Donald Trump on Tuesday morning tore into both Israel and Iran after the countries reneged on the ceasefire the president helped broker, punctuating his anger with profanity.
“Israel — as soon as we made the deal — Israel came out and they dropped a load of bombs, the likes of which I’ve never seen before — the biggest load that we’ve seen,” Trump told reporters in Washington.
Israel accused Iran of launching missiles into its airspace after the ceasefire was supposed to take effect. Iran’s state media said its military denied firing on Israel.
Israeli President Benjamin Netanyahu’s office says Israel struck an Iranian radar in response to the Iranian missile attack early Tuesday. But it says the Israeli leader held off tougher action after an appeal from President Donald Trump.
“I’m not happy with Israel. You know, when I say, ‘you got 12 hours,’ you don’t go in the first hour and just drop everything you have on them,” Trump continued. “So I’m not happy with them. I’m not happy with Iran, either.”
Trump directed most of his criticism at the Jewish state.
“But I’m really unhappy if Israel’s going out this morning because of one rocket that didn’t land that was shot, perhaps by mistake, that didn’t land,” Trump said. “I’m not happy about that.”
That’s when Trump used profanity to describe the situation in the Middle East.
“We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don’t know what the fuck they’re doing. Do you understand that?” he said.
“I think he’s ready to play college football right now,” Jackson coach Cody Flournoy said. “He’s going to get bigger and faster, but he already has size, speed and balance. He’s got it all right now. He is a plug and play guy whatever school he chooses. He can have success in any offense. You just have to give him the ball.”
Crowell rushed for 1,964 yards and 31 touchdowns on 168 carries in 2024 in helping the Aggies to the state title. He was one of three finalists for Class 4A Back of the Year, an award won by his teammate, Landon Duckworth.
The On3 Industry rankings have him as the No. 3 senior recruit in the state behind only Benjamin Russell wide receiver Cederian Morgan and St. Paul’s EDGE Anthony “Tank” Jones. On3’s commitment predictor has Crowell as a heavy favorite to join the Crimson Tide’s recruiting class. He grew up an Alabama fan.
On3 ranks Crowell as the No. 31 overall recruit in the nation and the No. 2 running back.
Crowell’s commitment is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at The Community House in Jackson.
In other recruiting news:
Commitments
Huntsville offensive lineman Michael Price committed to James Madison over other offers including UTEP, Memphis, Colorado State, North Alabama, Dartmouth and Cornell.
Williamson 2026 DB Jermaine McCree committed to Appalachian State. McCree also had offers from Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Arkansas and East Carolina among others.
Montgomery Catholic 2026 OL/DL Cayden Dees announced a commitment to Miami of Ohio. The 6-3, 250-pounder also had offers from Alabama State, Appalachian State, Arkansas State, Dartmouth and Jackson State.
Central-Phenix City EDGE Tristan Lyles announced his commitment to Appalachian State. The senior visited the campus last week.
Narrowing it down
Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa 6-2, 220-pound 3-star senior linebacker Zay Hall listed his final 2 of Alabama and Virginia Tech.
Offers
Gulf Shores 2027 WR Carter Davis continued his hot run of offers, announcing an offer from West Virginia. In the last week, Davis also has garnered offers from LSU, Auburn, Alabama and Arkansas.
Maplesville 2028 athlete Nehemiah McCary announces an offer from Tennessee State. Earlier this week, he announced an offer from Alabama. McCary is 6-3, 220. Alabama offered him as an OLB. Georgia has offered him as an inside linebacker.
Central-Phenix City 6-foot-2, 227-pound sophomore DL Marcus Price picked up his first D1 offer from Arkansas State.
Severe weather will again be in the forecast for part of Alabama this week.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center is forecasting Level 2 and Level 1 risks for severe storms on both Wednesday and Thursday for parts of the state.
On both days damaging straight-line winds and hail will be the main hazards. Tornadoes are not expected.
On Wednesday there will be a Level 2 out of 5 (slight) risk for severe weather for most of south Alabama, including Mobile, Dothan, Troy and Greenville (see Wednesday’s severe outlook at the top of this post).
A Level 2 risk means that scattered severe storms will be possible.
The rest of south Alabama and part of central and east Alabama will have a Level 1 risk on Wednesday and could have to deal with isolated severe storms.
The weather service thinks that severe storms will be the most likely during the afternoon and evening hours.
Storms could be moving from east to west on Wednesday, according to the weather service.
The weather service said that forecasters will also be keeping an eye out for the potential for a westward-moving MCS (or complex of storms). Usually those features impact Alabama from the northwest or west.
Forecasters said there is a chance — but not a certainty — that a cluster of storms (or mesoscale convective system) could develop in Georgia and track westward into Alabama on Wednesday, which could increase the risk for severe storms.
THURSDAY
There will be a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms on Thursday for all of Alabama except for the northwest corner.SPC
On Thursday all but northwest Alabama is forecast to have a Level 1 out of 5 (marginal) severe weather risk.
A Level 1 risk means that isolated severe storms will be possible.
The best chances for storms on Thursday will again be during the afternoon and evening hours.
Rain and storms will be possible in Alabama beyond Thursday, but so far there is no risk for organized severe weather in the forecast.
The Chicago Sky play against the Los Angeles Sparks in a WNBA game tonight. The matchup will begin at 7 p.m. CT on NBA TV. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Sky enter this matchup with a 3-10 record, and they have lost six of their last seven games. In their most recent game, the Sky lost 93-80 against Atlanta.
In order to bounce back tonight, the Chicago squad will need a great performance from their star player Ariel Atkins. She leads the team in scoring, as she averages nearly 14 points per game.
Notably, Atkins also leads the Chicago squad with nearly two steals per game.
The Sparks enter this matchup with a 4-10 record, and they have lost three consecutive games. In their most recent game, the Sparks lost 82-66 against Minnesota.
In order to win this game, the Los Angeles squad will need a great performance from their star player Kelsey Plum. She leads the team in scoring this season, as she averages more than 20 points per game.
Plum also leads the Los Angeles offense with nearly six assists per game, which highlights her offensive prowess.
Fans can watch this WNBA game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
Zappos just dropped a serious discount on the super-cushioned and versatile Ghost Max 2 running shoe among other new sneaker deals happening this week, making now the perfect time to upgrade your running gear for a fraction of the price.
Known for its smooth ride and max comfort, the Ghost Max 2 sneakers are on sale in both men’s sizes and women’s sizes for only $119 instead of its original list price of $150. Both the men’s and women’s sneakers come in a ton of colors/designs to choose from, most of which are included in this sale.
Women’s Ghost Max 2
$150 $119.95
The women’s Ghost Max 2 is on sale at a major discount this week.
The Brooks Ghost Max 2 running shoe features a glide roll rocker that reduces muscular strain at the ankle joint and offers smooth heel-to-toe transitions. Meanwhile, its rubber upper features a lace-up closure for a secure fit, according to Zappos.
“These running shoes are designed with an EVA insole and nylon lining. Broad-based, these lace-up sneakers provide a stable, secure ride. The soft and lightweight cushioning offers you comfort and support all day. These road-running shoes are comfortable, smooth and protective,” Zappos product details state.
The Brooks Ghost Max 2 has a 4.3 star rating overall on Brooks’ website. Many of these reviews rave about the shoe’s super-soft cushioning.
One helpful review states, “As a former marathoner turned senior with arthritis, the Ghost Max series have allowed me to go on extended walks again and even occasionally run a bit, which I miss. I now have four pair and use them most of the time.”
Another promising review reads, “The Ghost Max 2 [has] been an incredible experience after a foot injury avoiding an SUV that almost hit me while on a walk in my neighborhood. I had difficulty walking for days after that incident in my On Cloud shoes, but that changed immediately wearing the Brooks Ghost Max 2.”
As a former member of Congress, I proudly voted for the 2017 Tax Cut and Jobs Act, which delivered meaningful tax relief to Alabama families and businesses. President Trump’s current reconciliation bill represents a natural extension of those successful tax cuts, combining them with important investments in domestic manufacturing and other policies that support Alabama’s job creators.
However, as the reconciliation bill advances, other measures that threaten the very goals we’re trying to achieve have also been introduced in Congress. Such is the case with a dangerous package of intellectual property legislation, which could unleash a wave of frivolous lawsuits and stifle the innovation driving our modern economy.
Intellectual property serves as the cornerstone of today’s economic growth. A recent report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce found that Alabama-based IP generates nearly $40 billion in value while research and development spending supports tens of thousands of jobs across our state. A trio of IP-related bills — the Promoting and Respecting Economically Vital American Innovation Leadership (PREVAIL) Act, the Patent Eligibility Restoration Act (PERA), and the Realizing Engineering, Science, and Technology Opportunities by Restoring Exclusive (RESTORE) Patent Rights Act — threaten to hamper American innovators’ ability to outachieve competitors around the globe. These measures would incentivize legal abuse at the hands of shell companies known as patent trolls, burden business and consumers with higher costs and slow innovation.
Unlike businesses that create jobs in our communities and build products to improve lives, patent trolls exist solely to extract money through patent infringement lawsuits. These entities amass abstract, largely unused, patent portfolios and co-opt them as lawsuit fuel. In the first quarter of 2025, these frivolous lawsuits were responsible for nearly 70% of all patent infringement lawsuits nationally and are often aided by litigation investors, like hedge funds, which pay for legal costs and then share in the proceeds.
This type of lawsuit is most often associated with cutting edge tech companies, but victims include businesses large and small, including here in Alabama. One of our largest companies, Regions Bank, has repeatedly been on the receiving end of these lawsuits, including those related to ATM technology, and Birmingham-based MotionMobs was sued over basic Bluetooth functionality for detecting distance between devices. Huntsville telecommunications company Adtran explained years ago how these attacks force businesses to divert resources from innovation toward expensive legal defenses.
The proposed intellectual property legislation would increase this type of abuse.
To start, PERA relaxes standards for what types of inventions are eligible to be patented and would lead to fresh onslaught of low-quality patents. PERA enables patents on virtually anything that involves a computer or machine and would even go so far as to permit patents on human genes. The result would be a far larger pool of vague, abstract patents perfect for frivolous litigation strategies.
PREVAIL removes businesses’ best defense against the legal attacks. The U.S. Patent Office contains a group of expert judges on the Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) who review patents upon request. Congress created the PTAB, in part, to help minimize the damage this litigation causes. Instead of companies lawyering up and going to court, PTAB review is a less costly, more reliable process. If passed, PREVAIL would reshape the PTAB, making it much more difficult for companies to access review when they are threatened with lawsuits, pushing them into litigation or settlements under duress.
Finally, RESTORE attempts to overturn Supreme Court precedent and return to an era of near-automatic injunctions in patent infringement cases. These injunctions prevent defendants from making or selling their products anywhere in the United States. Using the threat of such a draconian outcome, these plaintiffs can extort unreasonably large settlements, no matter how confident a defendant is of their innocence.
Instead of encouraging frivolous lawsuits, Congress should focus on solutions that benefit legitimate businesses and innovators. The Tackling Predatory Litigation Funding Act may get included in the One Big Beautiful Bill and would require litigation investors to pay taxes on their proceeds from patent troll lawsuits — eliminating a key profit incentive that fuels this abusive system. This countermeasure would lead to far better economic outcomes while preserving legitimate intellectual property protections that reward genuine innovation.
Congress should reject these misguided intellectual property proposals and instead prioritize policies that genuinely support American business competitiveness.
Bradley Byrne is the President & CEO of the Mobile Chamber. Congressman Byrne served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2014 to 2021.
Texas-based Rusty Taco has spent the last 15 years expanding to 11 states, and wants to add Alabama to the mix.
Founded in the Dallas area in 2010, the fast casual Tex-Mex company offers tacos with beef, chicken, pork or seafood, along with nachos and margaritas. There’s even a breakfast menu.
Denise Fenton co-founded the company with her husband Rusty – who lent his name to the venture – and their business partner Steve Dunn.
She said Rusty Taco has grown organically, with a footprint stretching from Atlanta to Salt Lake City.
Now they’re targeting Alabama.
“We’ve had some conversations with interested people,” she said. “But we’re really starting to dive into the markets we want to be in.”
Fenton said Birmingham offers a mix of good demographics, with “young professionals, adults, families and young adults. UAB would be a good fit for us.”
But the company is also looking at college towns as well. Fenton has a daughter living in Auburn, she said.
“We would be open to expanding in-state to any market that makes sense,” she said.
Most of its locations are a traditional 2,000-to-3,000-square-foot standalone restaurant, though some are non-traditional at stadiums, airports and a chain of travel centers.
“We’re looking for people who are dedicated to the restaurant business,” Fenton said. “We’re talking about multi-unit operators that are passionate about the business, with experience.”
Another hot and humid day is in the forecast for Alabama, and heat advisories will be in effect for a large part of the state.
The National Weather Service said the combination of heat and humidity will be oppressive enough to send the heat index, or “feels like” temperature, as high as 108 today.
Heat indices that high have the potential to cause heat illnesses for those who don’t take precautions today, according to forecasters.
All of north Alabama and most of central Alabama will be under heat advisories both Tuesday and Wednesday, which could end up being the hottest of the week.
Air temperatures today will climb into the mid-90s in many areas, according to weather service forecasts.
Here are today’s expected highs:
Here are Tuesday’s expected high temperatures.NWS
Wednesday will bring more of the same. Here are Wednesday’s expected high temperatures:
More highs in the mid-90s will be possible in Alabama on Wednesday.NWS
Wednesday will have higher probabilities of rain and storms to cool things off. In fact, there could be a few severe storms.
A Level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk has been added to the forecast for south Alabama on Wednesday, and there will be a Level 1 risk for other parts of the state.
Here’s the severe weather outlook for Wednesday:
Scattered severe storms will be possible on Wednesday for much of south Alabama. There will be a Level 2 out of 5 severe weather risk for the areas in yellow. Areas in dark green in central and eastern Alabama will have a Level 1 risk on Wednesday.Storm Prediction Center
Thursday’s temperatures are expected to continue to be hot, but maybe not quite as hot as today and Wednesday are expected to be.
Highs on Thursday are forecast to be in the low 90s instead of the mid-90s for most of the state (except for the northwest corner), according to weather service forecasts.
Here’s the temperature outlook for Thursday:
Here are Thursday’s forecast high temperatures.NWS
More strong to severe storms will also be possible on Thursday. Here’s the severe weather outlook:
There will be a Level 1 out of 5 risk for severe storms on Thursday for all of Alabama except for the northwest corner.SPC
There is some good news: The weather service expects temperatures to back off from the mid-90s from Friday through the weekend, with only upper 80s or low 90s in the forecast for highs in Alabama through at least next Monday.
But there is a chance that above-average (for late June) temperatures could be in the forecast for Alabama through at least the first of July.
The six- to 10-day temperature outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center is forecasting a 40-50 percent probability of above-average heat for Alabama through July 3:
Alabama will have a 40-50 percent probability of above-average temperatures through July 3.Climate Prediction Center
In fact, most of the the U.S. is expected to be warmer than average through that same period.
A new worry has come ashore to Alabama’s beaches this month, lighting up social media with pictures of red welts on swimmers’ bodies and raising fresh concerns about what could be a long, painful summer in the Gulf.
Jellyfish have swarmed Alabama’s beaches weeks ahead of schedule, packing plenty of sting and prompting purple flags to fly on beaches along the northern Gulf Coast.
The flags came down over the weekend, offering a brief reprieve. But the free-swimming, gelatinous marine animals are back and bringing the burn much sooner than their typical arrival in mid-to-late July or August.
“It seems like it’s earlier than it has been,” said Joethan Phillips, beach safety chief with the City of Gulf Shores. “It had been manageable to swim for a few days. But now people are getting stung again.
Gulf Shores and Orange Beach beach safety officials are alerting visitors to heed the flag warning system.
For two weeks already this month, purple flags have flown along the beaches. A purple flag means that dangerous marine life is nearby.
And while purple flags are often perceived as a warning about a shark sighting, the cause this month has to do with jellyfish.
Officials say it’s hard to predict how long the jellyfish will stay. Conditions are prime for jellyfish – warm, calm waters with less oxygen.
When will they go away? No one knows.
“It’s hard to put a season on Mother Nature,” said Brett Lesinger, beach safety division chief with the City of Orange Beach. “Who would have thought that we would have had snow on the beach?.”
He added, “I would say there are three major things that could (chase away) jellyfish – strong winds, strong waves, and strong currents. When we have had flat water, and onshore winds from the south, it pushes everything on shore and into the sandbar areas. If we had maybe two-foot surfs, it would filter everything back out into the open water. We’re just stuck in a phase where we can’t seem to get rid of them.”
Perfect environment
Sean Powers, director of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of South Alabama, said the Northern Gulf Coast typically experiences larger populations of jellyfish in July and August, with the activity waning by Labor Day weekend.
“Jellyfish like warmer waters,” Powers said. “They can also tolerate waters with low-dissolved oxygen in them. It’s a problem for fish species. But jellyfish don’t have blood, hemoglobin or a large amount of oxygen requirements.”
The dangerous heat wave extending over 28 states from the Midwest to the East is also affecting conditions, he said.
“It doesn’t seem to be going anywhere,” Powers said. “It’s always hot in June, but it’s unseasonably hot this June, so there might be a connection there.”
Anthony Moss, marine program coordinator at Auburn University, said it’s not uncommon to see movement of animals towards the shore in June, as long as the pattern of winds and surf are favorable.
The spring bloom is in full effect in June, Moss said, bringing tasty small crustaceans closer to shore for jellyfish to consume.
“The increased food in the water, along with the warming effect of the strong sunlight, activates the jellyfish, which have overwintering polyps that live on the (sediment) surfaces, all along the shore, in many places,” Moss said.
He said the local jellyfish polyps produce their next stage of their life cycle – the swimming form of jellyfish that causes the stinging – and start consuming the small marine animals closer onshore and get bigger.
“On top of this is the movement of offshore gelatinous animals – other jellies, toward the shore as a result of the winds and currents,” Moss said. “The combination of all the nutrients in the water fuels the growth of the entire group of organisms.”
Jellyfish species with a sting
Moss said several species of jellyfish are arriving with stings that give people burning sensations. One of the jellyfish he observed was the Nanomia bijuga – a relative of the notorious Portuguese Man O’War – that is nowhere as dangerous but still provides a sharp sting.
“People have nothing to fear with it, although they tend to get scared when they are stung because they hear so many bad stories,” Moss said, adding that he observed the Gulf filled with them near Panama City Beach.
Moss said different species of jellyfish will also arrive, including the Atlantic sea nettle (Chrysaora quinquecirrha), which is a human nuisance.
“It does sting, and it can leave you miserable,” Moss said. “But even so, the sting goes away, but it can take an hour or so.”
Powers said the Atlantic sea nettle is the most common jellyfish in the Gulf, bringing its long tentacles within reach of people and making their beach day uncomfortable.
He said the current swarm represents “bad luck” of environmental factors that is bringing jellyfish closer to shore in June.
Said Moss, “The strong mixing of waters nearshore with strong breezes helps to mix all these animals together. They are all seeking very similar or identical kinds of foods, and sometimes humans get in the way and get stung.”
Global warming
Sean Powers, director of the Stokes School of Marine and Environmental Sciences at the University of South Alabama, speaks during a news conference on Wednesday, September 6, 2023, at the university’s administrative building in Mobile, Ala. (John Sharp/[email protected]).
Powers said there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that warming seas from global warming could be a factor. He said globally, research has not shown major trends of jellyfish invasions into the seas.
“I guess the big thing is that there is probably some connection that if it’s getting warmer sooner in the summer, we would expect jellyfish to become a problem,” Powers said. “But they have been around a long time. The limited data set we have doesn’t seem to indicate that there is a long-term increase (in population).”
However, Moss said the Gulf surface temperatures are warm – very warm, as in August-like warmth. Temperature readings were in the upper 80s in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. The typical August range is 84 to 88 degrees.
“Of course everything is growing,” he said. “And the stinging jellies are loving it; there’s lots to eat.”
Helpful tips
What do you do if you’re stung by a jellyfish? Here are some helpful tips from the Mayo Clinic via WebMD:
Carefully pluck visible tentacles with fine tweezers.
Soak the skin in hot water. Use water that’s 110 to 113 degrees. It should feel hot, not scalding. Keep the affected skin immersed or in a hot shower until the pain eases, which might be 20 to 45 minutes.
Apply hydrocortisone cream or ointment twice a day to the affected skin.
Beach safety officials also say the following can be helpful:
Use a credit card to gently smooth over the wound. Rinse in saltwater.
Use wet sand and rub it in a circular motion over the wound to help dislodge the jellyfish tentacles.
Stay in shallower water when jellyfish are spotted in the sea.
Do not pick up a dead jellyfish that has come ashore. It can still sting.
The Panini Senior Bowl will be played at 1:30 p.m. CST Jan. 31 at Hancock Whitney Stadium, the first for Mobile’s annual football all-star game under its new banner.
Panini, the world’s largest licensed sports- and entertainment-collectibles company, has become the game’s title sponsor beginning with the 2026 event, the Senior Bowl announced on Tuesday.
Reese’s served as the Senior Bowl’s title sponsor from 2014 through 2025. Other title sponsors of the game have included Delchamps from 1994 through 2001, Food World from 2002 through 2006 and Under Armour from 2007 through 2011.
The exclusive trading-card manufacturer for the NFL, NFL Players Association and more than 100 colleges, Panini has previously served as the Senior Bowl’s trading-card provider, player-lounge sponsor and practice sponsor. Panini now becomes the exclusive trading-card, collectibles and memorabilia partner of the Senior Bowl.
“The Senior Bowl plays such a significant and special role with college athletes as they prepare to take their next step in their football careers,” said Jason Howarth, senior vice president of marketing and athlete relations at Panini America, in a release from the Senior Bowl. “Just as NIL has reshaped the collegiate landscape, we are excited to jump into this new role as title sponsor of the Panini Senior Bowl and work closely with the Senior Bowl team and the Mobile community to help grow this game to another level.”
The Senior Bowl and its new title sponsor also announced on Tuesday the addition of the Child Advocacy Center and the Africatown Community Development Corporation to the Senior Bowl Charities roster.
“We’re proud to partner with organizations driving real change in our community,” said Drew Fabianich, the Senior Bowl’s executive director. “Supporting the Child Advocacy Center and Africatown Community Development Corporation is just the first step in a bold new chapter of our community engagement with Panini.”
The Panini Senior Bowl will be the 76th annual all-star game in Mobile after the first Senior Bowl was played in Jacksonville, Florida, in 1950.
“The future of the Senior Bowl, bolstered by its partnership with Panini, is undeniably promising,” Fabianich said. “Together, we will set the stage for an elevated experience that bridges performance on the field with the stories captured in memorabilia. The collaboration not only enhances our value but also underscores the importance of preserving the history of collegiate football and the connection between Mobile, Alabama, and its fans.”
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on X at @AMarkG1.
