by Kandiss Edwards

December 24, 2025

The DOJ Fails To Release $90M Allocated To Help Trafficking Victims

Congress had earmarked the money for programs assisting survivors of sex and labor trafficking.

The U.S. Department of Justice has failed to distribute nearly $90 million appropriated by Congress for more than 100 organizations that provide support to survivors of human trafficking.

The funding, which Congress had earmarked for programs assisting survivors of sex and labor trafficking, was not spent by the Justice Department, The Guardian reports. Many organizations that expected those resources say the cutbacks have forced them to reduce services or close operations. The loss of support jeopardizes counseling, emergency housing, and legal services for those who have escaped exploitation.

“The Justice Department can remain focused on two critical priorities at the same time: support victims of human trafficking and prosecute criminals who exploit children and ensure the efficient use of taxpayer dollars,” a DOJ spokesperson told the outlet.

Senators from both parties expressed outrage, saying the department should be held accountable. Dick Durbin (D-IL) said the pattern of withholding appropriated funds raises serious concerns about the federal government’s commitment to combating trafficking and supporting survivors.

Kristina Rose, who previously led the department’s Office for Victims of Crime under President Joe Biden told The Guardian, that the failure to spend the money “is extremely irresponsible, and maybe even immoral,” as it hinders efforts to protect those most vulnerable.

As of now the lack of funds means thousands of survivors will go without critical federal assistance. Some organizations said the cuts have already resulted in layoffs and the suspension of outreach programsThe Life Link and Reformed Church of Highland Park (NJ) Affordable Housing Corporation told the outlet its has not been able to perform services at the same capacity. Employees have been laid off; victims have been turned away.

The DOJ told the The Guardian the allocated funds will be distributed to organizations though no clear timeline has been revealed.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 24, 2025

Mike Tyson Sues Former Cannabis Business Partners For $50M

Tyson and wrestling legend Ric Flair are suing ex Carma execs for damages, attorneys' fees, and other associated costs.

Two legendary sports figures, boxing’s Mike Tyson and wrestling’s Ric Flair, have filed a lawsuit against former executives and a shareholder of Carma, alleging fraud, breach of contract, and other claims related to cannabis businesses that use their likenesses.

According to Front Office Sports, the lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Illinois By Tyson, Flair, Carma, and LGNDS alleging that Chad Bronstein, Adam Wilks, Nicole Cosby, and James Case were involved in a “brazen RICO conspiracy involving criminal wire fraud, embezzlement, money laundering, and extortion, as well as securities fraud and shameless self-dealing that enriched the Defendants to the tune of tens of millions of dollars.”

The plaintiffs request a jury trial and more than $50 million in damages, attorneys’ fees, and other associated costs.

Bronstein was formerly Carma’s president and chairman; Wilks was the company’s CEO; and Cosby served as the chief legal and licensing officer. Case is a shareholder in the company. The cannabis products named after Tyson (Tyson 2.0) and Flair (Ric Flair Drip) were distributed by Carma and LGNDS.

The lawsuit states, “Throughout their time at CARMA, Bronstein and Wilks treated CARMA as their own personal piggy bank, using more than $1 million to pay for unauthorized personal travel on private jets, costs associated with Bronstein’s personal yacht, renovations to Bronstein’s personal residence, a mortgage payment for Wilks’ personal residence, and lavish entertainment expenditures for Wilks, including exorbitantly priced meals and travel expenditures, as well as excessive and unapproved compensation and bonuses.”

The former executives have been accused of selling licensing rights they were not authorized to sell under agreements with the athletes. Wilks allegedly had an undisclosed “kickback” deal with vape maker DomPen, where he received “concealed payments in exchange for turning a blind eye to DomPen’s unauthorized use of CARMA’s intellectual property.”

The defendants deny the accusations and accuse the plaintiffs of trying to intimidate them in what they refer to as a “shakedown.”

“The complaint is fiction dressed up as a lawsuit,” Jonathan Cyrluk, the attorney for Bronstein and Cosby, told the media outlet in a written statement. “Before filing, the plaintiffs tried to intimidate my clients with settlement demands that read more like a shakedown than a legal claim—demanding millions of dollars and attempting to force others to surrender their Carma shares.”

“My clients won’t be bullied and are prepared to knock out this meritless lawsuit in court.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 23, 2025

Anti-DEI Legal Group Demands EEOC Investigation Into Penguin Random House

The publishing giant is the latest company targeted by a conservative legal group over its DEI policies.

The conservative anti-DEI organization America First Legal is urging the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate alleged “unlawful hiring and promotion practices” at publishing giant Penguin Random House.

On Dec. 16, the group released an open letter calling out the diversity, equity, and inclusion policies on Penguin Random House’s website, which America First Legal claims are “designed to exclude white men,” alleging a violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

“By focusing its ‘DEI efforts’ on demographics exclusive of white males, PRH has created policies that appear to effectively exclude this demographic from the favored consideration that other groups receive,” America First Legal wrote.

America First Legal points to the five pillars of Penguin Random House’s DEI strategy, including holding leaders accountable for results and integrating DEI into recruiting and retention efforts, among other measures. Citing the company’s 2024 workforce demographic data that compares white and BIPOC employees, America First Legal claims that Penguin Random House “proudly states that while ‘the publishing industry has made modest progress in increasing racial diversity since 2019, … Penguin Random House surpasses the industry average across most categories.’”

The open letter targeting Penguin Random House is the latest in America First Legal’s campaign against corporate DEI policies, which it claims violate the law. In November 2023, the group alleged that the DEI practices of American, United, and Southwest Airlines similarly breached Title VII by discriminating in hiring and recruiting. While the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs met with the airlines to review OFCCP regulations, it did not indicate that the airlines had broken the law or that any policy changes were required.

America First Legal has also filed complaints or lawsuits against companies, including Target, CBS Broadcasting, and IBM, with several cases pending and some settlements reached. While it’s unclear whether any prior America First Legal complaints to the EEOC have led to agency action, things have a strong likelihood of changing under the second Trump administration.

Are you a white male who has experienced discrimination at work based on your race or sex?
You may have a claim to recover money under federal civil rights laws. Contact the @USEEOC as soon as possible.

The EEOC is committed to identifying, attacking, and eliminating ALL race… pic.twitter.com/BYjbld5zdv
— EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas (@andrealucasEEOC) December 17, 2025

In March, the EEOC released guidance outlining how DEI practices might be considered “unlawful,” and recently, Chair Andrea Lucas took to X, encouraging white men to report alleged discrimination. As a result, many companies have started rolling back DEI efforts, facing backlash and boycotts in the process.

Parents, Timeout Box, NY Elementary Students

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 23, 2025

Parents Outraged Over Images Of ‘Timeout Box’ Allegedly Used For NY Elementary Students

Since the school is on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, community members likened the incident to the historic trauma Native American children faced in boarding schools.

A former school board member in upstate New York sounded the alarm by posting disturbing images of a wooden box in an elementary school classroom allegedly used as a “timeout box” for students with disabilities, the New York Times reports.

The images from a classroom in the Salmon River Central School District–comprising 1,300 students, 60% of whom are of Native American descent–showed a large wooden box in the corner, tall and wide enough for one to two small children to fit in. Inside, the walls are bare with a padded floor. Chrissy Onientatahse Jacobs, who posted the images, says she was in shock; it is still unconfirmed if children were ever placed inside. “I was in shock,” said Jacobs, who is also a district parent.

“I was shaking. Because I know a lot of people throw around the words ‘intergenerational trauma.’ But our DNA has memory.”

https://twitter.com/DougSmithNY/status/2003185275787456528

Since the school is on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, community members likened the incident to the historic trauma Native American children faced in boarding schools.

Following the days after the uproar, the school board hired attorneys for a formal investigation, resulting in the district’s superintendent being reassigned to “home duties” and other leaders, including a principal and the district’s special education director, being placed on leave. The investigation also revealed the posted box wasn’t the only one — two others were installed in schools and have since been removed.

Classes within the school district were held remotely on Dec. 19 “out of an abundance of caution for student and staff safety.” Parents were outraged by the images and even challenged the district’s theory that the boxes had never been used. T.J. Hathaway, who has a special needs third grader in the district, said “this is not OK” and said his mostly nonverbal son told him he “felt bad for one of his friends that had to go in there.”

While Hathaway called for “new, fresh blood in our administration,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul sympathized with affected parents and called for the state Education Department to take “swift action to investigate and rectify this situation.” “The reporting coming out of the Salmon River Central School District is highly disturbing and raises serious questions regarding the safety of children at this school,” Hochul said in a statement, according to Olean Times Herald.

“As a mom, I know firsthand the trust parents place in our schools, and the teachers and administrators who work with our children. School should be a place where every child is safe, respected and supported.”

State law prohibits seclusion in public schools, and state education officials have promised to visit local schools to reassure parents and community members that all timeout boxes were removed. However, some of the damage may not be so easy to clean up as the Saint Regis Mohawk Tribal Council, which presides over the reservation, says it has lost faith in the school board and district’s “gross mismanagement” and leadership.

The council has pushed for “everyone involved in the decision to construct and install these inhumane devices” to face accountability. “It is clear what transpired should have never happened, and our children deserve better from those in charge of their care,” the council wrote in a statement.

“Trust has been broken.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 23, 2025

Several State Attorneys Sue Trump Administration Over Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Closure

The consumer watchdog will run out of funding early next year if the Federal Reserve does not grant the money for its operations.

New York Attorney General Letitia James and several other state attorneys have sued the Trump administration over its efforts to shut down the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Twenty other state and district attorneys joined James in the lawsuit, specifically against the Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought, filed Dec. 22. Since the beginning of Trump’s re-election as U.S. President, Vought has taken up the task of dismantling and shuttering the CFPB. He currently serves as the acting director of the consumer watchdog.

Politico reports that the Bureau will run out of funding in January 2026, leaving the agency’s protection efforts in jeopardy. Vought has already attempted to slash 90% of the Bureau’s staff, a move that a district court ruling has paused thus far.

This stunted mass firing has been further heightened by Vought’s more recent refusal to request more funding for the CFPB’s operations. The majority of its funding comes from the Federal Reserve. However, Vought has considered the funding request “illegal” while the Reserve has not run a profit. However, as it currently stands, the U.S. Central Bank has returned to profitability.

These efforts by Vought have sparked the legal action by James and her fellow Democratic attorneys from states such as California, Colorado, New Jersey, Maryland, and more. They deem Vought’s actions as unlawful, given the CFPB’s legal duty to work with states on consumer issues.

“Defunding the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will make it harder to stop predatory lenders, scammers, and other bad actors from taking advantage of New Yorkers,” said Attorney General James in a statement regarding the suit. “My office and attorneys general across the country rely on the CFPB for consumer complaints and other data to get justice for consumers. The administration’s actions are a handout to those who drive up costs by cheating hardworking Americans, and I will keep fighting to ensure they follow the law and our Constitution.”

In partnership with states, the CFPB also holds financial institutions accountable, helping U.S. consumers gain back millions in restitution. If the watchdog were to shut down, banks and lenders would face less federal oversight, leaving borrowers more vulnerable to unfair and predatory practices, as reported by U.S. News.

“Scammed consumers will no longer be able to contact the CFPB to investigate and pursue financial institutions that cheated them,” explained consumer attorney Danny Karon, a lecturer at The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law, to the news outlet. “Smoking out financial abuse was the CFPB’s bread and butter, having recovered over $21 billion for people cheated by Wall Street and others.”

The case regarding the legitimacy of Vought’s actions to shut down the Bureau will be heard in February of next year.

fire, Tesla, Elon Musk, group, attack, France

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 23, 2025

Tesla Threatened With 30-Day Car Sales Ban For Misleading Use Of ‘Autopilot’ Branding

Tesla could face a 30-day sales suspension in California due to its advertising of the “Autopilot” feature.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles has warned Tesla that it must revise its advertising for the Autopilot feature or face a 30-day sales ban.

On Dec. 16, California regulators warned Tesla of a potential 30-day suspension of its state sales over marketing of its self-driving features, NBC Bay Area reports. A judge found that Elon Musk’s electric car company has been misleading consumers, as terms like “Autopilot” and “Full Self-Driving Capability” suggest the vehicles are fully autonomous, which they are not.

“Tesla can take simple steps to pause this decision and permanently resolve this issue — steps autonomous vehicle companies and other automakers have been able to achieve,” said Steve Gordon, the director of the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Following the warning, Tesla has 90 days to revise its marketing to clearly communicate the limits of its self-driving technology or risk suspension of its California sales license. The notice comes after years of criticism and a court ruling last month finding that Tesla’s promotion of its “Autopilot” feature violates state law.

Since California regulators filed their 2023 action, the Austin-based company has already added language clarifying that its Full Self-Driving package still requires human supervision while in use. But regulators say the company’s advertising of the feature can still confuse consumers.

“100 percent of the time you, as the driver, must be in the driver’s seat and you have to be paying attention and be able to take over at any moment,” said Scott Moura. “It’s literally just a tap when you put in your destination in these vehicles. They might not really understand what it does.”

Tesla has since responded to the ruling on Musk’s X platform, dismissing it as regulatory overreach.

“This was a ‘consumer protection’ order about the use of the term ‘Autopilot’ in a case where not one single customer came forward to say there’s a problem. Sales in California will continue uninterrupted,” the company said.

The warning adds to the mounds of lawsuits Tesla has faced over its alleged misleading representations about its self-driving technology. While the company has settled or won several cases, a Miami jury earlier this year found Tesla partly liable for a deadly crash in Florida that occurred while Autopilot was active, ordering the automaker to pay over $240 million in damages.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

December 23, 2025

Will.i.am Calls Out Work-Life Balance, Pushes After-Hours Grind To Build Your Dream

'Work-life balance means that you’re working for somebody else’s dream,' he said.

Will.i.am is a Grammy-winning recording artist, music producer, and entrepreneur who recently shared in a Fortune interview that his approach to success centers on what he calls a “dream-reality” balance. Rather than subscribing to the traditional idea of work-life balance, he believes in putting in focused effort beyond the 9-to-5 to align daily work with long-term vision and purpose.

The Black Eyed Peas member and hitmaking producer — whose credits include collaborations with Nas, Ariana Grande, John Legend, The Game, Macy Gray, and Chris Brown — is now a tech entrepreneur with a traditional 9-to-5. Still, he remains focused on pursuing his ambitions on his own terms, encouraging others to do the same as they work toward their goals.

“If you’re trying to build something that doesn’t exist, it’s about dream-reality balance,” he said. “Work-life balance means that you’re working for somebody else’s dream. You just have a job supporting somebody else’s dream, and you want to balance your work and your life.

“But if it’s dream-reality balance, then it’s not work. It’s a dream that you’re trying to put into reality, and you’re ignoring your current reality.”

He has switched back to working regular hours during the day, with the goal of focusing on his creative side from the end of the 9-to-5 shift until 9 p.m. This was from someone who did the exact opposite: during the day, when the music was the focus, he would then try to do his work on his tech after his “main” job of producing tracks. He would advise younger people to adopt that mindset to achieve what they set out to do in life.

“I’m not really paying attention to this reality. I’m trying to bring that one [a new business venture or idea] here and focusing on how do I get people who believe in this dream to help me materialize it? So for that, you have to make some type of sacrifice to bring this thing that doesn’t exist here. From that perspective, work-life balance is not for the architects that are pulling visions into reality. Those words don’t compute to the mindset of the materializers.”

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

December 23, 2025

Chicago Mother Blessed With Paid-Off Car In Christmas Giveaway By Millionaire Influencer

The giveaway was sponsored by millionaire influencer Kenny Smith.

A Chicago mother has received a Christmas miracle, getting a note-free car through a giveaway by a millionaire influencer.

Kenneth Smith has gone viral this holiday season for his toy drives and car giveaways across the country. In his latest iteration, a mother in Chicago has a new car to make the season extra bright.

Smith recorded the woman winning the giveaway in a heartwarming clip and shared it on social media. He expressed his immense gratitude for being able to change lives this Christmas in such a monumental way.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kenneth Smith (@_smittythegoat_)

“Man this has got to be the most fulfilling thing to do in life GIFTING ANOTHER PERSON A PAID OFF CAR… words can’t explain how happy I feel doing this for my city !”

In the emotional clip, Smith announced the Chicago mother as the winner of his car giveaway. The woman entered her brand-new vehicle while wiping away tears as community members cheered her on.

“You don’t have no note, you don’t have nothing. Only thing you got to go do is get insurance,” explained Smith to the elated winner.

At the end of the clip, he added, “We just finished the giveaway, y’all. This is the family who won the car. We got a paid off Chevy. “

Smith has played his own version of Santa during this holiday period. The millionaire-maker influencer has garnered nearly 400,000 followers for his financial savviness and inspiration to future wealth-builders.

Before showing love to the family in Windy City, Smith spread more Christmas joy in Miami. Families in South Beach also received new toys, with one special winner receiving a paid-off car for the New Year.

However, Smith took things up a notch in both cities with a Walmart shutdown, providing families with carts filled with paid gifts and a $20,000 giveaway. Giving back to the Chicago suburb where he grew up, Smith has taken over the city and social media with his displays of generosity this Christmas.

by Sharelle B. McNair

December 23, 2025

Trump Administration Boots 30 Career Ambassadors For ‘State Department Realignment,’ With Africa Leading The Pack

The State Department, under the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, claims none of the recalled diplomats are facing punishment or being retaliated against personally as recent moves have caused a rumor of the president’s motives.

The shakeup continues with the Trump Administration, as President Donald Trump recalled close to 30 ambassadors from around the world from their posts to advance the America First agenda, Fox News reported.

A senior State Department official said the ambassadors weren’t fired but reassigned, calling it “a standard process in any administration.” “An ambassador is a personal representative of the President, and it is the President’s right to ensure that he has individuals in these countries who advance the America First agenda,” the official said in a statement.

The State Department, under the leadership of Secretary of State Marco Rubio, said none of the recalled diplomats are facing punishment or being personally retaliated against, as recent moves have sparked rumors about the president’s motives. In fact, the senior official said the decision was made to “prioritize continuity,” as Trump continues to keep operations intact and not to derail U.S. interests.

“We encourage returning ambassadors to continue serving their country by finding new opportunities within the Department to advance President Trump’s America First agenda.”

As a result, ambassadors of a country at war or amid high-stakes negotiations with the U.S. wouldn’t be recalled.

According to the Associated Press, recalled ambassadors from 29 countries were informed before the Christmas holiday that their tenures would end in January 2026, most of them having taken their posts under the Biden administration but surviving Trump’s early-stage purge.

Africa was the most affected by the recall, with ambassadors from 13 countries — Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Madagascar, Mauritius, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Somalia, and Uganda — being removed. Asia came in second place with changes from six countries, including Fiji, Laos, the Marshall Islands, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Next was Europe, with four affected countries: Armenia, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Slovakia. Middle Eastern ambassadors from Algeria and Egypt were removed, along with those from Nepal and Sri Lanka in South and Central Asia, and Guatemala and Suriname in the Western Hemisphere.

Ambassadors typically serve for up to four years at the president’s pleasure. Recalled ambassadors will return to Washington, D.C., for new assignments if they choose to accept them. Although it’s a standard practice for a sitting president to recall ambassadors, recalls of this volume don’t typically happen at once, leaving room for side-eye criticism from lawmakers and the union representing American diplomats.

Former ambassador and Assistant Secretary of State Herman J. Cohen said the recalls are alarming, in a post on X. “As a career U.S. diplomat and former assistant secretary of state for African affairs, I am alarmed by President Trump’s recall of nearly 30 career ambassadors — with Africa reportedly hit hardest. Presidents have the right to replace ambassadors, but a wholesale change of this magnitude is, as the American Foreign Service Association calls it, ‘highly irregular,” he wrote.

“Those who make serving America their career can do so across multiple presidencies. I hope the administration has plans to deploy qualified people to every post – and that those who are being recalled are at least offered positions where their decades of experience will continue to serve our goals.”

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

December 23, 2025

Jackée Harry Blasts AI-Made ‘Sister, Sister’ Reboot Cover Art, ‘That Doesn’t Even Look Like Me’

Harry is calling out an AI-generated cover image created for a reboot of the hit ’90s sitcom.

Jackée Harry is calling out an AI-generated cover image created for a reboot of the hit ’90s sitcom “Sister, Sister,” which she starred in alongside Tia and Tamera Mowry.

Taking to Instagram on Dec. 22, the actress and comedian reshared an AI-generated photo and video teasing a reboot of the series. The images depicted the iconic twins, Tia and Tamera, alongside their on-screen parents — Lisa Landry, played by Harry, and Raymond Campbell, played by Tim Reid — as well as what appeared to be two teenage sons.

She also included an AI-generated video showing the cast, including Marques Houston as fan-favorite Roger, walking beside younger versions of their “Sister, Sister” characters as the show’s theme song played. Though nostalgic for fans, Harry used the post to publicly criticize the AI-created reboot.

“Okay, hear me out… 😄💅🏾 Y’all know these AI pictures are FAKE, right? RIGHT?!” Harry wrote. “I love that you love our little show. But c’mon. That doesn’t even look like me! WHO IS SHE? And WHO are those boys?? Tia & Tamera’s kids?? Since WHEN?!”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jackée Harry (@jackeeharry)

Harry, best known for her breakout role as Sandra Clark on NBC’s “227,” made it clear she’s not anti-AI. She acknowledged there are ways the technology can be useful and add value, but said that in Hollywood, some roles and creative work should remain in the hands of real professionals.

“I’m not anti-AI, either. A little here and there can be cute,” Harry explained. “It’s great for thought exercises, mockups, dreaming things up… But when it comes to bringing characters back to life…Baby, that’s a job for the professionals. Real humans with real ideas.”

“And if they ever decide to bring back Sister, Sister maybe they won’t have me out here looking like somebody’s auntie from an entirely different show,” she added.

Many fans responded to her post, praising how closely the AI-generated Lisa Landry resembles the real character. Tamera Mowry-Housley also commented, showing support for the AI reboot and writing, “Would love to do this show right???”

The AI-generated “Sister, Sister” reboot is the latest example sparking debate over AI’s role in Hollywood and its ability to create realistic content using public figures, past and present. While AI offers opportunities for creators who might not have had a chance before, many argue it bypasses the consent of the talent being replicated and takes work away from professionals who make a living performing these roles.

Still, the creator may have simply aimed to deliver a dose of nostalgia for “Sister, Sister” fans, which many fans appear to enjoy.