Current Events
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Crazy news coming out of Central America as the former President of Honduras was just sentenced to four decades in prison for moving the kind of weight that would impress El Chapo.
According to the New York Times, Juan Orlando Hernández was just hit with a 45-year sentence in prison after he was found guilty of helping gangs move hundreds of tons of cocaine into the United States during his eight-year stint as the president of the small Central American country. Even though he buddied up to the U.S. and presented himself as an anti-drug ally, Hernández was working in conjunction with traffickers to import cocaine into America and was eventually busted for his role in the operation in 2022 after leaving office in disgrace.
Having accumulated millions of dollars for his dirty work from Honduras, Mexico and other countries during his presidency, Hernández was singled out by lower level workers who his lawyers say were lying in an attempt to get lighter prison sentences.
The New York Times reports:
Prosecutors countered that Mr. Hernández’s arguments “reflect an alternate reality.” They wrote that he had protected “his drug trafficking co-conspirators from prosecution and extradition, giving safe harbor to violent, massive cocaine traffickers as they used Honduras as a springboard for pumping cocaine into the United States.”
The verdict in Mr. Hernández’s trial came after weeks of evidence that he had received millions of dollars from drug organizations in Honduras, Mexico and elsewhere. In addition to statements by former traffickers, that evidence included testimony from a Honduran investigator and notebooks with Mr. Hernández’s initials that prosecutors said detailed drug transactions.
By early 2022, when Mr. Hernández was detained in Honduras less than a month after leaving office, he had become deeply unpopular there. His successor as president, Xiomara Castro, accused him of turning the country into a “narco-dictatorship” and officials in the United States said that Mr. Hernández had used drug money during both of his presidential campaigns to bribe election officials and manipulate the vote.
Hernández was eventually convicted and sentenced Wednesday (June 26), in Federal District Court in Manhattan. Though some were upset that Hernández got such a stiff sentence, other’s rejoiced at the news as they blame him for the horrible state that Honduras finds itself in these days.
More from the Times:
Some in the overflow room jeered when Mr. Hernández, dressed in a dark suit, testified in his own defense. At one point he denied associations with drug traffickers even as prosecutors displayed a photograph of him posing at a World Cup soccer match in South Africa with a notorious narco kingpin.
After Mr. Hernández was convicted, crowds of Hondurans celebrated outside the courthouse, chanting in Spanish and displaying an orange prison jumpsuit with handcuffs connected by a long chain. One woman held up a sign reading, “No clemency for narcopolitics.”
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Source: NICHOLAS KAMM / Getty / Blacks For Trump
Two of Donald Trump’s few favorite Black people, Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and his former HUD secretary, the sleepwalking brain surgeon Ben Carson, headlined a “Black Americans for Trump” event in Atlanta, and no surprise, it was full of white people.
Per Raw Story, via The New Republic’s Talia Janes reporting, the latest jig, aka a Blacks for Trump event, was a massive bust in getting Black people to attend.
The event went down at Rocky’s, a Black-owned barbershop in Atlanta, Georgia. Jane’s report mentions that Trump didn’t even bother to show up in all of his felonious glory, instead opting to call into the event, so that should tell you how unserious he is about reaching out to Black voters.
Trump got on the phone and boasted about tax cuts for businesses, something Black people and a majority of his white supporters wouldn’t even benefit from because they are not in the 1%.
The orange menace also bragged about his struggle mugshot during his phone call. But what took the cake was the fact there were not that many Black people in attendance, but a “sea of white people.”
Per Raw Story:
“The roundtable setup featured Representative (and Trump V.P. wannabe) Byron Donalds, former Trump Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, and Representative Wesley Hunt in attendance,” she writes. “The seats were positioned in a semi-arc facing a gaggle of cameras and sea of white people, and everyone looks abundantly unenthused to be there.”
Jane goes on to explain how the Atlanta event was just one of a string of failed Black voter outreach efforts.
What was even more hilarious was writer/journalist Michael Harriot pointing out there is still a photo of former President Barack Obama hanging in the shop.
This event is just the latest lame attempt to pilfer the Black vote with lazy tactics. With the help of a Black conservative activist, Trump staged a stop at an Atlanta Chick-fil-A restaurant.
He also staged an appearance at a Harlem bodega where he was greeted by more whites than Blacks, gasp.
Of course, there were those trash Trump sneakers that he also claimed were his way of connecting with the Black community.
The man is never beating the racist allegations.
You can see more reactions to this latest mess in the gallery below.
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Source: Fulton County Jail / Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
Donald Trump’s decision to again tout his mugshot as a reason Black voters will pick him was met with laughter and scorn, especially on social media.Days before his first debate with President Joe Biden, former president and Republican Party nominee Donald Trump held court at a Black Americans For Trump panel discussion convened by Representative Byron Donalds of Florida at Rocky’s, a Black-owned barbershop in Atlanta, Georgia.
Trump, however, was not physically present for the discussion, opting instead to join by telephone. That poor decision was compounded by another as the convicted felon referenced his mugshot taken in Fulton County after being indicted for election interference related to the 2020 presidential race, which he lost. It began in an answer to a question from Marc KD Boyd of the Helping Empower Youth group referencing the infamous photo: “So my question is, what can you do about those Alvin Braggs on your side that have been doing such railroading from the time?”
“Since this has happened — the mugshot — the mugshot is the best ev- it just beat Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra by a lot by the way, beat ’em by a lot,” Trump touted over the phone as Donalds (who hopes to be Trump’s vice presidential pick) sat with Representative Wesley Hunt of Texas. “But that’s the number one mugshot of all time. It’s really an amazing thing. Since it happened, the support among the Black community and the Hispanic community has skyrocketed. It’s been amazing. Really it’s been amazing. It’s been actually very nice to see.” Trump and his campaign team have persisted with the belief that his mug shot has only increased his support among the Black and Latino community since it was taken, adding it to other attempts at outreach including the manufacturing and sale of $400 “Trump sneakers”.
The response to Trump’s words was swift and damning. Cedric Richmond, the former Congressman from Louisiana who’s a senior member of President Biden’s campaign team didn’t mince words during an interview with CNN’s Kasie Hunt. “I think it’s absolute foolishness!”, he said. “But it’s typical Donald Trump. African-American, especially African-American men, do not gravitate to you because you are a convicted felon.” Responses on X, formerly Twitter, were just as sharp. “I wonder how the Black and Hispanic community feels about his promise to give police officers immunity?,” wrote X user CeliaStar99.
Check out some of the reactions to Trump’s latest claims below.
1. BlackKnight10k
2. JustVent6
3. Ron Filipowski
4. Keith Murphy
5. Jim Gray
6. StrictlyChristo
7. TrueWordsRSpoken
8. William A Goldsborough
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Source: Kevin Winter / Getty /Megan Thee Stallion
Get those knees ready hotties; Megan Thee Stallion is kicking off “Culture’s Biggest Night,” the 2024 BET Awards.
Megan Thee Stallion has been tapped to set the tone for the 2024 BET Awards on Sunday, June 30, starting at 8 p.m. ET when she hits the stage to perform one of her hits, or possibly a new track off her new album, MEGAN.
Taraji P. Henson returns for a second year to host the popular awards show everyone looks forward to in the summer.
Usher will also finally get his BET Awards flowers when he is honored with the Lifetime Achievement BET Award.
Thee Stallion will not be the only one gracing the stage that night. Will Smith, who is currently enjoying a resurgence thanks to his latest summer blockbuster Bad Boys: Ride or Die, will perform a new song.
Other performers include Megan Thee Stallion’s tourmate GloRilla, Ice Spice, Latto, Ms. Lauryn Hill &YG Marley, Muni Long, Sexyy Red (lord help us), Shaboozey, Tyla, and Victoria Monét. Additionally, Tanner Adell will perform on the BET Amplified stage.
2024 BET Award Nominations
Regarding awards, Kendrick Lamar’s favorite target, Drake, leads all nominations with seven, including Album of The Year, Best Male R&B/Pop Artist, and Best Male Hip Hop Artist.
Drizzy also earned double nominations in the Video of The Year category for “First Person Shooter” featuring J. Cole and “Rich Baby Daddy” featuring Sexyy Red and SZA.
Nicki Minaj has the second-most nominations coming into the 2024 BET Awards weekend. She will be up against her Young Money brethren in the Album of the Year category for Pink Friday 2 and nominated in the BET Her category and Best Female Hip-Hop Artist.
Other nominees in the BET Awards’ second biggest category, Video of The Year, include Doja Cat (“Agora Hills”) and Lil Durk ft. J. Cole (“All My Life”), Nicki Minaj & Ice Spice (With Aqua) (“Barbie World”), Cardi B feat. Megan Thee Stallion (“Bongos”), Usher, Summer Walker & 21 Savage (“Good Good”), Victoria Monét (“On My Mama).
Sounds like it will be a lit night. Do you think Drake will be there or nah?
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Source: AAron Ontiveroz / Getty
Donald Trump’s attempt to court black and brown voters by dropping limited edition gold sneakers might’ve failed miserably as mostly white MAGA cult members purchased the $400 bricks. It seems like one of his most loyal followers in Congress couldn’t get herself a pair and was relegated to copping a pair of bootlegs.
According to Raw Story, controversial congresswoman Lauren Boebert recently celebrated her surprise Republican primary win in Denver, Colorado by wearing a pair of the MAGA grails, but interestingly enough she admitted they weren’t an authentic pair. Apparently Donald Trump had no problem endorsing her for the 4th Congressional District in eastern Colorado, but stopped short of blessing her with an official pair of “Air Con’s.”
Still, her devotion to her orange overlord is so deep she felt the need to rock a pair by any means necessary on her “big” night and settled for a pair of fugazi “Insurrection 6’s.” Now as disturbing as that is, it pales in comparison to the fact that this transphobic/Beetlejuice “enthusiast” continues to convince swaths of people to keep her employed as a congresswoman of the United States of America. But that’s neither here nor there.
Raw Story reports:
“These are very China, but I’m okay with that,” Boebert said, laughing. “If I could’ve bought the OGs, I would have.”
The originals have already sold out, according to GetTrumpSneakers.com, and remain on pre-order status with an estimated shipping date of sometime next month.
Trump announced the launch of 1,000 custom limited edition “Never Surrender High Tops,” which are reflective gold and feature American flag uppers, with metallic stars on the back and a “T” embossed in the leather, at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia in February.
Not for nothing but we feel like fake Trump sneakers are actually more in-tune with who the man actually is. MAGA hats made in China and fake Trump sneakers should be the everyday attire of his hardcore cult followers. Just sayin.’
What do y’all think of Lauren Boebert’s admission to rocking fake Trump kicks? Did she play herself or was she right on brand? Let us know in the comments section below.
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The sister and niece of Barack Obama were tear-gassed during protests in Kenya’s capital city during a live broadcast.
Protesters filled the streets of Nairobi on Tuesday (June 25), in fierce opposition to a new tax policy levied by the government after a controversial vote. The protests became more tense and violent after the military was summoned, and the elder half-sister of former President Barack Obama, activist Auma Obama, and his niece, Akinyi Obama-Manners, were caught up in a wave of tear gas deployed by police as they were being interviewed by CNN’s international correspondent Larry Madowo. The moment was captured live as Obama explained that she was compelled to take part in the protests because “young Kenyans are demonstrating for their rights.”
“I can’t even see anymore. We are being tear-gassed…” Obama continued as the entire group was subdued by the wave of tear gas, forcing them to leave the scene. “This is one of the most heavy military responses I have seen,” Madowo said on-air, noting the heavy military response to the unarmed protesters turning the streets of Nairobi into “what appears to be a war zone.”
The interview resumed over a minute later, as the 64-year-old activist told Meadow, “I can’t believe that these young people are just trying to demonstrate for their rights… and we are being tear-gassed. We have flags and banners, nothing else.” She went on to describe how the new tax policies – which include a 16% sales tax on bread and a 25% tax increase on cooking oil – would particularly hurt the younger generation of Kenyans. “Over 50% of our population who are under 35 have no jobs. We cannot tax them when they have no jobs,” Obama said.
Protesters would seize access to parts of Kenya’s parliament building at the height of the protests. However, the protests would result in 23 people reported killed by the police, with 50 people alleged to have been abducted by security forces, according to Faith Odhiambo, the president of the Law Society of Kenya. President Rufo addressed the nation and declared that he would not sign the bill in the wake of the violence. “Listening keenly to the people of Kenya who have said loudly that they want nothing to do with this finance bill, I concede, and therefore, I will not sign the 2024 finance bill, and it shall subsequently be withdrawn,” he said in a speech aired on Wednesday (June 26).
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
New evidence of how badly Donald Trump stored classified documents has spurred some on social media into outrage and renewed calls to prevent him from returning to the White House.On Monday evening(June 24), Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team submitted new evidence to the court showing just how haphazardly former President Donald Trump stored numerous boxes of classified government documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate, with photographs showing boxes of documents without lids, stored upside down with their contents spilling out and even wedged in among Christmas ornaments. “Against this backdrop of the haphazard manner in which Trump chose to maintain his boxes, he now claims that the precise order of the items within the boxes when they left the White House was critical to his defense,” the filing read.
Other photos show mundane items such as golf shirts strewn among the documents in their boxes, as well as some amid cases of Diet Coke and presidential souvenirs. Attorneys from Smith’s team made the filing to counter a motion filed by Trump’s attorneys that claimed that the case of Trump willfully hiding classified government documents should be thrown out since the government failed to log the precise contents of the boxes. They also allege that FBI agents who arrived to retrieve the documents destroyed “exculpatory evidence” by not keeping them in order during the search. Trump faces 42 charges in the case which includes willful retention of national security information, corruptly concealing documents, and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
The case, however, has been slowed down so much by Judge Aileen Cannon to the point where legal experts have pointedly accused her of purposely delaying it to help Trump, who appointed her to her position. Judge Cannon postponed the trial indefinitely – it was supposed to begin on May 20. The new evidence however has stunned many online, who cite it as yet another reason that Donald Trump should not return to office in November – if re-elected, he would be in a position to pardon himself as these crimes are federal. The revelation spurred a new wave of outrage from those on social media users, particularly on X, formerly Twitter with some Trump supporters claiming the new photos were “staged”.
We’ve collected some of the more striking reactions to the new evidence below.
1. Dean Obeidallah
2. Ted Lieu
3. Adam Schiff
4. Sjacobs2020
5. Ms.Jamie
6. Jules Morgan
7. Patrick S. Tomlinson
8. Mueller She Wrote
9. Denise Wheeler
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Source: XXL / XXL
One of the most highly anticipated announcements of the year is here. XXL Magazine has revealed their 2024 Freshman class.
The storied Hip-Hop publication is continuing their yearly tradition of spotlighting new talent. Last week XXL unveiled the 11 rappers chosen as those to watch for the remainder of the year and beyond. Labeled as “Not Like Us” the lineup features artists who are already buzzing due to popular singles. Included are the likes of BossMan Dlow who recently gained national attention with his catchy track “Get In With Me”. Representing New York City is ScarLip who originally went viral in 2022 with her single “Glizzy Gobbler”. Her popularity would really skyrocket with the release of her gritty “This Is New York.”
The 2024 ensemble also shines a much deserved light on some Cash Cobain and his sleeper hit “Fisherrr”. The slow melodic effort has given the New York Drill scene a new lane; “Sexy Drill”. So sexy Ice Spice jumped on the remix further extending the lifeline of the song. Lay Bankz, That Mexican OT, BigXthaPlug, Rich Amiri, Hunxho, 4batz, Maiya The Don and Skilla Baby round out the rest of the list. Southside is the producer slotted to make the beats for the 2024 cyphers.
You can see the promotional trailer for the 2024 XXL Magazine Freshman Class below.
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Source: Fulton County Jail / Fulton County Sheriff’s Office
Donald Trump ally Trevian Kutti denied the deaths of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust in a social media post.
As a co-defendant in the Georgia election interference case of former President Donald Trump, Trevian Kutti has become infamous for her grinning mugshot photograph. But her most recent claim that six million Jewish people did not perish in the Holocaust has shocked many. Kutti made that claim in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
“I’ve been to both Dachau and Auschwitz. They could have NEVER ‘ovened’ that many Jews. There weren’t even that many ovens. The number is not 6M. Jews died but it was NOT 6M. If you take a trip, you’ll know that number is a lie. And no, ovens weren’t destroyed,” she wrote, quoting a post that contained a video that was also a denial of the Holocaust.
The backlash was swift as a user responded with a callout referencing Trump’s recent election interference case in New York City: “I mean, you are part of the Trump cult, do we expect anything less from you lot? Ps – he is guilty- 34 counts – take a seat.” Kutti replied, “You are the reason America is broke. Hush,” referencing the poster’s use of the Ukrainian flags in their profile. She then got into an exchange with another commenter who wrote: “Oh man she went full Nazi wow,” to which she replied, “Reading is fundamental.” When challenged, Kutti then stated: “I studied in Germany, speak FLUENT German, AND HAVE READ MEIN KAMPF IN GERMAN. please stay in your place.”
According to data from the United States Holocaust Museum, 2.7 million Jews were killed in gas chambers operated by the Nazis with facilities commonly referred to as “ovens” disposing of those bodies by incineration. Six million Jewish people were estimated to have lost their lives during the Holocaust along with other groups such as the Roma people, ethnic Poles and those with disabilities.
The post is the latest situation involving Kutti, who is currently awaiting trial for her role in the alleged election interference scheme orchestrated by Trump in November 2020 to overturn the results of the presidential election in Georgia. Kutti was indicted along with Trump and 17 others after a two-and-a-half-year investigation. Last December, her attorneys filed a motion to withdraw as her council shortly after she allegedly threatened a witness in the case during an Instagram Live session she was hosting.
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Source: Rolling Stone / Getty / Yungeen Ace
It didn’t take long for Julio Foolio’s death to take an interesting turn.
Rapper Julio Foolio became another victim of senseless gun violence over the weekend when he was shot and killed on his 26th birthday.
Another rapper, Yungeen Ace, threw more fire onto the situation, releasing a new video for an old “diss track” named “Do It, which some believe is aimed at the dead rapper.
In the video, a hooded person can be seen being shot and being relieved of his jewelry.
Per The Vibe, on the song Ace raps:
“Seven days a week, we run this bi**h, we spinnin’/ Any day this week, I bet a ni**a come up missin’/ Ni**a better stay on point (What), he better not be out here slippin’/ Ayy, let’s call his bi**h, these bi**hes up in here/ Ayy, ni**a be tryin’ and sh*t, ni**a be dyin’ and sh*t, uh, uh/ Tell him go free that h* ‘fore Tillie go blam the bi**h, uh, uh.”
In a deleted post on X, formerly Twitter, right after word hit the internet of Julio Foolio’s death, Yungeen Ace wrote, “That boy going back the same day he came in *crying laughing emoji*.”
Yungeen Ace & Julio Foolio’s Beef Timeline
According to The Vibe, the two rappers’ issues stem from a larger beef involving Ace’s crew ATK and Foolio’s crew KTA. Things escalated when Ace appeared on SpinaBenz’s record “Who I Smoke.”
In the song, Ace mentions several of Foolio’s dead associates.
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Foolio quickly responded with “When I See You,” in the song, he featured audio from the news coverage of Ace’s brother’s death.
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Just ridiculous. Of course, the internet is still talking about this sad situation.
Hit the gallery below for those reactions.