Current Events
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On Sunday (June 9), the Madleen was captured by Israeli naval forces as it was approaching the Gaza Strip. The ship, organized by Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg in conjunction with the Freedom Flotilla Coalition, was carrying aid supplies to Palestinian people in Gaza. In a post to Instagram, Thunberg issued a plea to the world. “We have been intercepted and kidnapped in international waters by the Israeli occupational forces, or forces that support Israel. I urge all my friends, family and comrades to put pressure on the Swedish government to release me and the others as soon as possible.”
In a post made on X, formerly Twitter, Israel’s Defence Ministry stated that they had seized the boat, writing: “The ‘selfie yacht’ of the ‘celebrities’ is safely making its way to the shores of Israel. The passengers are expected to return to their home countries.” They went on to accuse the Thunberg and other passengers, which included French-Palestinian European Parliament minister Rima Hassan along with five others from that country of attempting “to stage a media provocation whose sole purpose was to gain publicity.”
According to The Guardian, Israel Defence Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that he instructed the IDF to “show the flotilla passengers the video of the horrors of the October 7 massacre.” In March, Israel ended a ceasefire that was in place from earlier in the year, blocking all imports and aid. The conflict, which began after a terror attack by the Hamas organization on a festival on Oct. 7, 2023, has displaced 90% of the Palestinian population with over 54,000 believed to have been killed in the conflict between Hamas and Israel. Two hundred and fifty-one Israeli hostages were captured during the attack, and to date 148 had been returned alive with 55 still believed to be held hostage by Hamas.“The ministry of foreign affairs and the ambassador in Tel Aviv are in contact with local authorities and monitoring the situation closely,” a spokesperson for the Swedish government said on Monday (June 10). A representative for the French government who asked not to be named said that President Emmanuel Macron requested that the French nationals onboard the Maldeen “be allowed to return to France as soon as possible.”
The situation underscores the dire need for aid in the region, with a new plan backed by the United States in place, but difficulties in delivery are still presenting itself, according to CNN.
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Sly Stone, born Sylvester Stewart, founder of the legendary, genre-bending Funk band Sly & The Family Stone, has passed away. He was 82.
“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved dad, Sly Stone of Sly and the Family Stone,” said the pioneering musician’s family via a statement released on Monday, June 9. “After a prolonged battle with COPD and other underlying health issues, Sly passed away peacefully, surrounded by his three children, his closest friend, and his extended family. While we mourn his absence, we take solace in knowing that his extraordinary musical legacy will continue to resonate and inspire for generations to come.”
Sly & The Family Stone was a multi-cultural, Soul, Funk, Rock and R&B band with roots in San Francisco, and anchored by Stone’s virtuoso musical direction. Some of the band’s classic and familiar hits include “Sing A Simple Song,” “Dance to the Music,” “Everyday People” and “I Want To Take You Higher.” The group’s catalog of music has been sampled extensively by producers, creating new hits for Hip-Hop and R&B artists like Queen Latifah, Jungle Brothers, Janet Jackson, LL Cool J and many, many more.
Early this year, a documentary about Sly & The Family Stone called SLY LIVES! (aka The Burden of Black Genius) and directed by Questlove, was released via Hulu. The group was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1993.
Rest in powerful peace Sly Stone. See reactions to the death of this true musical icon from across social media in the gallery.
This story is developing.
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For comedian Dave Chappelle, the opening monologue he gave as the host of Saturday Night Live after the 2016 presidential election isn’t something he regrets. He had the chance to reflect on it during a conversation with comedian Mo Amer for the Actors on Actors series for Variety.
“I haven’t watched it in a while, but I remember it fondly,” Chappelle said at the 27-minute mark of the conversation, which was shared Wednesday (June 4) after Amer asked him about his perspective on it from back then to now. The monologue went viral, as Chappelle declared that “an internet troll” had won the White House, also pointing out his history of sexual assault. He would then segue into how he felt after former President Barack Obama won in 2008. “And it made me very happy about the prospects of our country,” he said then. “So, in that spirit, I’m wishing Donald Trump luck. And I’m going to give him a chance. And we, the historically disenfranchised, demand that he give us one, too.”“Oh, I remember that part,” Chappelle said. “You know what? I look at it like a photograph. That’s what it felt like in that moment. Now, if it ages well or not, I don’t get mad if I look at a picture because it’s not today. That’s what it was at that time.” He continued, “You might look at an old set and cringe, but you could just cringe because of how you were at that time. And in that sense, I’m fine with it.”Chappelle’s conversation with Amer is one of the rare moments he’s opened up for media – he has declined direct interviews in the wake of brushback from jokes he made against the transgender community in his 2021 Netflix special The Closer. But he and the Palestinian comedian bonded during the COVID-19 pandemic, making this a keen opportunity for the two to talk about comedy and their perspectives on the current times particularly with Amer’s hit Netflix show. “As you know, I notoriously don’t like to do press,” Chappelle said, “but today I wouldn’t have missed, because it’s you.”Check out the entire conversation above.
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Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez publicly endorsed New York City Councilman Zohran Mamdani for mayor, boosting his chances ahead of the Democratic Party primary being held later this month. She made her endorsement during an interview with the New York Times, which was released a day after the first debate between primary candidates was held Wednesday (June 4).“Assemblymember Mamdani has demonstrated a real ability on the ground to put together a coalition of working-class New Yorkers that is strongest to lead the pack,” Ocasio-Cortez said. “In the final stretch of the race, we need to get very real about that.” Her comments underscored the situation that the progressive candidate Mamdani faces; he currently trails behind former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo in polling, which has many in the city concerned that a repeat of 2021 could occur where the left were fractured, affecting the ranked-choice outcome in favor of current Mayor Eric Adams.“Even if the entire left coalesced around any one candidate, an ideological coalition is still insufficient for us to win,” the Ocasio-Cortez stated. “We have to have a true working-class coalition.” Ocasio-Cortez’s other ranked choice endorsements were to rank City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams second, citing her “genuine inroads and connections” with the Black and Brown communities in Queens and the Bronx including her district. City Comptroller Brad Lander would be ranked third on her ballot, followed by Scott Stringer and Brooklyn State Senator Zellnor Myrie.Mamdani learned of the endorsement shortly after the debate ended. “Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is a once-in-a-generation leader who has led the fight for working people in Congress. In 2018, she shocked the world and transformed our politics. On June 24, with @AOC’s support and this movement behind us, we will do the same,” he said in a statement. It comes at a time where supporters of Cuomo are zeroing in on areas they feel Mamdani is vulnerable, such as his public support of the Palestinian people in Gaza as well as his past support for shrinking the police force and his self-identification as a socialist.
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Source: Lego / Lego
Last year, LEGO surprisingly teamed up with Pharrell to bring to life his biographical documentary in the animated Piece By Piece, and now, the iconic toy company will continue their relationship with Hip-Hop as they’re now collaborating with the legendary Run-DMC and the Global Girls Crew.
In an effort to spread an uplifting message to the young girls today who’ll become the women of tomorrow, LEGO and Run-DMC have teamed up to remix their classic 1983 hit “It’s Like That.” And with the help of the Global Girls Crew, turned it into a girls’ anthem for 2025. Starring the likes of DJ Livia, drummer Nandi Bushell, singer Pink Oculus and Chinese alt-pop artist Cacien, the visuals to “She Built That” features both live-action appearances from the aforementioned artists and LEGO versions of themselves as well as the iconic group, Run-DMC.
Looking to inspire young girls to take the initiative and chase whatever dreams they may have for their future, the song and video are sure to be a hit among parents who not only want to encourage their daughters to blaze their own path in life, but also show them what old-school Hip-Hop sounded like and how influential it still can be today.
Check out the video to “She Built That” and let us know what you think about the joint in the comments section below.
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Luigi Mangione, the alleged suspect in the murder of United Healthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was arrested and had his belongings confiscated. Among them were spiral notebooks filled with writings that, according to prosecutors, explained the motivation behind the crime Mangione is accused of.
The New York Post shared a report on Wednesday (June 4) that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg filed documents with the court to present the writings of Luigi Mangione. The notebooks laid out Mangione’s motivations, which were to strike a blow against the healthcare industry that he felt was consumed by financial greed.
“So say you want to rebel against the deadly, greed fueled health insurance cartel. Do you bomb the HQ? No. Bombs=terrorism,” read a portion of Mangione’s writings. Another portion of the writings added context that Mangione felt it more effective to “wack [sic] the CEO at the annual parasitic bean-counter convention. It’s targeted and precise and doesn’t risk innocents.”
Throughout the writings, Mangione, 27, maintained an air of continually justifying the crime and lessening the impact his actions could have on bystanders. Furthermore, Mangione railed against other healthcare companies, framing them as entities that “literally extracts human life force for money.”
Mangione aimed to make Thompson’s death a spectacle that would play out in the media and bring light to his crusade to send a message to the healthcare industry.
“The point is made in the news headline Insurance CEO killed at annual investors conference,” Mangione wrote in the book. “It conveys a greedy bastard that had it coming. “Members of the public can focus on greed, on the event through reasonable acceptable discussion.”
The prosecution wrote the following regarding Luigi Mangione’s alleged plot:
If ever there were an open and shut case pointing to a defendant’s guilt, this case is that case. Simply put, one would be hard pressed to find a case with such overwhelming evidence of guilt as to the identity of the murderer and the premeditated nature of the assassination.
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Photo: STEVEN HIRSCH / Getty
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty / Elon Musk / Donald Trump
It should come as no surprise that the bromance between these two ego maniacs would have come to a fiery end.
We knew this day would come, but no one had Musk and Trump beefing with each other so soon on their bingo cards. The alleged ketamine abuser couldn’t keep his disdain for Trump’s “one big beautiful bill,” calling it a “disgusting abomination.”
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“I’m sorry, but I just can’t stand it anymore,” Musk began. “This massive, outrageous, pork-filled Congressional spending bill is a disgusting abomination. Shame on those who voted for it: you know you did wrong. You know it.”
Trump was uncharacteristically quiet following Musk’s initial comments about his legislative centerpiece of his second presidency, the “one big beautiful bill.”
That all changed when Trump finally “clapped back” at Musk while taking questions during his meeting with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Trump said he was “very surprised” and “disappointed” by his former financier’s comments about his stupid bill, claiming the Tesla chief saw the bill and understood its inner workings better than anybody, while suggesting that Musk was mad because of the removal of subsidies and mandates for electric vehicles.
Elon Musk Had Time For Donald Trump
Musk responded in real time via his “former platform,” X, formerly Twitter, with a flurry of posts on X accusing Trump of “ingratitude” and “Without me, Trump would have lost the election,” while refuting the orange menace’s claims.
“Keep the EV/solar incentive cuts in the bill, even though no oil & gas subsidies are touched (very unfair!!), but ditch the MOUNTAIN of DISGUSTING PORK in the bill,” Musk wrote.
Oh, and he wasn’t done. Musk then hit the president with a low blow, writing, “Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrump is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public. Have a nice day, DJT!”
Donald Trump Claps Back
Trump finally fired back on his platform, Truth Social, by threatening to cut Musk’s government contracts. “The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions and Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts. I was always surprised that Biden didn’t do it.” Felon 47 wrote.
Musk replied by threatening to decommission SpaceX’s Dragon spacecraft, which could be detrimental to the International Space Station and NASA, as it is described as “the only spacecraft currently flying that is capable of returning significant amounts of cargo to Earth” and can seat seven passengers.
Musk also agreed with a post stating that Trump should be impeached and replaced by JD Vance.
Oh, this is getting spicy.
While all of this was going on, CNN reports that Tesla stocks took a hit and Musk’s net worth shrank.
Per CNN:
Tesla shares plummeted 15% this afternoon as Elon Musk’s battle with President Donald Trump intensified.
Trump threatened in a social media post to target Musk’s business empire.
“The easiest way to save money in our Budget, Billions of Dollars, is to terminate Elon’s Governmental Subsidies and Contracts,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
The Tesla selloff has wiped off more than $150 billion off the market value of Telsa, which started the day worth nearly $1.1 trillion.
It has also erased a chunk off the net worth of Musk, the world’s richest person.
Social media has pulled up all the seats, grabbed some popcorn and are currently watching Musk go at with Trump and his supporters, you can see those reactions in the gallery below.
3. Wellllll, did he?
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President Donald Trump unveiled a controversial travel ban against a small number of countries with majority Muslim populations, and revived the policy this week. On Wednesday (June 4), President Trump signed a proclamation that slapped a new travel ban against a dozen countries and partial restrictions on seven others.
The White House shared the proclamation on its website, which detailed the Trump administration’s plans to bar entry to the United States to individuals hailing from Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen.
In addition to the aforementioned countries, the proclamation placed partial travel restrictions on individuals from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan, and Venezuela.
From the proclamation:
As President, I must act to protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people. I remain committed to engaging with those countries willing to cooperate to improve information-sharing and identity-management procedures, and to address both terrorism-related and public-safety risks. Nationals of some countries also pose significant risks of overstaying their visas in the United States, which increases burdens on immigration and law enforcement components of the United States, and often exacerbates other risks related to national security and public safety.
The travel ban that was enacted in 2018 was wildly unpopular as it seemingly targeted countries that President Trump perceived to be enemies of the state. With the Republican Party holding majorities in both chambers, Trump and his administration have been emboldened to expand the travel ban to include mostly African and Muslim countries, and have the support of Republican members of Congress.
Sen. Chuck Grassley defended President Trump’s renewed travel ban, stating that it was in the best interest of national security, as reported by KCRG.
“I don’t know what the basis was for him making that decision, but I assume it’s come because of some terrorist attacks we’ve had in the United States,” Grassley said.
Amnesty International posted a response to the travel ban, which can be read here.
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Source: Kayla Oaddams / Getty / DDG / Halle Bailey
Halle Bailey was granted a restraining order against YouTuber and rapper DDG on May 13. Now, he is coming with his own counter-restraining order, accompanied by some eye-opening claims that social media isn’t buying.
*This article contains descriptions of domestic violence and suicide.*
People reports DDG, born Darryl Granberry Jr., has requested an emergency hearing, plus a domestic violence restraining order, and has asked the court to stop Bailey from taking their son to Italy.
DDG’s restraining order comes after Bailey alleged multiple instances of domestic violence took place during their relationship.
DDG was ordered to stay at least 100 feet away from Bailey and their son, Halo. She was also allowed to take Halo to Italy with her, where she is currently shooting a movie.
DDG claims in his restraining order that Bailey is an “imminent emotional and psychological risk to the minor child based on repeated, documented threats of self-harm.”
The rapper also claims that Bailey took his gun and left the house with it during one fight and found her outside with it “emotionally unwell, incoherent, and potentially suicidal.”
In her restraining order, Bailey said DDG slammed her face on a steering wheel, chipped her tooth, broke her Ring camera, and locked her out of her own home.
A judge would ultimately deny DDG’s request.
Nobody Believes DDG On Social Media
Social media isn’t buying DDG’s claims at all, and is currently clowning the streamer.
“doodoogarbage can pull up a video of halle planting a bomb in his pillowcase and I still won’t gaf,” one post on X, formerly Twitter, read.
Another post read, “Halle Bailey posted evidence of DV & was granted a restraining order so DooDooGarbage posted receipts of him cheating on his girlfriend & neglecting his child…? I’m not understanding.”
Welp.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
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On Wednesday (June 4), a federal judge in Washington D.C. signaled that he was open to releasing sensitive documents related to the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ahead of the scheduled date. President Donald Trump had signed an executive order calling for the release of the files in January, in addition to files related to the assassinations of President John F. Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy.U.S. District Judge Richard J. Leon stated that he intended to proceed slowly in the matter, prioritizing privacy. “This is delicate stuff,” Judge Leon said. “This is not stuff you use a chainsaw on. You use a scalpel or a laser.” The judge stated that he would direct the National Archives to allow him – and him alone – to see the inventory of all of the files related to Dr. King that they have It’s believed that there are over 60,000 unredacted pages of documents related to the assassination. Johnny Walker, a lawyer representing the Department of Justice, requested that Judge Leon grant their agents authorization to look through the files first to create a subset of papers the court and the family of Dr. King could approve for release. He stated that they would steer clear of anything damaging in the files. Sumayaa Saleh, a lawyer representing the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, objected citing the Trump Administration’s sloppy handling of the release of files related to President Kennedy. “The government has yet to come forward with any persuasive, compelling, legitimate reason to unseal the files,” she added.The hearing was called in response to a lawsuit by the SCLC (which Dr. King helped found) and the King family, who have expressed wariness over the release of the files. “Some, perhaps many, of the recordings may be fake. The FBI’s purpose in creating the documents the government seeks to unseal was to misinform the public and irreparably damage our father’s reputation and most importantly destroy the civil rights movement,” wrote Martin Luther King III in a statement.A federal judge in 1977 had ordered the files to be sealed from the public until 2027. Judge Leon conceded that the hearing is part of “the first few steps in a journey” and that the matter could take up to 2027. But he did ask that both parties keep communicating and if they came to an agreement, he could nudge things along. “We’re going to go slowly,” Leon said. “Little steps.”
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