#Lagos State Chapter

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Rick McKee, Augusta Chronicle

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

November 11, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Nov 12, 2024

The day after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Afghanistan’s Taliban offered its congratulations to the American people for “not handing leadership of their great country to a woman.” 

Taliban leaders expressed optimism that Trump’s election would enable a new chapter in the history of U.S-Taliban relations. They noted that it was Trump who suggested a new international order when he inked the February 29, 2020, Doha Agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban. That deal cut out the Afghan government and committed the U.S. to leave Afghanistan by May 2021, closing five military bases and ending economic sanctions on the Taliban. This paved the way for the U.S. evacuation of the country in August 2021 and the return of the Taliban to power. 

The Taliban prohibits girls’ education past the sixth grade and recently banned the sound of women’s voices outside their homes.

In Russia, Russian thinker Alexander Dugin explained the dramatic global impact of Trump’s win. “We have won,” Dugin said. “The world will be never ever like before. Globalists have lost their final combat.” Dugin has made his reputation on his calls for an “anti-American revolution” and a new Russian empire built on “the rejection of [alliances of democratic nations surrounding the Atlantic], strategic control of the United States, and the rejection of the supremacy of economic, liberal market values,” as well as reestablishing traditional family structures with strict gender roles. 

Maxim Trudolyubov of the Wilson Center, a nonpartisan foreign affairs think tank, suggested Friday that Putin’s long-term goal of weakening the U.S. has made him more interested in dividing Americans than in any one candidate. 

Indeed, rather than backing Trump wholeheartedly, Russian president Vladimir Putin has been undercutting him. He did not comment on Trump’s election until Thursday, when he said that the power of liberal democracies over world affairs is “irrevocably disappearing.” Although Ellen Nakashima, John Hudson, and Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post reported that Trump and Putin had spoken on Thursday, Putin denied such a call as “pure fiction.”

Exacerbating America’s internal divisions and demonstrating dominance over both the U.S. and Trump might explain why after Trump became president-elect, laughing Russian media figures showed viewers nude pictures of Trump’s third wife, Melania, taken during her modeling career.

In an interview, Putin’s presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev said today: "To achieve success in the election, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. As a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them." Meanwhile, U.S. and Ukrainian officials report that Russia has massed 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean soldiers, to reclaim territory in the Kursk region of Russia taken this year by Ukrainian forces. 

Trump claims to have talked to about seventy world leaders since his reelection but has declined to go through the usual channels of the State Department. This illustrates his determination to reorganize the federal government around himself rather than its normal operations but leaves him—and the United States—vulnerable to misstatements and misunderstandings.

The domestic effects of Trump’s victory also reveal confusion, both within the Republican Party and within national politics. Voters elected Trump and his running mate, Ohio senator J.D. Vance, but it’s hard to miss that billionaire Elon Musk, who backed Trump’s 2024 campaign financially, seems to be “Trump’s shadow vice-president,” as Nick Robins-Early of The Guardian put it. Sources told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that Musk has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since the election, sitting in on phone calls with foreign leaders and weighing in on staffing decisions. Yesterday at Mar-a-Lago, Musk met with the chief executive officer of the right-wing media channel Newsmax.

Exactly who is in control of the party is unclear, and in the short term that question is playing out over the Senate’s choice of a successor to minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). In the new Congress, this Republican leader will become Senate majority leader, thereby gaining the power to control the Senate calendar and decide which bills get taken up and which do not. 

Trump controls the majority of Republicans in the House, but he did not control Senate Republicans when McConnell led them. Now he wants to put Florida senator Rick Scott into the leadership role, but Republicans aligned with McConnell and the pre-2016 party want John Thune (R-SD) or John Cornyn (R-TX). There are major struggles taking place over the choice. Today Musk posted on social media his support for Scott. Other MAGA leaders fell in line, with media figure Benny Johnson—recently revealed to be on Russia’s payroll—urging his followers to target senators backing Thune or Cornyn.

Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels of Politico Playbook suggested that this pressure would backfire, especially since many senators dislike Scott for his unsuccessful leadership of the National Republican Senatorial Committee that works to elect Republicans to the Senate. 

Trump has also tried to sideline senators by demanding they abandon one of their key constitutional roles: that of advice and consent to a president’s appointment of top administration figures. Although Republicans will command a majority in the Senate, Trump is evidently concerned he cannot get some of his appointees through, so has demanded that Republicans agree to let him make recess appointments without going through the usual process of constitutionally mandated advice and consent.

Trump has also demanded that Republicans stop Democrats from making any judicial appointments in the next months, although Republicans continued to approve his nominees after voters elected President Joe Biden in 2020. Indeed, Judge Aileen Cannon, who let Trump off the hook for his retention of classified documents, was approved after Trump had lost the election.

All this jockeying comes amid the fact that while Trump is claiming a mandate from his election, in fact the vote was anything but a landslide. While votes are still being counted, Trump seems to have won by fewer than two percentage points in a cycle where incumbents across the globe lost. This appears to be the smallest popular vote margin for a winning candidate since Richard Nixon won in 1968.

While voters elected Trump, they also backed Democratic policies. In seven states, voters enshrined abortion rights in their constitutions. Two Republican-dominated states raised their minimum wage to $15 an hour; three enshrined mandated paid leave. In exit polls last week, sixty-five percent of voters said they want abortion to remain legal, and fifty-six percent said they want undocumented immigrants to have a chance to apply for legal status.

The gap between what Trump has promised MAGA supporters and what voters want is creating confusion in national politics. How can Trump deliver the national abortion ban MAGAs want when sixty-five percent of voters want abortion rights? How can he deport all undocumented immigrants, including those who have been here for decades and integrated into their communities, while his own voters say they want undocumented immigrants to have a path to citizenship? 

Trump’s people have repeatedly expressed their opinion that Trump was stopped from putting the full MAGA agenda into place because he did not move quickly enough in his first term. They have vowed they will not make that mistake again. But the fast imposition of their extremist policies runs the risk of alienating the more moderate voters who just put them in power.

In September, as the Taliban enforced new rules on women in Afghanistan, they also began to target Afghan men. New laws mandated that men stop wearing western jeans, stop cutting their hair and beards in western ways, and stop looking at women other than their wives or female relatives. Religious morality officers are knocking on the doors of those who haven’t recently attended mosque to remind them they can be tried and sentenced for repeated nonattendance, and government employees are afraid they’ll be fired if they don’t grow their beards. According to Rick Noack of the Washington Post, such restrictions surprised men, who were accustomed to enjoying power in their society. Some have been wondering if they should have spoken up to defend the freedoms of their wives and daughters.

One man who had supported the Taliban said he now feels bullied. “We all are practicing Muslims and know what is mandatory or not. But it’s unacceptable to use force on us,” he said. Speaking on the condition of anonymity because he feared drawing the attention of the regime, another man from Kabul said: “If men had raised their voices, we might also be in a different situation now.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[coquitokisses]

Trusting Again | chapter 001: the accords

Word count: 1953

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— 2016 —

After the whole situation in Lagos, we're finally back at the compound. I'm currently in the kitchen with Vision attempting to bake cupcakes for Wanda, we've been trying to make her feel better with absolutely everything. And we've kinda.. failed. She hasn't left her room.

"Are they burning?" Vision asked while looking into the oven

"I don't think so." I stood beside him and looked too

"And you're sure it said 20 minutes?"

I turned to look at him. "Aren't you the one who's supposed to know?"

"But you were the one reading the recipe from the internet, miss Cat."

"They're gonna turn out fine, don't worry." I said walking over to the fridge and I took out the three different colored frostings we bought earlier. "Pink, white or red?"

"Definitely red, that's her color." He said

"It sure is."

I took out the red frosting and I left it on the counter as I looked for the little piping bags we also bought, we prepared for this shit like it was some sort of project.

"This is rock hard, Cat." he said as he touched how hard, and also cold, the frosting was

"Well yeah, it was in the fridge, we have to heat it up a little bit." I said grabbing the frosting "Hey, what do you think if we do some..."

I was cut off by the door opening and then Tony appeared.

"Something is definitely burning." he said walking towards the kitchen

"I thought you were gonna be at that speech thing you had." I told him

"Well, I was and now it's over" he said "And we have company, Cakelina, so behave."

I was gonna talk again but I saw Secretary Ross come in and Vision and I just stood there kinda confused.

"Should we tell Captain Rogers?"

"Yeah." I said

Well this will be interesting. Vision left the kitchen and I put the frosting back in the fridge, I turned off the oven and then when Steve and Wanda came down, we all walked over to the conference room. And by all I mean all of us.

"What the hell is happening?" Sam whispered sitting next to me

"I don't know." I sighed leaning back on my chair

When we were all sat down, Secretary Ross started talking.

"The world owes the Avengers an unpayable debt." he said looking at us "You have fought for us, protected us, risked your lives.. but while a great many people see you as "heroes" there are some who would prefer the word "vigilantes""

"And what word would you use, Mr. Secretary?" I asked him

"How about "dangerous"?" He replied "What would you call a group of US based, enhanced individuals who routinely ignore sovereign borders and inflict their will wherever they choose and who, frankly, seem unconcerned about what they leave behind?"

None of us said a single thing. He moved to the side and turned on the tv behind him showing some pictures and evidence about the events from the last 4 years. He showed from the New York attack when Loki came to the last event that was in Lagos yesterday. Wanda immediately stopped looking at the tv and turned her chair.

"Okay, that's enough." Steve said

Secretary Ross looked over at the man that was with him before he talked again.

"For the past 4 years you've operated with unlimited power and no supervision, that's an arrangement the governments of the world can no longer tolerate" he started saying "But I think we have a solution."

The other man gave him like a book and he then put it on the table.

"The Sokovia Accords, approved by 117 countries it states that The Avengers shall no longer be a private organization, instead they'll operate under the supervision of a United Nations panel only when and if that panel deems it necessary." he explained

"The Avengers were formed to make the world a safer place." Steve was the first one to talk "I feel we've done that."

"Tell me Captain, do you know where Thor and Banner are right now?" Ross said and Steve looked at him not responding

Thor is not even from earth, let's start there. He doesn't even live with us in the compound.

"If I misplaced a couple of 30 megaton nukes you can bet there'd be consequences." he said "Compromise, reassurance, that's how the world works, believe me this is the middle ground." he pointed at the Accords

"So, there are contingencies." Rhodey said

"Three days from now the UN meets in Vienna to ratify the Accords, talk it over." Ross said as he started to walk away

"And if we come to a decision you don't like?" Natasha asked him

"Then you retire" he said before walking out

"Well this was fun." I looked at Sam

"Tell me about it." he rolled his eyes

We then went to the living room.. and the bickering started. Steve talked and Rhodey talked and Natasha talked too. And I'm just waiting for them to shut the hell up so we can all agree that we are not signing this.. thing.

"Secretary Ross has a Congressional Medal of Honor which is one more than you have." Rhodey said to Sam

"So let's say we agree to this thing, how long is it gonna be before they LoJack us like a bunch of common criminals?" Sam responded

"117 countries wanna sign this, 117, Sam and you're just like "no, that's cool, we got it" " Rhodey said

"How long are you gonna play both sides?" Sam looked at him

"You need to chill" I told them "Both of you."

"You've been awfully quiet since Secretary Ross left, you're okay with this too?" Sam pointed at the Accords while looking at me

"I'm literally just waiting for you guys to stop bickering like kids so we can all come up with a decision here" I said "As a team."

"You haven't said anything, literally anything."

"Well I think this is complete bullshit." I rolled my eyes

"See?" Sam looked at Rhodey

"I have an equation." Vision spoke

"Oh, this will clear it up." Sam said

"In the eight years that Mr. Stark announced himself as Iron Man, the number of known enhanced persons has grown exponentially." he said "During the same period the number of potentially world-ending events has risen at a commensurate rate."

"Are you saying it's our fault?" Steve looked at him

"I'm saying there may be a causality." Vision responded "Our very strength invites challenge, challenge incites conflict and conflict breeds catastrophe." he said "Oversight is not an idea that can be dismissed out of hand."

"Boom" Rhodey looked at Sam

"Tony, you're being uncharacteristically non-hyper verbal." Natasha looked at Tony

"That's because he's already made up his mind." Steve said

"Boy you know me so well" Tony said before standing up "Actually I'm nursing an electromagnetic headache, that's what's going on, Cap, it's just pain" he walked over to the kitchen "it's discomfort.. who's putting coffee grounds in the disposal? Am I running a bed and breakfast for a biker gang?" he looked at us

That might've been Sam tho.

Tony took his phone out of his pocket and placed it on a little basket on the counter and he showed us a picture of a young looking man. He then started telling us who he was and how he died in Sokovia.

"There's no decision-making process here" he started saying "we need to be put in check, whatever form that takes, I'm game" he shrugged "If we can't accept limitations, if we're boundary-less we're no better that the bad guys."

"Tony, someone dies on your watch, you don't give up." Steve said

"Who said we're giving up?"

"We are if we're not taking responsibility for our actions, this document just shifts the blame."

"I'm sorry, Steve, that is dangerously arrogant." Rhodey spoke "This is the United Nations we're talking about, it's not the World Security Council, it's not SHIELD, it's not HYDRA."

"No, but it's run by people with agendas and agendas change." Steve replied

"That's good, that's why I'm here" Tony said "When I realized what my weapons were capable of in the wrong hands, I shut it down and stopped manufacturing."

"Tony, you chose to do that, if we sign this we surrender our right to choose." Steve told him "What if this panel sends us somewhere where we don't think we should go? What if there is somewhere we need to go and they don't let us?" he said "We may not be perfect but the safest hands are still our own."

"If we don't do this now it's gonna be done to us later, that's the fact" Tony said "that won't be pretty."

"You're saying they'll come for me." Wanda spoke

"No, don't say that." I grabbed her hand "You'll be fine."

"We would protect you." Vision told her

"Maybe Tony's right" Natasha said and we all looked at her literally shocked "If we have one hand on the wheel we can still steer, if we take it off..."

"I'm sorry, babe, but that's a little hypocritical coming from you" I cut her off "Aren't you the same woman who told the government to kiss her ass a few years ago?"

"I'm just.. I'm reading the terrain" she looked at me and then looked over at the guys again "We have made some very public mistakes, we need to win their trust back."

"Focus up, I'm sorry, did I just mishear or did you agree with me?" Tony said to her

"I wanna take it back now." Natasha said

"Oh no, honey, you can't retract it" I chuckled "You know how he is."

"Even Catie knows it." He pointed at me

I immediately scrunched my nose in disgust. "Ugh, don't call me Catie, you know I don't like it."

"But Catie suits you."

"No it doesn't." I shook my head

"No it doesn't, Tony, look at her face!" Nat said

"Cat is a hideous nickname, by the way." Tony said and Nat and I just bursted out laughing

"Look who's talking! Tony is the most basic nickname and it also makes you look kinda hispanic."

Tony gasped. "That's racist." He pointed at me and I just rolled my eyes laughing

"I have to go." Steve spoke as he stood up from his seat

He left the room and Nat and I looked at each other kinda confused.

"So.. is the meeting over now?" I asked

"Well I suppose." Tony shrugged

I nodded and then I realized that I left the cupcakes in the oven. "Shit.." I stood up from the chair "The cupcakes."

I quickly walked out of the room and immediately went to the kitchen, yes, I know I turned off the oven, but still.

As I walked there, I bumped into Steve.

"Hey, is everything okay?" I asked by the way he sprinted out of the living room

"Yeah.. well no, not exactly." He replied letting out a sigh

"What's going on?"

"Peggy passed away."

"Oh my god.. I'm so sorry, Steve."

"The funeral's in three days, in London."

"You want some company?" I asked

"Don't worry about it, I'll be fine."

"You sure? You know you don't have to do this alone."

He was about to talk, but was interrupted by Sam. "And he won't."

We both turned around to see him walking towards us.

"When are we leaving?" He asked putting one of his arms over my shoulders

"Seriously guys, you don't have to." Steve said

"We know." I shrugged "But we want to."

He gave us a small smile. "Thanks, guys."

Likes and reblogs will be appreciated!

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[justinspoliticalcorner]

Kiera Butler at Mother Jones:

Last Thursday, as wildfires continued to blaze through Los Angeles, firefighters appeared to be no match for the deadly combination of winds and flames. But one entrepreneur in the LA suburb of El Segundo had an idea. Augustus Doricko, a 24-year-old who runs a geoengineering startup called Rainmaker, announced on X his attention to help. “Rainmaker will do what it can,” he posted, “starting Saturday.” Doricko may not be a tech celebrity like Elon Musk or Jeff Bezos, but he isn’t a nobody, either—at least not anymore. Just four years ago, Doricko was a lowly undergrad conservative activist at the University of California, Berkeley, where he launched the school’s chapter of America First Students, the university arm of the political organization founded by white nationalist “Groyper” and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. But for Doricko as for many young aspiring tech entrepreneurs, a college degree was not a prerequisite for success.

Last year, PayPal founder Peter Thiel’s foundation granted Doricko a Thiel Fellowship, a grant awarded annually to a select group of entrepreneurs who have foregone a college degree in order to pursue a tech-focused business venture. In Doricko’s case, that venture was Rainmaker, which seeks to increase the US water supply through cloud-seeding technology. Like many tech entrepreneurs, Doricko believes his work is the solution to an urgent problem. “Cloud seeding is a necessary technology to avert worsening drought,” he posted recently. But he also believes his work manifests God’s will. In August, he told his followers on X, “One of our Lord’s first commandments was to subdue the earth and tend to it! He desires that mankind control the weather for the sake of building the kingdom of God on earth and stewarding it well.” In another post, he wrote, “Dams modify rivers, Jesus was a carpenter who modified forests (cut trees) to build houses. We aim to serve God.” Cloud seeding is just the next step in the evolution of man’s relationship with nature for the greater glory of the Divine. Doricko didn’t say exactly how he and his few dozen employees planned to help with the fires. But the practical details seemed to be beside the point, at least to his admiring followers on social media who responded to his post. “Augustus promises to do what he can to stop the bleeding,” enthused one fan on X. “He plans to command the heavens and make the angels cry for life to prevail.” Another added, “Godspeed brethren, may the good Lord bless you and keep you.” Doricko is just one example within a rising tide of American Christianity that appears to be cresting in California’s tech enclaves. Recent news stories have described a new generation of tech bros flocking to church in the famously secular San Francisco Bay Area and Silicon Valley, discovering Christianity through PayPal founder and billionaire investor Peter Thiel, and investing in a Christ-centered real estate enclave in rural Kentucky. There are the usual reasons for this surging interest in Christianity like yearning for community and searching for the greater meaning of life. And for those immersed in a tech culture that has long been obsessed with longevity, the promise of eternal life must offer a special appeal.

But there are other forces at play, which revolve around a very specific kind of Christianity: that of the TheoBros, a group of mostly millennial and Gen Z, ultraconservative men, many of whom proudly call themselves Christian nationalists. Among the tenets of this branch of Protestant Christianity—known as Reformed or Reconstructionist—is the idea that the United States should be subject to biblical law. While the TheoBros’ beliefs are extreme—many of them think women shouldn’t be able to vote, and that the Constitution has outlived its usefulness and we should instead be governed by the Ten Commandments—their movement is moving out of the fringe. In part because they are very savvy about broadcasting it on a multitude of platforms—on podcasts and YouTube shows, on X, at a seemingly never-ending round-robin of conferences. Doricko attends a church that is part of the TheoBros denomination in an LA suburb, as do others in his El Segundo tech community and beyond.

The TheoBros also have made inroads to the upper reaches of political power. In November, President-elect Trump nominated one of their allies, former Fox News commentator Pete Hegseth, to lead the Department of Defense. Hegseth attends a church in Tennessee that is affiliated with the TheoBro movement, and his children attend a school affiliated with the network of classical Christian schools that Wilson helped found. JD Vance has brushed shoulders with the TheoBros, too—he spoke at last summer’s National Conservatism Conference, where Wilson also spoke, and he co-founded the Rockbridge Network, a powerful group of Republican donors, with Chris Buskirk, a board member of the unofficial TheoBro magazine, American Reformer.

The TheoBros’ burgeoning connections with the Trump administration mark a divergence from the style of Christianity that the MAGA world had once embraced. During Trump’s first term, he forged connections with leaders in what’s known as the New Apostolic Reformation, a charismatic movement whose adherents believe that Christians are called to take over the government. Those leaders went on to become instrumental figures in the “Stop the Steal” campaign that led to the Capital insurrection of 2021. Yet the TheoBros are, for the most part, much more militant in their political and social beliefs than the New Apostolic Reformation adherents. Recent pieces in American Reformer have bemoaned the “feminization” of Christianity, lambasted the “willfully childless feminists in the media,” and predicted that “traditional American holidays that reflect our Christian and Anglo heritage will become battlegrounds in the contest over the soul of America among the disparate groups now populating the country.”

[...] Today, with Doricko as a fellow worshipper, Taylor attends Christ Church Santa Clarita, a southern California member church in the denomination that Wilson founded. In 2023, Taylor wrote on X that Wilson had been “a huge influence on me regarding wealth.” Wilson has written that he sees technology as something like a divine gift. “If you have a smartphone, you have more wealth in your pocket than Nebuchadnezzar accumulated over the course of his lifetime,” he wrote in his 2020 book, Ploductivity: A Practical Theology of Work and Wealth. “We have a responsibility to turn a profit on these astounding resources.”

Mother Jones reports on a group of Gen Z ultra-Christian nationalist Thielite tech bros currying favor in MAGA world.

[transitranger327]

Sundari Twilight, Chapter 2: The Eminent Ones

Day 7: What If?

Barriss’s quest to help the Galaxy outside the war lead her to discover Duchess Satine Kryze’s desperate transmission. Ahsoka decides to use her history with Mandalore to help out. They journey there with an Obi-Wan who is not in his usual state of mind.

Notes: This chapter specifically was written for @sapphicahsokatanoweek 2024, but the whole fic really does fit “What if…Ahsoka and Barriss went with Obi-Wan to Mandalore?” If anyone wants to make fanart of the outfits I describe, please tag me when you post it! This is sort of a mirror version of “Kenobi’s Shadow” by Greg van Eekhout (Obi-Wan’s pov during “The Lawless”) More notes can be found at the end, below the cut

—

“Brother, how can you be sure?” Savage had never found the same deep connection to the Force that his brother had. “The galaxy is filled with quadrillions of beings making choices that affect the future.”

“No, no, no, there are very few beings alive that can affect my old master’s grand design.” He had never felt a disturbance like this before. The visions Maul had were now playing out differently than before. “We must be cautious, my apprentice. Our plans with Death Watch and the Crime Families are under a new threat.”

—

Two girls were basking in each other’s warmth. One, newly knighted and unsure of her future in the Jedi Order. She was curled up on a bed, resting her head on the chest of the other, a padawan who hasn’t felt unsure of anything since she was resurrected by an avatar of the Force. But they were united in a shared love for doing good in a galaxy that detested it. 

The padawan inhaled the sweet scent of her partner’s hair, a mix of fragrant oils and sweat, with the faintest hint of salt from their previous activities. “Did I ever tell you that your hair is beautiful?”

“Only three times every day, Ahsoka.” The knight had thoroughly enjoyed her time with her beloved, and was somewhat saddened knowing the war would conspire to separate them again. “But it makes up for the days I never get to hear it.” She got many compliments from others about her choices in hoods and scarves, but very few people got to see what was underneath. 

A computer’s chime pierced the tranquility of their room. Barriss’s slicing program had discovered a new request for aid that could go unnoticed. She kissed Ahsoka’s breast before sliding off of her and into a chair in front of her computer. Ahsoka turned on her side and watched her lover fiddle with the device. “What did you find?”

“A transmission sent the Jedi council, personally. From…Mandalore?” “That’s a bit strange,” Barriss thought, “Why is Mandalore contacting us directly? Surely they could reach out thru the Senate.”

“Put it thru.” It hadn’t been all that long since Ahsoka had last interacted with Mandalorians, so she was curious what was going on. 

A blue hologram of the Duchess of Mandalore, on one knee, erupted from the computer’s small holo-projector. “This message is for Obi-Wan Kenobi. I’ve lost Mandalore. My people have been massacred, and Almec is the Prime Minister. There’s no time to explain everything now, but Almec has the support of the crime families”—she looked over her shoulder before continuing—“Obi-Wan, I need your help.” A Death Watch commando with a horned helmet approached her from behind as the transmission ended. 

Ahsoka’s resolve steeled. “We’re doing this, we’re going to help Obi-Wan.”

“What do you mean?” Barriss wasn’t quite sure how to follow her partner’s logic. 

“I thought it was obvious. The situation on Mandalore is obviously bad. Almec used to be the prime minister before he was the center of a corruption scandal and stripped of his power—a scandal some of my students there exposed.” A small smile crept onto her face, remembering Korkie, Lagos, Soniee, and Amis. “If crime families have aligned with Death Watch to put him back in power, something went very wrong.” 

“But why won’t the Republic assist them? Weren’t Death Watch working with the Separatists?”

“Death Watch and Dooku are no longer friendly. The Senate isn’t even helping Republic worlds, let alone a neutral system like Mandalore.” Then Ahsoka began laying out her plan. “The Council is going to show this to Obi-Wan, but they’re not going to be able to help him without Senate authorization. But Obi-Wan’s still going to help, because Satine is personal to him.” She let the unspoken “Like we are to each other” hang in the air. “I’m guessing he’s gonna borrow the Twilight to try and sneak onto Mandalore.”

“I take it that’s where we come in to help?” Barriss was grinning, she was starting to see the pieces fall into place. 

“Exactly. We ride along with him to Mandalore. This is a covert mission, but I have contacts there that he doesn’t. We can’t be wearing anything Jedi-related, or anything that looks like what we normally wear.”

“Should we still bring our lightsabers?”

Ahsoka thought for a few beats. “On one hand, they are Jedi items. If we’re caught with them, whatever crime families are running the place will know what’s happening. But, if Death Watch are involved, their leader has a Darksaber, and it would be a bad idea to encounter him without one.”

“Perhaps we carry them inside our disguises. We don’t show them off, but we can still access them if we have to.” 

“I love that idea.” She draped her arms over Barriss’s shoulders. “Plan for the best…”

“…Prepare for the worst.” It was a little catchphrase they had developed, their two signature styles. The knight had always favored making plans, while the padawan was ready to change things when circumstances worsened. 

The knight leaned in for a kiss from her lover, who always obliged.

—

Obi-Wan Kenobi hated flying. He even considered taking Anakin up on his offer, to come along and fly the Twilight for him. But he couldn’t bring anyone else. Two Jedi would attract too much attention. This was personal. This was something he had to do alone. ”For Satine,” he thought. 

As he entered what could generously be described as a bridge, he almost missed R7-A7. Barely registering it, only as a friendly droid. “R7, set the stealthiest course you can out of here.” A few cheerful beeps later, a flight plan popped up on his screen. A low flight to the pass under the flight restrictions, the public airways to blend in on active scans, and a “malfunctioning” transponder to avoid passive detection. None of the Republic Military patrols (which he outranked, ironically) were going to stop him. The sublight engines quietly roared to life, and soon enough he was en route.

After an uneventful hyperspace jump, a distant feeling of dread crept over him. Like the mission was going to fall apart. Quiet doubts began murmuring if he was even doing the right thing. He was experienced enough with his own emotions to not be consumed be them, but the edge he felt while packing was now blunt. 

A familiar voice snapped Obi-Wan out of his malaise. “Wow, you really must be preoccupied with Satine.” A Togrutan the same size and build as his student’s student, wearing greasy blue coveralls, had taken the co-pilot’s seat next to him. It took him an embarrassingly long time to realize that, yes, that really is Ahsoka. “R7, did he make any comment about you being here?” A few negative beeps followed, with a bit of what sounded like laughter.

“On the solo mission,” he thought, “that’s why her droid was here.” He slowly put his face into his palm, “Ahsoka, I just told Anakin he couldn’t come with me. And now you show up?”

“Barriss owes me ten credits,” she smirked, “I bet her you wouldn’t notice anything was up until after we left. I knew you would be too focused on your mission.” As she was talking, Barriss Offee—in a white headscarf and a dark purple cloak—approached the co-pilot’s chair and handed her a credit chip.

“You just keep inviting yourself on missions, don’t you.” Obi-Wan recalled the stunt she pulled at the citadel.

“Master, you’re the one who invited yourself on this mission without any official approval,” Ahsoka retorted.

Barriss continued in a Consular voice, “We’re just here to support you in whatever way we can.”

“You wouldn’t understand, this is…deeply personal”

“Wouldn’t we?” Ahsoka’s smirk had softened to genuine care. Obi-Wan looked at the two women in front of him. They had the same look of concern as when Anakin offered to help, trying to understand his personal agenda with his own.

“It’s not just who I would be help, it’s who I’d be fighting. Death Watch…”

“Has affected more than just you!” Righteous anger flashed behind Ahsoka’s eyes; Obi-Wan almost missed it. “You are not the only one of us to be hurt by them. You are not alone, Master!” 

With this plea, Obi-Wan relented. “I’m sorry, Ahsoka. I didn’t realize this was personal for you too. I just know they bring out the worst in me and I didn’t want anyone else to be hurt.”

Ahsoka took his hands, which had started trembling with anxiety. “You’re never alone, Obi-Wan.” It was the first time she had used his real name in a long time. 

“There are so many people who care for you,” added Barriss, smiling. “Let them help you when you need it.”

After a tender silence, Ahsoka asked, “So Master, what was your plan?”

“I was planning on breaking into whatever prison they’re holding her in, then escaping with her.”

“A simple extraction mission? That could work.”

In contrast to Barriss, Ahsoka had a lot more questions. “How are you planning on landing there? The docks are the only way in or out, and they would be under tight security now.”

“Well, I did bring a Disguise.” Obi-Wan opened his bag and pulled out the helmet of Rako Hardeen. Ahsoka flinched as she remembered when he faked his death.

“And if they ask for a landing permit?”

A smile—“I’ll try the old ‘I left it on the ship’ trick.”

The two younger Jedi started giggling. “Anakin would call that a good trick,” Ahsoka laughed, “but I’m surprised you would call it a plan.”

“I suppose he does have an influence on me. What would you suggest?”

“You know I taught at the Royal Academy,” Ahsoka started revealing her plan. “I still have contacts, and Barriss and I can convincingly fake the landing paperwork.”

“And your disguises?”

“You’re looking at them.” Barriss was now sitting at a computer console. “It’s pretty easy to not be recognized when you’re famous for one outfit.”

—

After a landing that was rougher than expected (Ahsoka had rewire a power junction in-flight), the three Jedi descended the Twilight’s landing ramp. Obi-Wan and Barriss led the way, as Ahsoka wanted to reduce her chances of being recognized from her last encounter. A Death Watch trooper approached them. “State your business.”

“We’re here to purchase merchandise for export.” Barriss handed over a datapad with forged permit, “Electronics, mostly.”

“Our vendor wishes to remain anonymous,” added Kenobi’s filtered and modified voice.

After a brief look-over, the Mandalorian gave his approval. “Well, it looks like you’re authorized. Please, enjoy our city.”

When the three managed to exit earshot and enter the tunnel, Ahsoka commenced attempts to contact any possible allies. Written messages, voice messages, browsing local holo boards. Within a few minutes, she began receiving a transmission. 

“Ahsoka, am I glad to hear from you.”

Despite the anonymous transmission, she recognized the voice. “Soniee, is it? We heard the Duchess’s call and are here to help.”

“Good. We can’t keep this line open, just meet us at these coordinates.” A location popped up on Ahsoka’s comlink before the transmission ended.

She turned to her companions, “Shall we?”

—

When the three disguised Jedi reached the agreed-upon destination, a Mandalorian in familiar armor was waiting for them. She was a mystery to two of them, but for Ahsoka, it had only been a few months.

Simultaneously, they asked, “What are you doing here?”

—

Notes: “Merchandise for export” is definitely a euphemism for black-market goods. I actually don’t remember how often Ahsoka says “Obi-Wan” in TCW, but I’m reasonably certain she never says it to his face.

[kuiperoid]

Optical Illusion: Perceptions of Race and Sexuality with Right-Wing Internet Personality Nick Fuentes, Part 3

[originally posted here]

Part 1, Part 2

The Gospel of Judas

There have been multiple references throughout this article to Fuentes’s former associate Jaden McNeil, but to understand the true depth of that situation, one must know who Jaden McNeil is and what he meant to both Fuentes and the America First movement. Simply referring to him as “Fuentes’s ex-associate” is greatly underplaying the role he played in Fuentes’s movement and life in general. The two were a veritable right-wing version of Maximilien Robespierre and Camille Desmoulins and, as with that political friendship, it was not made to last. It ended, however, not at the guillotine, but in an ongoing online battle of insults and accusations.

Jaden Patrick McNeil was born to a modest background in a small town in Nebraska on May 17, 1999. He would go on to be a student at Kansas State University with the intention of one day becoming a lawyer. He proved quite effective as a conservative activist as the president of Kansas State’s Turning Point USA chapter, which would become one of the largest in the country. McNeil’s success with Turning Point led to invites to conservative conferences, including to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort.

For all of his success with Turning Point, McNeil found himself becoming disillusioned with the movement. In initial interviews, McNeil would say that it was because the stated views of Turning Point did not align with his own, such as being accepting of nonwhite immigrants so long as they arrived via legal routes. Later, he would state that he was disturbed by the number of older men at these events who appeared to be there to sexually prey on the college and high school-aged boys they knew would be present. At an event in 2019, Canadian white nationalist activist Faith Goldy introduced him to Nick Fuentes. The two began talking and McNeil felt he finally found someone he could see eye-to-eye with and be open with politically and, he would later say, a movement that he hoped would be less infested with predators than Turning Point. The connection was mutual as Fuentes would describe the meeting as “divine intervention,” saying that God intended for them to meet. McNeil’s fellow Turning Point associates were not as enthusiastic about their president’s new friendship and warned him that Fuentes was a “Neo-Nazi.” McNeil did not heed their warnings and stayed in contact with Fuentes. The two participated in some events together, such as when Fuentes publicly accosted Ben Shapiro, eventually culminating in McNeil founding America First Students, an extension of Fuentes’s organization aimed at college students, after McNeil resigned as president to Kansas State’s Turning Point chapter. 

McNeil’s continued association with Fuentes and statements online perceived as racially charged drew ire from some of the less conservative Kansas State student body. For example, he complained about Kansas State’s Ethnic Studies GE requirement and said that the Jennifer Lopez and Shakira halftime show at the Super Bowl displayed everything that he hated about immigration. This came to a head in June of 2020 when McNeil made a tweet “congratulating” George Floyd on being “drug free an entire month,” followed by a reference to the widely debunked claim popularized by conservative commentator Tucker Carlson, of whom McNeil is a fan, that George Floyd’s death was the result of a drug overdose rather than being asphyxiation by the cop kneeling on his neck. This caused immediate public backlash, including calls for McNeil’s expulsion and a boycott by the Kansas State football team. McNeil was unapologetic and remained enrolled at Kansas State even as the outrage reached outside of the student body.

It is unclear what the final straw was, but McNeil was eventually expelled from Kansas State. Fuentes offered to let McNeil live in the basement of a building he had recently bought in Chicago free of charge while he acted as treasurer to America First. There were even discussions of him possibly moving forward to produce the show and act as a co-host in the future. In addition to his new position as America First’s treasurer, he became a gaming streamer to make ends meet.  McNeil would continue to participate in events with Fuentes for the next few years, even serving as a featured speaker at a few of them, such as anti-vaccine rallies, the next few AFPACs, the events  that preceded the January 6th storming of the capital, and even serving as Fuentes’s travel partner and videographer during the White Boy Summer Tour of 2021.

The image of the bond between Fuentes and McNeil was shattered in April of 2022 when McNeil made a post on Telegram announcing that he was resigning as treasurer to America First. He said that his political views had not changed but that it was not what he wanted in life at that moment, wishing everyone well. However, this would continue to unravel in the coming weeks as Fuentes’s associates began bitterly speaking about McNeil. His streaming channel was removed from Cozy without warning. Shortly afterward, McNeil appeared on Kino Casino, an Internet show that had often been critical of Nick Fuentes, along with fellow America First defector Simon Dickerman to discuss what led to their eventual departure. McNeil’s friendship with Fuentes was revealed to be far more fraught than previously presented. Issues arose between the two of them soon after McNeil moved to Chicago. Fuentes was painted as a controlling, paranoid narcissist who wanted more from McNeil as a friend than he was offering. He claimed that Fuentes became jealous of his relationships with girls and would feel hurt when McNeil would invite him to play video games with him as part of a group chat rather than reaching out to him individually. Many allegations arose, such as that Fuentes was using a multiplier to increase the number of views on his shows and building on the claims that he was a federal informant, but the most often-cited moment to Fuentes’s critics across the aisle seemed to be the allegation that he had posted in a group chat about searching McNeil’s apartment with a blacklight for traces of his semen on the bed and couch. This startling image portrayed of Fuentes was not invalidated by the May 10th, 2022 episode of his show in which he addressed McNeil’s appearance on Kino Casino, something he felt was explicitly done to hurt him. While he insisted that the story about him searching for semen was based on a joke he made about how unavoidable the stains on the furniture were when he went in to clean out the basement apartment out for the next tenant, he did not deny and in fact built upon the image of the demanding, co-dependent friendship he had attempted to forge with McNeil. The two hour stream included a monologue in which Fuentes he described all he did for McNeil - doxxing Kansas State students who had threatened him, moving him out to Chicago to get him away from a girlfriend he could not bring himself to break up with, cleaning his room when he was depressed, buying him soup and tea when he was sick with COVID, and more - while feeling he had received an insufficient reciprocity, something he had brought up with McNeil near the end of their friendship. It appears that he had expected more, alleging that McNeil frequently got in phone arguments with his mom with regards to his friendship with Fuentes. He portrayed the dissolution of their friendship as starting in December the year before due to how much time McNeil was spending with his new girlfriend. Fuentes appeared to be holding back tears multiple times during the stream as he described how devastated he was over the perceived betrayal and the love he still felt for his former best friend, holding out hope that they could someday make amends. It would have been easy to feel sorry for Fuentes; losing a friend is difficult for anyone, moreso when trapped in the right-wing emotional prison in which men cannot express emotions, certainly not love and heartbreak over platonic friends. That is, it would have been if not for what happened next.

As the weeks went by, the love and sadness were replaced with bitterness. Fuentes went on a trenchant spiel about how McNeil lacked intellectual depth when it came to media consumption compared to himself and wrote him off as “[his] former bitch.” It was clear the intentions to make amends with McNeil were gone as the accusations against him became increasingly bizarre and personal such as saying that he was a sugar baby to a high paying super chatter, was secretly transgender or intersex, and had attempted to nonconsensually kiss Fuentes while drunk. In keeping with Fuentes’s alleged grandiose self-perception, he took to thereafter referring to McNeil as “Judas” or sometimes “Judy” to allude at the gender ambiguity he was now accusing him of. In yet another unexpected turn, followers of Fuentes began publicly posting various unflattering photos of McNeil, purportedly meant to paint McNeil as an irresponsible alcoholic libertine. While he was drinking or smoking in a handful, in most, he was simply sleeping and did not necessarily appear to be passed out from alcohol consumption. Most of the photos appeared to be taken by Fuentes himself, namely one being a literal selfie he took with McNeil sleeping on a couch behind him. McNeil stated that he had no clue any of them existed and that they appeared to have been taken over the course of the three years that he and Fuentes knew each other. McNeil confessed that, while he knew saying so was “kind of gay,” that seeing these pictures made him deeply uncomfortable and made his “skin crawl.” In keeping with the response to Fuentes’s monologue about his loss of McNeil’s friendship, naturally McNeil was not going to permit himself to be seen as a man showing vulnerable feelings or other times when he likened Fuentes’s need for emotional validation as being “like a girl,” but even he could not help himself here and his viewers expressed sympathy, remarking that he had every right to “feel violated.” He questioned why Fuentes had taken them to begin with and what purpose they had served him in the years that he kept them before leaking them to the public, speculating that his intentions had been sexual in nature. Whatever the reason, one can generally consider nonconsensually photographing someone in their sleep and then posting those pictures publicly to be inappropriate, regardless of the nature of their relationship. With all the debates about whether or not Fuentes’s actions were “gay,” the subject of whether or not these actions would be appropriate in any situation has been overlooked.

McNeil had previously stated an intention to move on with his life and “get a blue collar job,” should his work with America First come to an end. However, Fuentes vowed to keep him from ever having a normal life or getting a normal job. This led McNeil to carry on as a streamer, primarily focused on conservative critiques of America First and Fuentes, such as his ideological inconsistencies, the federal informant rumors, and protecting alleged sexual predators connected to the movement, namely Ali Alexander whose antics McNeil says Fuentes was aware of. There are of course less refined critiques as well, such as vulgar references to Fuentes’s speculated sexual orientation, his supposed excessive pornography usage, and comments about Fuentes’s conception as the child of in-vitro fertilization, something McNeil views as unnatural and the cause for all of Fuentes’s bizarre personality traits. Fuentes would continue to directly or subtly reference McNeil in the months to come, making references of his own to McNeil’s lack of adequate masculinity and being the child of divorce. Both examples highlight a rightwing fixation on having been brought into the world from a proper beginning in an almost Calvinist view of predetermination. 

The two would not directly interact again until July of 2023 when McNeil called in to a discussion with LeafyIsHere to both defend his honor and bring to light the situation with Ali Alexander. Before the discussion even began, groypers poisoned the well for LeafyIsHere by leading him to the dox of the netizen whom they claimed was McNeil’s sugar daddy. During the call, Fuentes joined in, repeatedly questioning McNeil about his super chatter, taunting him about sexual acts the two presumably engaged in, and went on to repeat the claim that McNeil had attempted to kiss him once, this time adding a story about how it happened after the two of them saw Spiderman: No Way Home together in theaters. McNeil essentially broke down in frustration and left the call. Both on his show and on Kino Casino later, he claimed that LeafyIsHere had repeatedly muted him and denied having attempted to kiss Fuentes ever, let alone in the story he told. Perception by their respective supporters colors how these incidents were perceived. Unsurprisingly, groypers took Fuentes’s word at face value and McNeil fans did not. How they discuss these alleged interactions is obviously painted by these opinions and end up portraying them in entirely different lights. Over time, the respective supporters of these men have developed rather specific images of their alleged attraction to the other for being something denied on both sides. Once again, images of race and sexuality are at the center. McNeil fans present Fuentes as this evil, conniving gay Mexican attempting to sexually manipulate their pure, white heterosexual hero. Even left-wing Fuentes critics have fallen victim to this mindset that infantalizes McNeil, with more than one having referred to him as “the teenage boy [Fuentes] tried to groom,” as if he was not less than a year younger than Fuentes and a legal adult for the entirety of their knowing each other. Groypers emphasize McNeil’s lack of traditional masculinity in appearance, calling him a “twink,” and suggest he was attempting to seduce their dear leader, sometimes leaning into the sugar baby angle. A more confusing claim they cling to to is Fuentes’s allegation that one of McNeil’s grade school friends came out as came as gay as an adult, meaning that McNeil is likely gay by association; why someone who claimed he was his best friend as an adult and has been unnerved by gay rumors about himself would use this argument is unclear. Some take a third approach. Inevitably, the fact that Fuentes portrays one of McNeil’s fans as offering him an exorbitant amount of financial support as driven by sexual desire has caused some detractors to assume he is speaking from his own experience as his former employer and the provider of his home. The canard developed here is that McNeil was attempting to lead Fuentes on or even acquiesced to his supposed desires for financial gain before moving on to an older, more financially and emotionally stable sugar daddy. This still portrays Fuentes as a sniveling, pathetic  imp of a man driven by unnatural lust, while McNeil is portrayed as a monetarily predatory manipulator who cannot rely on his own means to take care of himself.

It is curious that both Fuentes and McNeil would bring up traits that they were clearly aware of from near the beginning of them knowing each other in their critiques of each other. In both instances, there is an attempt to rewrite their history. Fuentes has referenced being disappointed to learn that McNeil was not a celibate virgin like himself after he moved in, but he still remained friends with him after that, even continuing to provide him with a job and free housing. For all of McNeil’s jokes about Fuentes being Mexican, there is minimal chance he did not consider someone with the last name of “Fuentes” might be partially Latino, even if he somehow missed the streams where Fuentes actively referenced having a Mexican grandfather. His own jokes about Fuentes’s possible homosexuality are not only in reference to incidents that occurred while they lived in the same building or spent time together, but events that have become part of the general Nick Fuentes lore. Certainly, some of the cited events, such as Fuentes’s monologue about sex with women being “gay” happened after he and McNeil had parted ways, but McNeil’s references to the infamous “CatboyKami date” as if it was a shocking new revelation are rather confusing. The event in question happened at the end of 2019, the year McNeil and Fuentes got to know each other; in fact, the viewers of the entire stream can confirm that Fuentes made multiple references to his “friend Jaden” throughout the night, presumably referring to McNeil. It is difficult to imagine that McNeil did not hear about the stream, given he was getting involved with America First at the time and both right and left-wing detractors replied to nearly everything online related to Fuentes or his organization with taunting images and references to the stream, especially during the first few months of 2020. All of that and McNeil apparently did not consider it suspicious at the time, considering he moved into the building that Fuentes owned and became a more involved member of America First all after that happened.

One recalls him mentioning in the past that Turning Point members warned him about Fuentes and cannot help but consider that speculation about his sexuality was a part of that. Speculation about McNeil’s own sexuality was rampant during his association with America First, despite all of his confirmed relationships at the point of writing this being with women. Most of it was based on very little, some just remarking on his appearance and calling him a “twink.” One can find an older rumor spread around attaching a Freudian explanation to McNeil’s racial animus, saying he was sexually assaulted - ranging from a pantsing to a more violent tale - by a pair of black male students in the restroom while in high school, further adding to this image of him as on the receiving end of predatory sexual attention from men of color. Considering McNeil has stated that the town he grew up in was fairly homogenous and that he did not develop his ideologies until college, all versions of this tale seem deeply unlikely, but that did not stop it from gaining traction in the gutters of KiwiFarms and such. The exact birth of this rumor is unclear, but it did not appear to take hold until after McNeil was associated with Fuentes, further emphasizing how it was likely based more on the perception of him during that time than actual fact. Many rightwing detractors of Fuentes who have since become supporters of McNeil admit to having previously assumed he was his boyfriend. It is not difficult to find older posts on KiwiFarms and similar websites with lurid posts joking about what sort of sexual acts the two were speculated to have engaged in together. Even the hosts of Kino Casino had initially reported on the split between Fuentes and McNeil as a “break up” and made crude sexual remarks about the two of them prior to McNeil’s appearance on their show. Perhaps McNeil’s reaction now is a mix of regret that he did not listen to detractors sooner and a need to overcompensate for the rumors that spread about him as a result of his association with Fuentes. On that topic, Fuentes has himself appeared to attempt to change history as well. He has since tried to claim that he lost interest in McNeil as a friend after incidents of him trying to pressure him to drink and ultimately culminating in the alleged incident of him trying to kiss him after seeing a movie, despite them being not only publicly associated for four months after the fact, but Fuentes’s infamous sorrowful monologue was after all of that and complaints about the time McNeil spent with his girlfriend. One would think that he would respond to someone expressing unwanted romantic advances towards him proceeding to get a significant other would be met with relief and, if the alleged attempted kiss was so off-putting that it put an irreparable dent in their friendship, he would not mind the friendship formally ending, let alone be nearly brought to tears lamenting that end. 

It is difficult not to feel a semblance of sympathy for McNeil. Regardless of the reasons behind some of Fuentes’s antics, whether it was attraction, an attempt at control, or undiagnosed  neurodivergence-related social awkwardness, one thing that is for certain is that the way he treated him was professionally inappropriate at best and abusive at worst. When looking at McNeil’s older posts or listening to his stream to this day, between the provocative references to race and gender, there are some genuine frustrations about not having the opportunity to grow up in the same world generations before did, not unlike those of other young people of quite different political leanings. This is compounded when one remembers his working class upbringing, preventing him from accessing what positives remain. It is true that many of the most obvious scholarships and other assistive programs are focused on aspects of identity like race and gender, one can see how a young white man that still has all of the struggles of someone lacking resources would interpret this. As despicable as many viewed America First, it is easy to see how a desperate nineteen-year-old was drawn in. One cannot help but speculate, had events occurred a bit differently, that he would have instead been pulled into the Center for Political Innovation, a group that espouses left-wing, class-based politics with a strong criticism of identity politics, though declaring them capitalist constructions to divide the working class rather than a Jewish conspiracy to take down the white man. Of course, rather than addressing the antics of Nick Fuentes, he would instead have to reconcile with accusations of that group’s leader, Caleb Maupin, who would face questionable allegations of his own and a mass exodus from his movement in the middle of 2022. Finding an extreme political movement without members accused of inappropriate actions towards their underlings is becoming increasingly difficult. 

Class remains at the center of the struggle between these two. McNeil joined the movement so young and is now being kept from moving on with life by someone whose upbringing was far more comfortable than his own. McNeil criticizes Fuentes for his “unnatural” IVF conception, something that requires a great deal of money to undergo. Fuentes criticizes McNeil for having divorced parents when working class families are far more likely to experience divorce than wealthier ones. It is also undeniable that the dynamic between the two, even if it lacked the context of attraction that some allege was there, was deeply unbalanced and controlling. The two were attempting to navigate a friendship while Fuentes was also McNeil’s employer and provided his housing. Hearing McNeil’s voice crack as Fuentes went after him in that phone call, it is clear that imbalance remains. McNeil has jokingly talked about how odd it is that Fuentes continues to go after him, calling himself a “nobody.” For all of the criticisms McNeil has launched against his former boss and friend, one wonders if, at the end of the day, Fuentes convinced him that he was nothing without him and he still believes it. From an optical perspective, it certainly appears that way.

Conclusion

How to precisely define Nick Fuentes’s race and sexuality is a mystery to anyone aside from himself and even that may be up for debate. More important than whatever may actually be true is what is seen as true to his critics, something that varies by person and situation. In the end, Fuentes was correct in identifying optics as the most important factor of a movement. What is really there does not matter. All that matters is what people perceive. 

Sources

The initial pieces of research on Fuentes and his associates was discovered in articles by the SPLC, ADL, Mother Jones, and the Kansas Star. Much of the rest of the personal information was found from much less official sources, namely an Illinois-based Facebook group dedicated to outing the personal lives of the Chicco-Fuentes family to keep them from profiting financially on account of the son’s political involvement. Most of the information was from watching episodes of Fuentes and McNeil’s shows, both live and uploads on Bitchute, Odyssee, Rumble, YouTube, and the Internet Archive, as well as following their social media accounts on Twitter, Telegram, and Gab. The episode of Kino Casino that McNeil and Dickerman appeared on was helpful in assessing their views. Additionally, their interviews with others, as well as reaction videos by leftist streamers critical of them - including Shark3ozero, Vaush, and Creationist Cat - were also utilized. As for the commentary on the response by fans and critics, much was obtained from KiwiFarms and other websites dedicated to mocking Internet personalities. The anecdote about Martin Luther was based on the teachings of a deeply-influential, now-retired high school AP European History teacher. Everything else is based on the author’s own observations and opinions.

Bonus: The playlist I made to accompany this essay.

[misfitwashere]

November 11, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Nov 11, 2024

The day after Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election, Afghanistan’s Taliban offered its congratulations to the American people for “not handing leadership of their great country to a woman.” 

Taliban leaders expressed optimism that Trump’s election would enable a new chapter in the history of U.S-Taliban relations. They noted that it was Trump who suggested a new international order when he inked the February 29, 2020, Doha Agreement between the U.S. and the Taliban. That deal cut out the Afghan government and committed the U.S. to leave Afghanistan by May 2021, closing five military bases and ending economic sanctions on the Taliban. This paved the way for the U.S. evacuation of the country in August 2021 and the return of the Taliban to power. 

The Taliban prohibits girls’ education past the sixth grade and recently banned the sound of women’s voices outside their homes.

In Russia, Russian thinker Alexander Dugin explained the dramatic global impact of Trump’s win. “We have won,” Dugin said. “The world will be never ever like before. Globalists have lost their final combat.” Dugin has made his reputation on his calls for an “anti-American revolution” and a new Russian empire built on “the rejection of [alliances of democratic nations surrounding the Atlantic], strategic control of the United States, and the rejection of the supremacy of economic, liberal market values,” as well as reestablishing traditional family structures with strict gender roles. 

Maxim Trudolyubov of the Wilson Center, a nonpartisan foreign affairs think tank, suggested Friday that Putin’s long-term goal of weakening the U.S. has made him more interested in dividing Americans than in any one candidate. 

Indeed, rather than backing Trump wholeheartedly, Russian president Vladimir Putin has been undercutting him. He did not comment on Trump’s election until Thursday, when he said that the power of liberal democracies over world affairs is “irrevocably disappearing.” Although Ellen Nakashima, John Hudson, and Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post reported that Trump and Putin had spoken on Thursday, Putin denied such a call as “pure fiction.”

Exacerbating America’s internal divisions and demonstrating dominance over both the U.S. and Trump might explain why after Trump became president-elect, laughing Russian media figures showed viewers nude pictures of Trump’s third wife, Melania, taken during her modeling career.

In an interview, Putin’s presidential aide Nikolay Patrushev said today: "To achieve success in the election, Donald Trump relied on certain forces to which he has corresponding obligations. As a responsible person, he will be obliged to fulfill them." Meanwhile, U.S. and Ukrainian officials report that Russia has massed 50,000 soldiers, including North Korean soldiers, to reclaim territory in the Kursk region of Russia taken this year by Ukrainian forces. 

Trump claims to have talked to about seventy world leaders since his reelection but has declined to go through the usual channels of the State Department. This illustrates his determination to reorganize the federal government around himself rather than its normal operations but leaves him—and the United States—vulnerable to misstatements and misunderstandings.

The domestic effects of Trump’s victory also reveal confusion, both within the Republican Party and within national politics. Voters elected Trump and his running mate, Ohio senator J.D. Vance, but it’s hard to miss that billionaire Elon Musk, who backed Trump’s 2024 campaign financially, seems to be “Trump’s shadow vice-president,” as Nick Robins-Early of The Guardian put it. Sources told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that Musk has been a constant presence at Mar-a-Lago since the election, sitting in on phone calls with foreign leaders and weighing in on staffing decisions. Yesterday at Mar-a-Lago, Musk met with the chief executive officer of the right-wing media channel Newsmax.

Exactly who is in control of the party is unclear, and in the short term that question is playing out over the Senate’s choice of a successor to minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). In the new Congress, this Republican leader will become Senate majority leader, thereby gaining the power to control the Senate calendar and decide which bills get taken up and which do not. 

Trump controls the majority of Republicans in the House, but he did not control Senate Republicans when McConnell led them. Now he wants to put Florida senator Rick Scott into the leadership role, but Republicans aligned with McConnell and the pre-2016 party want John Thune (R-SD) or John Cornyn (R-TX). There are major struggles taking place over the choice. Today Musk posted on social media his support for Scott. Other MAGA leaders fell in line, with media figure Benny Johnson—recently revealed to be on Russia’s payroll—urging his followers to target senators backing Thune or Cornyn.

Rachael Bade and Eugene Daniels of Politico Playbook suggested that this pressure would backfire, especially since many senators dislike Scott for his unsuccessful leadership of the National Republican Senatorial Committee that works to elect Republicans to the Senate. 

Trump has also tried to sideline senators by demanding they abandon one of their key constitutional roles: that of advice and consent to a president’s appointment of top administration figures. Although Republicans will command a majority in the Senate, Trump is evidently concerned he cannot get some of his appointees through, so has demanded that Republicans agree to let him make recess appointments without going through the usual process of constitutionally mandated advice and consent.

Trump has also demanded that Republicans stop Democrats from making any judicial appointments in the next months, although Republicans continued to approve his nominees after voters elected President Joe Biden in 2020. Indeed, Judge Aileen Cannon, who let Trump off the hook for his retention of classified documents, was approved after Trump had lost the election.

All this jockeying comes amid the fact that while Trump is claiming a mandate from his election, in fact the vote was anything but a landslide. While votes are still being counted, Trump seems to have won by fewer than two percentage points in a cycle where incumbents across the globe lost. This appears to be the smallest popular vote margin for a winning candidate since Richard Nixon won in 1968.

While voters elected Trump, they also backed Democratic policies. In seven states, voters enshrined abortion rights in their constitutions. Two Republican-dominated states raised their minimum wage to $15 an hour; three enshrined mandated paid leave. In exit polls last week, sixty-five percent of voters said they want abortion to remain legal, and fifty-six percent said they want undocumented immigrants to have a chance to apply for legal status.

The gap between what Trump has promised MAGA supporters and what voters want is creating confusion in national politics. How can Trump deliver the national abortion ban MAGAs want when sixty-five percent of voters want abortion rights? How can he deport all undocumented immigrants, including those who have been here for decades and integrated into their communities, while his own voters say they want undocumented immigrants to have a path to citizenship? 

Trump’s people have repeatedly expressed their opinion that Trump was stopped from putting the full MAGA agenda into place because he did not move quickly enough in his first term. They have vowed they will not make that mistake again. But the fast imposition of their extremist policies runs the risk of alienating the more moderate voters who just put them in power.

In September, as the Taliban enforced new rules on women in Afghanistan, they also began to target Afghan men. New laws mandated that men stop wearing western jeans, stop cutting their hair and beards in western ways, and stop looking at women other than their wives or female relatives. Religious morality officers are knocking on the doors of those who haven’t recently attended mosque to remind them they can be tried and sentenced for repeated nonattendance, and government employees are afraid they’ll be fired if they don’t grow their beards. According to Rick Noack of the Washington Post, such restrictions surprised men, who were accustomed to enjoying power in their society. Some have been wondering if they should have spoken up to defend the freedoms of their wives and daughters.

One man who had supported the Taliban said he now feels bullied. “We all are practicing Muslims and know what is mandatory or not. But it’s unacceptable to use force on us,” he said. Speaking on the condition of anonymity because he feared drawing the attention of the regime, another man from Kabul said: “If men had raised their voices, we might also be in a different situation now.”

—

[diaryforadreamer]

BOTH SPANISH AND ENGLISH DESCRIPTIONS BELOW.

[SPANISH] ¿Cómo se supone que se empieza a publicar en Tumblr? ¿Y es normal que aún no teniendo contenido y sin rebloguear nada multitud de personas te empiecen a seguir o a mandarte mensajes spam? En fin, como indica la cabecera, creé esta cuenta para publicar algunas cosillas respecto a los Fanfics que me gusta leer/escribir y los fanarts que quiero hacer y nunca hago. Este en concreto lo hice ya hace casi un lustro, cuando me obsesioné con Gravity Falls y tuve una idea para una historia con Wendy Corduroy como protagonista. El fanfic se quedó incompleto, únicamente el prólogo está publicado, pero ésta se trata del primer dibujo que hice casi entero en digital (y sin tableta gráfica). ¿Continuaré el fanfic? No quiero hacer promesas. Pero en fin que aquí os lo dejo, el dibujo y el link al Capítulo, aunque yo me muero de la vergüenza cada vez que lo releo.

Por cierto, el mérito solo me atañe respecto al dibujo de Wendy. La imagen del lago del fondo la saqué de la wikia oficial de Gravity Falls. Mi habilidad para dibujar fondos es simplemente inexistente.

Por último, si compartís no olvidéis de mencionar a los artistas.

[ENGLISH] So, how does one person start publishing content on Tumblr? Is it common that even though you have zero content and you haven't reblogged anything at all there is a lot of people who start following you and sending you spam messages? Anyway, as the headline states, I created this account in order to vent about the Fanfics that I like to read/write and the fanarts that I intend to do (but probably never will).

As for this one, I did it almost five years ago (time has passed way too fast) when I became obsessed with Gravity Falls and had an idea for a story with Wendy Corduroy as the main character. The fanfic was left incomplete, only the prologue is published, but this is the first drawing that I did almost completely digitally (and without a graphics tablet). Will I continue the fanfic? I don't want to make promises I'm not sure I'll be able to fulfill. But anyway, here I leave it, the drawing and the link to the Chapter, although I die of shame every time I reread it.

By the way, I only take credit regarding the drawing of Wendy. The image of the lake in the background was taken from the official Gravity Falls wikia. My ability to draw backgrounds is simply non-existent.

Last but not least, if you share or reblog don't forget to give artists the credit they deserve.

[tycoonworld]

Amitabh Sengupta: Odyssey Through Six Decades of Artistic Mastery

In a career that spans over six decades, Amitabh Sengupta has emerged as a towering figure in the art world, earning global recognition for his large abstract works that seamlessly blend European modernism with Indian cross-cultural experiences. Having concluded a retrospective at the Birla Academy of Fine Arts, Kolkata, last year, Sengupta now presents a new chapter with his exhibition “ODYSSEY” at Bikaner House, New Delhi.

This exhibition features 30 carefully selected works from his retrospective, including three monumental canvases, among which “Banadevi” and “Banadevta” stand out as a stellar pair. These works weave abstraction into mythic figures, showcasing Sengupta’s brilliance as both a figurative and abstract master. The mythic essence of the figures is emblematic of his ability to bridge tradition with modernity.

Critic Uma Nair lauds Sengupta, stating, “Sengupta is both intellect as well as aesthete of a rare order. His most important collector in India is the distinguished Kiran Nadar, who acquired his work in 2005 at Taj Mansingh in Delhi.” According to Nair, Sengupta’s oeuvre is deeply rooted in his observations of antiquity, featuring influences from rock paintings, pyramidal wonders, and hieroglyphics. His works embody a balance between stunning figurative studies and abstract art, offering art lovers a spectrum of experiences. Nair adds, “We can imagine the beauty and power of ancient scripts through his textured terrains, which evoke sunrises and sunsets in subtle, resonant shades.”

Sarala Bannerjee of Artworld Chennai, who discovered Sengupta years ago, emphasizes his mastery over diverse mediums. She highlights the tactile quality of his works, saying, “In this exhibition, it is the register of his touch and his tensile and tactile understanding that defines the beauty of his pliant brush. Viewers are left to imagine the fluid flow of molten lava as well as landscapes bathed in a sea of prismatic colors.”

Sengupta’s journey in art began with his education at the prestigious École des Beaux-Arts in Paris from 1966 to 1969. During the 1970s and 1980s, he exhibited extensively in Paris, delving deeply into abstraction and symbolism. His time in Nigeria added another dimension to his work, as he incorporated African cultural motifs into his modern abstract style, exhibiting at the National Museum in Lagos.

In the 1990s, Sengupta returned to India, becoming a prominent figure in the Indian art scene. He held major solo exhibitions at esteemed venues, including the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai, the Birla Academy of Art & Culture in Kolkata, and Artworld Sarala’s Centre in Chennai. His works have also been showcased in international exhibitions across New York, London, and Tokyo, cementing his global appeal.

The “ODYSSEY” exhibition at Bikaner House opens on January 31, 2025, and runs until February 12, 2025. It will culminate in the launch of Sengupta’s book, published by Artworld, which chronicles his artistic journey over six decades. This richly illustrated volume, featuring essays on his work, will be unveiled by renowned architect and fashion designer Meera Ali on February 8, 2025, at Kalamkar, Bikaner House, New Delhi.

Sengupta’s legacy is a testament to his ability to transcend geographical and cultural boundaries, creating art that resonates across time and space. “ODYSSEY” reflects the depth and diversity of his work, celebrating a lifetime of artistic excellence.

[cleverhottubmiracle]

Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift, Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show, Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks.” Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix. 1. Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift Asake’s Cybertruck landed in Lagos. pic.twitter.com/L2z43jnwsd — Junior Awólọ́wọ̀ 🛞 (@OloyeAwolowo) January 18, 2025 Nigerian music superstar Asake has celebrated his 30th birthday in grand fashion, gifting himself a brand-new Tesla Cybertruck. Known for his chart-topping hits and vibrant performances, the “Omo Ope” crooner shared photos on Instagram, proudly posing with the futuristic vehicle. The post quickly garnered thousands of likes and comments, with fans and fellow celebrities showering him with congratulatory messages. Asake’s latest acquisition underscores his impressive success in the music industry, where he has become a household name with a string of hits and a unique Afro-fusion sound. Asake’s penchant for luxury and individuality is well-documented, from his bold fashion statements to his extensive collection of tattoos and super cars. The addition of the Tesla Cybertruck to his collection is another testament to his status as a trendsetter in the Nigerian entertainment scene. The sleek and innovative vehicle aligns perfectly with the singer’s forward-thinking persona, solidifying his image as a leading figure in African music and pop culture. 2. Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show @espn 4X4 pic.twitter.com/vBI66P8Zai — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) January 20, 2025 Travis Scott thrilled fans with a surprise debut of his new song “4×4” during the halftime show of the College Football Playoff National Championship final. Performing atop the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Scott energized the crowd gathered to watch Notre Dame face off against Ohio State. The single, officially set to drop on streaming platforms on Friday, January 24, is now available for pre-save on his website, along with exclusive merchandise. Scott announced that 100% of net proceeds from two merchandise items—a T-shirt and zip hoodie honoring Los Angeles first responders—will support Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund. The CD single for “4×4,” also available for pre-order, will contribute to these relief efforts. While it remains unclear if “4×4” is a stand-alone single or a preview of his forthcoming album, Scott hinted at being in “album mode” in a 2024 interview. 3. “Young Famous and African” stars Naked DJ and Kayleigh are engaged Congratulations to Young Famous And African stars Kayleigh and Naked DJ who are now engaged. 💍#YoungFamousAndAfrican pic.twitter.com/is5ovWXNF3 — Pop Pulse (@PopPulseSA) January 18, 2025 Reality TV stars Quinton Masina, known as Naked DJ, and Kayleigh Schwark are officially engaged! Fans of Netflix’s hit show “Young, Famous & African” have followed their love story since season one, witnessing the couple navigate relationship hurdles. Schwark, a semi-professional footballer, finally got the proposal she had been hoping for at the end of Season 3. Naked DJ popped the question in an intimate home setup, marking a heartfelt moment that delighted Schwark. To celebrate, the couple shared a stunning engagement photoshoot by celebrity photographer Stills By Tom. Congratulatory messages poured in from co-stars Nadia Nakai, Khanyi Mbau, and Andile Ncube, as well as from celebrities like Zanele Potelwa. While most fans expressed joy over the news, some skeptics questioned if the couple would make it to the altar. Still, this engagement marks an exciting new chapter in their journey. 4. OdumoduBlvck teases new song as he gets fans ready for his upcoming album Award-winning rapper OdumoduBlvck has ignited excitement among fans by teasing a new song on social media as part of the buildup to his forthcoming album, “Industry Machine.” The track, which features rising star Victony, has already garnered praise from fans and industry colleagues who are eager to see what the rapper has in store. Known for his signature sound and ability to blend genres seamlessly, OdumoduBlvck continues to cement his place as a force in the Nigerian music scene. The teaser is the latest move in an impressive rollout for “Industry Machine.” Ahead of the album, OdumoduBlvck has been on a collaborative streak, including being featured on Davido’s hit track “Funds.” He also kicked off the year with the joint project “Nothing Change” alongside his crew, Antiworld Gangsters. Following the success of his 2023 project “Eziokwu” and international acclaim for singles like “Declan Rice,” OdumoduBlvck is poised to take his artistry to new heights. 5. Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks” Arne Slot is hopeful Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez will return to his squad in a matter of “weeks rather than months” with the pair ruled out for the immediate future 💬 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 20, 2025 Liverpool coach Arne Slot has confirmed that forward Diogo Jota and defender Joe Gomez will be sidelined for weeks due to injuries. Jota missed the Reds’ 2-0 victory over Brentford last Saturday after sustaining a muscle issue during his substitute appearance in the draw against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Gomez, who has been out since late 2024 with a hamstring problem, continues his rehabilitation. Slot provided some optimism, suggesting that while Jota may return slightly earlier, both players are expected to recover within weeks rather than months. Speaking at a press conference, Slot stated, “Maybe Jota [will be back] a bit earlier than Joe. Both of them are expected to be back with us in weeks rather than months. It’s always difficult to say exactly how long it is, but as long as the rehab goes as planned, we’ll see them soon.” Liverpool will now prepare for a crucial Champions League clash against Lille on Tuesday without the duo, followed by a Premier League encounter with Ipswich. Slot will be relying on the depth of his squad to navigate this challenging period. Featured Image: @asakemusic/Instagram Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2024.For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_— Read also Collins Badewa A fashion and pop culture writer who watches a lot of TV in his spare time. At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ ♥ !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[norajworld]

Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift, Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show, Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks.” Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix. 1. Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift Asake’s Cybertruck landed in Lagos. pic.twitter.com/L2z43jnwsd — Junior Awólọ́wọ̀ 🛞 (@OloyeAwolowo) January 18, 2025 Nigerian music superstar Asake has celebrated his 30th birthday in grand fashion, gifting himself a brand-new Tesla Cybertruck. Known for his chart-topping hits and vibrant performances, the “Omo Ope” crooner shared photos on Instagram, proudly posing with the futuristic vehicle. The post quickly garnered thousands of likes and comments, with fans and fellow celebrities showering him with congratulatory messages. Asake’s latest acquisition underscores his impressive success in the music industry, where he has become a household name with a string of hits and a unique Afro-fusion sound. Asake’s penchant for luxury and individuality is well-documented, from his bold fashion statements to his extensive collection of tattoos and super cars. The addition of the Tesla Cybertruck to his collection is another testament to his status as a trendsetter in the Nigerian entertainment scene. The sleek and innovative vehicle aligns perfectly with the singer’s forward-thinking persona, solidifying his image as a leading figure in African music and pop culture. 2. Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show @espn 4X4 pic.twitter.com/vBI66P8Zai — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) January 20, 2025 Travis Scott thrilled fans with a surprise debut of his new song “4×4” during the halftime show of the College Football Playoff National Championship final. Performing atop the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Scott energized the crowd gathered to watch Notre Dame face off against Ohio State. The single, officially set to drop on streaming platforms on Friday, January 24, is now available for pre-save on his website, along with exclusive merchandise. Scott announced that 100% of net proceeds from two merchandise items—a T-shirt and zip hoodie honoring Los Angeles first responders—will support Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund. The CD single for “4×4,” also available for pre-order, will contribute to these relief efforts. While it remains unclear if “4×4” is a stand-alone single or a preview of his forthcoming album, Scott hinted at being in “album mode” in a 2024 interview. 3. “Young Famous and African” stars Naked DJ and Kayleigh are engaged Congratulations to Young Famous And African stars Kayleigh and Naked DJ who are now engaged. 💍#YoungFamousAndAfrican pic.twitter.com/is5ovWXNF3 — Pop Pulse (@PopPulseSA) January 18, 2025 Reality TV stars Quinton Masina, known as Naked DJ, and Kayleigh Schwark are officially engaged! Fans of Netflix’s hit show “Young, Famous & African” have followed their love story since season one, witnessing the couple navigate relationship hurdles. Schwark, a semi-professional footballer, finally got the proposal she had been hoping for at the end of Season 3. Naked DJ popped the question in an intimate home setup, marking a heartfelt moment that delighted Schwark. To celebrate, the couple shared a stunning engagement photoshoot by celebrity photographer Stills By Tom. Congratulatory messages poured in from co-stars Nadia Nakai, Khanyi Mbau, and Andile Ncube, as well as from celebrities like Zanele Potelwa. While most fans expressed joy over the news, some skeptics questioned if the couple would make it to the altar. Still, this engagement marks an exciting new chapter in their journey. 4. OdumoduBlvck teases new song as he gets fans ready for his upcoming album Award-winning rapper OdumoduBlvck has ignited excitement among fans by teasing a new song on social media as part of the buildup to his forthcoming album, “Industry Machine.” The track, which features rising star Victony, has already garnered praise from fans and industry colleagues who are eager to see what the rapper has in store. Known for his signature sound and ability to blend genres seamlessly, OdumoduBlvck continues to cement his place as a force in the Nigerian music scene. The teaser is the latest move in an impressive rollout for “Industry Machine.” Ahead of the album, OdumoduBlvck has been on a collaborative streak, including being featured on Davido’s hit track “Funds.” He also kicked off the year with the joint project “Nothing Change” alongside his crew, Antiworld Gangsters. Following the success of his 2023 project “Eziokwu” and international acclaim for singles like “Declan Rice,” OdumoduBlvck is poised to take his artistry to new heights. 5. Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks” Arne Slot is hopeful Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez will return to his squad in a matter of “weeks rather than months” with the pair ruled out for the immediate future 💬 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 20, 2025 Liverpool coach Arne Slot has confirmed that forward Diogo Jota and defender Joe Gomez will be sidelined for weeks due to injuries. Jota missed the Reds’ 2-0 victory over Brentford last Saturday after sustaining a muscle issue during his substitute appearance in the draw against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Gomez, who has been out since late 2024 with a hamstring problem, continues his rehabilitation. Slot provided some optimism, suggesting that while Jota may return slightly earlier, both players are expected to recover within weeks rather than months. Speaking at a press conference, Slot stated, “Maybe Jota [will be back] a bit earlier than Joe. Both of them are expected to be back with us in weeks rather than months. It’s always difficult to say exactly how long it is, but as long as the rehab goes as planned, we’ll see them soon.” Liverpool will now prepare for a crucial Champions League clash against Lille on Tuesday without the duo, followed by a Premier League encounter with Ipswich. Slot will be relying on the depth of his squad to navigate this challenging period. Featured Image: @asakemusic/Instagram Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2024.For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_— Read also Collins Badewa A fashion and pop culture writer who watches a lot of TV in his spare time. At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ ♥ !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[ellajme0]

Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift, Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show, Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks.” Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix. 1. Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift Asake’s Cybertruck landed in Lagos. pic.twitter.com/L2z43jnwsd — Junior Awólọ́wọ̀ 🛞 (@OloyeAwolowo) January 18, 2025 Nigerian music superstar Asake has celebrated his 30th birthday in grand fashion, gifting himself a brand-new Tesla Cybertruck. Known for his chart-topping hits and vibrant performances, the “Omo Ope” crooner shared photos on Instagram, proudly posing with the futuristic vehicle. The post quickly garnered thousands of likes and comments, with fans and fellow celebrities showering him with congratulatory messages. Asake’s latest acquisition underscores his impressive success in the music industry, where he has become a household name with a string of hits and a unique Afro-fusion sound. Asake’s penchant for luxury and individuality is well-documented, from his bold fashion statements to his extensive collection of tattoos and super cars. The addition of the Tesla Cybertruck to his collection is another testament to his status as a trendsetter in the Nigerian entertainment scene. The sleek and innovative vehicle aligns perfectly with the singer’s forward-thinking persona, solidifying his image as a leading figure in African music and pop culture. 2. Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show @espn 4X4 pic.twitter.com/vBI66P8Zai — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) January 20, 2025 Travis Scott thrilled fans with a surprise debut of his new song “4×4” during the halftime show of the College Football Playoff National Championship final. Performing atop the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Scott energized the crowd gathered to watch Notre Dame face off against Ohio State. The single, officially set to drop on streaming platforms on Friday, January 24, is now available for pre-save on his website, along with exclusive merchandise. Scott announced that 100% of net proceeds from two merchandise items—a T-shirt and zip hoodie honoring Los Angeles first responders—will support Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund. The CD single for “4×4,” also available for pre-order, will contribute to these relief efforts. While it remains unclear if “4×4” is a stand-alone single or a preview of his forthcoming album, Scott hinted at being in “album mode” in a 2024 interview. 3. “Young Famous and African” stars Naked DJ and Kayleigh are engaged Congratulations to Young Famous And African stars Kayleigh and Naked DJ who are now engaged. 💍#YoungFamousAndAfrican pic.twitter.com/is5ovWXNF3 — Pop Pulse (@PopPulseSA) January 18, 2025 Reality TV stars Quinton Masina, known as Naked DJ, and Kayleigh Schwark are officially engaged! Fans of Netflix’s hit show “Young, Famous & African” have followed their love story since season one, witnessing the couple navigate relationship hurdles. Schwark, a semi-professional footballer, finally got the proposal she had been hoping for at the end of Season 3. Naked DJ popped the question in an intimate home setup, marking a heartfelt moment that delighted Schwark. To celebrate, the couple shared a stunning engagement photoshoot by celebrity photographer Stills By Tom. Congratulatory messages poured in from co-stars Nadia Nakai, Khanyi Mbau, and Andile Ncube, as well as from celebrities like Zanele Potelwa. While most fans expressed joy over the news, some skeptics questioned if the couple would make it to the altar. Still, this engagement marks an exciting new chapter in their journey. 4. OdumoduBlvck teases new song as he gets fans ready for his upcoming album Award-winning rapper OdumoduBlvck has ignited excitement among fans by teasing a new song on social media as part of the buildup to his forthcoming album, “Industry Machine.” The track, which features rising star Victony, has already garnered praise from fans and industry colleagues who are eager to see what the rapper has in store. Known for his signature sound and ability to blend genres seamlessly, OdumoduBlvck continues to cement his place as a force in the Nigerian music scene. The teaser is the latest move in an impressive rollout for “Industry Machine.” Ahead of the album, OdumoduBlvck has been on a collaborative streak, including being featured on Davido’s hit track “Funds.” He also kicked off the year with the joint project “Nothing Change” alongside his crew, Antiworld Gangsters. Following the success of his 2023 project “Eziokwu” and international acclaim for singles like “Declan Rice,” OdumoduBlvck is poised to take his artistry to new heights. 5. Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks” Arne Slot is hopeful Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez will return to his squad in a matter of “weeks rather than months” with the pair ruled out for the immediate future 💬 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 20, 2025 Liverpool coach Arne Slot has confirmed that forward Diogo Jota and defender Joe Gomez will be sidelined for weeks due to injuries. Jota missed the Reds’ 2-0 victory over Brentford last Saturday after sustaining a muscle issue during his substitute appearance in the draw against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Gomez, who has been out since late 2024 with a hamstring problem, continues his rehabilitation. Slot provided some optimism, suggesting that while Jota may return slightly earlier, both players are expected to recover within weeks rather than months. Speaking at a press conference, Slot stated, “Maybe Jota [will be back] a bit earlier than Joe. Both of them are expected to be back with us in weeks rather than months. It’s always difficult to say exactly how long it is, but as long as the rehab goes as planned, we’ll see them soon.” Liverpool will now prepare for a crucial Champions League clash against Lille on Tuesday without the duo, followed by a Premier League encounter with Ipswich. Slot will be relying on the depth of his squad to navigate this challenging period. Featured Image: @asakemusic/Instagram Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2024.For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_— Read also Collins Badewa A fashion and pop culture writer who watches a lot of TV in his spare time. At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ ♥ !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[chilimili212]

Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift, Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show, Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks.” Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix. 1. Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift Asake’s Cybertruck landed in Lagos. pic.twitter.com/L2z43jnwsd — Junior Awólọ́wọ̀ 🛞 (@OloyeAwolowo) January 18, 2025 Nigerian music superstar Asake has celebrated his 30th birthday in grand fashion, gifting himself a brand-new Tesla Cybertruck. Known for his chart-topping hits and vibrant performances, the “Omo Ope” crooner shared photos on Instagram, proudly posing with the futuristic vehicle. The post quickly garnered thousands of likes and comments, with fans and fellow celebrities showering him with congratulatory messages. Asake’s latest acquisition underscores his impressive success in the music industry, where he has become a household name with a string of hits and a unique Afro-fusion sound. Asake’s penchant for luxury and individuality is well-documented, from his bold fashion statements to his extensive collection of tattoos and super cars. The addition of the Tesla Cybertruck to his collection is another testament to his status as a trendsetter in the Nigerian entertainment scene. The sleek and innovative vehicle aligns perfectly with the singer’s forward-thinking persona, solidifying his image as a leading figure in African music and pop culture. 2. Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show @espn 4X4 pic.twitter.com/vBI66P8Zai — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) January 20, 2025 Travis Scott thrilled fans with a surprise debut of his new song “4×4” during the halftime show of the College Football Playoff National Championship final. Performing atop the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Scott energized the crowd gathered to watch Notre Dame face off against Ohio State. The single, officially set to drop on streaming platforms on Friday, January 24, is now available for pre-save on his website, along with exclusive merchandise. Scott announced that 100% of net proceeds from two merchandise items—a T-shirt and zip hoodie honoring Los Angeles first responders—will support Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund. The CD single for “4×4,” also available for pre-order, will contribute to these relief efforts. While it remains unclear if “4×4” is a stand-alone single or a preview of his forthcoming album, Scott hinted at being in “album mode” in a 2024 interview. 3. “Young Famous and African” stars Naked DJ and Kayleigh are engaged Congratulations to Young Famous And African stars Kayleigh and Naked DJ who are now engaged. 💍#YoungFamousAndAfrican pic.twitter.com/is5ovWXNF3 — Pop Pulse (@PopPulseSA) January 18, 2025 Reality TV stars Quinton Masina, known as Naked DJ, and Kayleigh Schwark are officially engaged! Fans of Netflix’s hit show “Young, Famous & African” have followed their love story since season one, witnessing the couple navigate relationship hurdles. Schwark, a semi-professional footballer, finally got the proposal she had been hoping for at the end of Season 3. Naked DJ popped the question in an intimate home setup, marking a heartfelt moment that delighted Schwark. To celebrate, the couple shared a stunning engagement photoshoot by celebrity photographer Stills By Tom. Congratulatory messages poured in from co-stars Nadia Nakai, Khanyi Mbau, and Andile Ncube, as well as from celebrities like Zanele Potelwa. While most fans expressed joy over the news, some skeptics questioned if the couple would make it to the altar. Still, this engagement marks an exciting new chapter in their journey. 4. OdumoduBlvck teases new song as he gets fans ready for his upcoming album Award-winning rapper OdumoduBlvck has ignited excitement among fans by teasing a new song on social media as part of the buildup to his forthcoming album, “Industry Machine.” The track, which features rising star Victony, has already garnered praise from fans and industry colleagues who are eager to see what the rapper has in store. Known for his signature sound and ability to blend genres seamlessly, OdumoduBlvck continues to cement his place as a force in the Nigerian music scene. The teaser is the latest move in an impressive rollout for “Industry Machine.” Ahead of the album, OdumoduBlvck has been on a collaborative streak, including being featured on Davido’s hit track “Funds.” He also kicked off the year with the joint project “Nothing Change” alongside his crew, Antiworld Gangsters. Following the success of his 2023 project “Eziokwu” and international acclaim for singles like “Declan Rice,” OdumoduBlvck is poised to take his artistry to new heights. 5. Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks” Arne Slot is hopeful Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez will return to his squad in a matter of “weeks rather than months” with the pair ruled out for the immediate future 💬 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 20, 2025 Liverpool coach Arne Slot has confirmed that forward Diogo Jota and defender Joe Gomez will be sidelined for weeks due to injuries. Jota missed the Reds’ 2-0 victory over Brentford last Saturday after sustaining a muscle issue during his substitute appearance in the draw against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Gomez, who has been out since late 2024 with a hamstring problem, continues his rehabilitation. Slot provided some optimism, suggesting that while Jota may return slightly earlier, both players are expected to recover within weeks rather than months. Speaking at a press conference, Slot stated, “Maybe Jota [will be back] a bit earlier than Joe. Both of them are expected to be back with us in weeks rather than months. It’s always difficult to say exactly how long it is, but as long as the rehab goes as planned, we’ll see them soon.” Liverpool will now prepare for a crucial Champions League clash against Lille on Tuesday without the duo, followed by a Premier League encounter with Ipswich. Slot will be relying on the depth of his squad to navigate this challenging period. Featured Image: @asakemusic/Instagram Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2024.For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_— Read also Collins Badewa A fashion and pop culture writer who watches a lot of TV in his spare time. At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ ♥ !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[oliviajoyice21]

Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift, Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show, Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks.” Stay in the know with our Rave News Digest, which summarizes five of the hottest global news stories you need to catch up on, saving you time and energy. Consider it your daily news fix. 1. Asake purchases Tesla Cybertruck as 30th birthday gift Asake’s Cybertruck landed in Lagos. pic.twitter.com/L2z43jnwsd — Junior Awólọ́wọ̀ 🛞 (@OloyeAwolowo) January 18, 2025 Nigerian music superstar Asake has celebrated his 30th birthday in grand fashion, gifting himself a brand-new Tesla Cybertruck. Known for his chart-topping hits and vibrant performances, the “Omo Ope” crooner shared photos on Instagram, proudly posing with the futuristic vehicle. The post quickly garnered thousands of likes and comments, with fans and fellow celebrities showering him with congratulatory messages. Asake’s latest acquisition underscores his impressive success in the music industry, where he has become a household name with a string of hits and a unique Afro-fusion sound. Asake’s penchant for luxury and individuality is well-documented, from his bold fashion statements to his extensive collection of tattoos and super cars. The addition of the Tesla Cybertruck to his collection is another testament to his status as a trendsetter in the Nigerian entertainment scene. The sleek and innovative vehicle aligns perfectly with the singer’s forward-thinking persona, solidifying his image as a leading figure in African music and pop culture. 2. Travis Scott teases new song “4×4” at College Football Playoff National Championship halftime show @espn 4X4 pic.twitter.com/vBI66P8Zai — TRAVIS SCOTT (@trvisXX) January 20, 2025 Travis Scott thrilled fans with a surprise debut of his new song “4×4” during the halftime show of the College Football Playoff National Championship final. Performing atop the iconic Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Scott energized the crowd gathered to watch Notre Dame face off against Ohio State. The single, officially set to drop on streaming platforms on Friday, January 24, is now available for pre-save on his website, along with exclusive merchandise. Scott announced that 100% of net proceeds from two merchandise items—a T-shirt and zip hoodie honoring Los Angeles first responders—will support Direct Relief’s California Wildfire Response Fund. The CD single for “4×4,” also available for pre-order, will contribute to these relief efforts. While it remains unclear if “4×4” is a stand-alone single or a preview of his forthcoming album, Scott hinted at being in “album mode” in a 2024 interview. 3. “Young Famous and African” stars Naked DJ and Kayleigh are engaged Congratulations to Young Famous And African stars Kayleigh and Naked DJ who are now engaged. 💍#YoungFamousAndAfrican pic.twitter.com/is5ovWXNF3 — Pop Pulse (@PopPulseSA) January 18, 2025 Reality TV stars Quinton Masina, known as Naked DJ, and Kayleigh Schwark are officially engaged! Fans of Netflix’s hit show “Young, Famous & African” have followed their love story since season one, witnessing the couple navigate relationship hurdles. Schwark, a semi-professional footballer, finally got the proposal she had been hoping for at the end of Season 3. Naked DJ popped the question in an intimate home setup, marking a heartfelt moment that delighted Schwark. To celebrate, the couple shared a stunning engagement photoshoot by celebrity photographer Stills By Tom. Congratulatory messages poured in from co-stars Nadia Nakai, Khanyi Mbau, and Andile Ncube, as well as from celebrities like Zanele Potelwa. While most fans expressed joy over the news, some skeptics questioned if the couple would make it to the altar. Still, this engagement marks an exciting new chapter in their journey. 4. OdumoduBlvck teases new song as he gets fans ready for his upcoming album Award-winning rapper OdumoduBlvck has ignited excitement among fans by teasing a new song on social media as part of the buildup to his forthcoming album, “Industry Machine.” The track, which features rising star Victony, has already garnered praise from fans and industry colleagues who are eager to see what the rapper has in store. Known for his signature sound and ability to blend genres seamlessly, OdumoduBlvck continues to cement his place as a force in the Nigerian music scene. The teaser is the latest move in an impressive rollout for “Industry Machine.” Ahead of the album, OdumoduBlvck has been on a collaborative streak, including being featured on Davido’s hit track “Funds.” He also kicked off the year with the joint project “Nothing Change” alongside his crew, Antiworld Gangsters. Following the success of his 2023 project “Eziokwu” and international acclaim for singles like “Declan Rice,” OdumoduBlvck is poised to take his artistry to new heights. 5. Arne Slot confirms Liverpool duo Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez out for “weeks” Arne Slot is hopeful Diogo Jota and Joe Gomez will return to his squad in a matter of “weeks rather than months” with the pair ruled out for the immediate future 💬 — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 20, 2025 Liverpool coach Arne Slot has confirmed that forward Diogo Jota and defender Joe Gomez will be sidelined for weeks due to injuries. Jota missed the Reds’ 2-0 victory over Brentford last Saturday after sustaining a muscle issue during his substitute appearance in the draw against Nottingham Forest. Meanwhile, Gomez, who has been out since late 2024 with a hamstring problem, continues his rehabilitation. Slot provided some optimism, suggesting that while Jota may return slightly earlier, both players are expected to recover within weeks rather than months. Speaking at a press conference, Slot stated, “Maybe Jota [will be back] a bit earlier than Joe. Both of them are expected to be back with us in weeks rather than months. It’s always difficult to say exactly how long it is, but as long as the rehab goes as planned, we’ll see them soon.” Liverpool will now prepare for a crucial Champions League clash against Lille on Tuesday without the duo, followed by a Premier League encounter with Ipswich. Slot will be relying on the depth of his squad to navigate this challenging period. Featured Image: @asakemusic/Instagram Our Weekday News Digest summarizes five of the hottest news topics worldwide–including celebrity news from Hollywood to Nollywood, the latest trending global headlines from American reports to top African news today, and the best sports stories in 2024.For the latest in fashion, lifestyle, and culture, follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_— Read also Collins Badewa A fashion and pop culture writer who watches a lot of TV in his spare time. At Style Rave, we aim to inspire our readers by providing engaging content to not just entertain but to inform and empower you as you ASPIRE to become more stylish, live smarter and be healthier. Follow us on Instagram @StyleRave_ ♥ !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s) if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments); if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n;n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0'; n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script', ' fbq('init', '496558104568102'); fbq('track', 'PageView'); !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' !function(f,b,e,v,n,t,s)if(f.fbq)return;n=f.fbq=function()n.callMethod? n.callMethod.apply(n,arguments):n.queue.push(arguments);if(!f._fbq)f._fbq=n; n.push=n;n.loaded=!0;n.version='2.0';n.queue=[];t=b.createElement(e);t.async=!0; t.src=v;s=b.getElementsByTagName(e)[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(t,s)(window, document,'script',' fbq('init', '1453079628754066'); fbq('track', "PageView"); Source link

[aegrescitxmedendo]

Read Along: Surviving Autocracy

The first chapter makes a few timely observations. The first of which is that the last Trump administration "produced more headlines per unit of time than any other...." Glancing through the top headlines of the NYT, this observation continues to ring true, and we are only a few weeks away from his second administration. Specifically, we have:

Flurry of Announcements Signals that Trump Family Will Keep Making Deals

An Emboldened Trump Talks of Taking Greenland and Panama Canal by Force

Judge Blocks Release of Special Counsel Report on Trump Documents Case

Appeals Court Judge Refuses to Halt Trump's New York Sentencing

None of the above seems particularly good in terms of news. The first article, especially, is concerning since now--perhaps even more than before--Trump is brazenly advertising his pay-to-play scheme. And, why should he bother hiding it? Truly. The man faces no consequences for any misdeed he has ever bothered to undertake. Might as well get while the getting is good....

Gessen observes that "[t]he difficulty with absorbing the news lies, in part, in the words we use, which have a way of rendering the outrageous ordinary." Which is very true even today. Taking the aforementioned NYT article, for example, in describing what essentially amounts to BRIBERY, the article states, "[a]cross the ballroom at [Trump's] Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., was a display of the extraordinary way that his family business interests are now fully mixed with his plans for governance of the United States." The article goes on to say, "[t]he scale of overlap between Mr. Trump's family members and their business interests, and the government he will lead, all showcased on the same day, underscores how unprecedented the second Trump presidency and the potential for conflicts of interest will be."

Sounds benign. Almost complimentary in its roteness. And, it doesn't truly press on why this is unusual or what is wrong with this picture. It sounds no alarms except by implication.

Gessen critiques the descriptive manner in which the modern press reports, writing that during the first Trump administration: "we were using the language of political disagreement, judicial procedure, or partisan discussion to describe something that was crushing the system that such terminology was invented to describe."

In terms of ways to remedy this issue, Gessen looks to the work of Hungarian sociologist Balint Magyar, who spent time devising a new model and language to describe what was happening in his country, such as proposing a detailed taxonomy of autocratic transformation that proceeds in three stages: (1) autocratic attempt, (2) autocratic breakthrough, and (3) autocratic consolidation.

[emmynet24]

AAU Lagos Alumni Chapter Congratulates New Council Chair, Orbih

The Ambrose Alli University (AAU) Alumni Association, Lagos State Chapter, has extended its heartfelt congratulations to Chief Dan Osi Orbih on his appointment as Chairman of the Governing Council of the university. According to Emmynet24 News, Rufus Alele Ccfr, the Public Relations Officer of the Lagos Chapter, expressed that the appointment is a reflection of Chief Orbih’s unwavering commitment…

[tracknews1]

Groups demand release of Lagos nurse allegedly arrested over comments against police

Two civil society organisations- Youth Rights Campaign (YRC) and the Lagos State chapter of the #EndBadGovernanceInNigeria have called for the release of a nurse, Olamide Thomas, who was allegedly arrested by the operatives of Lagos State Police Command on Friday. According to the organisations, Ms Thomas was arrested by the police for her open criticism of the police and the bad governnance at…