by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 28, 2025

Louis Vuitton And Pharrell Williams Claim Coogi Is Trying To ‘Monopolize An Aesthetic’ In Copyright Lawsuit

Louis Vuitton and Pharrell Williams claim Coogi is attempting to “monopolize an aesthetic” in a copyright lawsuit.

Louis Vuitton and Pharrell Williams are fighting back against a copyright infringement lawsuit alleging they copied Coogi’s signature style and aesthetic, accusing the Australian fashion brand of trying to “monopolize an aesthetic.”

In a motion to dismiss filed on Oct. 17, lawyers for the luxury fashion house and Pharrell Williams argue that Coogi is attempting to claim exclusive ownership of a vague, functional aesthetic that Louis Vuitton has never treated as a protectable expression, consistently used, or established as having secondary meaning, The Fashion Law reports.

According to Williams and Louis Vuitton, Coogi is attempting to “monopolize an aesthetic,” but “you cannot infringe a style,” their filing states.

In May, Coogi filed a lawsuit in the Southern District of New York against Louis Vuitton Malletier, Louis Vuitton USA, and Pharrell Williams, alleging that several pieces from Louis Vuitton’s F/W 2025 menswear collection infringe on its intellectual property tied to a 2014 sweater design created with Rag & Bone. Coogi asserts that the collection “mirrors” its iconic visual identity.

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However, in their legal response, Louis Vuitton and Pharrell argue that Coogi isn’t claiming they copied a specific sweater, but rather that they borrowed a general vibe. According to the defendants, “you cannot infringe a style—whether through copyright or trade dress.” Yet, that is “exactly what COOGI claims happened here,” the filing states.

They argue that Coogi is trying to “monopolize an aesthetic” and assert that Louis Vuitton’s designs are original, contrasting with Coogi’s more organic, asymmetrical knit patterns popularized by ’90s rappers. The lawsuit followed Louis Vuitton’s January 21, 2025, Paris runway show, where Pharrell Williams showcased a menswear line heavily focused on knits, which many in the fashion world labeled “Coogi-inspired.” In their recent filing, Louis Vuitton and Williams dismissed such claims as mere “press chatter” without legal merit.

“There is no monopoly on multicolored sweaters,” their filing states.

by Nahlah Abdur-Rahman

October 28, 2025

Atlanta’s Unhoused Musicians Get New Spotlight In Viral ‘Dirty Luxury’ Studio Sessions

The musicians have gained fame and support by being platformed on Dirty Luxury.

Unhoused musicians in Atlanta have a new avenue to showcase their artistry in outdoor studio sessions.

Through music, local artists have found a way to showcase the talent within Atlanta’s unhoused community. Called Dirty Luxury, a group of four decided to take their studio to the streets of Atlanta. Putting unhoused people on the mic has led to advocacy and awareness of their situations. In some instances, it has even changed their lives monetarily.

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Dirty Luxury’s creators, Demetrius Worthy, Jahquez McKenzie, Kino Lewis, and Cedric Brown, started the makeshift studio sessions in May. Since then, they have gained traction for their viral sessions, unlocking the talent within this niche community.

“We’re changing people’s lives on a day-to-day basis, not just in that moment,” Worthy said to Fox 5. “We had one person that we recorded go from no followers on Instagram — I’m not saying that Instagram is an important place — but go to 100,000 followers plus just from being on our page. Not only was he able to receive followers, but he raised over $13,000 on GoFundMe.”

The setup includes the mic and an open invitation for those living within these unhoused sectors to showcase their skills. With over 40 homeless artists spotlighted thus far, the team uses its platform to help new fans support these struggling artists directly. This direct engagement often leads to further listens and donations.

The unlikely cause helps others recognize themselves in these artists’ situation, driving compassion and empathy for these unhoused musicians. The artists impacted also expressed their own gratitude for the opportunity with Dirty Luxury. They said it offers a look at their entire humanity from beyond a charitable perspective.

“It was a blessing because you don’t find too many people out here like that,” shared one artist, Ivery Molden, after getting on the mic. “Especially noticing the people that get unnoticed every day.”

Atlanta has also dealt with a persistent homelessness crisis. According to Capital B News, the Point-In-Time homelessness census count revealed a third consecutive year of increased homelessness for the city. Given Atlanta’s diverse population, the majority of local homeless families also identify as Black.

For Worthy, the purpose is to ensure Atlanta remembers the unhoused members of its creative community and that their art matters, too.

“We’re not able to pick the cards that we are dealt,” he added. “And the cards we are dealt most often end with these people in the positions that they are in today, so you have to treat everyone with humility.”

Trump Campaign, Hacked, Election, trump, Foo Fighters, Foo Fighters

by Sharelle B. McNair

October 28, 2025

Trump Teases Unconstitutional Third Term; MAGA Loyalists Boast On Having A Plan

In a recent interview, Trump’s former strategist Steve Bannon, said 'people need to get accommodated' to the fact that Trump will be president again in 2028.

If things on Capitol Hill aren’t scary enough.

After boasting on Air Force One about receiving “perfect” MRI results, President Donald Trump teased the idea of serving a third term in the White House, saying he “would love to do it” since he has “the best numbers ever.”

He then ranted against Democratic Congresswomen Jasmine Crockett and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, calling them “low IQ.”

Trump on a third term: "I would love to do it. I have the best numbers ever. Am I not ruling it out? You'll have to tell me." pic.twitter.com/8tsuvIOeVf
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 27, 2025

According to The New York Times, the Constitution sets a two-term limit for presidents. The 22nd Amendment states “no person shall be elected to the office of the president more than twice,” regardless of whether the terms are consecutive.

Seeing how the Trump administration and its MAGA loyalists have found loopholes to manipulate decades-old legislation, it should come as no surprise that the president and his supporters have continued to keep the idea alive.

In a recent interview, Trump’s former strategist, Steven Bannon, said that “people need to get accommodated” to the fact that Trump will be president again in 2028, even though he is the oldest person ever elected to the presidency. Bannon said the American people need him to be president.

When asked about the 22nd Amendment, Bannon said there is already a plan to get around that.

“There’s many different alternatives. At the appropriate time, we will lay out what the plan is, but there’s a plan, and President Trump will be the president in 2028,” he said.

BANNON: “Trump will be president in 2028 and get a third term. People oughta get accommodated with that.”

“What about the constitution?”

BANNON: “He’s a vehicle of divine providence.”

(PSA: Believe them. He is not joking.) pic.twitter.com/3Va1gedbxT
— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) October 23, 2025

This is not the first time the indicted politician has flirted with the idea of a third term. In 2020, before losing to Joe Biden, he raised the idea during a stop in Nevada

“Fifty-two days from now, we’re going to win Nevada, and we’re going to win four more years in the White House,” he said. “And then after that, we’ll negotiate, right? Because we’re probably—based on the way we were treated—we are probably entitled to another four after that.”

In an effort to make light of the situation, social media users used Bannon and Trump’s logic against them.

“If Trump can seek a third term, Obama can too, right?,” @jojofromjerz wrote.

If Trump can seek a third term, Obama can too, right?
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) October 28, 2025

While some of the president’s most loyal followers have supported the idea, others have expressed that it’s not going to happen.

House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) answered questions about the narrative and said,” I don’t see the path for that.” “It’s been a great run, but I think the president knows, and he and I’ve talked about, the constrictions of the Constitution.”

NYT, New York Times, opinion writers, Palestine, Israel

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 28, 2025

300-Plus ‘NY Times’ Contributors Boycott Publication Over Coverage Of Palestine

Over 300 writers, scholars, and public figures are boycotting the New York Times opinion section over its coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict.

More than 300 writers, scholars, and public figures have announced a boycott of The New York Times’ opinion section, accusing the publication of exhibiting an “anti-Palestinian bias” in its coverage of the Israel-Palestine conflict and war in Gaza.

Op-ed writers from the outlet signed an open letter, pledging to stop contributing to the Times and urging it to revise its coverage of the Israel-Hamas war, Middle East Eye reports. In the letter, titled “Genocide Is Not a Matter of Opinion,” the boycotting writers accuse the Times of providing “biased coverage” of the war in Gaza and of amplifying “the U.S. and Israel’s lies.”

“Until The New York Times takes accountability for its biased coverage and commits to truthfully and ethically reporting on the US-Israeli war on Gaza, any putative ‘challenge’ to the newsroom or the editorial board in the form of a first-person essay is, in effect, permission to continue this malpractice,” the letter states.

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Signed by more than 150 former Times contributors, the letter outlined the reasons the signatories believe the boycott is necessary.

“Only by withholding our labor can we mount an effective challenge to the hegemonic authority that the Times has long used to launder the U.S. and Israel’s lies,” the letter reads. “The Times’ opinion section is nothing without its contributors, and it is our responsibility to delegitimize and decenter the Times as the ‘paper of record.'”

As part of the boycott, the letter outlined three key demands for the Times to address. First, it calls for “a review of anti-Palestinian bias” and the creation of new editorial standards for covering Palestine. The signatories are also demanding updated sourcing and citation practices, as well as a revised style guide governing the paper’s language when reporting on the Israel-Palestine conflict. Additionally, the letter urges the Times to prohibit journalists who have served in the Israeli military from covering related stories.

The writers also called for the retraction of a December 2023 article titled “Screams Without Words,” which relied heavily on the account of an unnamed Israeli special forces paramedic who alleged that Palestinians involved in the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack committed sexual assaults against Israeli women. A spokesperson for the kibbutz, a communal settlement engaging in agriculture and other activities, where the article claimed the assaults occurred, later denied the allegations reported by the Times.

The letter also called on the Times to publish an editorial advocating for “an end to U.S. weapons transfers to Israel.” Referencing the Times’ past updates to its style guide during the 1980s AIDS crisis and its public apology for flawed reporting on the 2003 U.S. invasion of Iraq, the letter asserts that “these demands are neither impossible nor unreasonable.”

“We owe it to the journalists and writers of Palestine to refuse complicity with the Times, and to demand that the paper account for its failures, such that it can never again manufacture consent for mass slaughter, torture, and displacement,” the letter states.

Pastor Jamal Bryant, Black Friday, Black Business Maket

by Jeroslyn JoVonn

October 28, 2025

Pastor Dr. Jamal Bryant Declines Donations, Urges Congregation To Aid Those Facing SNAP Cuts

Pastor Jamal Bryant declined donations for New Birth Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday, urging the congregation to support those at risk of losing SNAP benefits instead.

Pastor Jamal Bryant, who was an attendee at BLACK ENTERPRISE’s XCEL Summit For Men Oct. 15-17, is asking his congregation to pause church donations and instead support members at risk of losing their SNAP benefits.

Bryant’s Oct. 26 sermon at New Birth Missionary Baptist Church was meant to be a $1 million fundraising day for the Stonecrest congregation, 11 Alive reports. Instead, he urged attendees not to donate to the church and to support members who could lose SNAP benefits if a federal government shutdown extends past Nov. 1.

“I didn’t feel like it would be right to ask people to march down with $5,000, $2,000, $3,000, and $1,000 when people don’t know how they gonna pay their rent,” Bryant said in a clip shared online.

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Bryant, known for leading boycotts against Target over its rollback of DEI initiatives, highlighted some of the challenges the Black community could face under a second Trump administration.

“Since March, 300,000 Black women have lost their jobs. Knowing that this is the highest unemployment rate for Black people in over 15 years,” Bryant said.

“Knowing that government workers and government contractors have been furloughed and have not received a check, even while Senators and Congress people are receiving theirs. Knowing that 43 million people are not receiving food benefits. The Holy Spirit arrested me in prayer.”

Citing the “higher responsibility” of the church during critical times, Bryant recognized those facing hardship and urged his congregation to offer support.

“The congregation is supposed to be sensitive to the needs of the community, knowing that people are literally just trying to keep their head above water,” he added. “We’re opening up our arms and opening up our hearts at the same time.”

Sharing the moment on Instagram, New Birth provided resources for those at risk of losing SNAP benefits—used by 40 million Americans, including children, families, and seniors—if the shutdown continues. Viewers of the clip expressed support and shared personal stories of how the ongoing government shutdown is impacting their families.

“This is the spirit of NewBirth!! We’ve always been a church that cares for the people,” one member wrote.

“My son works for the government and he is not getting paid as well and he has two twin boys that are three years old. We are struggling so bad,” another user shared. “Continue to keep us uplifted in your prayers. We really need it.”

AshLee moore, Ash Lee, cousin. missing,, Ohio Nevada, family

by Keka Araújo

October 28, 2025

Search For Missing Ohio Woman Intensifies; Concerns Mount After Communication Lapse

We're praying for her safe return.

Authorities and family members are intensifying the search for 26-year-old Ash Lee Moore, also known as Ashlee Moore-Vongmepunt, who last contacted relatives in September. Concerns for her well-being have escalated due to an uncharacteristic period of silence.

Moore, described as Black, 5 feet 6 inches tall, and weighing approximately 120 pounds, was reported missing from the Hartwell area of Cincinnati. She has a tattoo on her right arm and a nose piercing.

While the missing persons report references her disappearance beginning in August, her grandmother was able to establish contact with her as recently as September 2025. Her family emphasizes that this sustained lack of communication is highly unusual and causes them great worry.

Moore may be traveling toward Las Vegas. She could be driving a 2018 white Nissan Sentra. License plate information is currently uncertain but may involve a temporary Ohio tag (T823089) or a temporary Nevada plate (696-MB6).

On Oct. 25, Moore’s cousin, Shante Jackson, took to Facebook to ask friends to spread the word about her cousin’s disappearance, posting a flyer across social media featuring a clear photo and all the known details about the missing woman.

“Family and friends, please share. We are praying for the safe return of my little cousin. We love you, Ash Lee,” Jackson wrote.

She stressed that the family has exhausted every usual line of contact and is now relying on the public to circulate the information, especially the possibility that Moore is heading to Las Vegas.

The family noted that Moore’s frequent communication is a staple of her routine, making this sudden, lengthy silence a major red flag and a complete departure from her normal behavior.

They know that every share of the flyer ups the chances of reaching someone who might spot the white Nissan Sentra or know something about her movements since September. The family remains hopeful that this widespread public attention will lead to her safe return home.

The Cincinnati Police Department is actively seeking information. Anyone with knowledge of Ash Lee Moore’s whereabouts is urged to contact Det. Colonel at 513-765-1212.

KKK, UC San Diego, Black students, scholarships

by Sharelle B. McNair

October 28, 2025

Anti-Affirmative Action Group Ends Black-Only Scholarship At UC San Diego After Citing KKK Act of 1871

The law was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant to protect the 14th Amendment after the white supremacy group launched “one of the worst campaigns of domestic terrorism in American history” in South Carolina.

Affirmative action strikes again as a lawsuit from a legal organization resulted in a scholarship for Black students being dumped at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), all by citing legislation put in place to protect African-Americans, Inside Higher Ed reported.

Pacific Legal Foundation, known for filing lawsuits to end affirmative action in public education, targeted a scholarship for Black students, Black Alumni Scholarship Fund (BASF), at the university by using the Ku Klux Klan Act of 1871, passed to protect African Americans, in an effort to halt the financial aid program geared towards helping only Black students.

The conservative group was victorious, as the scholarship was renamed the Goins Alumni Scholarship Fund (GASF) in honor of scholarship founder Lennon Goins. It is also open to students of all demographics, with the website — rebranded from basf-sandiego.com to gasf-sandiego.com — stating that applications will be sent to any students who identify “on the UC application as Black or African American.”

Pacific Legal celebrated the win, praising the KKK Act for coming in handy.

“I think that the lawsuit fulfilled the promise of what the law was intended to do,” an attorney in the firm’s equality and opportunity practice group, Jack Brown, said. A spokesperson from the Foundation said it is “pleased that this lawsuit was amicably resolved” while being “committed to complying with all federal and state anti-discrimination laws.”

The law was signed by President Ulysses S. Grant to protect the 14th Amendment after the white supremacist group launched “one of the worst campaigns of domestic terrorism in American history” in South Carolina. After the Civil War ended in 1865, several states modified the 14th Amendment to include freed slaves. It states that states can’t “deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law,” or deny anyone “the equal protection of the laws.”

In response, klansmen targeted Black people and white Republicans, including rape and murder, in an effort to reconstruct the government. That same legislation is now being used against the demographic it was created to protect.

In collaboration with the Californians for Equal Rights Foundation (CFER), one of its members — a white transfer student —became a plaintiff in Pacific Legal’s case. CFER argued that several “Asian-American high school members who plan to apply to UCSD” could be excluded if it is geared toward Black students only. “I think the law was intended to kind of fulfill the promise of the Declaration of Independence, that all Americans are created equal,” Brown said.

“That’s true whether you’re white, whether you’re Black, whether you’re Asian or what have you.”

According to The College Fix, legal experts labeled the organization’s victory as “a novel legal strategy that could be used to challenge similar programs.”

The successful scholarship program lasted 42 years, awarding more than $1 million to over 400 black UCSD students pursuing degrees in engineering, math, science, and technology.

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 28, 2025

50 Cent Responds To Reimagined Songs Posted On Social Media, ‘I Don’t Think You Can Beat AI’

After posting AI (artificial intelligence) renditions of two of his songs, “21 Questions” and “God Gave Me Style,” Queens entrepreneur and rapper 50 Cent received mostly positive feedback for using the technology, and he speaks about using it in a recent interview. He states, “I don’t think you can beat AI.”

The G-Unit executive sat down for an interview with Complex News, and when asked about it, he seemed content with what AI presented. He posted the videos to his Instagram account, and the known troller had some people who loved how AI reimagined his songs as R&B, while some still had doubts about how AI is being used.

“This feels good to, WTF going on now, this version lets you see my vision. It’s softer! @bransoncognac @lecheminduroi“

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A post shared by 50 Cent (@50cent)

Fifty said he appreciated using AI to potentially reach a new audience who might tune in to songs they may not have heard, and that they are getting a different version that may draw them to his music.

“I really like those songs!” 50 Cent states.

“Look, it will reach someone that I missed. Someone who couldn’t hear what I was trying to say to them in the writing can hear it now that it’s in that format. They’ll go, ‘Oh, yo! Play that again!’”

He was happy with the outcome generated using the technology.

“I don’t know where AI gets these voices from, but these are some good voices! If these guys came out in that time period, they would have been competition for the guys that were there.”

The “Many Men” recording artist is an advocate for AI and encourages people to utilize it “because it’s not gonna stop progress.”

“I don’t like fighting fights that I can’t win, I don’t think you can beat AI,” 50 Cent continues. “I think we need to look at how we create businesses that work well with it and performs faster and progresses as [AI] progresses because it’s not gonna stop progress.”

by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

October 28, 2025

An Alleged Down South Drug Runner Calls Out Feds For ‘False And Fabricated’ Testimony

Glennie Antonio “Little Man” McGee says they presented “false and fabricated” testimony to the grand jury to obtain an indictment against him.

Glennie Antonio “Little Man” McGee, an Alabama man accused of running a drug operation in the Mobile area, has accused federal prosecutors of presenting “false and fabricated” testimony to the grand jury to obtain an indictment against him.

According to Fox 10 News, McGee, who has been accused of operating a multimillion-dollar drug distribution network using children as couriers, has asked that charges be dropped because of the alleged false testimony. In 2024, Mobile County sheriff’s deputies raided a home and reportedly encountered a 3-year-old child who was carrying a backpack full of drugs.

This is the accused’s second request to dismiss the charges. He previously argued in August that prosecutors withheld key evidence and accused the judge of being biased.

McGee claimed that the testimony presented to the grand jury violated his Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights.

Earlier this year, U.S. District Judge Terry Moorer declared a mistrial in the case. He was worried that the length of the trial could jeopardize the availability of some jurors.

The suspect is scheduled to go to trial in January with two co-defendants. The testimony that McGee claims is fabricated includes undercover drug buys that he denies ever taking place. Drug calls that were intercepted, he stated, were “either altered or wholly manufactured and attributed to Defendant.” He declares that prosecutors presented “knowingly false” testimony that he admitted to ordering children to destroy drug evidence. He denies that he confessed to earning $20,000 a month in drug proceeds and using the money to buy real estate for seven years.

“The government either knew these representations were false or acted in reckless disregard of their truth, and it suppressed contradictory exculpatory and impeachment evidence,” he wrote in the filing.

McGee is representing himself after his court-appointed lawyer was removed following revelations that the attorney used an artificial intelligence program that included false case citations in a court filing earlier this year.

Prosecutors have to respond by Nov. 6, and a hearing is set for Dec. 1.

Weather, Earthquake, Jamaica, Hurricane Melissa,

by Mitti Hicks

October 28, 2025

Jamaicans Brace For Impact As Hurricane Melissa Barrels Through – It’s Now Stronger Than Katrina

Hurricane Melissa is stronger than Hurricane Katrina 20 years ago, forecasters warn. While both storms reached sustained winds of 175 mph at their peak, Katrina made landfall as a Category 3 storm.

Jamaicans are bracing for Hurricane Melissa, which meteorologists and scientists are predicting could be the most destructive storm on record and one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded. Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm, has sustained winds of around 175 mph with even higher gusts. The associated storm surge could reach up to 13 feet, indicating Hurricane Melissa is stronger than Hurricane Katrina, which made landfall 20 years ago, on August 29, 2005.

While both storms reached sustained winds of 175 mph at their peak, qualifying them as Category 5 hurricanes on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale, Katrina made landfall as a Category 3 storm. Melissa is expected to make landfall as a Category 5 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. ET, the Hurricane Center predicts. In terms of intensity, Melissa’s central pressure of 901 millibars is more intense than Katrina’s 902 millibars at its peak. Lower central pressure indicates a stronger storm.

In the National Hurricane Center’s latest bulletin, forecasters say Hurricane Melissa is expected to bring “catastrophic winds, flash flooding, and storm surge.”

“A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area,” the bulletin reads. “Residents in Jamaica should remain in a safe shelter. In the warning area in Cuba and the Bahamas, preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.”

The Hurricane Center also says the storm will likely cause structural damage in Jamaica.

Hurricane Melissa Is ‘Storm of the Century,’ Forecasters Warn in Jamaica

Currently, more than 800 shelters have opened across Jamaica to house residents whose homes are affected by flooding and landslides, CNN reported.

“This is reaching the upper echelon, the upper threshold of what nature can produce in this part of the world. We’re in very rare territory for Hurricane Melissa in terms of its strength and pressure,” Meteorologist Derek Van Dam said on CNN News Central.

“It’s a catastrophic situation expected in Jamaica,” the World Meteorological Organization’s tropical cyclone specialist, Anne-Claire Fontan, told a Geneva press briefing. “For Jamaica, it will be the storm of the century for sure.”

The International Federation of the Red Cross estimates that up to 1.5 million people in Jamaica will be directly affected by the storm.

“Today will be very difficult for tens of thousands, if not millions of people in Jamaica,” IFRC’s Necephor Mghendi said from Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago. “Roofs will be tested, flood waters will rise, and isolation will become a harsh reality for many.”