News

Simone Biles is calling out former U.S. swimmer-turned-right-wing talking head, Riley Gaines. The legendary Olympian went to social media on Saturday to call out Gaines, who has been critical of transgender athletes.

Biles’ response came after Riley criticized a girls’ softball team in Minnesota for accepting a transgender athlete. After the team posted a photo on X to celebrate their state championship, Riley called them out for turning off comments on their post.

What did Simone Biles say to Riley Gaines?

“Comments off lol To be expected when your star player is a boy,” Riley wrote.

A short time later, Biles posted her own response to Riley, telling the swimmer to stop being angry about the fact that she lost a race against a transgender woman in 2022.

“@Riley_Gaines_ You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser.”

The gold medalist also tried to encourage Riley to uplift “the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports.”

“Maybe a transgender category IN ALL sports!! But instead… You bully them… One things for sure is no one in sports is safe with you around!!!!!” the superstar gymnast wrote.

@Riley_Gaines_ You’re truly sick, all of this campaigning because you lost a race. Straight up sore loser. You should be uplifting the trans community and perhaps finding a way to make sports inclusive OR creating a new avenue where trans feel safe in sports. Maybe a transgender… https://t.co/pjpzuZ0AlO— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) June 6, 2025

What happened to Riley Gaines at the 2022 NCAA Championships?

According to the BBC, Gaines became outraged when she finished fifth in the 200m freestyle swimming at the 2022 NCAA Championships, tying with transgender woman Lia Thomas.

As Gaines and other critics continued to speak out against transgender athletes after the race, World Aquatics established a new rule a year later. The organization stated at that time that transgender women can’t compete in women’s elite races if they experienced male puberty at any point.

AT&T is offering special deals for older customers, but there’s a catch to get the offer. The company announced that its new AT&T 55+ Plan, available for people 55 years old and up, provides unlimited talk, text and data for $40 per month for one line. The deal also offers $35 per month for two lines, or $70 total. In comparison, AT&T’s Unlimited Starter SL plan costs $65.99 per month for one line.

AT&T, which initially offered the 55+ plan exclusively in Florida for $60 for two lines and $80 for one, is now expanding the deal nationwide.

“At AT&T, we recognize the importance of addressing the unique needs of our 55 and better audience, a demographic that values simplicity and seamless connectivity in today’s fast-paced digital world,” the company stated, per PC Mag.

What’s the catch for AT&T’s senior plan?

To be eligible for AT&T’s 55+ plan, customers must enroll in wireless billing and autopay with a bank account. Per the terms and conditions, the total price may be higher after taxes and fees.

“Activation/upgrade fee per line (up to $50) and deposit may apply,” according to the terms.

Additionally, AT&T states it will slow data speeds “if the network is busy.”

How can older customers sign up for AT&T’s special offer?

Older consumers can sign up for the 55+ plan on AT&T’s website, where they’ll be asked to submit documents to verify their age.

“For failed age verification, an additional $20/mo. per line charge will apply unless the customer calls to cancel or change plans,” AT&T states.

People who want an even bigger deal can sign up for a bundle plan that includes “2 wireless lines + AT&T Internet 300 or AT&T Internet Air for $99/mo. plus taxes and fees.”

August Egg Company is recalling 1.7 million brown cage-free and certified organic brown eggs due to possible Salmonella contamination. According to Newsweek, the company issued the recall on Friday after distributing the eggs to several major grocery chains earlier this year.

“It is important to know that when our processing plant identified this concern, we immediately began diverting all eggs from the plant to an egg-breaking facility, which pasteurizes the eggs and kills any pathogens,” August Egg Company said in a statement, per Newsweek. “Our internal food safety team is also conducting its own stringent review to identify what measures can be established to prevent this situation from recurring. We are committed to addressing this matter fully and implementing all necessary corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again.”

Where were the recalled eggs sold?

The recalled products were sold at major grocery stores including Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky, Smart & Final, Safeway, Raley’s, Food 4 Less, and Ralphs. In California and Nevada, the eggs were distributed between Feb. 3 and May 15, with sell-by dates ranging from March 4 to June 4, 2025.

Eggs were also distributed in Washington, Arizona, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nebraska, Indiana, and Illinois, labeled with sell-by dates from March 4 to June 19, per The Guardian.

How many people have gotten sick?

So far, 79 people have become ill due to the Salmonella outbreak, and 21 of them have been hospitalized, The Guardian reported. According to the CDC, Salmonella causes roughly 1.35 million infections in the U.S. every year.

What should you do if you bought the eggs?

Customers can call August Egg Company at 1-800-710-2554 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. PT. They can also return the eggs to the store where they made the purchase for a refund.

Let me know if you want to include a social CTA or health resource link for readers!

Rickey Smiley called out the culture of hazing, which allegedly led to the recent death of Caleb Wilson, who was pledging Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.

The comedian and TV host spoke out about the issue in an appearance on Jemele Hill’s “Spolitics” podcast.

Smiley, who has been an active member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity since 2000 and joined the org through the Psi Rho graduate chapter, has used his platform to call out the incident that led to Wilson’s death in March.

He said he was personally touched by the issue as he is a member of the fraternity in addition to dealing with his own son’s death in January 2023.

Rickey Smiley offered support to Caleb Wilson’s family

“I called Caleb Wilson’s dad and offered my condolences because I’m a dad that also lost his son,” Smiley told Hill, according to The Grio. “You know what he said? You are the first member of your fraternity to call and offer your condolences.”

Wilson died after being repeatedly punched in the chest during an off-campus fraternity ritual.

Rickey Smiley is calling out hazing culture

Smiley said hazing culture went against the founding principles of Omega Psi Phi.

“I don’t think Bishop Edgar A. Love would have punched anybody in the chest. Just, Love, Cooper and Coleman founded Omega Psi Phi at Howard University in 1911,” he said. “A lot of these guys that started this culture, I don’t care if it started in the 80s, I don’t care when it started. It is wrong. In 25 years in the frat, I have never put my hands on anybody.” 

“I’m not throwing my frat under the bus because everything the founders founded it on, I still believe it…I understand the culture of [traditions] but that don’t make [all traditions] right,” Smiley added.

He shared that one of his nephews who crossed Omega Psi Phi went through a similar hazing ritual to Wilson’s and his ribs had been bruised at the time.

“I [joined] Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc, because of what it was founded on, not the culture that was created,” Smiley said. “Culture starts with cult. It’s gang activity…the last physical altercations that I’ve gotten into as a man was with Ques. Why? Why I leave the conclave wondering ‘what am I a part of? Why is it always some issues with my fraternity? With my bruhz?’ Because there’s a culture giving people access to be disrespectful. It’s gang-like mentality and mindset.” 

“You don’t know what somebody went through to get to where they are. You are already a man if you make it out of the projects to make it to college. Who are you to put your hands on someone?” he added. “Hazing has to stop. It’s wrong; stop putting your hands on people. People come to these organizations looking for something they never had. [Hazing] is not what the organization was founded on.”

The news was confirmed Thursday night in an Instagram post shared by the GMWA Alliance of Gospel Music Professionals on behalf of the Hutchins Family, IR Record Label and HD Global Media Group. Norman Hutchins’ family and record label speak […]

The twin sister of Keelon Russell, a quarterback at the University of Alabama, died on Wednesday. Tuscaloosa police officials announced the news in a statement shared on Thursday. An investigation is still ongoing.

Law enforcement announced news of Kierston’s death on Thursday after speaking with her family. They are hoping the statement will curb media enquiries about her death.

Kierston Russell’s death ‘appears to be non-criminal in nature’

“After speaking with the family, and in an attempt to quell media inquiries, they have given permission to confirm the death of Kierston Russell (Sister of Keelon Russell),” Jack Kennedy, captain of the Tuscaloosa County Violent Crimes Unit, said in a statement, according to Al.com.

“The investigation is ongoing pursuant to the procedures mentioned above, and at this time appears to be non-criminal in nature. Therefore, at this time no other information will be released,” he added.

The quarterback reposted several messages of condolences on his social media pages.

“My deepest condolences are with you guys dearly. Losing a twin sister and daughter is a pain no one could ever imagine,” Russell reposted, according to ESPN.

Kierston’s high school basketball team, the Duncanville Pantherettes, also mourned her death online.

“With shattered hearts, we mourn the loss of our sister & teammate, Kierston Russell,” the team tweeted. “A fierce competitor with a heart of gold -her light, love & legacy will live on. We love you, KRuss. Always.”

Kierston and Keelon Russell graduated from Duncanville High School in May. He enrolled early at the University of Alabama and went through spring practice. He was listed as a a five-star prospect and No. 2 overall prospect by ESPN.

John Deere, the world’s largest manufacturer of agricultural machinery, has addressed and debunked recent reports claiming the company abruptly froze its U.S. manufacturing, stating that it remains committed to domestic production and employment opportunities nationwide.

Bill Gates, the co-founder of Microsoft and one of the world’s richest people, plans to give away the vast majority of his fortune during his lifetime. And he recently announced that most of this money will be donated to promoting health and education in Africa.

Gates made the pledge to dedicate most of his money to Africa while giving a speech to the African Union at the organization’s headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Speaking to the audience, Gates noted, “I recently made a commitment that my wealth will be given away over the next 20 years,” and then said, “The majority of that funding will be spent on helping you address challenges here in Africa.” Gates indicated that, through the work of his Gates Foundation, the funds would be dedicated to improving health and education. The foundation has set as its three major goals poverty reduction, fighting infectious diseases, and preventing maternal and infant mortality.

Foundation to spend Gates’ money before closing in 2045

Bill Gates co-founded the Gates Foundation with his then-wife, Melinda French Gates, in 2000. Fellow billionaire Warren Buffett has also donated about $43 billion through the Gates Foundation. Among its many projects around the world, the foundation has invested heavily in fighting disease and hunger in Africa, though some have criticized its work for raising the costs of farming and potentially exacerbating food production problems in countries where it has worked. In May, the Gates Foundation celebrated its 25th anniversary with an announcement that the organization would end its work in 2045. That goal came with a pledge from cofounder Bill Gates that he would donate $200 billion through the foundation during the next 20 years in order to accelerate its work.

Increased giving as USAID slashed by Trump administration

Gates’ pledge comes at a time when the Trump administration has cut foreign aid to Africa and other parts of the world and virtually shut down USAID, the federal agency that has primarily managed U.S. foreign assistance for decades. Last year, Gates met with President-elect Trump and warned him against cutting the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, the program created by the George W. Bush administration to fight global HIV/AIDS. Trump cut funding for the program anyway; experts now warn that this cut alone could lead to the death of nearly 500,000 children over the next five years, and some predict that the overall cuts in U.S. foreign aid could result in 25 million people dying by 2040.

The $200 billion that Gates plans to spend through his foundation could go a long way in improving health and education outcomes in a number of African countries. Such private funding may be particularly valuable if the cuts in official aid continue under the Trump administration, which leave others to attempt to make up the difference in Africa and around the world.

A strange crackling sound heard during a conversation with his grandmother gave 12-year-old Ramir Parker a chance to save his family from their burning home in Petersburg, Virginia.

WRIC reported that Ramir was upstairs with his grandmother on Tuesday when he heard the noise and thought of his younger brothers, ages 1 and 2, who had woken up from their naps in the living room downstairs. Stepping into the hallway, he saw thick, black smoke rising from the basement. According to the outlet, he yelled, “Fire!” and alerted his grandmother without hesitation.

Ramir didn’t think twice before rushing into the smoke-filled living room to save his brothers and leading everyone outside to safety. 

[embedded content]

His family and the Petersburg Fire Department are beyond proud

“My mother-in-law told me that my son told her that he smelled fire and they went downstairs, cause they thought it was his little brothers playing, but it wasn’t,” WTVR reported Andrea Parker, Ramir’s mother, said.

Petersburg Fire Department Battalion Chief Braden Peter told the outlet, “I was about three miles away and off in the distance I could see a large column of black smoke that was coming from the direction of where the house fire was dispatched.”

Peter added that when he arrived, live power lines had caught fire “across the front yard and across the street,” with firefighters battling the blaze for about 20 minutes.

Petersburg Fire Chief Wayne Hoover praised Ramir’s heroic efforts in saving his family.

“A 12-year-old knew his house was on fire, took time, got his 1-year-old and 2-year-old brother out of the house, made sure his grandmother was out, that’s things you would expect out of an adult. This 12-year-old stepped up and saved three lives today, and we as the Petersburg Fire Department could not be prouder of him,” WTVR reported Hoover said, adding, “I thoroughly believe with the amount of fire and as quick as it went up, that this young man did save some lives today.”

How will Ramir Parker be celebrated for his heroism?

The Petersburg Fire Rescue & Emergency Services shared the story on Facebook, calling Ramir a “hero among us.” 

“Today, tragedy struck the home at 2001 Burks Street as flames tore through the structure, leaving devastation behind. Our hearts go out to the family affected, and we lift them in prayer during this difficult time,” the post began.

It continued, “Ramir saved lives today. His quick thinking and selfless bravery are nothing short of heroic. In a moment where seconds mattered, he stepped up💪🏽just like a firefighter would. Just like a protector does.

“Ramir, we see you. We salute you. You showed the heart of a fireman today and the soul of a warrior.” 

The department also mentioned its intent to honor Ramir’s bravery at an upcoming award ceremony.

Rod Parker, Ramir’s father, created a GoFundMe campaign, noting that an electrical issue caused the fire.

“If it wasn’t for my 12-year-old son, my mother and my 2 baby sons would not be here,” Parker wrote.

The campaign has raised over $9,000 to “pay towards the hotels and food and potentially the deposit for a house.”