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April 14, 2026
The pushback is the latest in increased public backlash from rural area subjected to host hyperscale data centers.
Residents of Festus, Missouri, were not feeling the city council’s approval of a $6 billion data center, so they decided to fire more than half of the officials in a fight to save their community, Politico reports. 
The small town, just 30 minutes south of St. Louis and home to roughly 12,000 people, showed up to an election to express disdain over the approval of the massive data center and relieve four elected officials who voted for the center of their duties: Jim Tinnin, Jim Collier, Brian Wehner and Bobby Venz.
“I ran because I thought the city was not listening to people,” said Rick Belleville, 70, who beat out Tinnin by more than 40 percentage points. “It’s really the way the deal was handled that led to this kind of uprising.” 
Festus residents don’t plan on stopping at the city council. They are targeting Mayor Sam Richards by gathering signatures for a recall petition to oust the mayor and the remaining four council members. A lawsuit was also filed against the city and developer CRG, as residents have repeatedly called on council members to answer a few unanswered questions before the March 30 vote.
One such question: Who is operator for the center scheduled to be built on 360 wooded acres on the city’s southwest side?
Resident Sherman Boyle said, “This was so avoidable,” and pressured future city leaders to “listen to your residents.”
Fellow Festus resident Lori Merriman started a grassroots group, Wake Up JeffCo, to fight data center projects in her city and the surrounding areas. “This is going in almost next door to our house,” she said. “We just built it two years ago. It was supposed to be our forever home.”
The pushback is the latest in the growing public backlash against rural areas that host hyperscale data centers despite residents’ objections. 
A large data center in South Memphis, Tennessee, operated by Elon Musk’s xAI, has drawn widespread criticism for being powered by natural gas. Residents accuse the data center of increasing nitrogen oxide air pollution, causing breathing problems for the people who call South Memphis home.
Data from the Pew Research Center revealed more than 1,500 new data centers are in development nationwide—and more are on the way— with most planned construction taking place in the South and Midwest. Seventy-five percent of all planned data centers will be built in these two regions, with the South accounting for almost half. Southern states are set to become home to 754 data centers in addition to 1,209 already in existence. 
Just like Merriman, 38% of Americans live within a five-mile radius of at least one data center and since many are built in bulk, nine out of 10 data centers are within five miles of each other. 
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The 10th annual Black Maternal Health Week is officially underway after a kickoff walk and virtual pep rally.
Ten years in and Black Maternal Health Week, the annual call to confront the Black Maternal Health crisis in the country, remains rooted in justice and joy. Monday’s virtual pep rally only made that abundantly clear.
Beginning at noon with an upbeat remix of Jill Scott’s “Golden,” the rally’s energy was palpable. Midwives across time zones called in from mobile clinics, organizers checked in from conference rooms and community centers, and advocates greeted one another like family in the stream’s comments. There were minor technical glitches, laughter, and plenty of grace before a steady flow took hold. The 10th annual Black Maternal Health Week had officially begun.
This week, themed “rooted in justice and joy” for 2026, officially opened following an annual walk in Atlanta on Saturday, April 11, where families, birth workers, and advocates alike gathered for what has become a rallying kickoff.
“Campaign 2026 is a significant year for BMHW as we mark 10 years of establishing the global Black maternal health movement,” one speaker said early on during the virtual rally. “We have worked alongside Black mamas, families, birth workers, advocates, researchers and organizers to sound the alarm of the rising maternal mortality rates, confront inequities in maternity care and lift up community-driven solutions rooted in birth and reproductive justice.”  
When BMHW was initially launched in 2016 by the Black Mamas Matter Alliance, Roe v. Wade, the federal protection that once guaranteed a person’s right to abortion access in this country, was still the law of the land. After it was overturned in 2022, and a wave of restrictions that have reshaped reproductive care across the country was ushered in, the already dangerous landscape has become that much more precarious for Black women. In addition to some of the first deaths tied to the fall of Roe v. Wade being those of Black women, some of the first to be criminalized for their pregnancy outcomes have also been Black. 
Meanwhile, Black women, who have some of the highest rates for poor pregnancy outcomes, are still over three times more likely to die from pregnancy-related causes than any other demographic in the United States, with more than 80% of those deaths considered preventable. These figures have barely budged, even as awareness has grown over the last decade. 
“We are at a critical moment where many of the policies being made are intentionally harmful to Black women and families, and where other policy making erases or ignores us all together,” said Elizabeth Dawes, co-founder of the Black Mamas Matter Alliance.  
As that reality remained top of mind, it became clear from the other rally participants that solving this problem and improving those odds once and for all is on all of us. 
“We are here. We are the solution,” one speaker said. 
Organizers from around the country, one by one, offered insight into what they have been doing to help the situation in their individual corners. In North Miami, a mobile midwife clinic recently rolled out as the centerpiece of a new initiative, offering free care directly to families. The bus, outfitted with exam rooms and stocked with supplies, delivers midwife and doula care alongside mental health services, nutrition support and essential baby items. 
“We are providing free midwife and doula care to every Black mama and every mama and family that needs us,” an organizer shared while virtually walking viewers through the space.  
Meanwhile, in Philadelphia, a maternal mental health conference unfolded alongside a community baby shower that served more than 200 people. Over in Nebraska, organizers have trained dozens of community members as doulas, building a pipeline of culturally competent care. In Georgia, a statewide doula network is bringing its work directly to college campuses, making sure the next generation of health professionals understands what comprehensive care should look like.
The overarching feeling was one that’s been increasingly touted lately, “no one is coming to save us.” Communities are building infrastructures that do not rely on the institutions that have only continued to fail them. Federal policy advocates are pushing for structural change while local organizations are filling gaps in real time through mutual aid, education, and direct services.
“This is the time where we stand strong, where we demand justice from the current system, while creating our own infrastructure of care,” Dawes said.
There are plenty of more opportunities across the country throughout the week for people to get involved, whether through national events led by Black Mamas Matter Alliance or through local efforts by organizations.
In Washington, D.C., this includes a full slate of events from D.C.-based organization Mamatoto Village, which kicked things off with a 5K walk at National Harbor and will continue with community tabling, a maternal health fair at Howard University Hospital, and an inaugural Friday night soiree designed to bring culture and support into one room. 
Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, organizers are hosting community baby showers and resource fairs across neighborhoods, pairing celebration with direct access to care. Then, in Austin, a weeklong summit is moving through conversations on mental health, physical health, advocacy, and fatherhood before closing out with a community celebration. The week spans through Friday, April 17, but organizers all attested that the work continues long after. 
“Black maternal health week is more than a moment,” the opening speaker said. “It is a declaration that Black mamas deserve to thrive.”
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April 13, 2026
BAFTA acknowledges shortcomings in its handling of the Tourette’s N-Word scandal involving Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo.
Following a formal review of the Tourette’s-related N-word controversy at the BAFTA Awards 2026 involving Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo, the organization acknowledged it “fell short” in handling the incident that sparked global outrage.
On April 10, an independent review commissioned by the BAFTA board and carried out by RISE Associates found that the British Academy of Film and Television Arts fell short in its duty of care to guests, members, and viewers when a racial slur was shouted during the February awards. However, it found no malicious intent, the BBC reports. In response, the organization said it did not “adequately anticipate or fully prepare for the impact of such an incident in a live event environment.”
“As a result, our duty of care to everyone at the ceremony and watching at home fell short,” BAFTA said, noting the personal apologies the Academy gave to all parties affected by the incident.
During the live February ceremony, John Davidson, an executive producer on the BAFTA-winning film “I Swear,” involuntarily shouted a racial slur while Jordan and Lindo were on stage. The BAFTAs’ report follows a separate BBC investigation, which found the broadcast breached editorial standards and should not have aired the slur, though it was not intentional.
BAFTAs’ review found “a number of structural weaknesses” in the award show’s planning and crisis management.
“However,” the board noted, “it found no evidence of malicious intent by those involved in delivering the event, and we accept its conclusions in full.”
“We apologize unreservedly to the Black community, for whom the racist language used carries real pain, brutality, and trauma; to the disability community, including people with Tourette Syndrome, for whom this incident has led to unfair judgement, stigma, and distress; and to all our members, guests at the ceremony and those watching at home,” the board said in a statement. “What was supposed to be a moment of celebration was diminished and overshadowed.”
The British Academy said it is already implementing changes to prevent a repeat, including stronger escalation protocols, improved communication, and enhanced planning around access, inclusion, and support. The BBC has also pledged reforms, outlining steps to improve event planning, live production, and content takedown processes.
The backlash lingered for weeks. Davidson said he was “deeply mortified” by any suggestion his tics were intentional, while Lindo noted that no one from BAFTA contacted him or Jordan after the incident. The controversy also became a point of discussion at the NAACP Image Awards, where many voiced support for the actors.

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The actor and TV host is expanding into publishing, aiming to spotlight diverse voices and support both new and established authors.
Whoopi Goldberg is stepping further into the publishing world with the launch of her own imprint, WhoopInk, created in partnership with Blackstone Publishing.
According to the Associated Press, the new imprint will focus on bringing fresh and diverse voices into the literary space, while also working across a wide range of genres. Goldberg, who has authored more than a dozen books herself, is expected to play a hands-on role in the process, from shaping book concepts to contributing to cover design and promotion.
In a statement announcing the launch, Goldberg said she is eager to discover new writers while also collaborating with established authors. She described the imprint as a platform for “influential voices,” signaling a broader mission to expand representation in publishing.
WhoopInk already has projects in development. One of the first authors connected to the imprint is Rick Bleiweiss, a Blackstone executive who previously worked with Goldberg on her recent memoir, “Bits and Pieces: My Mother, My Brother, and Me.” The imprint is expected to publish the next installment in his mystery series, “Pignon Scorbion & the Barbershop Detectives.”
Goldberg also plans to release additional books of her own through WhoopInk, including a follow-up to “Bits and Pieces,” which has seen commercial success and is now being released in paperback.
The move places Goldberg among a growing list of high-profile figures entering the publishing space. Celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, John Legend, and Questlove have all launched their own imprints, while others such as Reese Witherspoon and Dua Lipa have built influential book clubs.
Best known for her stellar and decades-long acting career and as a co-host on “The View,” Goldberg is now adding publisher to her list of roles. With WhoopInk, she aims to create opportunities for a wider range of storytellers and bring new perspectives to readers.
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Offset’s mother, Latabia Woodward, is speaking out as her son continues to recover after being shot.
Offset’s mother, Latabia Woodward, is speaking out as her son continues to recover after being shot.
Woodward, who typically stays off social media when it comes to her son, whether the news is good or bad, broke her silence this time to address his recovery. She called his quick return to the stage nothing short of a miracle, noting that just days after being shot, he was already back doing what he loves.
“I don’t typically address things about my son on social media. I learned a long time ago that facts rarely survive the internet, and I refuse to feed that machine… But today, I have to speak. Six days ago, my son was shot. Four days later, he was released from the hospital. Last night he was on stage doing what he loves to do. He is a miracle walking.”
Giving all credit to God, “That is God’s grace, that is God’s mercy.”
Following the shooting, the former Migos rapper also shared a message of his own, letting fans know he’s focused on his recovery and staying positive through it all.
“I’m good…but I’m planning to be better! I’m focused on my family, my recovery, and getting back to the music…realizing that life is made up of quiet wins and loud losses… Life’s a gamble and I’m still playing to win.”
Just days after being released from the hospital, Set even hit the stage at Coachella, ditching the wheelchair and showing he’s already bouncing back.
Offset isn’t letting this setback slow his motion down.
Offset’s Mother Breaks Silence As He Recovers From Shooting, “He Is A Miracle Walking” was originally published on hiphopwired.com

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The hits made them stars, but the deep cuts made us fans! See if you know any of these “B-Side Bangers” by Al Green.

Showing love to the icons of Black music while they’re still here to receive their proverbial flowers is what we strive to accomplish in our goal with the B-Side Bangers series.
Thankfully, not only does living legend Al Green fit the bill to a tee, the critically-acclaimed “Last Of The Great Soul Singers” is also celebrating an anniversary this week as he commemorates an astounding 52 years since the release of his classic fifth studio album, I’m Still in Love with You, on October 23, 1972.

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Spawning three hit singles with “Look What You Done for Me,” the fan-favorite “Love and Happiness” and timeless title track “I’m Still in Love with You,” Green officially solidified his legend status with this album just half-a-decade into his career — his previous effort released only nine months prior, Let’s Stay Together, could arguably be considered the breakthrough. A mainstay on each update to Rolling Stone Magazine‘s coveted “500 Greatest Albums Of All Time” list, I’m Still In Love With You was both a success during its time —it topped the R&B Album chart for the entirety of December 1972 — and, as we can see today, the handful of decades that’ve followed.

Following in the B-Side Bangers tradition, we dug through the crates to find Al Green gems that don’t often get the love they so rightfully deserve. The 79-year-old Arkansas native has released an astounding body of work over the past six decades, including 29 studio albums — oftentimes he’d even drop twice a year — and just as many compilation LPs filled top to bottom with hits. Of the many soul classics within that collection, you better believe we found some serious deep cuts to put you all onto as well. Enjoy the selection!

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April 13, 2026
The settlement seemingly resolves allegations of illegal diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices after IBM allegedly identified “diverse” candidates for hiring or promotions while developing race and sex demographic goals.
Technology giant IBM has settled for $17 million with the Trump administration after the  Department of Justice (DOJ) accused the company of “knowingly” making “false claims” regarding its hiring and employment practices found in federal contracts, CNN reports. 
The settlement seemingly resolves allegations of illegal diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) practices after the New York-based tech firm allegedly identified “diverse” candidates for hiring or promotions while developing race and sex demographic goals. IBM denied the allegations of discriminatory and illegal DEI practices, but still settled. “IBM is pleased to have resolved this matter,” an IBM spokesperson said in a statement. 
“Our workforce strategy is driven by a single principle: having the right people with the right skills that our clients depend on.”
According to The Star, the settlement marks the first resolution ​from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Fraud Initiative, a unit formed to crack down on DEI policies under ⁠a ‌civil anti-fraud law. Since Trump’s second term started, the administration has honed in on DEI being anti-merit and discriminatory ​against groups such as white people and ⁠men. 
Back in May 2025, the DOJ started leaning on the False Claims Act as a way to target diversity initiatives at colleges, but since Trump signed executive orders asking federal contractors and subcontractors ​to eliminate the initiative from their practices, creating a domino effect in the corporate sector, IBM, as a contractor, got caught in the crosshairs. It faced allegations that the company violated the act by maintaining “practices that the United States contends were discriminatory employment practices.” 
Dating back to the Civil War era, the False Claims Act gives the government permission to recover funds up to three times the damages it obtains, plus penalties. It also permits private citizens to file suit, claiming the government was defrauded, and to keep a portion of any money the federal government recovers.
In a press release, acting Attorney General Todd Blanche celebrated the settlement. “Racial discrimination is illegal, and government contractors cannot evade the law by repackaging it as DEI,” Blanche said. 
“The Department launched the Civil Rights Fraud Initiative to root out this misconduct, hold offenders accountable, and end this practice for good.”
Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward also released a statement pushing that “merit drives promotion and opportunity, not someone’s sex or race.” “Today’s settlement proves this Department’s commitment to ensure companies are not using taxpayer-funded work to further woke unconstitutional practices in American workplaces,” she continued.
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The Rock Hall is preparing to induct one of its biggest classes as Vandross and Wu-Tang enter the Hall on their first try, while Sade will be inducted on her second try.
The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame has unveiled its 2026 induction class, and it might be a list that both Gene Simmons and Chuck D can agree on.
In an announcement on Monday during “American Idol”, the Rock Hall revealed that Sade, Luther Vandross and Wu-Tang Clan were among those to be inducted into the illustrious institution. Three other notable inductees, Queen Latifah, Fela Kuti and MC Lyte, were inducted into the Early Influence wing.
The eight performers voted into this year’s class:
● Phil Collins
● Billy Idol
● Iron Maiden
● Joy Division/New Order
● Oasis
● Sade
● Luther Vandross
● Wu-Tang Clan
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While the list of inductees is stacked, several notable acts missed their chance to be part of this year’s class, including Mariah Carey, New Edition and Lauryn Hill.
Due to the class breakdown, 18 total acts are going to the Hall this year, ranging from Rick Rubin to Celia Cruz. The induction ceremony will take place in November in Los Angeles and will be aired on ABC and Disney+ in December. In previous years, the ceremony was aired live on Disney properties from 2023 to 2025, but it appears there will not be a live broadcast this year.
Vandross and Wu-Tang enter the Hall on their very first ballot. Sade reached the Hall on her second ballot, while Lyte and Latifah had not been previously nominated. Kuti had been nominated twice before, but made it this year.
Of those not inducted, New Edition was the winner of the “fan vote,” an annual tally of online votes. However, their collective vote didn’t sway the Rock Hall panel, as the Boston-based group didn’t earn a spot in the top eight.
Simmons drew plenty of ire earlier this year after Outkast was inducted into the Hall, reiterating his belief that the Rock Hall belonged primarily to rock music.
“It’s not my music,” Simmons told the “LegendsNLeaders” podcast in an episode published in February. “I don’t come from the ghetto. It doesn’t speak my language. And as I said in print many times, hip-hop does not belong in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, nor does opera or symphony orchestras.… How come the New York Philharmonic doesn’t get into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Because it’s called the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.”
Simmons had longed for Iron Maiden to be included in the Hall, repeatedly slamming the institution for failing to induct the group. With them finally making it this year, maybe now he’ll stand down a bit on his belief. Or maybe not.
The more intriguing question is, will this lead to performances from the likes of Sade, Wu-Tang or even Latifah and Lyte?
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Three months into his new gig, Carr has big ambitions for the network, from the return of the Soul Train Awards to community-focused programming.
Barely ninety days into his tenure as president of BET, Louis Carr is prepared to help shape the legacy network’s future.
Carr, who has served in various roles at the network for over four decades, succeeded Scott Mills last December in a move that stunned many outside the network, including the new president himself.
“I didn’t see it coming,” Carr told Forbes’s Jabari Young in a recent sitdown interview for “The Enterprise Zone” podcast.
“What I saw was: I’ve had an amazing career. It’s time to go do something else.”
The executive’s résumé reads like an ad agency’s dream. Before taking over as network president, Carr was primarily focused on ad sales. During his tenure, he and his team brought in over $10 billion in advertising revenue. Being a longtime steward of one of Black America’s most beloved entities isn’t lost on Carr, who understands the network will have to adapt, especially in the wake of recent changes.
In March, BET+, the network’s streaming platform, was absorbed into Paramount+, the streaming app for the network’s parent company. Paramount also purchased Tyler Perry’s stake in BET+. A highly publicized sports show with Cam Newton, dubbed “106 & Sports,” lasted only eight episodes and despite the clamor for beloved award shows like the Soul Train Awards and the BET Hip-Hop Awards to return, there’s a new mission statement and focus at the network.
“We have a new slogan out: BET is something you can believe in.”
In a different era of BET, there were shows like “Teen Summit” and “Ed Gordon” to help combat misinformation from proliferating in the community. With the vastness of the internet and the amplification of select voices, BET’s future also includes returning to one of its core missions: serving Black America at large and being focused on that initiative.
“We’ve decided the lanes that we’re going to play in,” Carr told Young. “Those lanes are community, culture, and connection.”
He added, “I think brands that serve Black consumers have to be engaged in the community. They expect that. They expect to be seen. They expect to be heard. They expect to be respected. And they expect to be understood, and we do that 24 hours a day. Our brand was created and led by black culture. That’s what we do, probably better than anybody else. We understand what’s going to be hot and what’s not anymore.”
“We’re just like every other media brand trying to figure it out,” Carr told Young. “What is the new paradigm, what is the new model we need to operate under… and that’s the exciting part. The excitement is, who’s the first to figure it out? I think that we have a better chance than most brands that are serving our community.”
Carr’s vision for the network includes more programming leaning toward sports and comedy, the latter of which was a staple for the network in the ’90s and early 2000s. Along with sports and comedy programming, the network is looking into microseries and microdramas and original series, a social program centered on mental health.
And the network is likely bringing back the Soul Train Awards, according to Carr.
“That’s the one,” he told Young, who was more than excited to hear the news. The show, which routinely celebrated the best in R&B, was put on an indefinite pause in 2025 along with the BET Hip-Hop Awards. “I think that’s the one everyone wants to come back.”
With four decades at the company under his belt, Carr has championed “reinvention and change” for his tenure. The network is entering a new chapter under the Paramount Skydance merger, while at the same time looking to bring new things and familiar ones back to the airwaves. It begs to be seen what BET will look and feel like as Carr begins his first full year in the position, but his ideas and desire seem poised to bring BET back to the forefront of Black consciousness.
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To us! Cultural tastemaker and vibe provider Scot Louie hosted a mixology class to celebrate his Shein collection.
To us!
Celebrity stylist, cultural tastemaker and certified vibe provider, Scot Louie, combined the best of his worlds, this week, with a mixology class in celebration of his Spring/ Summer trends collection with Shein. And it makes total sense, with countless viral Tik Tok audio, it was an organic way to show off the things he loves most, fashion, drinks and fun. His trend edit with Shein packs both. Filled with flirty pieces like a satin mermaid skirt, statement tops like the metallic bra perfect for Coachella, or a denim short set with faux leather lapels serving quiet luxe, a time will be had in his pieces.
The intimate dinner and mixology experience at Apotheke NYC, brought out the likes of Jenee Naylor, DeAndre Brown, Blake Newby, Chee Smalls, Carolyn Gray, Pierrah, Destiny Owusu, Marissa Pelly and more who all wore their favorite pieces from the collection. According to the media alert, the room doubled as a living lookbook with tailored suiting, textured layers, soft neutrals, and statement accessories all in conversation with the collection on display.
Louie worked the room while fabulously hosting, toasting, and even stepping behind the bar as cocktails were crafted. It was a photo opp at every turn.
Louie’s collection is currently available on Shein. Shop, here.
To Us! Scot Louie Hosts Mixology Class To Celebrate Shein Trends Collection was originally published on hellobeautiful.com

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April 13, 2026
‘Support like this makes a real difference for our student-athletes,’ said Morehouse Athletic Director Harold Ellis
Morehouse College has a partnership with Zaxby’s, a fast food restaurant that serves mostly chicken fingers, wings, salads, and sandwiches, and student-athletes from the school joined the staff to assist with serving lunch in March.
The event took place on March 27 at a local Zaxby’s that caters to and serves the college crowd and diners in the area. The students went to the eatery to show appreciation for the popular chain’s support throughout the school year.
“Support like this makes a real difference for our student-athletes,” said Morehouse Athletic Director Harold Ellis in a written statement. “SJAC Food Groups. LLC have been tremendous partners to our program, and we were proud to spend time serving alongside their team and showing our appreciation for their commitment throughout the season.”
Morehouse has received support from Zaxby’s across several sports in the program. The restaurant supplies the athletes with meals after games and during long competition days to help keep them focused.
The school took the time to return the favor by helping staff members serve customers that day, becoming teammates with them.
“ZAXBYS is proud to partner with Morehouse College, an institution rooted in excellence, leadership, and legacy,” said an SJAC Food Groups executive (The company that owns Zaxby’s). “Together, we aim to support student success, enhance campus experiences, and create meaningful connections through great food and community engagement.”
The year has been a good one for Morehouse Athletics. The Maroon Tigers have won championships in men’s basketball regular season and tournament play, cross country, and indoor track & field. The football team has had its most successful season in seven years, and baseball and golf are currently doing well, enjoying their strongest campaigns in more than a decade.
This past weekend, the baseball team staged a successful comeback to win its game against Clark Atlanta, 17-14, moving it into fifth place in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SAIC).
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Biden challenges Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump to a cage match, turning political dysfunction into a full-blown spectacle.
As the United States continues to search for the flux capacitor to get us out of this alternative version of America, the slide to hell continues to be paved with even more absurdities.
Brace yourself. 
According to Reuters, there could be a potential cage match between two rival president’s sons. I know this feels like a bad dream or satire or a storyline ripped from professional wrestling, but it’s surely inching toward reality.
The idea gained traction on Thursday when Hunter Biden, son of former President Joe Biden, publicly challenged Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump—the eldest sons of President Donald Trump—to a fight. The unexpected challenge reportedly stemmed from a conversation with Andrew Callaghan, a left-leaning social media personality known for his unconventional reporting style. According to Biden, Callaghan floated the idea of organizing the bout, and Biden didn’t hesitate.
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“I told him I’d do it—100% in if he can pull it off. And if he can’t, I’m still coming,” Biden said in a video posted to Callaghan’s Channel 5 Instagram account, leaning into the chaotic energy that has defined much of the discourse surrounding political families in recent years.
So far, there has been no official response from the Trump Organization or the White House, leaving the proposal in a strange limbo between serious consideration and internet-fueled spectacle. It’s also unclear whether such a fight could—or would—ever be sanctioned, staged, or even legally permitted.
Interestingly, the timing of the challenge coincides with broader plans by the White House to commemorate the nation’s 250th year of independence. Among those plans is a June 14 event expected to feature professional fighters from Ultimate Fighting Championship, underscoring how combat sports have increasingly crossed over into mainstream entertainment and political culture.
The surreal nature of the proposed Biden-Trump family showdown recalls another high-profile “fight” that never materialized: the much-hyped 2023 cage match between tech billionaires Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Like that matchup, this latest challenge may ultimately generate more headlines than actual punches.
Still, the idea of political rivalries spilling into physical confrontation isn’t entirely new in American history. One of the most infamous examples remains the 1804 duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, a violent clash that ended in Hamilton’s death and permanently altered Burr’s political future.
Whether this modern-day “duel” remains hypothetical or evolves into something more tangible, it reflects a broader shift in how politics, media, and spectacle increasingly collide in the public arena.
See social media’s reaction to the proposal below.
Hunter Biden Challenges Donald Trump’s Sons To A Cage Match, Social Media Goes Full Fight Club was originally published on cassiuslife.com

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April 12, 2026
The famed Black Swede will have his own works displayed in the landmark exhibition.
An under-researched historic Black diarist will get his own shine in a new Swedish exhibit.
The National Museum in Stockholm will explore the life of Adolf Ludvig Gustav Fredrik Albrecht Couschi, also historically known as Badin, particularly through the writings he left behind. The exhibit, titled “Badin – Beyond Surface and Mask,” will not only examine his controversial remembrance in Swedish history, but also his own perception of his livelihood.
Badin arrived at the Swedish Royal Court in 1760. According to The Guardian, he appeared before the royals as a “gift” to Queen Louisa Ulrika. He was granted the name Badin, a French word for “joke” or “prankster,” as he rose through the ranks of civil society.
Before entering Sweden, historians believe Badin began his life as an enslaved person. He “belonged” to various noblemen across Europe before landing in the country.
Badin documented his life through his diary entries and an autobiography on his life throughout Swedish society. As he became more immersed in the country’s noble circles, he held new titles including chamberlain, court secretary, ballet master, and civil servant.
While historians slighted his memory, Badin will receive an, what many feel as overdue spotlight at the museum. Although not an unknown figure in Swedish history, famous works offered a surface-level, if not outright racist, depiction of the famed Black Swede.
However, a fellow Black Swede wants to change the narrative surrounding the diarist. Artist Salad Hilowle has paid homage to his muse through a new commissioned film, which will accompany Badin’s own works throughout the exhibit.
“I’m always talking about how he [Badin] was an image, and he was the other, and now the other is also an artist. Time has changed in Sweden. It’s a super strong moment,” explained Holowle.
The film, “Maroonen” or “The Marooned,” speaks on Badin’s experience as a Black man whose life is summed up in others’ words.
Hilowle added, “The image of him is everywhere, but no one seems to hear or read his own voice.”
Badin lived in Sweden at a time when only 20 Black people officially existed in the country. However, his experience as a notable figure in the Royal court makes his legacy unique, yet the exact details were previously unknown.
“He has an in-between position in the court,” shared the exhibition’s curator, Åsa Bharathi Larsson. “He is free, but he isn’t part of the royal family. We don’t know anything about his real family, but he has a status and a different relationship with the royal family than perhaps other court servants had.”
Badin’s own name may also hint at how he navigated life as a Black man during this era. The Queen ensured his education, but he could have adopted a comedic persona to evade perception as a threat.
With Badin’s life and death shaped by others, the film and exhibit will spark a new interest in the authentic life of the famed Black Swede. Now, the Black diarist’s words will speak on his own behalf for the first time in history.
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Critics say decisions by Pete Hegseth are stalling Black and female officers’ advancement, raising alarms that the armed forces are drifting away from equity and toward exclusion.
A growing sense of unease is spreading among some Black current and former service members, who fear the U.S. military, often seen as an opportunity for many Black folks to reach financial stability and a middle-class livelihood, may be sliding backward toward an era marked by exclusion rather than progress.
Capital B News reports that critics point to recent decisions under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as evidence of that shift. Theodore Johnson, now a prominent voice on military and racial equity issues, argues that promises of a “color-blind meritocracy” have not materialized. Instead, he says, recent firings and stalled promotions suggest the opposite. “It is neither color-blind nor a meritocracy,” Johnson told the news site, warning that the system appears to be growing less equitable.
Black Americans make up roughly 17% of active-duty personnel—higher than their share of the overall U.S. population—but concerns persist about representation at the highest levels of leadership. Johnson and others argue that senior ranks increasingly resemble “country-club nepotism,” rather than reflecting the best-qualified candidates regardless of race or gender.
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Those concerns intensified following reports that Hegseth has moved to block or delay the promotions of multiple Black and female officers across the military’s branches. According to reporting cited by lawmakers, at least a dozen such promotions have been affected. Additional reports indicate that four candidates—two Black and two women—were removed from consideration for one-star general positions, raising questions about both the rationale and the legal authority behind those decisions.
The issue has drawn scrutiny from Capitol Hill. Kirsten Gillibrand has called for greater transparency, while members of the Congressional Black Caucus and Democratic Women’s Caucus have condemned the moves as “outrageous and wrong,” emphasizing the officers’ decades of service and warning of a broader rollback of diversity efforts.
The Pentagon has pushed back strongly. Spokesperson Sean Parnell dismissed the allegations as unfounded, insisting that promotions remain merit-based and free of political influence.
The controversy comes at a volatile moment, as tensions escalate between the U.S. and Iran. President Donald Trump recently issued stark warnings about potential conflict, prompting further concern from civil rights leaders. Derrick Johnson, head of the NAACP, went so far as to call the president’s rhetoric “dangerous,” underscoring the broader climate of instability surrounding both military policy and national leadership.
See the ongoing reactions to Hegseth’s battle with military diversity below.
Military Diversity Promotion Controversy Mounts Thanks To Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was originally published on cassiuslife.com

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BAFTA apologized to members on Friday (April 10) following an independent investigation that concluded it fell short of its diversity goals on awards night.
After an independent investigation concluded that the incident involving the N-word showed “structural weaknesses” within BAFTA, the organization addressed its members.
The organization sent an email to members on Friday (April 10), making apologies out to the Black community, “for whom the racist language used carries real pain, brutality, and trauma,” and the disability community for “including people with Tourette Syndrome, for whom this incident has led to unfair judgement, stigma, and distress.”
“What was supposed to be a moment of celebration was diminished and overshadowed. We have written to those directly impacted on the night to apologise,” the statement from the organization said.
While Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting at the BAFTA Awards on Feb. 22, a shout from the audience interrupted them, specifically someone shouting the N-word. It was Tourette activist John Davidson, who was attending the event for the nominated film, “I Swear,” which is inspired by his experience with the neurological disorder. Later, it was explained that Davidson’s tics were causing him to involuntarily shout out the slur, as well as other curse words while different presenters took the stage throughout the night.
Many criticized BAFTA for creating an environment where such an incident was allowed to take place, and also the BBC for broadcasting the moment with Jordan and Lindo, even though the show was pre-recorded.
The independent review of the incident done by RISE Associates concluded that there was no “evidence of malicious intent on the part of those involved in delivering the event, but found “structural weakness in BAFTA’s planning, escalation procedures and crisis coordination arrangements.”
“In particular, the organisation did not fully appreciate the nature of the risk associated with a live broadcast appearance, early warning signs were not escalated, and the absence of a clear operational command structure limited BAFTA’s ability to respond effectively once the incident occurred,” RISE Associates wrote.
The review further explained its reasons for why it did not blame the BAFTA incident on institutional racism, instead pointing to BAFTA’s planning of the event, saying the organization fell short in its preparation and “risk governance systems.”
“However, it would be wrong to describe the event as evidence of institutional racism, as this misses an important point. Institutional racism means that racial bias is built into systems, policies, and culture,” the independent review said. “In such systems, discriminatory outcomes appear regardless of individual intent. The available evidence does not support that conclusion here. Instead, the evidence suggests something different. BAFTA’s planning and risk governance systems have not kept pace with its diversity goals.”

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