Current Events
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Source: Alberto E. Rodriguez / Getty / Captain America: Brave New World
We know even more about the upcoming film Captain America: Brave New World, and it sounds like this should be a win for Marvel Studios.
Over the weekend, Kevin Feige and Marvel Studios triumphantly returned to Hall H at San Diego Comic-Con to discuss their upcoming slate of movies coming to the MCU.
Coming off its first trailer, Captain America: Brave New World is Sam Wilson’s (Anthony Mackie) first feature-length film as the titular hero after taking over the mantle from Steve Rogers (Chris Evans).
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New Footage Confirms Plenty of Speculation About The Film’s Plot
During the panel, fans saw new footage from the film featuring President Thunderbolt Ross (Harrison Ford) finally talking about the giant elephant in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the dead Celestial just chilling in the middle of the Indian Ocean.
Ross addresses world leaders during the Celestial Island Summit, revealing the now-dead Celestial, Tiamut, whose body is made of Adamantium, which now replaces Vibranium as the strongest metal on the planet.
The new U.S. President, who didn’t care for the Avengers in Captain America: Civil War, wants Wilson to help form and lead a new Avengers squad.
The new footage also gave attendees an even better look at Ford as the Red Hulk, who was revealed to be the villain behind the destruction of the White House in the trailer.
Fans were happy to see Harrison Ford hit the stage and even reenact what he looked like “Hulking out” while filming.
Source: Matt Winkelmeyer / Getty
Giancarlo Esposito finally revealed who he would play in the film, and it’s not who many thought it was. Initially, theories had Esposito playing G.W. Bridge, but, of course, they were wrong.
Esposito will play playing Sidewinder, the King of the Serpent Society.
Captain America: Brave New World arrives in theaters on February 14, 2025.
Other Big Announcements
High on the energy that Deadpool and Wolverine have injected into the Disney-owned studio, Feige happily announced that The Russo Brothers, who gave us easily the best films in the MCU, are back to direct the next two Avengers movies, Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.
We also learned Robert Downey Jr., the man who helped build the MCU as we know it as Tony Stark /Iron Man, will be back, but this time as Victor Von Doom, who happens to like the Infinity Saga’s hero or an evil variant aka the Infamous Iron Man.
Downey Jr.’s version of Doctor Doom will also allegedly be from the Fantastic 4: First Steps timeline, which introduces Marvel’s first family of superheroes to the MCU.
Footage of the film starring Pedro Pascal (Reed Richards /Mr. Fantastic), Vanessa Kirby (Sue Storm/Invisible Storm), Joseph Quinn (Johnny Storm/ The Human Torch), and Ebon Moss-Bachrach (Ben Grimm/ The Thing) was also shown during the panel and gave attendees their first look at the planet devourer, Galactus, played by Ralph Ineson.
It is starting to feel like the MCU is back.
Just saying.
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Source: Sangamon County PD / Sangamon County
It appears that the violent death of Sonya Massey at the hands of former Sangamon County Sheriff’s Deputy Sean Grayson was preventable. Well, we already knew that just by looking at the police bodycam footage that clearly shows the shooting was unnecessary, but it’s also arguable that Massey might still be alive if police agencies were more discerning in regards to who they hire.
According to IPM News, military records obtained from one of Grayson’s previous employers show that he was discharged from the military in 2016 for what was labeled as “Misconduct (Serious Offense).” The record doesn’t go into any further detail regarding why Grayson, who was stationed at Fort Riley Army installation in Kansas, was discharged, but that doesn’t make the glaring red flag any less bright.
Actually, maybe that isn’t fair. After all, we don’t know why he was discharged, right? Then again, former Air Force prosecutor Andrew Ghiotto told IPM News that a “serious” dischargeable offense is typically “an offense equivalent to something that would have led to at least a year of incarceration for a civilian.” Should someone be able to become a police officer if they have a crime on their record that would have landed them in prison? If so, not only did Grayson become an officer of the law despite the discharge on his record, but he did so six separate times with six separate police agencies.
In fact, not only did Grayson—who is currently being held without bail on multiple charges including three counts of first-degree murder—bounce around from one agency to the next half a dozen times, but he lasted at most of them for less than a year.
From SCRIPPS News:
The Illinois Law Enforcement Training and Standards Board shows Grayson was hired part-time on Aug. 11, 2020, by the Pawnee Police Department. He also was hired part-time on Feb. 4, 2021, by the Kincaid Police Department and on May 20, 2021, by the Virden Police Department.
Two months later, he was hired full-time by the Auburn Police Department and remained there until May 1, 2022, when he was hired full-time by the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. Grayson left Logan County on April 28, 2023, and was hired full-time on May 1, 2023, by the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office.
So, five different agencies employed Grayson for less than a year, then, during his time at the sixth agency, he shot and killed a Black woman he had no discernable reason to shoot and kill.
Again, maybe Massey would still be alive if the bar wasn’t so low in regard to who can carry a gun and badge.
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Source: Albany Times Union/Hearst Newspapers / Getty
Rocker Dave Matthews joined the pro-Palestinian protests of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he spoke before Congress in Washington D.C.
On Wednesday (July 24), Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a speech before a joint session of members of Congress at the U.S. Capitol. His appearance was denounced by a massive crowd protesting the treatment of the Palestinian people during the war in Gaza. They were joined by one notable figure – musician Dave Matthews. He spoke to a reporter from Al-Jazeera during the protests. “I just think it’s terrible when the majority of the world is looking at this man and what he’s doing in Gaza and then also what he’s overseeing in the West Bank and East Jerusalem [and] we’re welcoming [him] into the so-called sacred halls of our government,” he began.
“This has been an ongoing struggle for people that just want to have dignity and be able to live independent lives and dream of a better future,” he continued. “And this man is the pinnacle of the obstacle toward that freedom and that we have [him] visiting the country is obscene. It’s a disgusting show of support for someone that doesn’t deserve our support.” The “Crash Into Me” singer concluded: “I’m ashamed that my tax dollars are going to the brutalizing of an entire people. It’s shameful. And I’m ashamed that our government is welcoming him here.”
Netanyahu’s speech was controversial for multiple reasons. While he praised President Joe Biden initially, he soon turned to heap praise on former President Donald Trump “for all he’s done for Israel.” Netanyahu has long been a supporter of Republican and conservative causes. He also made no direct mention of ongoing efforts led by the U.S. to obtain a ceasefire with the Hamas organization and the release of hundreds of Israeli hostages or that he’d be willing to agree. Netanyahu also denounced the protests on college campuses against him, calling those involved “Iran’s useful idiots.” He also faced opposition from most of the Democrats, with Michigan representative and Palestinian-American Rashida Tlaib holding up a sign reading “War Criminal” throughout his speech.
Netanyahu is currently facing arrest warrants by the International Criminal Court for alleged war crimes against the Palestinians during the conflict, which began on Oct. 7, 2023, with over 1,200 Israelis and 39,000 Palestinians killed in addition to other foreign nationals working with the United Nations and Chef Jose Andres’ World Central Kitchen.
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Source: ALFREDO ESTRELLA / Getty
Just when it seemed like things were quieting down on the drug front in Mexico, U.S. authorities pulled off quite the big haul when they took into custody two of the biggest names in the drug cartel game.
According to ABC News, Sinaloa cartel co-founder Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada and Joaquin Guzman Lopez (the son of “El Chapo” Guzman), were officially placed under arrest Thursday (July 25), in El Paso, Texas. The Department of Justice announced the news and said that both men would be charged for their senior roles in the drug trafficking enterprise that turned certain parts of Mexico into a war zone.
With Sinaloa cartel OG Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzman already serving a life sentence for his role in the cartel, this is a pretty huge haul for the Department of Justice. FBI Director Christopher Wray spoke on the matter and acknowledged as much.
ABC News reports:
“Today, the FBI and DEA arrested two alleged cartel leaders who have eluded law enforcement for decades. Ismael Mario ‘El Mayo’ Zambada García and Joaquin Guzman Lopez, son of El Chapo, will now face justice in the United States,” Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Christopher Wray said in a statement.
“Garcia and Guzman have allegedly overseen the trafficking of tens of thousands of pounds of cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and fentanyl into the U.S. along with related violence. These arrests are an example of the FBI’s and our partners commitment to dismantling violent transnational criminal organizations like the Sinaloa Cartel,” Wray said.
The circumstances behind Zambada and Guzman Lopez being taken into custody were not immediately clear as of Thursday evening, however, the men were arrested in an operation that ended on U.S. soil.
“El Mayo” thought he was headed to inspect a clandestine Mexican airfield, of which the Sinaloa cartel has many in the country. Instead, according to a Homeland Security Investigations official, a senior ranking member of the cartel tricked him and flew him to El Paso instead.
Upon landing on the tarmac, agents from HSI, along with the FBI arrested “El Mayo” and Guzman.
Clever trap. Sounds like Netflix might turn this into a season of Narcos with that last maneuver alone.
Having planned this operation for months, you can only imagine how much man power went into pulling this off and how many nerves were on edge while it was being executed.
While we’re sure they will be replaced by other members of the powerful Sinaloa cartel, this is still a huge haul for the DOJ who’ve been doing everything they can to stop the flow of drugs from Mexico into the United States.
Don’t be surprised if the streets get dry for a while. Just sayin’.
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Source: ROBERTO SCHMIDT / Getty / Kamala Harris
Donald Trump’s hue is usually orange, but he looks very yellow after seemingly pulling out of the upcoming debates in which he initially agreed to participate.
It looks like the Republican nominee for president, Donald Trump, is running scared.
The disgraced former president isn’t looking as tough and cocky as he once was now that Vice President Kamala Harris has become the Democrats nominee to become President Joe Biden’s successor.
On Thursday, VP Harris said she is down to participate in the ABC News-hosted debate on September 10. Our MVP accused the orange menace of “backpedaling” after the Trump campaign declined to commit to the debate now that he sees Joe Biden will no longer be on the debate stage with him.
The Trump campaign fired back in a statement:
Given the continued political chaos surrounding Crooked Joe Biden and the Democrat Party, general election debate details cannot be finalized until Democrats formally decide on their nominee. There is a strong sense by many in the Democrat Party — namely Barack Hussein Obama — that Kamala Harris is a Marxist fraud who cannot beat President Trump, and they are still holding out for someone ‘better.’ Therefore, it would be inappropriate to schedule things with Harris because Democrats very well could still change their minds.
Trump Is Going To Have To Face Harris Eventually
Harris all but officially secured the nomination after securing a majority of the delegates and endorsements, with her most recent one coming from Barack and Michelle Obama.
News outlets took Trump’s unwillingness to debate VP Harris as him back out, with the Vice President taking to X, formerly Twitter, to call him out.
“What happened to ‘any time, any place’?” Harris wrote on her X account, recalling Trump’s quote to the then-nominee Joe Biden.
The momentum is clearly on VP Harris’ side.
X has also been clowning Donald Trump as well. You can see those reactions in the gallery below.
1. He sure cant’t.
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Source: Aaron J. Thornton / Getty / Cardi B
The devil works hard, but Candace Owens constantly works harder to remind us she is the ultimate OP. Like the rest of us, Cardi B is tired of her coontastic shenanigans.
Cardi B had time for Candace Owens after the edgeless conservative fixed her lips to talk about Sonya Massey’s tragic death at the hands of the police.
Candace Owens claims that the senseless shooting was not racially motivated, urging Black people not to fall for the bait. In her recent Spaces Chat on X, formerly Twitter, Wednesday (July 24), Cardi B called her out on her bullsh*t.
Cardi B Calls Out Candace Owens For Her Lack of Sympathy
“Today she said something so disturbing about the Sonya Massey case. For you to sit here and say that ‘Oh not everything is racial. I know that this is sad, but this is not something racial. There’s more white people that get killed by the cops,’ girl shut up,” Cardi B said.
She continued, “You don’t feel one little bit of empathy, a little bit of sympathy of how this woman died? There was no argument, there was no conflict, there was no raised voice, and she got shot.”
The Bronx Hip-Hop star’s comments were a direct reply to Owens ridiculously saying, “Police officers are human beings, there are mistakes that happen. The idea that now you’re going to use this situation to then try to make Black Americans believe that this happened simply because she was Black is pointedly ridiculous.”
Owens also tells Black Americans to “not take the bait,” adding that unarmed white Americans are more likely to be killed by police than Black Americans.
What?
Cardi B Reminds Candace Owens She Is A Black Woman
Cardi B called C A P on that notion, saying that Massey’s killer, Deputy Sean Grayson, could most definitely still be racist even if he never said a racial slur.
“He knew in the back of his head because she was a Black woman that he was going to get away with it,” the “Bodak Yellow” crafter continued. “Not only did he think that, but the department thought that because they didn’t tell her son or her father that a cop shot her. It had everything to do with the fact it was because she was Black. So nobody has to say a racial slur for you to know that it was racially motivated.”
Cardi B also hit Owens with a stark reminder that she is a Black woman and that what happened to Sonya Massey could also happen to her.
“This could be you one day. And it could be actually worse because you the type of person that if a cop stop you, you would get sassy at the mouth. As soon as you get sassy at the mouth, the muthaf**ka would shoot your a**,” the Grammy-award-winning artist said.
The BX native also shot down Owens’ claims that President Biden’s statement on the shooting was politically motivated.
“What happened to her has nothing to do with this f**king election. It has everything to do with the sh*t that’s been happening for years in this country,” Cardi said. “There is no justification. It was just straight kill. And America has to see that so people can understand why [there is] outrage with cops.”
You can listen to Cardi B’s entire conversation below.
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
One of Beyoncé’s hits is now the backdrop for Vice President Kamala Harris’ first presidential campaign video.
Vice President Kamala Harris’ bid to become president in November has taken off briskly. And her first campaign video features one of Beyoncé’s greatest hits to capture the energy of the moment. The ad, entitled “We Choose Freedom,” has the R&B superstar’s song “Freedom” from her 2016 album, Lemonade, in the background. It begins with a voiceover narration from Harris: “There are some people who think we should be a country of chaos. Of fear. Of hate.” Images of the Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, are shown on the screen along with his vice presidential pick, JD Vance. “But us. We choose something different. We choose freedom.”
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“The freedom not just to get by, but get ahead. The freedom to be safe from gun violence. The freedom to make decisions about your own body. We choose a future where no child lives in poverty. Where we all can afford health care, where no one is above the law.” After a montage of moments where Harris is shown speaking to crowds and greeting the public as she speaks about those positions, the video then shows Trump’s infamous mug shot taken concerning his election interference case in Fulton County, Georgia. “Where no one is above the law,” she says before continuing: “We believe in the promise of America and we are ready to fight for it, because when we fight, we win.”
The campaign team for Harris got the green light to use the song as it was noted that she used it during her first arrival at the team’s headquarters on Monday (July 23), after being endorsed by President Joe Biden to be the Democratic nominee after he dropped out of the race on Sunday (July 22). The singer is known for having strict guidelines about the clearance and usage of her music, but a source reported to CNN that “quick approval” was given just hours before that campaign headquarters visit.
Beyoncé has historically supported Democratic nominees for president, and while she hasn’t officially commented on Harris’ run, her mother, Tina Knowles, declared her support in an Instagram post on Sunday evening. “Thank you, President Biden for your service and your leadership. Go Vice President Kamala Harris for President. Let’s Go,” she wrote in the caption of the photo of herself with Harris in the post.
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Source: CHRIS KLEPONIS / Getty
It’s been a few weeks since Donald Trump was the subject of an “assassination attempt,” and though many questions and conspiracy theories still surround the incident, it doesn’t seem like we’ll have any actual answers about it anytime soon.
On Wednesday (July 24), FBI Director Christopher Wray testified before House lawmakers about what they’ve learned about the alleged attempt on Trump’s life. It seems like they’re no closer to getting a motive today than they were when it happened. Still, the head of the FBI did inform lawmakers on some interesting new information about the shooter, Thomas Crooks, and what he had been up to before he “lined up” Trump at his rally on July 13.
According to CBS News, Wray revealed that Crooks actually used a drone to scope out the area beforehand and that he may have had a collapsible stock, which made it easier for him to move with his rifle without being noticed. Though they did recover his laptop and learned that he googled “how far away was Oswald from Kennedy,” Wray says they’re still trying to decrypt messages on his phone to see who he was talking to and how deep this assassination attempt goes.
CBS News reports:
Investigators have managed to gain access to Crooks’ phone, which Wray said was a “significant technical challenge.” He said agents discovered Crooks was using encrypted messaging apps to communicate.
The FBI, which is investigating the shooting as a potential act of domestic terrorism, does not yet have “a clear picture” of the gunman’s motive, Wray said. But investigators did find that Crooks seemed to become “very focused on” Trump and the rally on July 6.
The most interesting aspect about all of this is that people who knew Crooks said he and his family were die-hard Trump supporters and MAGA enthusiasts and he was actually bullied for it in school. One has to wonder, why would a MAGA supporter want to suddenly take out his hero? But Crooks wasn’t only going to rely on his firearm as it seems he came prepared for all kinds of chaos.
The FBI director said the bureau recovered a total of three explosive devices, two from Crooks’ vehicle and one from his residence. He called the devices “relatively crude” explosives. He said the explosives had receivers that could have allowed them to be detonated remotely. Crooks himself had a transmitter, Wray noted.
“At a moment, it looks like because of the on/off position on the receivers, that if he had tried to detonate those devices from the roof, it would not have worked, but that doesn’t mean the explosives weren’t dangerous,” Wray said.
It might be a while before we know what drove Thomas Crooks to attempt to “assassinate” his hero, Donald Trump, but until then the conspiracy theories will continue to fly. And Trump will continue to profit off the scratch left on his ear.
What do y’all think about the Trump assassination attempt? Let us know in the comments section below.
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Source: Handout / Getty / Tory Lanez
Tory Lanez fans who are currently suffering due to the lack of music because their short king is presently behind bars, we have some good news for you: he is working on new tunes.
Spotted on HipHopDX, Tory Lanez is gearing up to drop new music, even though he is behind bars.
According to the website, the rapper/singer has figured out a way to deliver new tunes without sacrificing quality after announcing that he figured out how to “record in high fidelity from prison.”
Lanez has been dropping songs he has had in the stash throughout July, but now his fans, whom he hilariously calls “umbrellas,” can look forward to new heavily autotuned tracks.
Per HipHopDX:
“After about 20-something to 30-something fuck-ups and mistakes, me and my engineer have finally figure out how to record music over the jail phone and still keep the quality as professional as I had it on the street,” he said in a recorded call posted to his Instagram on Wednesday (July 24). “It’s over. I done cracked the fucking code, man. This means that not even these prison walls can stop me from dropping new music. It’s crazy!
“That being said, I’m about to start dropping hot heaps of coal on y’all head top. I’m dropping the all new ‘Free Tory’ playlist – it’s gon’ be updated every week with new music that I’m recording from prison in real time. This is the first of its kind and although God has already shown me that this moment is only temporary , it speaks testimony to the fact that no matter where they put me they can’t lock down my spirit, my ambition, my soul my passion nor my destiny!”
Tory Lanez is currently serving a 10-year sentence for shooting Megan Thee Stallion. He is currently trying to appeal the conviction on the grounds of “Erroneous Admission of Evidence” and “Prosecutorial Misconduct.”
His appeal is on hold, allowing prosecutors time to review the defense’s claims.
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Source: John Nacion / Getty / Tyler Perry
Tyler Perry wants the world to know he doesn’t care about your criticisms of his films and will not change his formula for making them.
Please make no mistake. Tyler Perry has helped many Black actors find work in Hollywood thanks to his television series and films, and people appreciate him for that, but that doesn’t mean he is above criticism.
Following the release of his latest project, Divorce In The Black, starring Meagan Good and Cory Hardrict, which has earned the rare honor of earning a big fat 0% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes while maintaining a 75% audience score, fans have once again called into question Perry’s writing.
For the most part, the director/actor has ignored the critiques about his projects, but during an appearance on the “Baby, This Is Keke Palmer” podcast, he let the chopper spray.
Tyler Perry Defends His Films
“I know for a fact that what I’m doing is exactly what I’m supposed to be doing,” Perry told Palmer.
He continued, “Because for everyone who is a critic, I have thousands of — used to be — emails from people saying, ‘This changed my life. Oh my God, you know me. Oh my God, you saw me. How did you know this about my life and my family?’ That is what is important.”
He let the “highbrow negroes” who critique his projects have it and let it be known he makes his movies for “a large portion of my fans” who are “disenfranchised. Who cannot get in the Volvo and go to therapy on the weekend,”
“So, you’ve got this highbrow Negro who is all up in the air with his nose up looking at everything, then you got people like where I come from, and me, who are grinders, who really know what it’s like, whose mothers were caregivers for white kids, and were maids, housekeepers…beauticians. Don’t discount these people and say that their stories don’t matter. Who are you to be able to say which Black story is important or should be told? Get out of here with that bullshit.”
Social Media Claps Back At Tyler Perry
As expected, users on X, formerly Twitter, didn’t care for Perry’s thoughts on their critiques of his lackluster films.
“How dare these highbrow negroes criticize me, a man who cares so much about the working class that I no longer work with the union that helps struggling writers stay afloat in the entertainment industry,” one user on X wrote in response to Perry’s comments.
Journalist Jerry L. Barrow added, “He’s totally missing and/or dismissing the actual criticism, which is the WRITING, not the topics or the audience. Good writing isn’t about class.
Tyler Perry’s writing and films have been the topic of discussion for years. Shows like The Boondocks and Atlanta each dedicate an entire episode to calling him out.
Loni Love, former co-host of The Talk and comedian, blasted Perry for the poor quality of his films, saying he needs to hire more Black writers in response to film critics’ unanimous pannement of Divorce in the Black.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
4. Lol, points were made in this tweet.