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A statue of President Donald Trump alongside the late convicted sex offender and financier Jeffrey Epstein suddenly appeared Tuesday outside the U.S. Capitol on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

According to USA Today, the 12-foot, bronze-painted installation was created by the activist art group The Secret Handshake, and it depicts Trump and Epstein holding hands, smiling and each balancing on one leg as they prance around. The new art piece also includes a satirical inscription about the pair.

“In honor of friendship month, we celebrate the long-lasting bond between President Donald J. Trump and his ‘closest friend’ Jeffrey Epstein,” the message reads on the front of the plaque.

This is the group’s third anti-Trump installation in Washington since June, following previous works portraying Trump as a dictator and highlighting his association with Epstein.

Other political displays have been shown in D.C. and the U.K.

The group explained the meaning behind the pop-up sculptures and how they spark political conversations.

“We’re a very small group of citizens who are using art, irony and humor to express social commentary and spark political conversation in public spaces,” the group said Tuesday in a statement to USA Today.

The Secret Handshake’s art bears resemblance to that of other activist groups that have staged public displays in the U.S. and abroad about Trump and Epstein. According to Time, groups have displayed banners, projections and images of the pair across the U.K. during Trump’s state visits.

Trump has also received backlash about allegedly sending birthday notes to Epstein, but the White House has since denied that he wrote them.

The White House speaks out on the unveiling of the statue

On Wednesday, officials spoke out about the latest statue of the duo and criticized the group for not speaking up or helping the victims.

“Liberals are free to waste their money however they see fit—but it’s not news that Epstein knew Donald Trump, because Donald Trump kicked Epstein out of his club for being a creep,” the White House told Time. “Democrats, the media, and the organization that’s wasting their money on this statue knew about Epstein and his victims for years and did nothing to help them while President Trump was calling for transparency, and is now delivering on it with thousands of pages of documents.”

The group said the statue was permitted by the National Park Service and initially indicated that it would be displayed for the rest of the week, per USA Today. However, the statue had been removed by Wednesday morning, per The New York Times.

Back in July, Sean “Diddy” Combs was acquitted of racketeering conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, but he was convicted of transportation to engage in prostitution charges. Judge Arun Subramanian will sentence Combs on October 3.

Ahead of Combs’ sentencing in his federal sex-crimes trial, several of his famous friends are supporting him. One of those celebrities is Yung Miami, one-half of City Girls. She is also a former girlfriend of the disgraced hip-hop mogul.

In a letter supporting Combs, Yung Miami referred to him as a “loving, genuine, supportive, and always encouraging” person, noting that the 55-year-old “belongs at home, with his family.” She also called him a “good man.”

Here’s the letter Caresha Brownlee aka Yung Miami wrote for Diddy. “I’m writing this letter because I believe it’s important for the court to know the side of Sean thatisn’t always seen or spoken about—the man who poured into others, who gave opportunities …” pic.twitter.com/aXUwPfYNrh— Meghann Cuniff (@meghanncuniff) September 23, 2025

What did Yung Miami say about Diddy in her letter to the judge?

Yung Miami, who dated Combs from approximately 2021 to 2023, wrote that she “cannot speak on or defend anything that may have happened” when they met each other. She did, however, credit him for helping her grow “both personally and professionally.”

“He helped me find balance between chasing my dreams and being present for my family, because that’s what he did — no matter how busy he was, he never missed holidays or special moments with his family,” she added.

The 31-year-old rapper also praised Diddy for opening doors for Black people in the entertainment industry, as well as seeking therapy.

“He made the choice to check himself into anger management, start therapy, and commit to physical healing through therapy,” her letter stated. “That takes strength, humility, and self-awareness.”

Fans slam Yung Miami for her letter

Fans of Yung Miami took to social media to criticize her letter.

One fan wrote on X, “Yung Miami makes music glorifying getting money at any cost she is living the type of ethos that were always in her work. A lot of rappers glorify exploitative behavior and exploit people in real life. There needs to be a serious conversation about this.”

We need to be honest. Yung Miami makes music glorifying getting money at any cost she is living the type of ethos that were always in her work. A lot of rappers glorify exploitative behavior and exploit people in real life. There needs to be a serious conversation about this. https://t.co/KYXGmDZIFA— America The Ghetto (@Lizzurr) September 23, 2025

Another person wrote, “Why are folks surprised about Yung Miami’s support for the Diddler? On multiple occasions she said how much he’s helped her career and her actions shows she has no problem standing by him—despite him being an abusive and sadistic prick—as long as she’s taken care of financially.”

https://x.com/TheTatyYomary/status/1970510886482952260

Music producers Dallas Austin and Stevie J also praised Diddy

Dallas Austin has never worked with Combs, but he considers him a close friend: “I think back on our conversations of how to become better men. He specifically asked me how he could become a better person,” he said. “How he can give back and get involved with community.”

Former Bad Boy Records producer Stevie J said his life changed for the better when he and Combs met in the 1990s.

“Being in this entertainment business for 30 years and being friends with Sean we’ve both endured personal challenges with anger and drugs,” his letter read. “I’m proud of Sean, I’ve read in the press that he’s clean and sober and also taking anger management therapy to become a better person because we all fall short as long as we correct ourselves and never revert to our old ways.”

Diddy’s 84-year-old mother said her son ‘made some terrible mistakes’

Combs’ mother, Janice Combs, wrote to the judge that she wants to “spend the last few years of my life with my son.”

“Unfortunately, my son has made some terrible mistakes in his life, which I know he recognizes,” she wrote, adding that her grandchildren have trouble sleeping.

She also cited her own health issues: “I don’t know how much longer I will be around but I would love to be able to see him and his children together again.”

Sarah Chapman, who mothered Combs’ oldest daughter, and Chance Combs, Dana Tran, who mothered Combs’ seventh child, Love Sean Combs also voiced their support.

A Black writer for the Emmy-winning FX series The Bear has revealed what he claims was an incident of racial profiling. Writer Alex O’Keefe said he was removed from a New York commuter train and detained by police after a white passenger complained about how he was sitting on the train. O’Keefe took to social media to document his experience of “sitting while Black.”

Black writer detained after complaint from white woman on commuter train

An Instagram account attributed to O’Keefe posted about the incident earlier in September. “I was arrested on the @MTA train to Connecticut today, pulled off, handcuffed, and detained,” O’Keefe wrote at the beginning of an account of his encounter. “An old white woman got on the train and immediately pointed at me and told me to correct how I was sitting. I refused so she went to the conductor and complained. The conductor called the police and stopped the train.” O’Keefe detailed the racial aspect of the encounter: “While waiting for the police to arrive, the old Karen’s friend said ‘You’re not the minority anymore.’”

Once he refused police requests to leave the train by declaring that he was not doing anything wrong, O’Keefe said that police “pulled me off the train and arrested me without even talking to the Karen who reported the one black person on the train.” He noted that “on the platform, the police detained me and interrogated me,” and noted that “only black folks stayed nearby and recorded the arrest.” O’Keefe’s account is accompanied by two videos, one shot on the train from his perspective as he argues with police, who eventually remove him and accuse him of being “disorderly” and “resisting.” A second video, from the perspective of a bystander, shows O’Keefe apparently handcuffed and facing a wall as he’s questioned by four police officers who are surrounding him. The Instagram post also contains still images of the complaining passenger and her companion, who both appear to be older white individuals.

O’Keefe decries ‘sitting while Black’ incident as MTA defends actions

In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, O’Keefe said, “The last thing any Black man wants is a viral arrest video.” O’Keefe, who won a Writers Guild Awards as part of the creative team for The Bear when the show won the 2023 Best Comedy Series award, explained, “I worked my entire life in politics and culture to be taken seriously, and to make our country a better place. But my accomplishments and awards cannot protect me from the violence we’ve all normalized. American life is full of brutal irony.”

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, meanwhile, has defended the actions of its officers. In its own statement to Entertainment Weekly, the MTA said its officers “responded to a report of a disorderly passenger” and that “a conductor reported a passenger occupying two seats had refused to remove his feet from one of the seats.” According to the MTA, O’Keefe was removed after refusing to voluntarily exit the train and although handcuffed, he was not arrested. The MTA stated that O’Keefe was “issued a summons for disorderly conduct” before being allowed to board a later train. O’Keefe, meanwhile, has stated that he plans to take legal action over the incident. “Sitting while Black is not illegal,” he said in his statement to Entertainment Weekly.

The experience as described by O’Keefe matches the experiences of many other Black people across the country who have had the force of police sent against them on the complaints of white strangers. O’Keefe’s story seems to illustrate yet again how personal success or accolades do not make Black people immune from having their behavior policed in public.

Cardi B and JT’s latest online feud centers on the Bronx rapper’s NFL boyfriend, Stefon Diggs, and a man, Chris Blake Griffith, who alleges the New England Patriots wide receiver sexually assaulted him.

After releasing her new album, Am I the Drama?, Cardi B called out JT and her boyfriend, Lil Uzi Vert. On Tuesday, the Miami native responded in a series of tweets on X, formerly Twitter.

Then, the pair went back and forth on the social platform, after JT called out Diggs, insinuating he was gay following Griffith’s interview with Tasha K about his alleged assault involving the NFL player, Complex reported.

Here’s everything you need to know about Griffith and his connections in the sports and entertainment industries.

Who is Chris Blake Griffith?

Griffith is a sports and culture marketing executive at W&L Entertainment Relations and Management and the firm’s president of entertainment marketing and sports relations. He has over 10 years of industry experience and advises artists and athletes in their respective fields, according to his LinkedIn account.

Before that, he held several positions at Under Armour and worked closely with rappers, actors, television and streaming brands, as well as athletes like Stephen Curry.

Griffith has also been mentioned in controversial situations, like the legal issue between Drake and his record label, Universal Music Group, earlier this year.

What did Griffith say about the Drake-UMG legal battle?

According to HipHopDX, Griffith shared an alleged Instagram DM in January of the Canadian native outlining his legal plans involving the music label.

“Me and Universal is like if Nike was funding a campaign about Lebron cheating on his wife… not adidas or Reebok… Nike the company he been with since he started…my situation is not no street s**t,” Drake reportedly wrote in the messages sent to Griffith.

He continued, “Everybody before me that tried the label was too eccentric so they wrote them off as crazy and they never had to pay for their sins and mistakes.

“I’m going to change that and make the building a safer place for every artist moving forward.”

What did Drake say about the alleged sexual assault incident?

During the conversation, Griffith opened up to Drizzy about the alleged sexual assault incident involving Diggs, with Drake writing, “You asking me to post a tape about you ratting on people g.”

From there, the accusations went viral online, with the “God’s Plan” rapper denying the messages via DJ Akademiks.

“This is a fake DM. Drake called buddy a Rat….. he got mad and made up some fake DM to try to make the blogs and go viral. end of story,” adding: “Source – THE BOY,” Akademiks wrote in an X post.

In November, Drake accused UMG of both promoting the popularity of Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” amid their rap feud and allowing the Compton native to defame him in the song. The 38-year-old then threatened to sue the label over these issues.

AT&T has agreed to pay some customers thousands of dollars as part of a multi-million-dollar class-action settlement following two data breaches last year, but the deadline to file a claim is approaching soon.

Blavity previously reported that the lawsuit settlement was announced in August, with the telecommunications company agreeing to pay $177 million to affected users whose information was exposed in the security violations.

Here’s everything AT&T customers should know about the settlement, including details about the data breaches, eligibility requirements, and the amount affected customers could receive in the payouts.

When did the two data breaches occur?

AT&T experienced two data incidents in 2024: The first one happened in March, exposing the information of millions of customers on the dark web. The second occurred in July involving unauthorized access to a workspace hosted by Snowflake Inc. Lawsuits stemming from both breaches were consolidated in the District of Montana in October 2024.

Then, affected customers in both incidents decided to settle the complaints together in March 2025 in the Northern District of Texas, with AT&T not admitting any wrongdoing, according to Blavity and Kroll Settlement Administration.

On May 30, 2025, the AT&T 1 Plaintiffs and AT&T 2 Plaintiffs filed the Consolidated Class Action Complaint against AT&T, asserting claims that arose out of the Data Incidents.

Three settlement tiers determine eligibility for customers

AT&T 1 Settlement Class: U.S. residents whose personal information, including names, addresses, phone numbers, account details, and in some cases Social Security numbers, was exposed in the first breach.

This group may be eligible for up to $5,000 in compensation for documented losses incurred since 2019.

Tiered Cash Payment: If Social Security numbers were exposed, eligible members could receive five times the amount of a Tier 2 payment.Tier 2 Cash Payment: For affected customers whose information was exposed in the first breach, excluding Social Security numbers.

AT&T 2 Settlement Class: AT&T account holders and users whose phone numbers and call-related data were compromised in the second breach.

This group may be eligible to receive up to $2,500 for documented losses incurred on or after April 14, 2024.

Tier 3 Cash Payment: A prorated share of remaining settlement funds after administration costs, attorney fees, and service awards

Some customers affected by both breaches (Overlap Settlement Class Members) can only use each piece of documentation for a Documented Loss Cash Payment once.

Upcoming deadlines for the settlement claim

File your AT&T claim by Nov. 18, 2025, or opt out/object by Oct. 17, 2025.

The final approval hearing is scheduled for Dec. 3, 2025.

Claims can be submitted online or by mail. Visit the official settlement website or call (833) 890-4930 for details.

Social Security recipients can expect the final September payments this week, and new changes to the government program will take effect in October.

USA Today reported that September is the last month of the year for beneficiaries to receive Social Security paper checks.

President Donald Trump announced the move in March, signing an executive order that requires the federal government to phase out paper Social Security checks by Sept. 30, Blavity reported.

Starting in October, individuals who rely on the program are required to set up direct deposit through their checking accounts or a Direct Express card.

Here’s everything Social Security beneficiaries should know about the payouts starting this week.

Who will receive the final round of payments for September?

The Social Security Administration will send the third and final round of payments to beneficiaries based on their birthdate. Recipients born after the 20th of the month will receive their benefits on Wednesday, Sept. 24.

The agency usually sends payments on Wednesdays based on recipients’ birthdates. Those born on the 1st–10th receive payments on the second Wednesday of the month.

Birthdays between the 11th and 20th receive payments on the third Wednesday of the month, and those after the 20th receive them on the fourth Wednesday, according to the SSA’s calendar.

What if someone receives both Social Security and SSI?

Those who received Social Security before May 1997 get their payment on the 3rd day of the month, unless it falls on a weekend or holiday.

If they receive both Social Security and SSI, they receive Social Security on the 3rd day of the month and SSI on the 1st day of the month, per USA Today.

The month and dates to receive the funds could fall at the end of the previous month or on the regular schedule.

For September 2025, since Sept. 1 fell on Labor Day, the agency issued SSI payments early on Aug. 29.

SSI dates for late 2025 and early 2026

Oct. 1, 2025 – Check for October 2025

Oct. 31, 2025 – Check for November 2025

Dec. 1, 2025 – Check for December 2025

Dec. 31, 2025 – Check for January 2026

Jan. 30, 2026 – Check for February 2026

Feb. 27, 2026 – Check for March 2026

If you’ve been on social media, particularly on TikTok, this week, you may have seen references made to an upcoming rapture or the end of the world as we know it. Some internet users have taken to their platforms to share their preparation plans, while most have been making memes and jokes about the rumored religious event. 

What is the rapture?

The rapture is a belief held by certain Christian denominations, often Evangelical. It predicts that Jesus Christ will come down from heaven and lift believers up with him as judgment sweeps the earth.

Some who believe in the rapture see it as the second coming of Christ, while others consider it as an event that will reunite Jesus with his followers in heaven. According to the belief, nonbelievers will be left on earth and will face seven years of God’s wrath. It is the prediction of the end of life as we know it, according to BuzzFeed.

Why is the rapture trending on TikTok?

South African pastor Joshua Mhlakela spoke about his prediction for the rapture in an appearance on a Sept. 9 episode of the CentTwinz TV podcast.

“The Rapture is upon us,” he said. “Whether you are ready, or you are not ready, the Rapture, in 14 days from now, is going to take place.”

Mhlakela added that he is “a billion percent sure” after Christ told him this information in a dream.

Mhlakela said the prediction would occur on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, which takes place from Sept. 23-24.

Beliefs of the rapture and other end-of-the-world events have circulated for centuries. History is filled with failed predictions of the rapture. Isaac Newton famously calculated that the end would arrive in 2060, according to Forbes. Other past predictions have included the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar on Dec. 21, 2012, and a worldwide computer bug on Jan. 1, 2000. 

Some more conservative Christians are sharing their plans for the event. On TikTok, some users are posting under the #Rapture and #Rapturetok hashtags about their preparation, which includes quitting their jobs and selling their cars in some instances. Mostly, though, social media is using the trend as a meme and by making jokes.

we should all collectively pretend like we witnessed the rapture on Tuesday & make them think they got left behind— ak ⋆.˚✮🎧✮˚.⋆ (@ak_themystic444) September 21, 2025

The Rapture is scary because what if I’m having a really good sandwich and suddenly I’m stuck in line waiting to get into heaven without my sandwich— Arthouse Shawn Levy (@firagawalkwthme) September 21, 2025

growing up catholic and I didn’t know the rapture was like, a pressing religious concept for people, this is wild— groupon lobotomy (@colleen_daves) September 22, 2025

Fun fact: the (pre-tribulation) rapture as taught today, wasn’t part of the original biblical text. It was invented in the 1830s by John Nelson Darby, who built it into his dispensationalist theology. Early Christianity didn’t teach it—its a 19th-century add-on, not OG scripture. https://t.co/efxen76fFP— Clāy (@djordxc) September 21, 2025

Amazon and other online retailers have recalled more than 500,000 products from their stores due to potential safety concerns that could be deadly to people, including infants and children.

Various products have been recalled in recent weeks, with five Amazon items, ranging from children’s toys and baby loungers to portable charger banks and mist fans, being removed due to the potential safety risks they could pose to consumers, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Newsweek.

The following items sold through online marketplaces are now recalled, and here’s what customers should know moving forward.

Anker Power Banks

On Thursday, Anker recalled about 481,000 lithium-ion power banks due to overheating risks that can cause fires and burns. The recall includes models A1647, A1652, A1257, A1681 and A1689, sold between January and July 2024.

According to reports, the CPSC received 33 reports of fire and explosion incidents, including four burn injuries and property damage.

Anker advised consumers to stop using the affected items immediately and visit Anker’s recall page to check serial numbers and register for a refund or gift card.

Anker has provided safe return and disposal instructions for them to follow, which include not disposing of the batteries in household trash or recycling; instead, they should contact local hazardous waste centers for safe disposal.

LXDHSTRA Baby Loungers and Crib Bumpers

Chinese retailer LXDHSTRA recalled approximately 360 baby loungers sold on Amazon between May and August 2025 on Thursday due to serious safety violations that could result in serious injuries and infant death.

The affected products were removed from the site due to severe safety and health concerns, including suffocation, entrapment, and fall hazards, as well as banned crib bumpers that pose breathing risks.

No injuries have been reported. Consumers are advised to stop using the products, follow the instructions to destroy them, and contact LXDHSTRA by emailing [email protected] to request a full refund, submitting photos of the destroyed items.

YooxArmor Kids’ Helmets

About 1,780 children’s bicycle helmets were recalled on Thursday for failing to meet the mandatory safety standards, posing a risk of head injury or death in the event of a crash.

No injuries have been reported. However, consumers should stop using them immediately, cut off the straps to destroy the helmet, and contact YooxArmor by emailing [email protected] with photos of the destroyed product to receive a full refund.

Youbeien Crib Mobiles

Around 3,000 Youbeien crib mobile toys, sold through Amazon by GKKBSJ, were recalled on Thursday for violating mandatory standards for toys. The remotes for the products contain accessible button batteries, posing a serious ingestion and burn hazard for children.

No injuries have been reported. Consumers should stop using the toys, dispose of the product or just the remote as instructed, and email photos to GKKBSJ via [email protected] to receive a full refund or a partial refund if only the remote is returned. Button batteries should be disposed of in accordance with local guidelines for the disposal of hazardous waste.

IcyBreeze Misting Fans

IcyBreeze has recalled 22,600 portable misting fans on Thursday due to overheating while in use, posing a fire hazard.

Consumers should stop using the fan immediately, submit an online form with a photo showing the power cord has been cut, and dispose of the fan safely to receive a $150 credit, redeemable at participating Solo Brands locations.

What is Amazon saying?

The online retailer shared a statement on its recall page about the now-removed items.

“Our Product Safety Team proactively investigates and addresses reported safety complaints and incidents to ensure customer protection from potential product-related safety risks. We closely monitor public recall alert websites and receive notifications from vendors and sellers. Upon discovering a product recall, we immediately halt affected product offerings, and promptly inform both customers and sellers involved about the recall. For more information visit our Safety Information, Recalls and Legal Notices Page,” the statement reads.

Colin Kaepernick will be covering the cost for a second and independent autopsy of Demartravion “Trey” Reed, a student at Delta State University who was found hanging from a tree last Monday.

Kaepernick’s Know Your Rights Camp Autopsy Initiative provides free of charge second autopsies for those whose family or friends have died in police custody or under suspicious circumstances. Civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who was hired by Reed’s family, said that the autopsy will be conducted as soon as Reed’s body is released by the state medical examiner.

Reed’s family raised concerns about ‘incomplete information’

“Trey’s death evoked the collective memory of a community that has suffered a historic wound over many, many years and many, many deaths. Peace will come only by getting to the truth. We thank Colin Kaepernick for supporting this grieving family and the cause of justice and truth,” Crump said in a Friday press release.

He added that Reed’s family had raised concerns after “receiving conflicting accounts and incomplete information about the circumstances of his death.”

The family has also asked law enforcement to release video footage in connection with Reed’s death. Delta State’s Director of Public Safety said on Wednesday that it was investigating security footage, according to Mother Jones.

“Trey’s family deserves answers they can trust,” Crump wrote in a statement. “We cannot accept rushed conclusions when the stakes are this high.”

What is the latest update on the investigation regarding Trey Reed’s death?

The Mississippi Medical Examiner’s Office ruled Reed’s death as a suicide on Thursday. It found that “the cause of death to be hanging and the manner of death as suicide,” according to the Cleveland Police Department.

The final toxicology reports are currently pending and may take two to four weeks to complete, WREG reported. All files and investigative materials were turned over to the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for review as part of the investigation.

Reed’s family has expressed concern regarding the way in which law enforcement and the university has communicated about his death. Media outlets started reporting on Reed’s death prior to the family’s knowledge of the incident. As Blavity reported, Reed’s family was originally told that he had been found in his dorm room, only to find out later that he had been found hanging from a tree at the center of campus.