Sean “Diddy” Combs is seeking to fast-track his appeal to reduce his 50-month prison sentence.
After Sean “Diddy” Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison, his legal team is seeking to fast-track his appeal.
On Oct. 29, Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawyers filed a request with a federal appeals court to expedite his appeal of two prostitution-related convictions, ABC 7 NY reported. They argued that, under a standard timeline, Combs could complete his 50-month prison sentence before the appeal is heard. Combs has already served roughly 14 months, and it remains unclear how much longer he will serve, given potential sentence reductions, according to defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro.
“An expedited briefing and argument schedule is critical to ensure that Mr. Combs’s appeal of his sentence does not become moot while the appeal is pending,” Shapiro said in the filing.
The filing comes days after the Bureau of Prisons listed what it believes is Combs’ release date from the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn as May 8, 2028, though that date could change. Earlier this month, Combs was convicted on two counts of violating the Mann Act for transporting individuals for the purpose of prostitution, following an eight-week trial in July that examined his treatment of ex-girlfriends and employees. The jury acquitted him of the more serious sex trafficking and racketeering charges.
Combs’ lawyers plan to appeal to the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that prosecutors misapplied the law.
“Sean’s appeal will challenge the unfair use of the Mann Act, an infamous statute with a sordid history, to prosecute him for sex with consenting adults,” Shapiro said.
The filing also details Combs’ plan to challenge his conviction and sentencing on the prostitution charges, arguing that the counts should not apply since he had no financial motive for transporting male escorts, claiming he only sought to observe them with his girlfriends.
“Mr. Combs expects to challenge both his conviction and sentence in his appeal. An expedited briefing and argument schedule is critical to ensure that Mr. Combs’s appeal of his sentence does not become moot while the appeal is pending,” the filing states.
“Accordingly, to ensure that Mr. Combs could meaningfully benefit from any appellate ruling vacating his sentence, we have proposed a schedule that would expedite this Court’s consideration of Mr. Combs’s appeal.”
The college has sold four of six of Woodruff’s murals after Board Chair Rica Lewis-Payton told the New York Times that the college was having difficulty meeting payroll soon after she took the role.
Over the past year, she said she oversaw the sale of the college’s most prized possessions: Woodruff’s murals.
“The result of more than a year of careful consideration and due diligence resulted in an unprecedented coalition that benefits Talladega College in extraordinary ways and honors those who came before us, including Hale A. Woodruff, whose paintings will now be seen by millions across the United States and around the world.” Lewis-Payton said a statement.
What To Know About The Sale Between Talladega College and Art Institutions
The Smithsonian American Art Museum describes Woodruff’s 1930s figurative style as “bold” and “muscular.” Lynchings of Black people weighed heavily on his conscience and inspired him to design a series of his most iconic and impressive block prints.
According to the Smithsonian American Art Museum, his best-known and most widely acclaimed works at the time were the Amistad murals, painted between 1939 and 1940, which were installed in the Savery Library at Talladega College. Talladega commissioned a group of six murals from Woodruff, painted between 1939 and 1942.
The murals had a few meanings. First, the Amistad murals celebrated the 100th anniversary of the mutiny by enslaved Africans aboard the Amistad in 1849, their trial in New Haven, Connecticut, and return to West Africa following acquittal. His other iconic mural is The Underground Railroad.
According to a news release on the college website, the Toledo Museum of Art acquired The Underground Railroad. The Art Bridges Foundation and The Terra Foundation for American Art have jointly acquired three paintings that depict the Amistad uprising and its aftermath. Woodruff’s two paintings that depict the founding of Talladega and the building of the school’s Savery Library will remain on campus, the college confirmed.
“This unprecedented coalition has formed a strategic partnership that will jointly steward the paintings and maintain their connection to Talladega, including reuniting all six murals at the College on an agreed-upon schedule,” a statement reads on the college website.
Paul Pierce Charged With DUI After Allegedly Falling Asleep On Los Angeles Highway
The former Boston Celtics great was charged with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Former NBA player Paul Pierce was hit with one count of driving under the influence of alcohol and one count of driving with .08% blood alcohol content after police officers said they found him asleep in his car in Los Angeles nearly three weeks ago.
According to TMZ Sports, the Boston Celtics legend was arrested Oct. 7 by California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers while he was on U.S. Highway 101 in Los Angeles. When officers found him in his Range Rover, they claim Pierce showed signs of alcohol impairment.
Pierce provided the officers with a blood test.
“At about 10:38 p.m. on Oct. 7, CHP officers responded to a multi-vehicle crash on northbound US-101, south of Lankershim Boulevard,” a spokesperson told People. “Officers closed four of six lanes to investigate the crash and began reopening them around 11:35 p.m. As traffic lanes reopened, officers saw a Range Rover SUV stopped in traffic lanes south of the crash scene.
“When officers approached, they found the driver, later identified as Paul Pierce, asleep at the wheel.”
Two days after the incident, Pierce offered his version on Threads.
“Imagine being stuck in stand still traffic for 45 mins and falling asleep 🤦🏾♂️ I took this picture that night because I never been in stand still traffic for this long. I’m old, I’m tired, and I fell asleep 🤷🏾♂️I’m good y’all thanks for the love.”
Pierce was infamously fired from his analyst job at ESPN in 2021 after he was seen on Instagram Live partying with strippers while playing poker with friends.
Two years later, while appearing on a podcast,I Am Athlete, he still felt he should not have been let go.
“I got fired for having some entertainment,” Pierce said. “I’m playing cards. It’s my boy’s birthday. It’s girls dancing, and we’re blowing some trees. I mean, what did I do wrong?”
Rights Reserved! Angel Reese Is Officially Her Own Brand As WNBA Star Trademarks Name
Reese is more than a household name as she becomes a trademarked one.
Angel Reese is a star in her own right, taking her brand up a notch by trademarking her name.
Filed through her own eponymous LLC, her new trademark was granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on Oct. 28. Now, she can continue growing her business empire in her own name, image, and likeness.
Reese has already established herself as a household name, turning her “Bayou Barbie” persona, which first sparked at LSU, to become a WNBA All-Star. However, her reach extends beyond basketball, as the trademark symbolizes her growing status as a business mogul.
However, this new filing isn’t the first of hers. Although still pending, Reese also filed to trademark the popular phrase “Mebounds.”
The basketball term associated with the Chicago Sky forward has come to represent her record-breaking rebounding skills. While she doesn’t claim to have coined the phrase, she has since claimed ownership of it for future use for her brand.
“Whoever came up with the ‘mebounds’ thing, y’all ate that up … anything that comes off that board, it’s mine. And a brand? That’s six figures right there,” she once said in a TikTok, as reported by WBLS.
Reese has buckets of endorsement deals and her own successful ventures. From sold-out shoe collections with Reebok to Cash App cards and runway walks, Reese can capitalize further as a media personality.
With her name trademarked, she has exclusive rights to anything bearing the “Angel Reese” brand, including apparel and products. Furthermore, the legal backing surrounding her name will enable her to exercise complete control over her brand and image.
Reese has continued to keep her head in the game by building her business acumen and strategy outside of her day job. While basketball is her initial claim to fame, Reese has bigger plans to build a legacy beyond it. While not much is known about what’s coming next from the 23-year-old, she continues to do it all while still advancing her sports career.
Snoop Dogg Partners With GLAAD To Bring HIV Awareness To HBCU Campus
Snoop Dogg is partnering with GLAAD to change the narrative.
Generation Z may be the most out and proud about their LGBTQ+ identity, but data also shows they are the least informed about HIV awareness. Rapper-actor-businessman Snoop Dogg is partnering with GLAAD to change the narrative.
GLAAD — the world’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) media advocacy organization — invited surprise celebrity guest Snoop to Jackson State University (JSU) on Oct. 28 to launch a new series, “Generation Z & HIV: Human Issue, Southern Solution.” Presented by Gilead Sciences, “Generation Z & HIV” made its first stop on GLAAD’s tour of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) at JSU. The goal is to convene local and national HIV advocates to arm students with essential knowledge about HIV, including that it is preventable with an injection or daily pill, according to GLAAD, as well as survivable and untransmittable when properly treated.
“A disease shows no prejudice,” Snoop said at JSU. “The best thing you can do is get protected, find more information.”
“HIV in Black communities is far from over, and Black people in the South, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, socioeconomic status, or number of total partners, remain at disproportionate risk,” said Darian Aaron, GLAAD’s director of Local News: U.S. South.
According to GLAAD, HIV diagnoses are not evenly distributed across regions or states. The highest rates of new diagnoses continue to occur in the South. Together, Black/African Americans and Hispanic/Latino people made up 70% of the estimated new HIV infections in 2022. Additionally, Generation Zis the most out LGBTQ+ generation in history (at 22% who are LGBTQ), but the least knowledgeable about HIV. Only 37% of Gen Z, ages 18 to 26, said they feel knowledgeable about HIV, according to GLAAD research published in the 2024 State of HIV Stigma Study.
Photo credit: Aron Smith/Jackson State University
With GLAAD research citing fewer pieces of film and television media portraying characters living or dealing with HIV, Gen Z is not receiving the HIV information they deserve, says GLAAD, including scientific developments such as PrEP, a once-a-day pill or newly-approved, twice-yearly injection that reduces the risk of acquiring HIV from sex by about 99% when taken as prescribed.
Free Testing and Life-saving Info
Snoop, whose family hails from Mississippi, joined Aaron in a fireside chat at JSU, where they addressed recent statements on LGBTQ representation in media and the impact of HIV in the music industry.
“How do you treat it [HIV]? How do you prevent it? Hopefully, in 2025, there will be more information,” Snoop Dogg told Aaron regarding the misinformation about HIV during the early days of the epidemic. “There was no medical information to let us know what was going on. We were so scared, we stopped everything.”
“Testing remains one of the most significant ways to reduce the transmission of HIV,” Aaron said. “The HIV education they received during the event, including knowledge about PrEP, a life-saving preventative drug that reduces the risk of acquiring HIV from sex by 99% when taken as prescribed, is a gamechanger.”
Students at the Mississippi HBCU also heard from national and local HIV advocates who shared critical HIV-prevention information. JSU alum and Gilead Sciences Community Liaison Christopher U. Lane delivered remarks at the event. Gilead’s partnership with GLAAD on “Generation Z & HIV” is an extension of the work the two organizations began together in May, targeting the South, with the second annual GLAAD Down South media event.
Dr. David Malebranche, MD, MPH, senior director, Global HIV Medical Affairs at Gilead, also served as a panelist at JSU, where the event gathered scores of students in their signature blue and white school colors. Some of Mississippi’s leading HIV advocates shared life-saving information about HIV prevention and harm reduction in a non-traditional way, to inform a demographic that GLAAD says continues to be affected by the HIV epidemic.
“HIV is nearly 100% preventable through knowledge, access, and care, yet the youngest generations remain starkly unaware of the basic facts that can protect them,” Aaron said. ”The HBCU Tour is one way GLAAD is arming those most at risk with the information necessary to safeguard their health.”
Photo credit: Aron Smith/Jackson State University Photo credit: Aron Smith/Jackson State University Photo credit: Aron Smith/Jackson State University
Snoop: “The Key is Love”
Snoop faced controversy and accusations of homophobia this summer when admitting he initially did not know how to explain a movie scene involving a same-gender couple to his grandson. Since the backlash, the multihyphenate entertainer now says he is becoming better informed and advocates for highlighting diversity in media through his animated kids show, Doggyland, which features a same-gender couple and a song he raps called “Love is Love.”
At JSU, Snoop told the audience: “‘Doggyland’ is a safe place where I can express things and teach kids, because I’m the biggest kid of them all. And it gives me a platform to give information that allows people to learn and live, and be a vessel of information to learn. The key is love. That’s the key to everything that we do.”
He also shared that he has “always advocated peace and love and diversity,” Snoop said. “I had no understanding to a situation that was brought before me while I was with my grandson. But through time and experience and love, you learn to live and you get information, you find out how to understand things better. I have friends that are same-sex parents that reached out to me and gave me information on what did they say to their kids when things of that nature pops up and how they speak [to their children].”
Snoop’s appearance at JSU was unique to this HBCU, but Aaron says GLAAD aims to have a surprise celebrity guest on each tour stop. Representatives from Gilead will continue to participate in all future tour stops, as will local HIV advocates.
“We are particularly focused on the meaningful involvement of people living with HIV who are uniquely equipped to share their lived experiences and how they’ve navigated the persistent HIV stigma in communities of color that remains a barrier to achieving an HIV-free generation,” Aaron told BE.
Future HBCU Tour stops of GLAAD’s “Generation Z & HIV” include Aaron’s alma mater, Alabama State University, on Feb. 5, 2026, and the Atlanta University Center schools– Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, and Morris Brown College –hosted by Morehouse College, March 18, 2026.
Tristan Thompson, World Mobile Introduce New Mobile Service, Uplift
"Uplift is about taking power back from Big Wireless and putting it in the hands of the people."
NBA veteran Tristan Thompson, who played for the Cleveland Cavaliers last season, has partnered with World Mobile to introduce Uplift, a community-owned mobile service that allows users to own part of their network.
Thompson, who is the company’s chief digital equity officer, spoke at the most recent TechCrunch Disrupt Summit in San Francisco.
Yesterday at #TCDisrupt, World Mobile’s Chief Digital Equity Officer and NBA Champion @TThompson introduced Uplift, a new community-owned mobile service powered by the World Mobile network.
Uplift delivers unlimited data from $9.99 per month and gives disadvantaged communities… pic.twitter.com/N9Sctexe7l
“Uplift is about taking power back from Big Wireless and putting it in the hands of the people,” said Thompson in a written statement. “Every plan purchased strengthens the community it comes from. That is what equitable connectivity really means.”
The company, which offers unlimited data plans starting at $9.99 per month, also allows users to become AirNode operators. As operators, they earn a portion of the revenue made within the network by providing community coverage. Every subscription contributes to neighborhood-level network expansion.
Uplift will launch initially in Cleveland, where Thompson played his first NBA game and was selected as the No. 4 overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft. Local entrepreneurs and small businesses will host the initial wave of community-operated nodes. Other cities will be included in 2026 as the program grows.
“Telecom has reached a breaking point,” said Micky Watkins, CEO of World Mobile Group. “For decades, connectivity has enriched corporations while leaving billions disconnected. Uplift, a Tristan initiative, proves there is a better way—one where access, ownership, and rewards are shared.”
The network is built on blockchain technology and a Decentralized Physical Infrastructure Network (DePIN).
Thompson has taken steps as a tech businessman by becoming a co-founder of Basketball.fun (an on-chain experience that tokenizes player value in real time), Chief Advisory Officer at AxonDAO (an AI-powered medical research platform inspired by his brother’s journey with epilepsy), and Chief Content Officer at TracyAI (a sports analytics platform).
Family of Shanquella Robinson Continues Fight For Justice, Urges U.S. Prosecutors To File Charges
Three years later, and Shanquella Robinson's family is still fighting for justice.
Three years after 25-year-old Shanquella Robinson died in Mexico, her family is still fighting to get justice on U.S. soil.
On Oct. 29, attorneys Ben Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson joined Shanquella’s family and friends for a memorial marking three years since her death while vacationing in Mexico, WCNC reports. A Mexican autopsy revealed that Robinson suffered a “severe spinal cord injury and atlas luxation.” A viral video showing her being attacked sparked global outrage.
Although Mexican prosecutors identified one of her travel companions as the “direct aggressor,” no criminal charges have been filed in the U.S. to date. During the memorial, loved ones reflected on Robinson’s vibrant energy, kindness, and spirit, while Crump and Sue-Ann Robinson released a statement calling on federal authorities to finally take action.
“Three years have passed since Shanquella’s life was taken, yet her family still waits for justice. The fact that no criminal charges have been brought in the United States is not only heartbreaking but unacceptable,” the statement read. “Shanquella’s loved ones have endured three years of silence, delays, and denials, and still they stand, demanding the accountability their daughter deserves.”
In 2024, Robinson’s family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the six friends who accompanied her on the trip, known as the “Cabo Six.” The suit accuses them of battery, negligence, and conspiracy, as the family continues to push for the case to be tried in the United States.
In the statement, attorneys urgedthe FBI to release more details about the case and help Shanquella Robinson’s family achieve justice and closure for her tragic death.
“We continue to call on the United States to do what is right, for the FBI to release information on this case so that Shanquella’s family might have some sense of closure,” the statement added. “Shanquella’s life mattered, and her legacy will continue to drive the fight for truth, transparency, and justice.”
Crump shared his message on social media, expressing his support for Shanquella’s family as they continue their fight for justice.
“It’s been 3 years since Shanquella Robinson was killed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico,” he tweeted. “She was a daughter, a sister, a bright light who was violently taken from them. We remember Shanquella and stand with her family in demanding accountability.”
It’s been 3 years since Shanquella Robinson was killed in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. She was a daughter, a sister, a bright light who was violently taken from them. We remember Shanquella and stand with her family in demanding accountability. pic.twitter.com/MZ0QCGtRJr
Television Academy To Continue HBCU Athletics Sports Broadcasting Grant; Films Due March 2
HBCU storytellers can tell the sports media world why "The World Is My Yard."
The Television Academy will continue its Coca-Cola Sports Broadcasting Grant to media creatives highlighting HBCU athletics.
The program is offering $40,000 in grants to student storytellers across HBCUs. The grant, facilitated by the Foundation of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), which organizes the Emmys.
Under the campaign “The World Is My Yard,” the grant will amplify the work of these future broadcasters as they document the athletes and sports programs at their esteemed institutions.
Finalists from six HBCUs took the stage at the 46th Annual Sports Emmy Awards in May.
Hailing from institutions like Hampton, Florida A&M, and Alabama State University, the finalists focused their features on stories that represent the past, present, and future of athletics at their HBCUs. Southern University and A&M took home the top prize for their feature, The Hidden Sport on the famed “Hidden Jukebox” marching band.
Formerly known as the HBCU Sports Production Grant, the initiative has highlighted the creativity and excellence of emerging creatives at these schools. The grant typically awards one to three winners based on the number of submissions.
To qualify, undergraduate students at HBCUs must create a five-to-10-minute video on this year’s theme, “Excellence Beyond the Field: The Impact of Sports on HBCU Students, Campuses and Communities.” Students can center their narratives on key moments in their school’s sports history, the impact of a current athlete on campus life, or how sports shape their school’s community and culture.
The film itself can take on a documentary, creative, or journalistic style, so long as it speaks to the heart of its subjects. Participants must also include an accompanying essay that details their production and development process for the film.
Filmmakers have until March 2, 2026, to submit their films. The winners will be announced at the 2026 Emmy Awards, which will take place in New York City in May.
Michelle Obama Opens Up About Her Iconic First Lady Fashion In New Style Book, ‘The Look’
"Fundamentally, I'm the same person," she tells People.
Michelle Obama skillfully avoided reacting to the fanfare over her fashion choices during her eight years as first lady. Now, a decade after leaving the White House, she is opening up about her personal style in her upcoming book, The Look.
Obama is preparing for the Nov. 4 release of her coffee table book, co-written with longtime stylist Meredith Koop, which details how she carefully curated her wardrobe for the role.
“I purposefully did not talk about fashion and beauty during the eight years in the White House,” she told People. “I was afraid it was going to take over everything.”
Obama has kept busy since leaving 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. She released her first book, the memoir Becoming, chronicling her life and tenure as first lady. She also hosts a podcast with her brother Craig, where she openly discusses her life and individuality in conversations she can now have freely since she’s no longer constrained by Barack Obama’s role as commander in chief.
“Fundamentally, I’m the same person,” Obama said. “But with each decade, I’ve grown wiser. I think I’ve become more confident about who I am. This version of Michelle probably cares less about what other people think.”
At 61 and approaching the empty-nester phase of her life, Obama felt “it was time to talk about that journey,” reflecting on her fashion-forward moments as first lady. The mother of two, whose daughters Malia, 27, and Sasha, 24, are stepping into adulthood, describes the process as completely liberating.
“This is the first time where every decision that I make is for me,” she added.
The Chicago native credits Soul Train with sparking her interest in fashion, noting that the stylish women on the show made her feel, “that’s what cool is.”
“That was Saturday morning viewing in the Robinson household. As a little girl, I would just marvel not only at the moves and being able to see your favorite artists, but the way the women dressed—just the color, the style, the flare,” she shared.
She credits her father, Fraser Robinson, for being the first to instill self-love and confidence.
“Look, being a tall girl—I’m 5’11”—and my father was very clear about standing straight and owning my height. It was like, ‘You do not slouch. You are tall, you are beautiful.”’I think it started there,” she said. “I’m still working on, every day, waking up, looking in the mirror and telling myself that I am smart and beautiful, and kind and worthy. I don’t think that work ever stops for women, particularly women of color, because sometimes you don’t always hear it back.”
Having navigated the power suits of the ’80s and the “complicated assignment” of dressing as the first lady, Obama now enjoys the freedom to live her life—and style her hair—on her own terms.
“It’s freedom,” she said of wearing her hair in braids. “Braids allow me to get them done, and then that’s one less thing that I have to think about. When I’m out of the public eye, I am swimming, I am playing tennis, and braids represent that kind of freedom for me.”
‘They Not Like Us:’ Drake Appeals Defamation Dismissal, Escalating Legal War With UMG
'This confirms our intent to appeal, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing that filing in the coming weeks.'
Attorneys for Canadian recording artist Drake have stated that the rapper is appealing his defamation case against Universal Music Group (UMG), extending the “YOLO” emcee’s legal woes.
According to Variety, the paperwork for Drake’s notice of appeal was filed in court Oct. 29, as the rapper has not given up after the original lawsuit that was filed was dismissed less than a month ago.
In a statement to the media outlet, Drake’s team said, “This confirms our intent to appeal, and we look forward to the Court of Appeals reviewing that filing in the coming weeks.”
The foundation of the appeal has not been revealed, but will be at a later date.
On Oct. 9, District Judge Jeannette Vargas dismissed the lawsuit, stating that, arguably, the most controversial and most popular diss song ever recorded, Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us,” was a “non-actionable opinion” that was not considered defamatory.
“The fact that the Recording was made in the midst of a rap battle is essential to assessing its impact on a reasonable listener,” she wrote. “Even apparent statements of fact may assume the character of statements of opinion… when made in public debate, heated labor dispute, or other circumstances in which an audience may anticipate the use of epithets, fiery rhetoric or hyperbole.”
The song became a rallying cry for hip-hop, and its popularity led to its performance at the Super Bowl earlier this year. The top-charting single also went on to sweep the GRAMMY Awards, as Lamar took home five trophies, including Song and Record of the Year.
After the dismissal, UMG said that the lawsuit “was an affront to all artists and their creative expression and never should have seen the light of day.”
Although the label was victorious over the OVO (October’s Very Own) label owner, it promised to work with the Canadian rapper and “continue our work successfully promoting Drake’s music and investing in his career.”
No word yet from UMG regarding the appeal of the lawsuit.
