Current Events
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Donald Trump falsely blamed President Joe Biden’s border policies as the spur for a terror attack in New Orleans on New Year’s Eve, hours after the tragedy.
On early Wednesday morning (January 1), a man driving a pickup truck intentionally drove into a crowd of revelers celebrating New Year’s Eve in New Orleans’ French Quarter, killing 15 and injuring 35. After crashing on Bourbon Street, the man identified as Shamsud-Din Jabbar was killed in a shootout with police. Before Jabbar was recognized as an American citizen by authorities, Donald Trump declared on social media that the perpetrator was a criminal migrant who got into the country thanks to President Joe Biden’s “open border” policies, claiming on Truth Social that the “criminals coming in are far worse than the criminals we have in our country.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation identified Shamsud-Din Jabbar as a 42-year-old former U.S. Army veteran from Texas, who was discharged in 2020. The rental truck had an ISIS flag strapped to the back, and it was later revealed by sources close to the investigation that videos that Jabbar left behind showed he had originally intended to kill his family after being divorced by his wife but changed his mind, referencing several dreams where he was inspired to join the terror group.
The president-elect’s comments were stoked by other right-wing figures who took to speculating wildly online after the incident. Stephen Miller, Trump’s senior domestic policy adviser, blamed immigration overall for the attack in a post on X, formerly Twitter, writing: “Islamic terrorism is an import. It is not “homegrown.” It did not exist here before immigration brought it here.” Fox News had issued an erroneous report Wednesday morning claiming that the truck had crossed into the U.S. from Mexico two days earlier, but would later retract it.
As for Trump, despite the information that has already been published, he is doubling down, attacking President Biden and the FBI and Department of Justice. In another Truth Social post issued early Thursday morning (January 2), he wrote: “Our Country is a disaster, a laughing stock all over the World! This is what happens when you have OPEN BORDERS, with weak, ineffective, and virtually nonexistent leadership.” He’d follow that up with another post in the third person, writing: “TRUMP WAS RIGHT ABOUT EVERYTHING.”
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Source: TORBEN CHRISTENSEN / Getty / SZA
SZA doesn’t deny she got upgrades, but she is not here for folks wishing she didn’t get work done in the first place.
Monday, the singer had time for body-shaming trolls who wanted to focus more on her weight than the success of her latest album, SOS Deluxe: LANA.
A video from one of her fan pages showing the “Kill Bill” singer during the 2020 quarantine, with the caption “I miss this era so much,” sparked a discussion of the singer’s weight change.
Most of the comments were positive, but the negative always seems to stick out more when it comes to these celebs. One comment, “aka before she got big and bbl culture like,” really got her attention, explaining that negative comments like that one are the reason she got work done on her body in the first place.
“Yall say weird s–t like this and wonder why I’m different and don’t feel comfortable w yall anymore . Lol,” SZA said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
She further clarified that “I’m different” refers to her social media behavior and interaction with her fans and not changing her appearance.
Yall do realize I mean different as in I don’t go on live+ talk and don’t communicate w yall like that anymore lmao not different as in change my appearance tf 😭
— SZA (@sza) December 30, 2024
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The 35-year-old also revealed that she wasn’t happy in the 2020 video, revealing the year was tough on her following her grandmother’s passing, sending her into depression, and her not eating and working out too much.
Covid was hard … my granny had just died .. I was hella depressed n masking . Not eating. Over working out . but I always had my childhood home to n get lost . Still do . Grateful to be in a much better mental space now. ❤️ s/o to those days tho❤️
— SZA (@sza) December 30, 2024
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SZA Has Always Kept It Real About Her BBL
SZA has never been one trying to beat the bbl allegations and proudly flaunts her killer curves in her music videos and posts on social media. She did admit to getting a Brazilian butt lift in 2022 after trying to see results the old-fashioned way, but the gym didn’t work.
In an interview with British Vogue, she said she was “so mad” that she “did that s—t.”
“I gained all this weight from being immobile while recovering and trying to preserve the fat. It was just so stupid,” she continued, “But who gives a f—k? You got a BBL, you realize you didn’t need the s–t. It doesn’t matter.”
As long as SZA’s happy, we’re happy.
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Source: Anadolu / Getty
2025 isn’t even a few days old and already violence across America is making headlines, as criminals and terrorists are leaving mass destruction in their wake.
Just hours after learning that a former Army veteran turned Isis sympathizer used a truck to plow through a New Year’s crowd in New Orleans Tuesday night (Dec. 31), TMZ is reporting that a mass shooting took place in New York City Wednesday (Jan. 1). According to the report, the shooting happened during a memorial service outside of Amazura in Queens as “three or four people” opened fire on the unsuspecting victims as the service was underway. Authorities said approximately 30 shots were fired into the crowd, and 10 people were wounded as a result.
TMZ reports:
The victims were all part of a group of mostly teens — 16 to 20 years old — who were waiting outside to enter the private event inside the club.
Six females and 4 males were taken to hospitals. Authorities say none had life-threatening injuries.
Law enforcement sources tell TMZ … the mass shooting took place during a birthday memorial for a homicide victim and detectives believe the violence might be gang-related. Our sources noted there was no link to the 2 New Year’s attacks with apparent ties to terrorism in Louisiana and Nevada.
The assailants fled on foot and jumped into a car before fleeing the scene. Police believe the incident to be gang related but have yet to identify any possibly suspects.
2025 isn’t even a week old and already we have an Isis attack, a Cybertruck blowing up outside of a Trump hotel in Las Vegas, a possible bird flu pandemic on the creep, and now this.
It feels like it’s going to be a long ass year.
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Source: Roy Rochlin / Getty / Roy Wood Jr.
CNN’s New Year’s Eve Live with Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper has become a hit with viewers due to the drunk shenanigans they partake in during the show, but comedian Roy Wood Jr. wanted no part of the action.
The former Daily Show correspondent, now host of Have I Got News For You, appeared on the New Year’s Eve show alongside his co-stars Michael Ian Black and Amber Ruffin and hilariously turned down a tequila drink from Cohen.
“Oh, no!” Wood Jr. told Cohen while Black and Ruffin agreed to the tequila shot offer. “No, I don’t. The last Black man that drank on this network got fired. I’m going to keep it with water for right now. I need some stability.”
Cohen and Cooper ignored Wood Jr.’s hilarious response as the Watch What Happens Live host poured Black and Ruffin shots.
Roy Wood Jr. refused tequila shot on #CNNNYE: “The Last Black Man To Drink On This Network Got Fired” pic.twitter.com/X9DeQG5gPm
— Deadline (@DEADLINE) January 1, 2025
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We All Knew He Was Referring To Don Lemon
Wood Jr.’s well-timed joke alludes to Don Lemon’s tenure with the news network. During his 17 years with the networks, Lemon became popular for getting drunk while hosting New Year’s Eve coverage. Lemon and CNN parted ways in 2023.
“I was informed this morning by my agent that I have been terminated by CNN. I am stunned. After 17 years at CNN I would have thought that someone in management would have had the decency to tell me directly. At no time was I ever given any indication that I would not be able to continue to do the work I have loved at the network. It is clear that there are some larger issues at play,” Lemon told his followers. “With that said, I want to thank my colleagues and the many teams I have worked with for an incredible run. They are the most talented journalists in the business, and I wish them all the best.”
It sounds like CNN needs to add Roy Wood Jr. to New Year’s Eve Live show permanently.
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Source: Justin Ford / Getty
Mississippi Valley State University, an HBCU, is currently catching hell on social media for accepting an invite for its marching band, the Mean Green Marching Machine, to perform at Donald Trump’s inauguration and launching a GoFundMe campaign to pay for the trip.
Trump’s inauguration will take place on Jan. 20, 2025, the same date that the nation will observe Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It turns out a lot of people, especially Black people, don’t think it’s appropriate for the marching band of a historically Black college to perform for the president who, in 2020, exclusively targetted predominately Black and Latino voting precincts in his baseless and factless election fraud propaganda campaign — especially on the holiday honoring the civil rights icon who famously fought for Black people’s right to vote.
Unfortunately, the administrators at MVSU didn’t get the memo.
Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU) is catching side-eyes after accepting an invitation to march in Trump’s upcoming inaugural parade on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, January 20, 2025. https://t.co/q7U3oN67lt pic.twitter.com/7wpKOkV1DV
— Bossip (@Bossip) December 30, 2024
From Revolt:
“This historic invitation highlights the band’s legacy of excellence and cultural significance, showcasing the university and Mississippi’s rich heritage globally. This invitation continues MVSU’s tradition of groundbreaking national performances. In 1965, the band became the first Historically Black College or University (HBCU) ensemble to march in the Tournament of Roses Parade. They returned to Pasadena in 1968 and performed in President Richard Nixon’s inaugural parade on Jan. 20, 1969. These milestones reflect the band’s enduring legacy as cultural ambassadors for Mississippi and the HBCU community.”
Dr. Jerryl Briggs, MVSU president, noted that, “This is not just a moment of pride for our university but for the entire state of Mississippi. It is an opportunity to showcase our legacy, celebrate our culture, and invest in the future leaders of our community.”
Yeah — it’s arguable that all the invitation actually “highlights” is the president-elect’s willingness to continue pandering to Black people after promising to fight racism against white people while denying the very existence of systemic racism against Black people. Trump spearheaded the propaganda-reliant attack on critical race theory, issued an executive order banning diversity training in the workplace, and promised to end all DEI programs across America. He advocated for the military to shoot Black Lives Matter protesters, and he called for the execution of the Central Park Five, whose exoneration and innocence he still refuses to acknowledge.
Perhaps the administrators at MVSU would do well to understand that Black excellence shouldn’t include taking a seat at everyone’s table, and marching for a white nationalist could easily be interpreted as sambo-esque tap-dancing with a little extra razzle-dazzle.
Needless to say, the fine folks on X are displeased. Check out some of the reactions below.
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Source: @coileray / Instagram
Coi Leray has a bun in the oven. The “Players” rapper announced that she is expecting her first child with fellow rapper Trippie Redd.
The daughter of rapper and reality TV star Benzino took to Instagram to make the announcement and set off the new year. “I’m a rock star mommy 💋🥹 we ready for 2025 🖤,” was her caption of 10 photos posted on Wednesday, January 1, 2025, that show off the petite MC’s growing baby bump. Per her IG Stories, she is about four months along—meaning a delivery day around May or June.
Also included in the flicks is the proud papa, boyfriend Trippie Redd.
Last we heard from Coi Leray, she was taking her dad to task earlier this year for his apparent defending of R. Kelly during a podcast appearance. To say their relationship is “strained” would be an understatement. Leray’s last proper album, her sophomore project Coi, was released in June 2023. Recently, Leray also shared that she just copped her second home.
Congratulations to the happy couple.
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Source: WADE VANDERVORT / Getty / Cybertruck
New details are emerging about the suspect behind a Tesla Cybertruck exploding in front of a Las Vegas Trump Hotel.
Local news affiliate ABC13 KTNV Las Vegas is sharing new details in the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion that left one person dead (the suspect) and multiple people injured.
The news website reports that following federal search operations in Colorado Springs, the suspect behind the explosion rented Elon Musk’s latest monstrosity via the Turo app.
NEW: Video shows Tesla Cybertruck explosion at the Trump Hotel in Las Vegas. No word yet on the cause pic.twitter.com/tR9UabrsH4
— BNO News (@BNONews) January 1, 2025
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Investigators have identified the suspect as 37-year-old Matthew Livelsberger, who is linked to multiple addresses in Colorado Springs.
The FBI and ATF are currently searching one of Livelsberger’s townhome residences.
What’s raising eyebrows is the possible connection to the fatal Las Vegas attack that left 15 dead and as many as 30 people hurt.
ABC13 KTNV reports that Federal sources say the suspect in Las Vegas and the suspect behind the fatal attack in New Orleans were both in the military. Another connection is that they both use the Turo app to rent the vehicles used in separate incidents that could have been acts of domestic terrorism.
Social Media Reactions To The Cybertruck Explosion
The immediate reaction to Livelsberger allegedly turning the vehicle into a bomb filled with fireworks, camping fuel, and gas tanks was immediate.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Musk used the moment to highlight how the suspect chose the “wrong vehicle” as a bomb, praising his Cybertruck’s ability to contain an explosion, writing, “The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards. Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken.”
The evil knuckleheads picked the wrong vehicle for a terrorist attack. Cybertruck actually contained the explosion and directed the blast upwards.
Not even the glass doors of the lobby were broken. https://t.co/9vj1JdcRZV
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2025
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One user pointed out that Phony Stark shouldn’t be so quick to glaze himself, alluding to the fact that the suspect’s poor bomb design, not the vehicle, prevented the explosion from worsening.
People are using the Las Vegas bombing to show the quality of the Cybertruck, when it reality it shows the quality of the explosive device that was used.
From the photo it looks to be poorly constructed and poorly thought out and that’s good for the people in the area. Thank… pic.twitter.com/cLcFYDwqyW
— Happy Captain (@EODHappyCaptain) January 2, 2025
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Another user pointed out a possible design flaw: the suspect couldn’t even get out of the vehicle. This hints at why Elon Musk and the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) are so eager to abolish the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
The only person to die in the Cybertruck fire outside of Trump’s hotel in Vegas was the driver, who couldn’t escape. If I was the billionaire manufacturer behind it, I’d want to eliminate the US consumer protection bureau too. pic.twitter.com/6w6Jk1fzqQ
— Brandy Bryant 🏳️⚧️ (@InkMasterbator) January 1, 2025
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Other reactions point out that a Cybertruck exploding in front of a Trump hotel is a fitting way to start the year because of Musk’s involvement in the incoming Trump administration.
If this image isn’t setting the tone for 2025 I don’t know what is… pic.twitter.com/PAOBOGsdcd
— Travon Free (@Travon) January 1, 2025
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Welp.
You can see more reactions in the gallery below.
1. Before they go blaming an undocument immigrant for the attack, peep his profile
2. Poetic indeed
3. Eyewitness accounts
4. Homebred terrorism at play?
5. America is cooked
6. You couldn’t make this stuff up if you wanted to
7. 2025 is going to be a very interesting year
8.
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Robert Brooks, an inmate at a central New York state correctional facility, died after he was savagely beaten by officers while restrained and the entire incident was seen by the wider public via bodycam video footage. As a result, the FBI and other agencies are investigating the death of Robert Brooks as the family seeks answers and justice.
According to several reports, including local outlet Utica Observer-Dispatch, Robert Brooks, 43, has been jailed since 2017 and serving a 12-year sentence at the Mohawk Correctional Facility for stabbing a woman multiple times and took a plea deal to have a second-degree murder charge dropped.
As the Observer-Dispatch adds, the release of the bodycam footage by the New York State Attorney General’s Office showed Brooks being cooperative with the correctional officers and was cuffed as the officers used brutal force. From what we did watch, the officers used their hands and feet to administer heavy blows to Brooks, who never once appeared to resist. Brooks would later succumb to his injuries at a Utica hospital on Dec. 10. Admittedly, we could not finish the video but the footage can be viewed by following this link. We do urge caution before opening.
New York Attorney General Letitia James held a virtual press conference on Friday, Dec. 27 regarding the Brooks matter and offered a statement.
“Mr. Brooks had been incarcerated at Mohawk Correctional Facility and was transferred to Marcy on Dec. 9. During the incident, he was handcuffed with his hands behind his back,” James said. “I don’t take the release of these videos lightly. But as attorney general, I release these videos because I have a responsibility and duty to the Brooks family and their loved ones and all New Yorkers with transparency and accountability.”
CNN added in its reporting that several elected officials and organizations spoke out after witnessing the footage, including New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the ACLU. The organization says that they have monitored reports from the Marcy Correctional Facility of inmate mistreatment by officers.
As the matter of Robert Brooks continues to develop, we will take note of all happenings and share them with the readership.
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Photo: Getty
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Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy have been vocal proponents of the incoming administration of President-elect Donald Trump and their proposed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) office along with their stances on H-1B visas. After feeling the wrath of the MAGA faithful, Elon Musk shifted his tone while Donald Trump showed support for the visa program for foreign workers which has angered the many figures within the GOP and the wider base.
On Christmas Day, Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy made their case for the support of H-1B visas with the suggestion that the program allows business leaders to find the best engineering minds possible. Ramaswamy found himself in the thick of it when he casually suggested that Americans and the media they consume might be contributing to their lack of engineering or intellectual excellence. Musk, a recipient of an H-1B visa himself, likened the recruitment of the foreign workforce to selecting the best players of the NBA, which too has several foreign-born players who are near the top of their class.
Over the weekend, Trump joined the fray and expressed his approval of the aforementioned visa program.
“I’ve always liked the (H1-B) visas, I have always been in favor of the visas, that’s why we have them,” Trump said in an interview with the New York Post. “I have many H-1B visas on my properties. I’ve been a believer in H-1B. I have used it many times. It’s a great program.”
This comment from Trump was an exaggeration of facts as reports came forth that many Trump staffers who work at his properties on visas did so through the H-2B visa program, which gives companies the ability to recruit foreign workers for temporary jobs such as hospitality work. According to a CNN report, Trump last used the H-1B visa program in 2022 in order to hire a data analyst for the Trump Media & Technology Group Corp.
This has sparked right-wing infighting with key figures such as former Trump strategist Steve Bannon and Laura Loomer aiming at both Trump and Musk for walking back the campaign promises of the so-called America First agenda that focused on mass deportation and the hiring of more American workers at some of the top companies.
Elonn Musk has been defiant in his unique way and issued a profane reply on X towards Christian conservative Steven Mackey, who criticized Musk’s endorsement of the H-1B visa program.
“The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B. Take a big step back and F*CK YOURSELF in the face. I will go to war on this issue the likes of which you cannot possibly comprehend,” Trump wrote to Mackey.
The Tesla founder has since softened his rhetoric, writing on his X platform, “Please post a bit more positive, beautiful or informative content on this platform” which garnered several passionate and colorful responses. This also sparked a still unproven rumor that Musk is using X under the “Adrian Dittman” alias.
We’ve got X comments regarding Elon Musk, Donald Trump, Vivek Ramaswamy, H-1B visas, and the MAGA kerfuffle below.
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Photo: Getty
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Source: The Washington Post / Getty
For all of the MAGA world’s griping about the ills of “left-wing media,” supporters of Donald Trump really should be thanking some of these supposedly left-leaning networks and publications for using soft language to water down the (alleged) consistent lies, blatant bigotry, idiocracy and general absurdity of the president-elect. From the Washington Post to the New York Times, there are a number of news outlets that are reviled by conservatives that also get blasted from the other side for needlessly normalizing Trump and his ilk by refusing to call a spade a spade, or, in Trump’s case, they refuse to call a diet fascist white nationalist idiot a diet fascist white nationalist idiot.
CNN is no different.
Over the weekend, Trump expressed renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, an autonomous Danish territory, which he had talked about wanting to purchase back in 2019.
“For purposes of National Security and Freedom throughout the World, the United States of America feels that the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity,” Trump posted on Truth Social. Trump also wants to violate a 1977 treaty by taking over the Panama Canal to reduce the high costs of ships passing through, and he recently told Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that Canada should become a new “state” of the U.S.
Is it wild that Trump is out here talking about taking over other countries and territories (against the wishes of the leaders of said territories) in order to preserve “National Security and Freedom” in America? Hell yeah — or at least it would be if certain media outlets didn’t insist on treating Trump like he’s the new normal.
From Raw Story:
In reporting on these remarks, CNN was accused of “sanitizing” the story and “sane washing” it by reporting it as follows: “The president-elect has suggested a territorial extension into Panama, Greenland, and Canada. If he’s serious, it would rival the Louisiana Purchase.”
Election lawyer Marc Elias took to Blue Sky on Tuesday to shame the network and call it “hopelessly broken.”
“1. This ‘expansion’ would require military invasions of several allies in violation of international law. 2. It would violate several treaties. 3. The Louisiana Purchase was the sale of land by a colonial power (France). These are sovereign nations,” he said.
“So Trump wants to annex Greenland, Canada, and Panama, and invade Mexico. A whole lot of gullible people were telling me he was the antiwar, anti-imperial candidate,” remarked digital strategist Robert Cruickshank on X.
Melanie D’Arrigo of the Campaign for New York Health called out CNN for “manufacturing consent for Trump to attack and invade our allies.”
Film and television editor Michael Tae Sweeney said on Blue Sky that CNN is guilty of doing this over several years. It’s all an effort to “try to help Trump and fool their audience by lying to them.”
USA Today opinion columnist Michael J. Stern told CNN, “When one country tries to take over parts of another country it’s not ‘expansion,’ it’s an illegal act of war.” He linked it to another CNN story with the headline, “Trump is teasing US expansion into Panama, Greenland and Canada.”
Part of the reason Trump is about to be president again is that major media outlets and prominent lawmakers and other elected officials keep treating him and his antics like they are normal and acceptable. His supporters keep pretending their MAGA messiah is “anti-establishment,” but, honestly, it’s the “establishment” that they have to thank for his continued existence.
It’s not even irony, it’s just pure hypocrisy.
And it’s the American way.