter.com/XcCOYPyoKi— Ave (@SebastianAvenue) September 4, 2025

Joseph McNeil’s Greensboro sit-in sparked a national movement

McNeil initiated the planning that went into the widely recognized sit-in at Woolworth’s downtown location’s “whites-only” lunch counter on Feb. 1, 1960. When McNeil and his peers were refused service, they didn’t leave until the storefront closed. They returned multiple times to continue the protest style, eventually leading to a policy change that allowed them to be served nearly six months later.

US Vice President Kamala Harris looks at a segregated lunch counter where Rosa Parks sat during a visit to the site in the 1990s, as she visits the International Civil Rights Center & Museum, housed inside the original Woolworth’s building, in Greensboro, North Carolina, April 19, 2021. – The counter was the site of the Greensboro sit-in, a civil rights protest that began in 1960 when four Black college students Joseph McNeil, Franklin McCain, Ezell Blair Jr. and David Richmond, sat down at the “whites-only” Woolworth’s lunch counter. Parks sat at the counter during a visit to the site of the sit-in. | Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP

“Joseph McNeil and his fellow North Carolina A&T classmates inspired a nation with their courageous, peaceful protest, powerfully embodying the idea that young people could change the world. His leadership and the example of the A&T Four continue to inspire our students today,” Chancellor James R. Martin II expressed in a statement via the news release. “The North Carolina A&T family mourns his passage, but celebrates his long and incredible life and the legacy he leaves behind.”

Although it wasn’t the first sit-in conducted, it gained traction with national media and inspired other students in the South to follow suit. McNeil, who was a 17-year-old college freshman at the time, was in the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program while in undergrad. The techniques he learned from his courses and training provided him with the tools to strategize and organize effectively as he helped other scholars and citizens properly prepare and plan for sit-ins. 

According to the news release, McNeil explained in a 2014 interview with WUNC FM that the public demonstration was about having free choice.

“The sit-in was not about David Richmond, Frank McCain, Ezell Blair or Joe McNeil sitting down and having a cup of coffee next to a white person,” he told the reporter. “It was much deeper than that. It was about choice. It was about having the ability to say, ‘I choose to sit down.’ Or, ‘I choose to drink from that water fountain.’ I don’t choose Black water or white water or colored water. I want water.”

Joseph McNeil’s legacy lives on

McNeil was born in 1942 and experienced the effects of the Jim Crow era. Growing up in Wilmington, his determination to stand up for himself and his community served as a model for other efforts of the Civil Rights movement, which began in the 1950s and continued into the 1960s. Acts like this and others ultimately led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

After graduating from NC AT&T, the veteran joined the Air Force Reserves and retired as a two-star major general upon concluding his military career in 2001, ABC 11 reported. After hanging up the uniform, McNeil shifted gears into investment banking. Back in Wilmington, his legacy lives on with a historic marker along a street that now carries his name.

At this time, there aren’t any details on McNeil’s cause of death, but he’s being remembered by his family, friends, NC A&T and supporters for his audacious act to push back against racial segregation.

McNeil’s son, Joseph McNeil Jr., told ABC that his father’s “legacy is a testament to the power of courage and conviction.” He added that “his impact on the civil rights movement and his service to the nation will never be forgotten.”

Justin Bieber surprised fans on Thursday by announcing an unexpected follow-up to his seventh album, Swag, which he released in July. According to Variety, the “Yukon” singer dropped the new album, Swag II, (actually a deluxe reissue of Swag itself), less than 24 hours later, after fans spotted billboards, projections and banners around the world featuring the project’s album cover.

Bieber addresses ‘Swag II’ delay in a series of Instagram posts

Similar to Swag, Bieber teased the project early Thursday morning with billboards and banners in London and Los Angeles. He later confirmed the project on Instagram, sharing that Swag II would drop at midnight.

But it took a little longer for Swag II to make its debut. According to People magazine, the album appeared on streaming platforms like YouTube Music, Spotify and Apple Music early Friday morning. Bieber poked fun at the delay in a series of Instagram posts.

“It’s comingggggg,” he wrote in one post alongside a screenshot of text messages.

“Me waiting with u, not baiting u not sure wut the f**kkyyy is going on clicking refreshhhhhh,” the singer captioned a follow-up post with a screenshot of his viral “it’s not clocking to you” meme.

He later updated fans on where they could stream the album.

‘Swag II’ is an addendum to ‘Swag’

Swag II includes 23 tracks with guest appearances from Tems, Lil B, Bakar, Hurricane Chris and Eddie Benjamin. The album has been described as an addendum to Swag, bringing the total number of Swag tracks to 44, Variety reported.

Songs like “Mother in You,” “Love Song,” “Don’t Wanna” and “Better Man” dive headfirst into emotional territory, which isn’t unfamiliar to the singer. “Don’t Wanna,” featuring English singer Bakar, appears to see the 31-year-old referring to his 2016 breakup with now-wife Hailey Baldwin Bieber.

“I don’t want to mess this up, I don’t want you to leave,” he sings on the track before adding, “You said you lost your wings when we broke it off, but now I’m back at your door.”

Bieber also appears to address his mental health in Swag II. “Speed Demon” sees the singer croon, “They try to say I’m out of my mind, but now they’re singing every line. Got a lot of mountains to climb, had to leave some beggars behind.”

Bieber’s Swag era follows his 2021 album, Justice. According to Variety, Swag debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, his biggest streaming week to date. Swag track “Daisies” also took the No. 2 spot on the Billboard Hot 100, while “Yukon” peaked at No. 8 and “First Place” earned the No. 52 spot on the chart.

TikTok influencer Raymond Harper, known on social media as “Rolling Ray,” has died. He was 28. According to Fox 5 DC, Harper’s mother, Sazola Nay, shared the news on her private Facebook account.

“It is with a heavy heavy heart that I let you know that my son Ray Ray iamrollingray has gone home to be with the Lord…I thank everyone who has called or texted, this is going to be a long road,” she wrote.

Harper’s cause of death is currently unknown.

The Zeus Network broke the news to the public

The Zeus Network confirmed news of Harper’s passing on social media, including screenshots of Nay’s Facebook post. He appeared in several shows on the network.

“😢💔 Gone way too soon. #RestInPeace to the BIG hearted, most Raw, & Real FRIEND & #Zeus Star #RaymondHarper aka @iamrollingray,” the network wrote along with a picture of the social media star. “🙏🏾 Your Laughter, Light, & Loving Spirit will Live on FOREVER! ♾️ From #BobbyILoveYouPurrr to #TheConversation, you were Unapologetically & Authentically your TRUEST Self. From your ZEUS Fam, we Love, Thank, & will Miss you Always! 🕊️”

The network concluded its message by sending “Prayers & Condolences” to the 28-year-old’s loved ones.

Fans of Harper have been shocked to hear about the content creator’s death just days before his 29th birthday. Many shared their reactions to the sad news on TikTok.

How did Rolling Ray die?

At the time of publication, the cause of his death is unknown.

According to Love B Scott, Harper lived with paralysis since he was a child. He had experienced health issues over the past few years, including injuries sustained from a fire in 2021, COVID and pneumonia the following year, and a blood infection in 2024.

Harper became best known for his viral “purr” sound and appeared in shows like MTV’s Catfish: Trolls, Divorce Court and Bobby I Love You, Purrr.

Survivors of the abuse at the hands of deceased disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein are demanding that the Justice Department release all criminal investigative files tied to Epstein, including unredacted files that could expose his enablers and other pertinent information regarding the case. A press conference was held on Wednesday featuring the victims.

What are lawmakers saying about the Epstein files?

The push for complete transparency and accountability has divided Washington. According to USA Today, Republican congressional leaders have called for the release of Epstein’s records for years but have recently backtracked on those demands.

Some lawmakers, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., have stated that releasing sensitive information could hurt those victims. He told reporters that a House committee released more than 33,295 pages of subpoenaed records on Tuesday, and that pressuring the Justice Department to release more files was unnecessary.

However, some Democrats and Republicans have agreed on the issue, pushing for the files to be released. A bipartisan bill sponsored by Reps. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Ro Khanna, D-Calif., the Epstein Files Transparency Act, seeks to force the disclosure of all federal records related to Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell, including flight logs, criminal activities, financial ties, settlements and immunity agreements.

The bill states, “No record shall be withheld, delayed, or redacted on the basis of any of the following: embarrassment, reputational harm, or political sensitivity, including to any government official, public figure, or foreign dignitary.”

How the release of Epstein documents could affect survivors

Massie said he is only two Republican signatures short of the 218 needed to move forward with a discharge petition, bypassing House leadership and bringing the measure to a vote.

Victims met Tuesday with the House Oversight and Reform Committee, expressing their demands and recounting the years of abuse they sustained from Epstein. Rep. Nancy Mace, R-S.C., herself a survivor of sexual assault, was visibly moved by it.

For these women, the withheld documents illustrate the full scope of Epstein’s sex trafficking network. Releasing the evidence not only highlights the severity of his crimes but also helps the victims move forward in their respective healing journeys.

Here’s everything to know about the Epstein documents and the victims who shared their harrowing experiences of abuse.

Sexual abuse survivors speak out at Capitol rallies

On Wednesday, rallies were held outside the Capitol as survivors shared painful testimonies. Brazilian accuser Marina Lacerda revealed she was just 14 or 15 when Epstein abused her in New York. She is one of many victims calling for the release of the files to help move on with their lives.

“I never thought that I would find myself here. The only reason that I am here is because it feels like the people who matter in this country finally care about what we have to say,” Lacerda said.

Anouska De Georgiou, who once moved in Epstein’s social circles and knows President Donald Trump, urged him to use his influence to support victims.

“I chose to come because this bill really matters,” De Georgiou said outside the Capitol. “I speak today not only in service of my own recovery from trauma inflicted by Maxwell and Epstein, but to honor the lives the courage and sacrifices of Virginia Giuffre, Carolyn Andriano and others who could not continue.”

Theresa Helm, another survivor, described being trafficked across the country by Maxwell and solely blamed her because she trusted her.

“I was systematically recruited, trafficked across this great nation, groomed and assaulted,” Helm said. She currently works with the National Center on Sexual Exploitation in Washington, D.C.

Lisa Phillips, a podcaster who interviews survivors of sex trafficking, said she initially thought Epstein could help her with her modeling career, but he abused her instead. Meanwhile, abuse survivor Liz Stein demanded that Epstein and Maxwell’s accomplices, wealthy and politically connected figures, be named and held accountable.

‘No more slow-rolling’

Attorneys for victims say the unreleased records from agencies such as the FBI and CIA will shock the public, showing who protected Epstein and helped him operate for decades.

“None of you should have to be here today because they should just release the files,” Arick Fudale, an attorney representing 11 of Epstein’s survivors, said. “No more slow-rolling. No more meetings. No more strategy. No more interviews behind closed doors. Release the files.”

Epstein died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. Maxwell, his longtime associate and accomplice, is serving a 20-year federal prison sentence for her role in recruiting and abusing young girls.

Amazon is ending a program that allows members of its Prime subscription program to share free shipping benefits with people living outside their household.

The company recently announced the move on its customer service website, stating that the Prime Invitee Program will end on Oct 1. Affected members are encouraged to sign up for their own Prime subscription membership.

“We are writing to inform you that the Prime Invitee Program, which allowed sharing Prime’s fast, free delivery with others, will end on October 1, 2025,” the notice states, according to CNBC. “Your invited guests will be notified directly about this change by September 5, 2025.”

The program allowed Prime members to share their free two-day shipping with one other adult in the household, even if they lived at a different address.

Affected customers are encouraged to enroll in the program at a discounted rate of $14.99 for one year. After that, they will pay $14.99 per month or $139 annually. The promotional offer starts Sept. 5 and ends Dec. 31, according to The Associated Press.

Amazon is also replacing the phased-out Prime Invitee Program with Amazon Family. This new initiative offers shared free benefits and digital content with another adult, up to four teens (who were added to the account before April 7), and up to four children in the household. The company insists that this is the best way for everyone to manage all the key perks of the program while maintaining separate accounts, according to the website.

According to reports, Amazon’s Prime Day fell short this year

The online retail chain has been making changes to its operations and services following an exclusive report from Reuters, which stated that Amazon’s Prime subscriptions have decreased in the U.S.

This decline occurred during the three weeks prior to Prime Day and its four-day sales event. There were 116,000 fewer subscriptions than last year — a 2% decline in metrics — and 106,000 less subscriptions than Amazon’s own goal.

Despite this, Amazon reported that this year’s event had large turnout numbers in both the U.S. and internationally. “Prime membership continues to show strong growth and customer engagement in the U.S. and internationally,” the company said in a statement to Reuters.

Artificial intelligence model ChatGPT will soon add parental controls for teenagers who use the platform. OpenAI, the company that owns ChatGPT, said on Tuesday that it is part of a 120-day plan to add safeguards for its users who turn to the chat model during times of mental and emotional distress. The news comes a week after OpenAI received a wrongful death lawsuit from California parents who claim ChatGPT is to blame after their 16-year-old son died by suicide.

ChatGPT offers a new set of safeguards for users experiencing mental distress

OpenAI shared a 120-day plan on Tuesday that aims to help ChatGPT models to “recognize and respond to signs of mental and emotional distress, guided by expert input.” New safeguards will include expanding interventions to more people in crisis, making it even easier to reach emergency services and get help from experts, enabling connections to trusted contacts and strengthening protections for teens, the company said in a news release.

The company said it will receive input from its “Expert Council on Well-Being,” which comprises experts in youth development, mental health and human-computer interaction. It will also work with its “Global Physician Network,” a group of over 250 physicians it will consult to develop new safeguards.

“While the council will advise on our product, research, and policy decisions, OpenAI remains accountable for the choices we make,” the company wrote.

ChatGPT adds parental controls

OpenAI also acknowledged the important role of artificial intelligence chat models in teenagers’ lives: “Many young people are already using AI. They are among the first ‘AI natives,’ growing up with these tools as part of daily life, much like earlier generations did with the internet or smartphones,” the company wrote. “That creates real opportunities for support, learning, and creativity, but it also means families and teens may need support in setting healthy guidelines that fit a teen’s unique stage of development.”

Starting in October, parents will be able to link their account with their teenager’s account via email invitation if they are over 13. They will also have the ability to control how ChatGPT responds to their teenager with age-appropriate model behavior rules, which the company said “are on by default.” Parents will also be able to disable features such as memory and chat history, as well as receive notifications “when the system detects their teen is in a moment of acute distress.”

OpenAI’s wrongful death lawsuit

Last week, OpenAI received its first wrongful death lawsuit from California parents who say ChatGPT helped lead to their 16-year-old son’s death by suicide. The lawsuit states that the chatbot discouraged Adam Raine from seeking human connection, offered him advice to write a suicide note and set up a noose, according to NBC News. ChatGPT also shared a suicide hotline number several times but was easily bypassed, Raine’s parents said.

Shortly after the lawsuit was filed, OpenAI said safeguards did exist on ChatGPT, including giving empathetic responses and rerouting conversations to human reviewers. 

“For example, ChatGPT may correctly point to a suicide hotline when someone first mentions intent, but after many messages over a long period of time, it might eventually offer an answer that goes against our safeguards,” the company wrote in an Aug. 26 news release. “We’re strengthening these mitigations so they remain reliable in long conversations, and we’re researching ways to ensure robust behavior across multiple conversations.”

Jay Edelson, the lead counsel for the Raine family, said OpenAI only made “vague promises” and that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman “should either unequivocally say that he believes ChatGPT is safe or immediately pull it from the market,” per NBC News.

“Don’t believe it: this is nothing more than OpenAI’s crisis management team trying to change the subject,” Edelson added.

Altman acknowledged that users have developed “different and stronger” attachments to AI chatbots compared to other technologies. 

“I can imagine a future where a lot of people really trust ChatGPT’s advice for their most important decisions,” he tweeted in August. “Although that could be great, it makes me uneasy. But I expect that it is coming to some degree, and soon billions of people may be talking to an AI in this way.”