Unrivaled Reveals New Uniforms For First Season’s 6 Teams
The women's three-on-three basketball league inaugural season is Friday, January 17, in Miami.
In December 2024, Under Amour was announced as Unrivaled’s official and exclusive uniform partner, and on Jan. 3, the league displayed the uniforms for the six teams on social media.
Unrivaled showcased the uniforms on its Instagram account.
The three-on-three league, the brainchild of WNBA players Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart, will play its games during the WBNA offseason—January through March. Unrivaled will feature 30 of the top professional women’s players on six different teams.
Teams are not tied to a geographical location. All games will take place in Miami. The team names are the Laces, the Lunar Owls, the Mist, the Phantom, the Rose, and the Vinyl.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Unrivaled as an investor,” said Coco Gauff in a written statement. “Basketball is one of my favorite sports, and the chance to support a league that’s redefining the game is exciting. I look forward to being part of this movement and continuing to help elevate women’s sports to new heights.”
Gauff joins other prominent investors, including Alex Morgan and Trybe Ventures, Carmelo Anthony, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Michael Phelps.
“It’s the ability for players to stay home, to be in a market like Miami where we can just be the buzz and create that with the best WNBA players,” Stewart told ESPN of Unrivaled’s appeal. “We can’t keep fighting [the WNBA’s prioritization rule]. It is a rule that takes away our choices, which should never be a thing, especially as women, but it is still a rule.”
Beyoncé Surpasses Bruce Springsteen For No. 1 Spot On Official Americana Chart
Beyoncé's "Cowboy Carter" is returning to the top charts following her Christmas Day performance.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter has returned to the No.1 spot on the Official Americana chart, knocking Bruce Springsteen to the No. 2 spot.
The decorated Grammy winner’s country debut returned to the No. 1 spot this week, making it six nonconsecutive weeks at the top spot, according to Forbes reports. Amid Bey’s return to the top spot, she knocks Springsteen’s Best Of compilation album down a notch.
Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter has spent 40 weeks on the Official Americana chart, with 39 of those weeks in the top 10 and only one week at No. 11. In addition to her No. 1 place on the Official American chart. Cowboy Carter is No. 2 on the Official Country Artists chart, No. 100 on the Main Albums list, and No. 85 on the Official Album Downloads.
The 2024 album has been climbing back up the charts since the “Texas Hold’ Em” singer performed the country album during the NFL Christmas Day halftime show at the game between the Houston Texans and the Baltimore Ravens.
The 13-minute performance saw Beyonce perform songs from her Cowboy Carter album for the first time – including her reboots of “Jolene” and “Blackbird” and “Levi Jeans” single with Post Malone. Others who appeared with Queen Bey include rising country music stars Shaboozey, Tanner Adell, Brittney Spencer, Tiera Kennedy, And Reyna Roberts.
Her daughter Blue Ivy came out to dance with her mom, and others who had cameos include Mexican Cowgirl Melanie Rivera, Bull-riding legend Myrtis Dightman, Jr., Miss Rodeo Texas Princess 2004 and Miss Rodeo Texas 2015, Nikki Woodward, and the first Black Rodeo Queen in Arkansas, Ja’Dayia Kursh.
Beyoncé helped increase NFL Christmas Day viewership, with the game attracting over 27 million viewers, making it the most-watched Christmas Day NFL game on record (since 2001) within the 18-34 demographic.
Trump Wants To Change Gulf Of Mexico To The Gulf Of America
Trump promised throughout the press conference that the United States would return to a 'golden age' of improved national security. How? Nobody really knows.
President-elect Donald Trump said during a freewheeling, stream of consciousness press conference on January 7 that he wants to rename the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America.
According toPeople, Trump also mentioned crime and Mexican cartels in his remarks, saying that Mexico is a “very dangerous place” that it is “essentially run by the cartels.”
On social media, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) asserted that she would help make Trump’s nationalistic dream a reality.
The Gulf of Mexico has been associated with Mexico since at least 1700 when it appeared on maps as the Great Bay of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico refers to the body of water that borders the Southern states of Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Texas, as well as Mexico and Cuba.
According to NBC News, a reporter asked Trump if he could assure Americans that he would not use the military force against Panama or Greenland. “No, I can’t assure you on either of those two, but I can say this, we need them for economic security,” Trump said.
He continued, “Well, we need greater national security purposes. I’ve been told that for a long time, long before I even ran. You have approximately 45,000 people there. People really don’t even know that Denmark has any legal right to it, but if they do, they should give it up because we need it for national security.” Trump also threatened to levy tariffs on Denmark at “a very high level” if they got in the way of the annexation of Greenland.
Although Trump has offered no details concerning how he would carry out his imperialist agenda, he promised throughout the press conference that the United States would return to a “golden age” of improved national security.
As Carney told Politico, “With the president, there’s, I think, always the possibility that other countries think, ‘Holy shmoly, he may actually do that, we should try to accommodate him.’”
In a statement issued to Politico, Trump transition spokesperson Anna Kelly played up Trump’s strongman-tinged remarks as a deterrent to other nations.
“President Trump has done more to put America First since November 5 than Joe Biden did in four years. World leaders are flocking to the table because President Trump is already delivering on his promise to Make America Strong Again,” Kelly said. “When he officially takes office, foreign nations will think twice before ripping off our country, America will be respected again, and the whole world will be safer.”
Keffe D’s Attorney Files Motion To Dismiss Charges in Tupac’s Killing
'The prosecution has failed to justify a decades-long delay that has irreversibly prejudiced my client,' Carl Arnold said in court papers.
As the court date draws near for Duane “Keefe D” Davis, who is charged in the killing of legendary rapper Tupac Shakur, his attorney filed a motion to dismiss the charges against him.
According to The Associated Press, Carl Arnold, who represents Keefe D, filed the motion to dismiss in the District Court of Nevada on Monday, Jan. 6. The former gang member has been accused of being involved with the shooting of Shakur on Sept. 7, 1996.
The motion alleges “egregious” constitutional violations due to a delay of 27 years by the prosecution and claims that there is a lack of corroborating evidence as well as a failure to honor immunity agreements that were given to Keffe D by federal and local authorities.
“The prosecution has failed to justify a decades-long delay that has irreversibly prejudiced my client,” Arnold said in a news release. “Moreover, the failure to honor immunity agreements undermines the criminal justice system’s integrity and seriously questions this prosecution.”
The defendant has been accused of orchestrating and enabling the shooting that killed Shakur.
The former gang member has been held in Clark County Detention Center in Las Vegas since he was arrested in September 2023. He placed a plea of not guilty to first-degree murder. Prosecutors say they have strong evidence that Keffe incriminated himself in a book he penned, Compton Street Legend, which was released in 2019. He also did so during interviews with police and the media since 2008.
Keffe D said Shakur was killed by his late nephew, Orlando Anderson, who was caught on surveillance video involved in an altercation with Shakur before his death.
Tupac was shot multiple times in a drive-by shooting in Las Vegas on September 7, 1996, after he watched a Mike Tyson fight. The popular, controversial rapper died six days later.
Biden Administration Rule Bans Medical Debt From Credit Reports
The rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will effectively remove $49 billion in medical debt for 15 million Americans, clearing the way for them to access a better credit rating.
According to CBS News, the rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), will effectively remove $49 billion in medical debt for 15 million Americans, clearing the way for them to access a better credit rating by raising scores an average of 20 points and potentially leading to the approval of 22,000 more mortgages every year.
In a press release from the White House, Vice President Kamala Harris said the rule change “will be life-changing” for millions of American families, “making it easier for them to be approved for a car loan, a home loan, or a small-business loan.”
According to NPR, the move from the Biden administration is in line with a growing body of research that credit scores that are depressed by medical debt can threaten access to secure housing and increasing homelessness.
Despite this, the collections industry, which relies on selling and collecting debt, medical or otherwise, has been pushing back on the rule.
Republicans like Patrick McHenry, (R-NC), the chair of the House Financial Services Committee in 2024, have been critical. McHenry went as far as to refer to the then-proposed rule as “regulatory overreach.”
Delete CFPB. There are too many duplicative regulatory agencies.
Elon Musk, who will likely have considerable influence in President-elect’s Donald Trump’s approach to government, has also called for the elimination of the CFPB on social media.
The purpose of the CFPB, according to USA.gov, is to “help(s) consumers by providing educational materials and accepting complaints. It supervises banks, lenders, and large non-bank entities, such as credit reporting agencies and debt collection companies. The Bureau also works to make credit card, mortgage, and other loan disclosures clearer, so consumers can understand their rights and responsibilities.”
Mark Zuckerberg Promotes Free Speech By Ending Fact-Checking On Meta Platforms Facebook And Instagram
Think this will end well?
Following X CEO Elon Musk, Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg announced that the company will end fact-checking on its Instagram and Facebook platforms to promote free speech, CNN reported.
In a video circulating on social media, Zuckerberg says the company will embrace a policy of user-generated “community notes” after months of pressure and accusations from Republicans for what they view as censorship of right-wing voices on Meta. “Fact-checkers have been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created,” Zuckerberg said in the video posted on Jan. 7.
“What started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas, and it’s gone too far.”
The change comes just days before President-elect Donald J. Trump’s inauguration. Zuckerberg is in the ranks of CEOs looking to improve relationships with the troubled businessman. The CEO has made certain moves that adhere to GOP pressures. In early January 2025, Trump ally and UFC CEO Dana White was announced to be joining Meta’s board alongside two new directors. Joel Kaplan, a prominent Republican, was recently named Meta’s Chief of Global Affairs, and the parent company also announced a donation of $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, noting that Zuckerberg wants to take an “active role” in specific tech policy discussions.
While Zuckerburg acknowledged a “tradeoff” in the new policy, noting some of the threatening content that will come with the changes, Kaplan said during a Fox News interview that Meta’s partnerships with third-party fact-checkers were “well-intentioned at the outset, but there’s just been too much political bias in what they choose to fact check and how.” “We saw a lot of societal and political pressure, all in the direction of more content, moderation, more censorship, and we’ve got a real opportunity,” Kaplan said.
“Now, we’ve got a new administration and a new president coming in who are big defenders of free expression, and that makes a difference.”
Social media fans reacted to the news, laughing at the move. “I laughed uncontrollably when he said that they are moving the censorship police to Texas,” @UTexLonghorns said on X.
I laughed uncontrollably when he said that they are moving the censorship police to Texas.
Another user foreshadowed community notes on popular memes and gifs. “I look forward to community notes on memes and satire pages. It’s going to be hilarious,” @airynne said.
I look forward to community notes on memes and satire pages. It’s going to be hilarious.
According to The Seattle Times, Meta plans to permit “more speech” by getting rid of some restrictions on certain topics deemed as mainstream discussion, like immigration and gender norms, to focus on illegal and “high severity violations” such as terrorism, child sexual exploitation, and drugs.
Zeelool Launches ‘Write For Us’ Content Creation Program For Fans With An Eye For Style
Zeelool is offering this prize-granting writing opportunity for fans with a creative knack and an eye for style.
Fashion eyewear company Zeelool wants fans to show off their writing and creative skills for its content creation program.
Zeelool recently launched its “Write For Us” event, with a prize-offering writing opportunity for those with an eye for style. Fans are encouraged to participate even without a writing background or previous interest, emphasizing that anyone from eyeglass lovers or wearers to fashion influencers can submit an article.
Those who participate can write on six diverse topics. These include pieces on product reviews, providing analysis on fashion eyewear trends, or detailing the history of Zeelool as a brand. Originality and engaging storytelling are crucial factors to one’s story making the cut.
The content should align with Zeelool as a brand while still remaining true to the voice of its writer. However, each article must also meet certain requirements. Alongside originality, it must be no less than 400 words with two high-definition pictures to match. Moreover, it has to be a unique submission that has not been submitted or published elsewhere, while still remaining fashion-focused or related.
One’s rewards will be based on word count if their article is selected. Word count ranges jump from 400 to 1,000, with higher glasses rewards for lengthier pieces. Those with chosen pieces that are over 100 words will receive a customized frame of any price range.
Zeelool has also not shied away from promoting user-generated content (UGC) on its own social media pages before. The brand hopes to boost more creators across various platforms as they collaborate with their fanbase. They encourage all who love showcasing their looks through their lenses to take part in this groundbreaking initiative.
As of now, Zeelool has listed no deadline to submit work. Accepted pieces will be notified within a week of submission. Eligible participants can send articles to collaboration@zeelool.com.
Limited Edition Allen Iverson Card Hits Auction House, Starts With $160K Bid
With the auction ending on Jan. 25, this bid has already surpassed the most paid for an Iverson card, $79,200
An Allen Iverson trading card is on the auction block, and it has already gotten a bid for over $150,000, surpassing a record-high price previously paid for an Iverson card. The card is listed on the Heritage Auctions website and is slated to end on Jan. 24, with an extended bid session scheduled to end on Jan. 25. The item is a 1997 Skybox E-X 2001 Allen Iverson, which only produced three copies, and this is number #2 in the rare set.It’s part of the Essential Credentials series with an auction grade of PSA Ex 5, which is rated by a Professional Sports Authenticator that gives a rating up to an excellent condition of 10. The card, according to the website, has “very minor rounding of the corners is becoming evident. Surface wear or printing defects are more visible. There may be minor chipping on edges. Loss of original gloss will be more apparent.”
TMZ reported that Heritage Auctions stated the previous high for an Allen Iverson card was $79,200. The current bid has already topped that number, as someone placed one for $160,000.
Although a release date has yet to be announced, there is a documentary in the works featuring the former Philadelphia 76ers legend. It will be shown exclusively on Prime Video and is being produced by NBA Hall of Famer and businessman Shaquille O’Neal and current NBA player Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry through their respective production companies, Jersey Legends andUnanimous Media.
“I’m ready to tell my story my way, authentic and unapologetically. I look forward to people seeing a side of me they haven’t seen before,” said Iverson when the announcement was made.
The documentary will tell the story of “The Answer” from the start of his basketball journey in Hampton, Virginia., through his rise to the NBA, where he revolutionized the culture of the league.
The 2001 NBA MVP took the 76ers to his only appearance in the NBA Finals in the same year he took home the MVP award. The team lost to the dynamic duo of Kobe Bryant and O’Neal and the Los Angeles Lakers, who were nearly undefeated in the playoffs when taking the NBA championship that year. The Lakers’ only loss was to Iverson and the 76ers when they surprisingly won the first game of the series before the Lakers came back and won the next four games. During his career with the franchise, he averaged 27.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 6.3 assists, and 2.3 steals in 41.4 minutes per game.
New Orleans To Receive Maximum Assistance From The Government For Mardi Gras
According to Cantrell, her office has been requesting that the federal government increase New Orleans' threat level since 2019, but the federal government only agreed to bump the Mardi Gras season's security threat from a level two to its most serious level after the attack on New Year's Day
The City of New Orleans will be receiving the most support possible from the federal government for Mardi Gras, the same level of support it will receive when it hosts the Super Bowl in February. The city has also made some adjustments to its rules, and its schedule, for the party that has become synonymous with the Crescent City.
According to NOLA.com, following the tragic attack on New Year’s Day, the Biden Administration granted the City of New Orleans’ request for extra assistance, and on Jan. 6, Mayor LaToya Cantrell indicated that the Department of Homeland Security designated the city’s Carnival celebration a “level one event.”
Per Homeland Security officials, that rating, which is applied to the Super Bowl each year, is assigned to “significant events with national or international importance that require extensive federal interagency support.”
According to Cantrell, her office has been requesting that the federal government increase New Orleans’ threat level since 2019, but the federal government only agreed to bump the Mardi Gras season’s security threat from a level two to its most serious level after the attack on New Year’s Day.
That attack also forced the bowl game between Penn State and Oregon, originally scheduled for New Year’s Day, to be played on Jan. 2, with additional security measures.
“We’ve been asking. But as of yesterday…it’s been officially granted,” Cantrell said at a press conference marking the beginning of Carnival season at Mardi Gras World. “So we know for Mardi Gras 2025, it’s going to be the safest ever. What we will not do is bow down. What we will not do is be sad. We’re going to be real examples of who this city is and what she means to the world.”
In addition to the financial assistance from the federal government, Cantrell also requested a review from a “tactical expert” to conduct a full assessment of the city’s security plans and potential vulnerabilities and to evaluate a set of bollards New Orleans was in the process of installing when the attack on Bourbon Street occurred.
Over the years, several complaints about the safety of street corners have persisted, and this year, tents, tarps, viewing platforms, sofas, gas generators, or any items with open flames, such as charcoal barbecue grills and propane powered grills, have been banned from parade routes.
In addition, all krewes participating in the festivities have to provide the New Orleans Police Department with a full list of their lineups, including floats, bands, and other features.
Krewes are also banned from throwing confetti, using confetti cannons, and giving beads with symbols out except for beads with the crew’s symbols on them. Toilet paper throwing has also been banned during the parade, with the notable exception of the Krewe of Tucks.
“Reflecting on the last few days, we, the parading captains, are reminded of the twin masks representing tragedy and comedy, one crying, and one laughing, often a symbol of Mardi Gras in New Orleans,” Reiss said. “We, the people of New Orleans, are wearing both. One mask as we look backward in mournful remembrance following the tragedy of early New Year’s Day.”
Reiss continued, “The other mask as we move forward in celebration of life, liberty, and our freedoms as New Orleanians and as Americans. In the face of this horrific event we, the krewes parading through New Orleans, dedicate our 35 parades, the centerpiece of our city’s Carnival celebration, to those who lost their lives and the loved ones they have left behind. While we know that it may not change the gravity of their loss, we are hopeful that this small gesture sheds some light on how we New Orleanians feel about our freedoms and why we celebrate, even in the face of such enormous tragedy, and we hope that it lets the families of those lost know that we wish to celebrate the memory of the joy and love those 14 souls brought to them while they were here.”
Ice-T Blocks Social Media Trolls Criticizing His Heated Exchange with NJ Cop
Ice-T is not here for it.
Ice-T is clapping at anyone criticizing his heated exchange with a New Jersey sheriff’s officer.
The renowned rapper and actor has taken to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share his thoughts on the recently released bodycam footage from his 2024 encounter with a Hudson County Sheriff’s officer. Addressing critics of how he spoke to the officer who ticketed him just steps from the DMV, Ice T clarified that anyone with an issue can “get BLOCKED.”
“Over a MILLION that understand…. And thousands that didn’t. 💥 F em. Happy 2025!” he tweeted on Friday.
Footage of Rapper & Actor Ice-T getting in an altercation and going off on a cop after getting pulled over has just been released 👀 pic.twitter.com/pfDg5Y4Rkq
The Law & Order: SVU star followed through on his promise, sharing tweets directed at X users who found themselves on his blocked list. He also reminded his followers of his purpose on social media: to “talk positively with people who want to engage.”
Ice-T emphasized that he ignores negativity, as he already deals with it personally and refuses to tolerate it on social media.
I’m only on Social Media to talk positively with people that want to engage…. People don’t attempt to talk shit to me in person. So WHY would I accept it on a BS app. 💎
A video of the confrontation has been circulating on social media. The May 2024 footage captures the “Colors” rapper being stopped by the officer just feet away from the Department of Motor Vehicles, where he was heading to register the car he was driving.
“That’s why I’m trying to get this car set up. Yesterday, I went to the DMV, and they said their system was down. I got seven cars; I’m trying to get them all straight,” Ice-T explained in the video. “You don’t gotta be that serious about this. I mean, you can, but you don’t have to.”
Instead of letting Ice-T go about his day, the officer took issue with the actor’s tone, ordered him out of his vehicle, and even threatened to tow it. A supervisor eventually intervened, but the officer still issued several tickets for Ice-T to address.
“Next time, just show some respect,” the officer said. Ice-T fired back, “I don’t have to.”
