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President Donald Trump, already deeply aligned with South African native Elon Musk, made a curious move to invite white refugees to the United States. The move by President Donald Trump was criticized on X, with some noting the contradiction of the policy as it relates to other nationalities.
As reported by the BBC, the first of 49 white South Africans was en route to the United States over the weekend, with President Donald Trump addressing the matter on Monday (May 12). These Afrikaners, who are the minority in the African nation, claim that they’re being targeted and harmed by the Black majority and have made appeals to President Trump to obtain refugee status.
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South Africa’s Foreign Minister Ronald Lamola provided a statement to the press on Monday, saying that “there is no persecution of white Afrikaner South Africans” and pointed to police report data to decry the allegations. Further, the African nation was that the allegations of attacks against White South Africans would not meet the requirements under domestic and international refugee law.
During a press conference alongside Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Donald Trump was asked by a reporter why he is allowing the white refugees a clear path but not doing so for other races of people.
“Because they’re being killed. And we don’t want to see people be killed,” Trump answered. “I have South Africa leadership coming to see me, I understand, sometime next week, and I guess we’re supposed to have a G20 meeting.
Trump continued, “I don’t know how we can go unless that situation’s taken care of. It’s a genocide taking place that you people don’t want to write about. Farmers are being killed. They happen to be white.”
The news of white South Africans being invited to the United States to seek refuge has caught fire on X, and we’ve got reactions below.
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Ras Baraka, the longstanding mayor of Newark, N.J., was arrested Friday at an ICE detention facility in the city he governs. On the X platform, many are outraged that Mayor Ras Baraka was arrested and charged with trespassing for simply looking to examine the conditions of the facility alongside members of Congress.
Local outlet The Star-Ledger reports that Mayor Ras Baraka, 55, was at the Delaney Hall ICE detention facility in Newark, flanked by Democratic Party U.S. Reps. Rob Menendez, LaMonica McIver, and Bonnie Watson Coleman, all of whom represent New Jersey districts. Mayor Baraka and the members of Congress were there to inspect the facility, which Baraka says was constructed without proper building permits, and wanted to conduct oversight measures.
Menendez, McIver, and Watson entered a building located at the facility, but Baraka was barred from entering the building despite being the mayor of the city where the facility is housed. As the congressional members were leaving and walking towards a gate where Baraka stood, officers instructed the mayor to stand outside the gate. One of the congress members’ aides reportedly heard ICE agents discussing arresting the mayor.
A chaotic scene ensued with Rep. Watson in the middle of the fracas. Corporation Counsel Kenyatta Stewart, Newark’s top lawyer, was next to Baraka but was not arrested by ICE officers. U.S. Attorney Alina Habba framed Baraka’s actions as trespassing despite not being inside the building that the Congress members were allowed to enter.
“The Mayor of Newark, Ras Baraka, committed trespass and ignored multiple warnings from Homeland Security Investigations to remove himself from the ICE detention center in Newark, New Jersey this afternoon. He has willingly chosen to disregard the law. That will not stand in this state. He has been taken into custody. NO ONE IS ABOVE THE LAW,” Habba wrote in a statement on X.
Assistant Secretary Dept. of Homeland Security Tricia McLaughlin added in a statement, “Members of Congress storming into a detention facility goes beyond a bizarre political stunt and puts the safety of our law enforcement agents and detainees at risk. Members of Congress are not above the law and cannot illegally break into detention facilities. Had these members requested a tour, we would have facilitated a tour of the facility. This is an evolving situation.”
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has supported Baraka’s efforts to uncover the details of the for-profit detention center, which houses about 1,000 people. The facility was built for detained immigrants as part of President Donald Trump’s crackdown on immigration.
“Mayor Baraka is an exemplary public servant who has always stood up for our most vulnerable neighbors,” Gov. Murphy said in a statement. “I am calling for his immediate release by federal law enforcement.”
Congresswoman Watson Coleman shared on MSNBC that Mayor Baraka will be released by the authorities. Baraka’s rep told Hip-Hop Wired via an email statement that their side is monitoring the situation and will provide details as they develop.
On X, reactions to the arrest of Mayor Ras Baraka have cropped up. We have some of them listed below.
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Pope Leo XIV was announced as the head of the Catholic Church on Thursday, becoming the first American pope in history. According to a genealogist, Pope Leo XIV has African-Creole roots, inspiring many on social media to claim the church leader as Black.
As reported by Black Catholic Messenger, Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Prevost of Chicago, has a connection to New Orleans via his maternal grandparents, who lived in the famed city before moving north to Chicago. Genealogist and expert on Creole history Jari Honora traced the pope’s roots to New Orleans. According to Census data, the pope’s mother, Mildred Martinez, was the mixed-race daughter of Joseph Martinez, who was born in Haiti, and Louise Baquié, a Creole who hailed from New Orleans.
The pope, raised in Chicago’s South Side neighborhood, joined the Augustinian order after being ordained in 1982. He earned a canon law doctorate degree at the Angelicum in Rome, ahead of working for more than a decade in Peru and overseeing an Augustinian seminary there.
The pope already owns the distinction of being the first American named as the pope, and would be considered the first Black pope in history, although it isn’t known if he claims his Creole roots or if he identifies as Black.
“It’s more complicated than that,” Honora said to Black Catholic Messenger. “I think that a person can be of Black ancestry or have Black roots, but to identify as Black, I think, is all about the lived experience.”
Honora was one of several genealogists and researchers who made the connection to Pope Leo XIV’s Creole ancestry, prompting notable chatter online. Many were already celebrating the pope’s ascension, and for being from Chicago, leading to hilarious and excitable reactions across social media.
The pope is part of a religious order named after the African saint, Augustine of Hippo. Leo XIV’s predecessor, Pope Francis, passed away on April 21 at the age of 88.
On X, reactions to the news that Pope Leo XIV has Creole roots have spread far and wide. We’ve got those reactions below.
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Pope Leo XIV was announced as the head of the Catholic Church on Thursday, becoming the first American pope in history. According to a genealogist, Pope Leo XIV has African-Creole roots, inspiring many on social media to claim the church leader as Black.
As reported by Black Catholic Messenger, Pope Leo XIV, formerly Robert Prevost of Chicago, has a connection to New Orleans via his maternal grandparents, who lived in the famed city before moving north to Chicago. Genealogist and expert on Creole history Jari Honora traced the pope’s roots to New Orleans. According to Census data, the pope’s mother, Mildred Martinez, was the mixed-race daughter of Joseph Martinez, who was born in Haiti, and Louise Baquié, a Creole who hailed from New Orleans.
The pope, raised in Chicago’s South Side neighborhood, joined the Augustinian order after being ordained in 1982. He earned a canon law doctorate degree at the Angelicum in Rome, ahead of working for more than a decade in Peru and overseeing an Augustinian seminary there.
The pope already owns the distinction of being the first American named as the pope, and would be considered the first Black pope in history, although it isn’t known if he claims his Creole roots or if he identifies as Black.
“It’s more complicated than that,” Honora said to Black Catholic Messenger. “I think that a person can be of Black ancestry or have Black roots, but to identify as Black, I think, is all about the lived experience.”
Honora was one of several genealogists and researchers who made the connection to Pope Leo XIV’s Creole ancestry, prompting notable chatter online. Many were already celebrating the pope’s ascension, and for being from Chicago, leading to hilarious and excitable reactions across social media.
The pope is part of a religious order named after the African saint, Augustine of Hippo. Leo XIV’s predecessor, Pope Francis, passed away on April 21 at the age of 88.
On X, reactions to the news that Pope Leo XIV has Creole roots have spread far and wide. We’ve got those reactions below.
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Photo: SOPA Images / Getty
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Three Black Memphis police officers were acquitted on charges of beating and killing Tyre Nichols after a 2023 traffic stop went awry. The news of the acquittal has spread widely, sparking anger online and abroad as the family of Tyre Nichols continues to seek justice for their loved one.
As reported by the Associated Press, former Memphis Police Department officers Tadarrius Bean, Demetrius Haley, and Justin Smith were all acquitted on state charges, including second-degree murder, in the death of Tyre Nichols. Nichols was 29 at the time of his passing.
According to the report, jurors from a majority-white county viewed evidence over two days and found the officers not guilty on all charges. The nine-day trial took place in Memphis’ state court. The aforementioned officers are still facing federal charges, with the most serious charges there dropped as well. Emmitt Martin, another former officer, pleaded guilty in both state and federal court and was pegged by defense attorneys as the ringleader of the aggression that ended Nichols’ life.
Nichols was stopped by officers on Jan. 7, 2023, and fled on foot after officers reportedly pulled him out of the car and used a Taser and pepper spray. The five Memphis police officers chased him down and savagely beat Nichols, who was just steps away from his house and calling for his mother to help. Officers were seen on video laughing and carrying on normal conversations as Nichols suffered from his injuries. He eventually died on Jan. 10.
On X, many are voicing their disappointment in the acquittal at the state level for the former officers. We’ve got those reactions listed below.
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Photo: The Washington Post / Getty
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President Donald Trump and Canada’s newest Prime Minister, Mark Carney, met for the first time this past Tuesday (May 6), setting in motion a larger discussion around Trump’s aims for our northern neighbors and tariffs. In the meeting, many online observers kept an eye on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s demeanor and President Donald Trump’s comments, sparking reactions online.
CNN reports that despite the tensions between America and Canada, largely sparked by President Donald Trump’s tariff policies, the conversation between the leaders was not full of pyrotechnical bombast. Notably, Carney and Trump were civil with the Canadian leader telling Trump point blank that his country “won’t be for sale, ever” after Trump hammered home his desire for Canada to become America’s 51st state.
Carney also fact-checked Trump, who claimed that the United States doesn’t do much trade business with Canada despite the high number of imports that cross the border, a border Trump referred to in the meeting as an “imaginary” line. Canada is currently the largest importer of goods from the United States, with Mexico trailing just behind.
While there were moments in the chat that came across as tense in the meeting, Trump believes that the chat went swimmingly.
“No, I don’t see any tension either, we get along very well with both. They just got to pay a little more money, you know, they just, they’re getting away with things that they shouldn’t be. And they understand. We had a great meeting today, actually, with the new prime minister, who’s a terrific guy,” Trump told CNN.
Online, a different picture has been painted of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit with President Donald Trump. We’ve got reactions from X below.
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Mother’s Day is May 10, and if the Mom in your life is into cannabis, we’ve whipped up a quick and handy guide to help you shop. We just published an epic 420 gift guide last month, so this one will be a bit more streamlined as we’re only focusing on women-owned brands.
There are several women-owned cannabis brands out there who develop products for all cannabis enthusiasts, and we’ll attempt to center those brands in this roundup. You will certainly see companies we’ve covered in past roundups, and that’s just because we’re big fans of the featured brands.
Even if Mom doesn’t usually use cannabis products that employ THC, we’ve also got some CBD items below, which are purported to have vast therapeutic benefits. We’re certain to have a little bit of something for everyone in this guide.
If there is a women-owned cannabis brand with great products for Mother’s Day you’d like to see featured, email D.L. Chandler [dchandler@bhmdigital.com], and we’ll do our best to update the guide.
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1. Black Buddha Cannabis
Source:Black Buddha Cannabis
Black Buddha Cannabis was founded by Roz McCarthy, with women at the forefront, sparking the inspiration for the brand. Specializing in premium medical marijuana, Black Buddha Cannabis is sold in Arizona, Ohio, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
Learn more here.
2. ButACake
Source:@ButACake
ButACake is a Black and woman-owned edible cannabis brand founded by trained pastry chef, Matha Figaro. We haven’t tried out the product, but considering Ms. Figaro’s story and what we’re all about at Urban One, we had to feature them. Hopefully, we can get our hands on some product soon.
Learn more here.
3. Cake She Hits Different
Source:Cake She Hits Different
Cake She Hits Different is owned by Chloe Kaleiokalani, and her brand boasts California’s top-selling all-in-one vape in the brand’s Designer Distillate device. Cake She Hits Different is also available in Arizona and will be entering the Nevada market this year.
Learn more here.
4. House of Puff
Source:House of Puff
House of Puff, founded by Kristina Lopez Adduci, is a Latina and woman-owned cannabis accessories brand based in New York. The company specializes in high-end “puffware” along with other products.
Learn more here.
5. LumiBloom
Source:LumiBloom
LumiBloom is a Black and woman-owned brand founded by MacKenzie McClain Hill. Focusing on beauty and overall wellness, LumiBloom makes CBD a centerpiece in some of its products, including bath salts, bath bombs, oils, and even hand sanitizer.
Learn more here.
6. Rollin Rosa
Source:Rollin Rosa
Rollin Rosa, founded in Chicago in 2022, is the brainchild of Vanessa Cardenas and Victoria Cristina Ruiz. Their pre-rolls come equipped with rose-colored tips in their light green vegan cones. It is one of the handful of Latina-owned cannabis brands emerging in the States.
Learn more here.
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Roc Marciano burst onto the scene with his debut album, Marcberg, in 2010 and has blazed several trails since the release of what many consider to be a modern classic. Roc Marciano fans can now rejoice as Marcberg is available for the first time on streaming services in honor of the project’s 15th anniversary.
Hailing from Hempstead, Long Island, N.Y., Roc Marciano made his first splash as a member of Busta Rhymes’ sprawling Flipmode Squad before breaking away from the collective to form The U.N. He embarked on a solo career, delivering Marcberg on May 4, 2010. The sound of the album was a shift in sound as dusty, sample-heavy Hip-Hop was pushed to the side as something only so-called “backpackers” were into.
What Marciano did, however, was take New York City slick talk and place it atop soulful production that highlighted the relentless and highly visual lyrical ability of the producer and rapper. Handling all the production on Marcberg, Marciano, alongside other innovators like Hus Kingpin and Westside Gunn, helped usher in the current wave of sparsely produced tracks that emphasized the lyrics instead of the drums.
The album only has one feature, with the late, great Sean Price appearing on the remix for “Snow,” who sounded at home over Marciano’s powerful production. Roc Marciano is still delivering music at a high clip, dropping the stellar Marciology and The Skeleton Key, the latter of which features The Alchemist handling all production.
On X, fans are celebrating 15 years of Marcberg. Check out the reactions below.
Find Marcberg at your preferred DSP here.
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New York Knicks star Jalen Brunson proved why he was named this year’s Kia Clutch Player of the Year after delivering a huge three-point make against the Detroit Pistons in their first-round series. Despite a spirited performance from the upstart Pistons, Jalen Brunson, who seemingly lives for these moments, dropped the dagger from beyond the arc and sank the hopes of Detroit.
The Knicks visited the Pistons with a 3-2 advantage in their best-of-seven series, which got testy in game 4 with the Pistons showing plenty of fight in the contest and coming away with the win. It appeared that the Pistons were on their way to capturing the win on their home court, but the tight defense of the Knicks and their hot shooting tied things up towards the end of regulation.
Brunson faced yet another round of boos and insults from fans and a relentless onslaught of speed, offense, and defense from Detroit’s young core of Cade Cunningham, Ausar Thompson, and Jalen Duren. However, with the game tied 113-all and just 20 seconds on the clock, Brunson tied the cape around his neck and went to work.
With the much taller Thompson guarding him, Brunson shrugged off the coverage, hit a crossover dribble, and drained one of the biggest three-pointers of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. After hitting the shot, Brunson blew kisses to the crowd, and the Pistons made an effort to score, but the Knicks’ defensive scheme headed off their plans.
Brunson and the New York Knicks will now face the defending champion Boston Celtics in what’s expected to be a must-see series.
On X, Jalen Brunson’s clutch heroics were the top-trending topic. We’ve got reactions below.
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