backlash

Molly-Mae Hague breaks silence on Behind It All documentary backlash after being slammed as ‘out of touch’ and ‘bratty’

FORMER Love Island star Molly-Mae Hague has broken her silence on her Behind It All documentary and the backlash she faced.

The 26-year-old successful star and mum of one, was slammed when her new Amazon docuseries, Molly-Mae: Behind It All, was released.

Molly-Mae Hague has opened up about the backlash she received after her docuseries dropped on AmazonCredit: YouTube/mollymae9879
The reality star and influencer said she deleted TikTok after seeing some of the commentsCredit: YouTube/mollymae9879

Many viewers of the series admitted the Love Island star’s “bratty behaviour” had “put them off her” after watching the Amazon offering.

Breaking her silence on the backlash and reaction from viewers, Molly-Mae opened up in the introduction of her new YouTube video, which was shared on Monday evening.

The influencer and fashion mogul even revealed she was forced to delete TikTok amid the comments she saw about the series.

Speaking in her vlog, she said: “I had seen what people were saying about the doc and then made the executive decision to basically delete TikTok.”

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Molly-Mae added how deleting the app “has been quite frankly one of the best decisions I ever made”.

The reality star then said how though she has grown a thick skin over the years, “there’s something about that app that just feels like so insanely toxic”.

Molly-Mae then explained how she saw her makeup artist scrolling on social media and spotted “at least three things within that short time of me looking at her phone that I didn’t want to see”.

“So, I just felt like, okay, definitely definitely in no way, shape or form rushing to get the app back anytime soon.

“I just want to say that I’ve also received so many incredibly lovely messages and people saying that they’ve also really enjoyed it.

“And that’s literally all I wanted for the doc. It’s never ever been to do anything other than just create something for people to watch and enjoy.

“And I think I’ve definitely definitely learned a lot,” she added.

Molly-Mae then told of how she was nervous about the documentary coming out.

“Like I think even before the premiere, there’s a bit of me in this vlog where I’m like severely anxious,” she explained.

Molly-Mae then said that she had anticipated some of the critique the documentary got.

“I literally said like ‘that’s going to cause this’ and ‘this is going to cause that’.

“I have been doing this job now for a really really long time and I feel like we kind of had a formula that we followed for years that avoids what has happened with the doc from happening.

“And with this drop of the doc like we literally did the complete opposite of what we normally do.

“Like we spoke about things we don’t speak about.

“We kept things in that probably I would never ever show of myself like because with the last drop of the doc everyone was like we want more. We want more.”

Molly-Mae went on: “So, it’s like you give it, but then it’s not like it’s too much or it’s, you know…

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“I saw someone saying that they fell asleep halfway through one of the episodes because it was so boring yet they feel like the episodes aren’t long enough.”

She then said how she “really really can’t keep everyone happy” no matter how much she tries.

Molly-Mae’s documentary on Amazon divided opinion among viewersCredit: Prime Video

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Australian LGBTQ+ nightclub unveils new name following Pink Pony backlash

The Australian LGBTQIA+ nightclub that faced backlash for aiming for “90% plus” male customers despite its Chappell Roan-inspired namesake has announced a rebrand. 

Last week, Kevin Du-Val, the owner of Sydney’s Palms On Oxford, and its manager, Michael Lewis, announced they would be opening a new bar in early December called PINK PONY, which they describe as “unashamedly inspired by its namesake song that resonates so profoundly within our community.”

However, they said the club was created “specifically for 18-35 (state of mind) gay men who love to dance and get sweaty to high-powered dance music in a safe space.”

In an interview with Gay Sydney News, Lewis reiterated the demographic they are targeting, adding: “Of course, the girls will be welcome. But it would certainly be our desire that it is predominantly gay boys, and when I say predominantly, I’m sort of talking 90 percent plus.”

“Obviously, we’ve got legal hurdles,” he continued, “in terms of how much we can vet the crowd while still complying with the law.”

Shortly after the news was announced, Lewis and Du-Val faced massive backlash on social media, with many slamming the pair for being dismissive of queer women – especially since its namesake is inspired by a song written and performed by one of the biggest lesbian pop artists.

Following widespread condemnation, the owners issued a lengthy apology, with Lewis also telling The Guardian Australia that the venue’s name would be changed.

On 21 October, the club’s Instagram account announced that the venue’s new name would be TRIBE @ 231 Nightclub. 

“A bold new chapter in Sydney’s nightlife is about to begin. TRIBE @ 231 a nightclub created by members of the LGBTQI+ community for the LGBTQI+ community, is officially opening its doors in the heart of Darlinghurst — and it’s ready to electrify,” the statement revealed.

“Oxford Street has always been a cultural beacon for the LGBTQI+ community. TRIBE @ 231 is our love letter to that legacy — a place to dance, connect, and celebrate queer joy in all its forms… TRIBE @ 231 aims to energise the soul of Sydney’s queer nightlife and be loud, proud and without limits. Find Your TRIBE @ 231.” 

Shortly after announcing the news, one Instagram user inquired if it will be “welcoming to all members of the LGBTQIA+ community? Or just Gs between the ages of 18-35?”

In response, the venue affirmed that TRIBE @ 231 will welcome all members of the LGBTQIA+ community, adding that “at the end of the day, vibe of venue, the music and those it resonates with will dictate the crowd.”

As of this writing, the venue has yet to share the official date for its grand opening. However, they confirmed that it will be open for business sometime in December.



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Ingrassia withdraws nomination after racist texts spark GOP backlash

Oct. 21 (UPI) — Paul Ingrassia withdrew his nomination on Tuesday to head the Office of Special Counsel after his Republican support in the Senate crumbled following the release of his racist and inflammatory text messages.

Ingrassia announced his decision in a post on X just a day after Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., told reporters that the 30-year-old lawyer and political commentator did not have enough support in the chamber and asked the White House to rethink his nomination.

“I appreciate the overwhelming support that I have received throughout this process and will continue to serve President Trump and this administration to Make America Great Again!” he wrote.

The development is a rare instance of Senate Republicans publicly drawing a line with President Donald Trump over his picks for who works in his administration.

Ingrassia has been nominated by Trump to lead the Office of Special Counsel, an independent agency responsible for protecting government whistleblowers and investigates complaints of wrongdoing.

His nomination began unraveling after Politico reported on Monday on a series of his texts where he said he had a “Nazi streak” and that the federal holiday celebrating Martin Luther King Jr. should be “tossed into the seventh circle of hell where it belongs.”

Ingrassia used an Italian slur for Black people, according to Politico. He also wrote “Never trust a chinaman or Indian” in reference to former Indian-American Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.

Following the report, Republican Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, Rick Scott of Florida and James Lankford of Oklahoma all signaled that they would not vote to confirm Ingrassia, Semafor reported. Republicans hold a 53-seat majority in the chamber.

For the most part, Trump’s controversial nominees have cleared the chamber and Republicans even changed the chamber’s rules to overcome Democratic opposition. However, Trump recently withdrew his nomination of E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Ingrassia serves as the Trump administration’s go-between with the Justice Department and previously represented Andrew Tate, who has been accused of human trafficking, money laundering and other charges, which he denies.

Ingrassia performed poorly in a meeting with committee staff ahead of a confirmation hearing, Axios reported.

“There’s just some different statements he’s made in the past that need clarification,” Lankford told the news outlet at the time.

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Comedians cancel Dreamforce performance after Benioff draws backlash for Trump support

Comedians Kumail Nanjiani and Ilana Glazer dropped out of performing at Salesforce’s annual tech conference this week after the company’s chief executive Marc Benioff made controversial remarks that showed his support for President Trump.

Last week, Benioff told the New York Times he thought Trump should deploy the National Guard to reduce crime in San Francisco, comments that sparked backlash from Silicon Valley philanthropists and Democrats.

On Friday, Benioff completely walked back his remarks and apologized.

“I do not believe the National Guard is needed to address safety in San Francisco,” he wrote on social media site X. “My earlier comment came from an abundance of caution around the event, and I sincerely apologize for the concern it caused.”

Salesforce, a software company based in San Francisco, provides a platform that businesses use to manage customer data and track sales. The company confirmed the comedians dropped out but the entertainers haven’t said publicly what prompted the last-minute cancellation. A source close to the company told the San Francisco Chronicle that Nanjiani became ill and that led to his scheduled opener Glazer to cancel as well.

Nanjiani and Glazer haven’t publicly spoken out about Benioff’s remarks about the National Guard.

Both comedians, though, have been critical of Trump in the past and his anti-immigrant rhetoric. Earlier this year, Glazer spoke at a “No Kings” protest, which organizers say is to meant fight back against authoritarian policies pushed by Trump and his administration. This week, she promoted the next series of demonstrations, scheduled to take place on Oct. 18, stating it wasn’t a partisan issue on Instagram.

The San Francisco Standard reported earlier on the cancellation.

Benioff has grappled with a growing backlash since he made comments about Trump and the National Guard. The controversy overshadowed Dreamforce, a conference in San Francisco that featured well-known speakers including tech executives, government officials and entertainers.

Nanjiani played Dinesh in the HBO series “Silicon Valley” and co-wrote and starred in the Oscar-nominated 2017 film “The Big Sick.” Glazer co-created and starred in the Comedy Central series “Broad City” and the 2024 comedy film “Babes.”

In their absence, comedian David Spade performed at Dreamforce on Thursday afternoon, closing out the conference.

Ahead of the event, which ended on Thursday, Benioff appeared to dial back his remarks.

On social media site X, he said he was trying to make a point about making the conference as safe as possible.

“Keeping San Francisco safe is, first and foremost, the responsibility of our city and state leaders,” he wrote on X. Benioff also said he’s donating an extra $1 million to fund larger hiring bonuses for new police officers.

Benioff, who has previously said he’s an independent and was once a Republican, has backed Democrats and supported liberal causes such as a business tax for homeless services. But he’s also been critical of public safety in San Francisco and has threatened to move Dreamforce from San Francisco to Las Vegas.

The conference brings nearly 50,000 people to the city, generates $130 million in revenue for San Francisco and creates 35,000 local jobs, according to Salesforce. The company announced earlier this week it was investing $15 billion in San Francisco over five years to advance artificial intelligence.

On Thursday, prominent Silicon Valley venture capitalist and Democratic donor Ron Conway resigned from the Salesforce Foundation board. In an email first viewed by the New York Times, Conway told Benioff that he “now barely recognize the person I have so long admired.”

“Your obsession with and constant annual threats to move Dreamforce to Las Vegas is ironic, since it is a fact that Las Vegas has a higher rate of violent crime than San Francisco,” Conway wrote in the email. “San Francisco does not need a federal invasion because you don’t like paying for extra security for Dreamforce.”

Conway, founder and managing partner of SV Angel, is widely regarded as the “Godfather of Silicon Valley” because of his early investments in major tech companies such as Google, Facebook and PayPal. SV Angel didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

A Salesforce spokesperson said in a statement they have “deep gratitude for Ron Conway and his incredible contributions to the Salesforce Foundation Board for over a decade.”

On Friday, entrepreneur and philanthropist Laurene Powell Jobs published an essay in the Wall Street Journal citing some of Benioff’s earlier remarks and claims that no one has given more to San Francisco. The widow of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs also founded and heads the philanthropic organization, Emerson Collective.

“The message beneath that comment was unmistakable: In his eyes, generosity is an auction—and policy is the prize awarded to the highest bidder,” she wrote. “But giving that expects control is anything but generous.”

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FBI cuts ties with Anti-Defamation League amid conservative backlash | Police News

FBI Director Kash Patel announces break with anti-Semitism watchdog amid outrage over description of Charlie Kirk.

The top law enforcement agency in the United States has cut ties with the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), accusing the Jewish advocacy organisation and anti-Semitism watchdog of spying on conservatives.

FBI Director Kash Patel made the announcement on Wednesday after prominent conservative influencers, including Elon Musk, pounced on the ADL’s inclusion of the murdered right-wing activist Charlie Kirk in its “Glossary of Extremism and Hate”.

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In a brief statement, Patel singled out the ADL’s associations with former FBI Director James Comey, a strident critic of President Donald Trump who was indicted last week on charges of obstruction and lying to the US Congress.

Patel said Comey had written “love letters” to the ADL and embedded agents within the group, which he accused of running “disgraceful ops spying on Americans”.

“This FBI won’t partner with political fronts masquerading as watchdogs,” Patel said in a social media post.

Patel did not elaborate on, or provide evidence for, his claims.

In a 2014 speech to the ADL’s National Leadership Summit, Comey said the FBI had made the advocacy group’s Law Enforcement and Society training mandatory for personnel and partnered with it to draft a “Hate Crimes Training Manual”.

Comey called the ADL’s experience in investigating hate crimes “essential” and its training “eye-opening and insightful”.

“If this sounds a bit like a love letter to the ADL, it is, and rightly so,” he said.

While Patel did not mention Kirk in his statement, his announcement came just a day after the ADL removed more than 1,000 entries about alleged extremism from its website amid right-wing outrage over references to the late activist.

The ADL said it made the decision as many of the terms were outdated and a number of entries had been “intentionally misrepresented and misused”.

In a since-deleted entry on Kirk and his youth organisation Turning Point USA (TPUSA), the ADL said Kirk promoted “Christian nationalism” and “numerous conspiracy theories about election fraud and Covid-19 and has demonised the transgender community”.

The entry also said TPUSA attracted racists, that its representatives had made “bigoted remarks” about minority groups and the LGBTQ community, and that white nationalists had attended its events, “even though the group says it rejects white supremacist ideology”.

Kirk himself strongly criticised the ADL while he was alive, once describing it as a “hate group that dons a religious mask to justify stoking hatred of the left’s enemies”.

In a statement responding to Patel’s remarks on Wednesday, the ADL said it had “deep respect” for the FBI and all law enforcement officers who work to protect Americans regardless of their ancestry, religion, ethnicity, faith and political affiliation.

“In light of an unprecedented surge of antisemitism, we remain more committed than ever to our core purpose to protect the Jewish people,” it said.

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Walton Goggins is bullish about Pedro Pascal-style backlash

Walton Goggins seems extremely grateful to learn that, if Pete Davidson is right, he might be the next Pedro Pascal — even if that might not be a good thing.

The Emmy-nominated actor, known for his eccentric characters in shows like “Fallout” and “The White Lotus,” responded Sunday to comments comedian Davidson made last week on Theo Von’s “This Past Week” podcast.

Taking a spin as a fortune teller, the former “Saturday Night Live” cast member predicted that adoring fans would soon turn on Goggins, just as they had with Pascal.

“[Pascal] worked so hard and has been a struggling actor, f—ing blows up so f—ing hard, everyone’s like, ‘Daddy, daddy! Yeah, daddy, daddy,’” Davidson told Von. “And then a year later, he’s like in everything now cause he’s hot and big and everyone’s like, ‘Go the f— away, dude.’”

“It’s like, we build everybody up and now it’s so fast to turn,” he added. “It’s within months.”

Well, Goggins responded to Davidson within days.

“Pete we don’t know each other but I appreciate the heads up,” Goggins said on Instagram, posting an image of an article about the 31-year-old sharing his thoughts on fame. “We agree on one thing … Pedro Pascal isn’t a good man, He’s a great man. A dear friend of mine.

“As a 53 year old,” he continued, “I’m acutely aware that every experience has a shelf life.”

The headline on the attached article? “Pete Davidson Predicts Fans Will ‘Turn’ on Walton Goggins Similar to Pedro Pascal Oversaturation Backlash.”

Goggins took a moment to explain he would be promoting some upcoming projects to “honor all those that worked so hard to bring these stories to fruition,” then encouraged people to simply scroll away if they weren’t interested in reading about it.

“See to me,” he wrote, “being included in this headline isn’t a curse it’s a blessing. How lucky am I that this is even a possibility?!!”

It’s something Goggins said he couldn’t have imagined as a poor kid from Georgia.

“So … if saying yes in life more than saying no is a crime, then I’m guilty as charged,” he said in closing. “And if this headline is a possibility or an inevitability, if this is my fate, well … f— it. I’m going to enjoy the F— OUT OF IT.”

Goggins told The Times last year that he sees his career as a stock he wants to own: “There have been dips, but it’s gradually gone up over time.”

Looks like it’s time to pump that stock before it’s dumped by the masses.

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Man Utd files: Mbeumo set for Brentford backlash, Mainoo’s new bromance and how travel chaos forced stars to take Ubers

CHRISTIAN ERIKSEN was booed back at Brentford in United colours for having the temerity to join England’s biggest club three years ago.

And Bryan Mbeumo can expect similar treatment after the rancour around his transfer.

Bryan Mbeumo of Manchester United in a red and black jersey.

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Bryan Mbeumo is set to face the boo boys when he faces Brentford with Man UnitedCredit: Getty

United felt Brentford attempted to railroad Mbeumo into joining Tottenham or Newcastle United, convinced that he would be on a lower wage that would then drive up his transfer fee. Mbeumo joined United for £65, rising to £71m.

When Brentford finally relented and sold the AWOL Yoane Wissa to Newcastle on deadline day, it was for £50m plus £5m in add-ons. 

Wissa is an actual striker and scored as many goals as Mbeumo last season, which undermined Brentford’s belief that they could have recouped more from Spurs or Newcastle for Mbeumo. 

Xavi Simons and Nick Woltemade, Tottenham and Newcastle’s most expensive summer signings, were not as costly as Mbeumo.

The press room at the Community Stadium is so tight you tend to literally rub shoulders with colleagues. Staff from United and Brentford may keep their distance.

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KOBBIE MAINOO is out of the United side and one of his closest teammates, Alejandro Garnacho, was out in the cold before he left last month.

But Mainoo has a new best pal in Leny Yoro.

Mainoo and Yoro have grown close since the latter joined United from Lille last summer.

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Mainoo started learning Spanish while he was out two years ago as Garnacho and Amad are both fluent in the language.

Garnacho remains tight with Amad – the pair are represented by the same agent – as they demonstrated with last week’s infamous Instagram Story that Amad received online abuse for.

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Leny Yoro in a yellow tracksuit and Kobbie Mainoo in a grey hoodie arriving at a training session.

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Kobbie Mainoo and Leny Yoro have become bestiesCredit: Getty

Mainoo is something of an outlier in that he has gravitated towards foreign teammates.

Although Yoro spoke impeccable English at the time of his £59million transfer. 

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PORTUGUESE pair Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot both attended the Lewis Capaldi concert at Co-Op Live after last week’s victory over Chelsea.

Members of the Fernandes family had flown over from Portugal for the occasion.

Or to provide childcare for his two children.

Bruno Fernandes celebrating with Diogo Dalot after scoring.

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Bruno Fernandes and Diogo Dalot watched Lewis Capaldi’s concert togetherCredit: Getty

CARR INSURANCE

THE NEW home matchday schedule for United players to report at Carrington before boarding a bus for Old Trafford caused confusion for some of the younger squad members last month.

A handful of youngsters assumed the team coach would ferry them back to the training complex after the game, where they had naively left their vehicles.

Senior players are usually dropped off at Carrington by a spouse or confidant and so their vehicle is in place at the stadium post-match.

Some stranded junior members of the squad had to get Ubers to the training base after a game to be reunited with their vehicles.

Erik ten Hag scrapped United’s pre-match stays at The Lowry Hotel in 2022 and the squad would arrive four hours before kick-off for home games.

Ruben Amorim has opted to delay United’s travel time and they now tend to get to their ground an hour-and-a-half before kick-off.

View inside Old Trafford stadium prior to the Premier League match, showing the Stretford End stand and a goalpost.

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Some players had to take Ubers back from Old Trafford to their cars at CarringtonCredit: Getty

HARDY ABLE

UNITED are in the process of signing teenage goalkeeper Charlie Hardy from Derby County.

Hardy, 16, has played five times for England Under 16s and is going through formalities to complete a move to United. 

He was named on the bench against United U18s when he was only 14 last year and made his debut for Derby U18s at the age of 15.

As a category one scholar, Hardy can move to another English club at any time over the course of the season.

Charlie Hardy of England warming up for a soccer match.

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Man Utd are closing in on a deal for Charlie HardyCredit: Getty

PELL RINGER

MANUEL PELLEGRINI thinks Antony just needed an arm put around him and a club that makes him feel important.

United reject Antony, 25, has been reborn at Real Betis after a miserable two years at Old Trafford.

The Brazil winger sparkled after joining Betis on loan in January and made the move permanent after long talks brought a deadline-day switch for up to £21.6m.

United included a 50 per cent sell-on clause in the deal for Antony, who followed a classy assist with a late goal to secure a 2-2 draw in Wednesday’s Europa League opener against Nottingham Forest.

Before the game, Betis boss Pellegrini, 72, said: “I try to make them feel the best so that they can also give me their best.”

Antony is much better suited to La Liga, where he is more comfortable with the ball at his feet and not so physically pressed.

Antony celebrates after scoring a goal for Betis during a Europa League soccer match.

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Antony has been backed to be a hit again at Real BetisCredit: AP

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Israel faces global backlash as Gaza invasion deepens isolation

Cascades of condemnation from friend and foe alike. An array of international organizations and rights groups leveling accusations of genocide and war crimes. Boycotts across a range of sectors and fields.

As Israel begins its ground offensive to occupy Gaza City, defying international and domestic pressure to negotiate a ceasefire with the militant group Hamas, it skirts ever closer to becoming a pariah state.

“Israel is entering diplomatic isolation. We will have to deal with a closed economy,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said at a Finance Ministry conference Monday, giving a rare admission of the war’s effect on Israel’s international standing.

We will have to be Athens and super-Sparta,” adapting to an “autarkic,” or self-sustaining, economy, he added. “We have no choice.”

Netanyahu engaged in damage control on Tuesday, saying that he was talking specifically about Israel’s defense industry and that the wider economy was “strong and innovative.” But by then his words had already spooked markets, spurring a sharp fall in the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and a raft of enraged statements from his political enemies.

“We are not Sparta — this vision as presented will make it difficult for us to survive in an evolving global world,” the Israel Business Forum, which represents the heads of around 200 of the Israeli economy’s largest companies, said in a statement. “We are marching towards a political, economic, and social abyss that will endanger our existence in Israel.”

Netanyahu has forged ahead with the ground operation despite repeated warnings from allies and adversaries that it would trigger a humanitarian catastrophe for the hundreds of thousands of people remaining in what was the enclave’s largest urban center.

Benjamin Netanyahu poses with U.S. lawmakers.

Visiting the U.S. in July, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center, posed alongside Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), Sen. Jim Risch (R-Ida.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.).

(Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images)

Even as tanks and armored vehicles streamed into Gaza City’s western neighborhoods, an independent U.N. commission released a report Tuesday concluding that “Israeli authorities and security forces have the genocidal intent to destroy, in whole or in part, the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.”

It was the most recent of a number of international organizations and rights groups accusing Netanyahu’s government of committing genocide. The Israeli government dismissed the commission’s report as “falsehoods.”

The European Commission on Wednesday decided on a partial suspension of a trade agreement between the European Union and Israel. The move could involve imposing tariffs on Israeli goods entering the union.

The measure, EU top diplomat Kaja Kallas said in a statement Tuesday on X, is aimed at pressuring Israel’s government to change course over the war in Gaza.

Western governments — including some of Israel’s most loyal supporters — castigated the decision to invade, with Germany’s foreign minister slamming it as “the completely wrong path” and France saying the campaign had “no military logic.”

Yvette Cooper, Britain’s foreign secretary, said it was “utterly reckless and appalling,” while Irish President Michael Higgins, a routinely vociferous critic of Israel, said the U.N. must look to exclude countries “practicing genocide and those who are supporting genocide with armaments.”

Meanwhile, many nations — including traditional U.S. allies such as Australia, Britain, Canada and others — are expected to recognize Palestine at the United Nations General Assembly in defiance of intense diplomatic pressure from Washington.

Pope Leo XIV weighed in Wednesday on the carnage in Gaza, expressing his “deep solidarity” with Palestinians “who continue to live in fear and survive in unacceptable conditions, being forcibly displaced once again from their lands.” He called for a ceasefire.

A Palestinian woman sits next to wrapped bodies on stretchers.

Relatives of Palestinians who died following Israeli attacks mourn as the bodies are taken from Al-Shifa Hospital for funerals in Gaza City on Wednesday.

(Khames Alrefi / Anadolu / Getty Images)

Israel’s military pressed on with the offensive Wednesday, leveling buildings in Gaza City’s north, west and south, residents and local reporters said. Palestinian health authorities in the enclave said 50 people had been killed since dawn Wednesday, adding to a death toll that has exceeded 65,000 since Oct. 7, 2023. It will take months to fully occupy Gaza City, Israeli military leaders say.

It’s unclear whether the U.S. supports the ground invasion. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Trump prefers a negotiated settlement, but seemed reluctant to exert any pressure to stop Israel’s incursion. Trump, after professing “I don’t know too much” about the offensive, warned Hamas against using hostages as human shields.

Neighboring Arab nations perceive the ground operation as the latest in a series of moves over the last two years that demonstrate Israel has little interest in peace. Noting the bombings this month of Lebanon, Syria, Qatar and Yemen, they say Israel has become as destabilizing a player in the region as Iran has long been.

Prospects for Saudi Arabia to join the Abraham Accords, the normalization agreements between some Arab states and Israel forged during Trump’s first term, appear dimmer than ever. And the United Arab Emirates, a founding and enthusiastic member of the accords, has said the agreements are under threat if Netanyahu goes ahead with plans to annex the occupied West Bank.

The fallout has spread to the cultural arena.

On Tuesday, Spain joined Ireland, the Netherlands and Slovenia in saying it would boycott the Eurovision contest if Israel were to join. Last week, Flanders Festival Ghent, a Belgian music festival, withdrew its invitation for the Munich Philharmonic to play there because the orchestra’s conductor is Lahav Shani, who is also music director of the Israeli Philharmonic. In August, Israeli actor Gal Gadot blamed “pressure” on Hollywood celebrities to “speak out against Israel” for the paltry box office returns of “Snow White.”

Even Israel’s much-vaunted arms industry, which has used the war in Gaza as proof-of-concept for its wares and has proved to be relatively resistant to opprobrium, is affected.

Though the U.S. remains by far Israel’s largest supplier of weapons, a number of European governments have imposed complete or partial arms embargoes and prevented Israeli manufacturers from participating in defense expos. This week, organizers for the Dubai Air Show, one of the world’s largest aerospace trade events, reportedly barred Israeli defense firms from taking part — reversing a policy in recent years that saw them take pride of place in similar events.

Similarly, beginning next year, Israelis will not be able to attend programs at the Royal College of Defense Studies in London, a prestigious institution that allows enrollment from the British armed services and roughly 50 U.K. partner nations.

“U.K. military educational courses have long been open to personnel from a wide range of countries, with all U.K. military courses emphasizing compliance with international humanitarian law,” the Defense Ministry in London said in a statement Monday. It said the Israeli government’s decision to escalate in Gaza “is wrong.”

“There must be a diplomatic solution to end this war now,” the statement said, “with an immediate ceasefire, the return of the hostages and a surge in humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza.”

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Nebraska plan for an immigrant detention center faces backlash and uncertainty

No formal agreement has been signed to convert a remote state prison in Nebraska into the latest immigration detention center for President Trump’s sweeping crackdown, more than three weeks since the governor announced the plan and as lawmakers and nearby residents grow increasingly skeptical.

Corrections officials insist the facility could start housing hundreds of male detainees next month, with classrooms and other spaces at the McCook Work Ethic Camp retrofitted for beds. However, lawmakers briefed last week by state officials said they got few concrete answers about cost, staffing and oversight.

“There was more unanswered questions than answered questions in terms of what they know,” state Sen. Wendy DeBoer said.

Officials in the city of McCook were caught off guard in mid-August when Republican Gov. Jim Pillen announced that the minimum-security prison in rural southwest Nebraska would serve as a Midwest hub for immigration detainees. Pillen and federal officials dubbed it the “Cornhusker Clink,” in line with other alliterative detention center names such as “ Alligator Alcatraz ” in Florida and the “Speedway Slammer ” in Indiana.

“City leaders were given absolutely no choice in the matter,” said Mike O’Dell, publisher of the local newspaper, the McCook Gazette.

McCook is the seat of Red Willow County, where voters favored Trump in the 2024 election by nearly 80%. Most of them likely support the president’s immigration crackdown, O’Dell said. However, the city of around 7,000 has also grown accustomed to the camp’s low-level offenders working on roads, in parks, county and city offices and even local schools.

“People here have gotten to know them in many cases,” O’Dell said. “I think there is a feeling here that people want to know where these folks are going to end up and that they’ll be OK.”

The Work Ethic Camp first opened in 2001 and currently houses around 155 inmates who participate in education, treatment and work programs to help them transition to life outside prison. State leaders often praise it as a success story for reducing prisoner recidivism.

Some lawmakers have complained that Pillen acted rashly in offering up the facility, noting that the state’s prison system is already one of the nation’s most overcrowded and perpetually understaffed. The governor’s office and state prison officials met with members of the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee last week to answer questions about the transfer.

What the lawmakers got, several said, were estimates and speculation.

Lawmakers were told it was the governor’s office that approached federal officials with the offer after Trump “made a generalized, widespread call that we need more room or something for detainees,” said DeBoer, a Democrat in the officially nonpartisan Legislature.

Lawmakers were also told the facility — which was designed to house around 100 but is currently outfitted to hold twice that — would house between 200 and 300 detainees. The prison’s current staff of 97 is to be retrained and stay on.

The costs of the transition would be borne by the state, with the expectation that the federal government would reimburse that cost, DeBoer recalled.

A formal agreement between the state and federal agency had yet to be signed by Friday.

Asked how much the state is anticipated to spend on the conversion, the agency said “that number has not yet been determined,” but that any state expenditures would be reimbursed. The state plans to hire additional staffers for the center, the agency said.

A letter signed by 13 lawmakers called into question whether Pillen had the authority to unilaterally transfer use of a state prison to federal authorities without legislative approval.

To that end, state Sen. Terrell McKinney — chairman of the Legislature’s Urban Affairs Committee and a vocal critic of Nebraska’s overcrowded prison system — convened a public hearing Friday to seek answers from Pillen’s office and state corrections officials, citing concerns over building code violations that fall under the committee’s purview.

“How can you take a facility that was built for 125 people and take that to a capacity of 200 to 300 people without creating, you know, a security risk?” McKinney asked.

Pillen maintains state law gives him the authority to make the move, saying the Department of Correctional Services falls under the umbrella of the executive branch. He and state prison officials declined to show up at Friday’s hearing.

But dozens of Nebraska residents did attend, with most of them opposed the new ICE detention center.

Beck writes for the Associated Press.

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Molly-Mae Hague responds to NTAs backlash after fans hit out at star for bagging gong

MOLLY-Mae Hague responded to the backlash at the NTAs after fans hit out at the star for bagging gong.

The former Love Island star won the Authored Documentary award for her Amazon Prime series, Molly-Mae: Behind It All.

Molly-Mae Hague at the National Television Awards.

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Molly-Mae issued a statement after she picked up the Authored Documentary award at the 2025 NTAsCredit: Splash
Molly-Mae Hague accepting an award at an awards ceremony.

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She accepted the gong for her Amazon Prime series, Molly-Mae: Behind It All.Credit: Getty
Molly Mae holding an award at the NTAs.

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The star took to her Instagram story to release a new statementCredit: Instagram

Viewers tuned into the streaming series to follow the challenges of life after her breakup from Tommy Fury.

She beat out the likes of Amy Dowden‘s Strictly Amy: Cancer and Me which followed her cancer journey and Boyzone‘s Sky docuseries.

The late Rob Burrow also lost out for his piece, There’s Only One Rob Burrow, which documented his struggle with motor neurone disease.

Molly-Mae, 26, has now issued a statement on social media after a number of viewers complained about the National Television Awards result on social media.

Sharing a picture of herself on the stage, she then wrote: “Last night at the NTAs I shared a category with people whose stories will always be more powerful and inspirational than mine.

“I see that, I believe that and I want to acknowledge it again here.”

She continued: “It was only right to dedicate this award to the late Rob Burrow and his family and to the remarkable people in my category … this win belongs to them.”

However, even though the former reality star acknowledged that other nominees were ‘more powerful and inspirational,’ she thanked her fans for voting for her.

She added: “I’m so grateful for the recognition but even more grateful to have stood alongside such strength and inspiration. [White heart emoji]

“To everyone that voted … I am absolutely blown away. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Molly-Mae admits she’s ‘so proud’ of Tommy Fury – as boxer stays home from NTAs to babysit

At the time of the ITV ceremony broadcast, Fans slammed the ceremony as they thought that ‘more worthy’ nominees should have gotten the gong.

Taking to X, one fan fumed: “Molly Mae winning an NTA over Rob Burrow or Amy Dowden is everything that is wrong with the world.”

A second stated: “If you want to know the state of tv these days… Molly Mae documentary beat Rob Burrow documentary. What wild times we live in.”

“All those wonderfully powerful documentaries and Molly Mae won!?” wrote a third.

I shared a category with people whose stories will always be more powerful and inspirational than mine.

Molly-Mae HagueInstagram

While a fourth added: “Molly Mae winning an NTA over Rob Burrow really reminds me how much I hate society today. And the mid-speech dedication felt false and completely inappropriate. His family’s face said it all.”

Vogue’s swipe

Fellow reality TV star Vogue Williams took a rather catty swipe after Molly-Mae picked up her first NTA.

Speaking on Lorraine, Vogue said: “I’m going to plan a break up because then I’m going to win an NTA myself,” before she burst out in laughter.

The star added: “Yeah there were quite a few shocked faces in the room because she was up against Rob Burrows, Freddie Flintoff, Amy Dowden, incredible documentaries.

NTA Awards winners list including TV shows, presenters and actors.

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“I think there were a few shocked faces in the audience but she did pay tribute to Rob Burrows in her acceptance speech.”

Molly’s Speech

The star did dedicate her award to former rugby player Rob, who passed away last year at 41.

She told the audience: “Oh my goodness. Honestly, just to be nominated for this award was such an honour.”

“I think as you guys saw, we were up against some seriously inspirational people in this category.”

Molly-Mae Hague – Five Ways She Spends Her Wealth

MOLLY-MAE Hague has raked in a whopping £48K a week. Yet what five things has the mum of one spent out on?

She then went on to thank her production team as she continued: “This team has been the reason why this experience has been so incredible for me.

“I think with nights like tonight it’s not just about the talent. It’s about the people that make shows like these.

“I’ve learned so much, I feel like I could start my own production company at this point.”

She then went onto thank her family who she labelled as the “best support system.”

I think as you guys saw, we were up against some seriously inspirational people in this category.

Molly-Mae HagueThe NTAs

Molly-Mae added: “And thank you to my own family who didn’t choose this life [of stardom] but came on the show for me because they knew how much it meant to me.

“You’re the best support system I could ask for.”

Molly-Mae Hague accepts the 'Authored Doc' Award at the NTA's.

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Molly acknowledged that some of the other nominees were ‘more powerful and inspirational’Credit: Getty
Vogue Williams on the Lorraine show.

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Vogue Williams took a savage swipe at Molly-Mae on LorraineCredit: ITV
Molly-Mae Hague at the National Television Awards.

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The star dedicated the award to the late Rob BurrowCredit: Splash

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CBS’ ‘Face the Nation’ will no longer edit taped interviews after Kristi Noem backlash

CBS News’ “Face the Nation” will no longer edit taped interviews after U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem complained about how her remarks were cut in her last appearance on the Washington-based program.

The news division said Friday that the Sunday show moderated by Margaret Brennan will only present interviews live or “live to tape” in which no edits are made. Exceptions will be made when classified national security information is inadvertently stated or language is used that violates Federal Communications Commission broadcast standards.

“In response to audience feedback over the past week, we have implemented a new policy for greater transparency in our interviews,” a CBS News representative said in a statement. “This extra measure means the television audience will see the full, unedited interview on CBS and we will continue our practice of posting full transcripts and the unedited video online.”

The representative declined to comment on the reason for the policy beyond the statement.

But the timing makes it clear that CBS News is reacting to Noem’s complaints following her Sunday appearance in which she discussed the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, the Maryland man wrongly deported to his native El Salvador. He was returned to the U.S., where he faces deportation efforts.

Noem wrote on X that “CBS shamefully edited the interview to whitewash the truth about this MS-13 gang member and the threat he poses to American public safety.”

The comments cut from the “Face the Nation” appearance were potentially defamatory. Noem said that Abrego Garcia was a member of MS-13 and that he solicited nude photos from minors.

“Even his fellow human traffickers told him to knock it off, he was so sick in what he was doing and how he was treating small children,” Noem said in the unedited version of the interview she posted on X.

The government has accused Abrego Garcia of being a member of MS-13, which he has denied. A court has described the evidence of his connection as “insufficient.”

“Face the Nation,” which has been on the air since 1954, became the focal point in a legal battle between CBS News and President Trump last year. Trump sued CBS News for $20 billion, claiming the program deceptively edited a “60 Minutes” interview with his 2024 opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris.

“Face the Nation” ran a clip from the interview that differed from what appeared in the “60 Minutes” broadcast, which led Trump to claim that it was changed to aid Harris and damage his election chances.

Editing interviews for clarity and time restrictions of a broadcast is a common practice in TV news. While 1st Amendment experts said CBS News had done nothing wrong, parent company Paramount settled the case for $16 million to help clear the regulatory hurdles for its merger with Skydance Media. The merger was completed Aug. 7.

The policy change regarding live interviews will likely be seen as another capitulation to Trump administration, who has shown a willingness to use legal measures to punish or attempt to silence his critics in the media. It will also pose a challenge to “Face the Nation” producers who already operate in an environment where real-time fact checking can’t always keep up with the misinformation presented by guests on the program.

CBS News is expecting additional changes as Skydance is in serious talks to acquire the Free Press, the right-leaning web-based media company founded by former New York Times opinion writer Bari Weiss.

The deal is said to be nearing completion, according to people familiar with the discussions, and would include a prominent role for Weiss at CBS News, even though she has no experience in running a TV news organization.

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Controversial Love Island bombshell in talks for Games spin-off just weeks after villa backlash

A CONTROVERSIAL Love Island bombshell is in talks for the Games spin-off series – just weeks after causing chaos in the villa. 

Remell Mullins was dumped from the Love Island villa after furious Alima Gagigo discovered he’d snogged Poppy Harrison during the sleepover. 

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Jonathan Hordle/ITV/Shutterstock (15376562b) Remell Mullins 'Love Island: Aftersun' TV Show, Series 12, Episode 3, London, UK - 29 Jun 2025

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Remell is in talks to sign up for Love Island GamesCredit: Shutterstock
ALL IMAGES AND INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN STRICTLY EMBARGOED UNTIL THURSDAY THE 12TH OF JUNE, 10:00 PM...From ITV..Love Island SR12 Ep4 on ITV2 and ITVX..Pictured: ALIMA, REMELL...This photograph is (C) ITV plc and can only be reproduced for editorial purposes directly in connection with the programme or event mentioned above, or ITV plc. This photograph must not be manipulated [excluding basic cropping] in a manner which alters the visual appearance of the person photographed deemed detrimental or inappropriate by ITV plc Picture Desk. This photograph must not be syndicated to any other company, publication or website, or permanently archived, without the express written permission of ITV Picture Desk. Full Terms and conditions are available on the website www.itv.com/presscentre/itvpictures/terms..For further information please contact:.michael.taiwo1@itv.com

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He left Alima furious when she discovered he’d snogged PoppyCredit: ITV
Selfie of a muscular man in pink sweatpants at the gym.

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He also teased his TV future with this post on social mediaCredit: Instagram

But The Sun can reveal fans may soon get to see him back on TV as he’s in the running to appear on Love Island Games when it returns later this year. 

An insider said: “Remell has had talks about heading over to Fiji to film the popular US spin-off. He is well up for it. 

“There are said to be around eight British islanders heading over and the final cast hasn’t been fully confirmed yet but he is a definite contender. 

“He proved very controversial on Love Island UK over the way he treated Alima and Poppy and bosses really want a few bad boys in the mix.”

And Remell has also hinted at something big coming up for him.

He shared a snap taken during a gym session and teased: “Just know I have been preparing for more than the gym.”

After being dumped alongside Megan Forte Clarke when they were voted the least favourite boy and girl by the public, Remell assured fans he wouldn’t be gone for long.

He wrote on Instagram: “And just like that… I’m officially out of the love island villa. What a mad, unforgettable ride.

“First off, thank you to every single one of you who’s supported me—whether you were backing me to find love, keeping up with the show, or just curious from what you’ve seen online—I’m genuinely grateful.

“My journey might’ve been shorter than expected, but I walked in as me and walked out as me. No regrets,” he continued.

Dumped Love Island star Remell confirms he’s dating villa girl he wasn’t coupled up with as they ‘soft launch’ romance

“I got to meet some incredible people, make real bonds and live out something most only dream about.

“Seeing my name in headlines has been surreal to say the least—but trust, this is just the beginning.”

“I’m walking out with my head high and my heart full. Can’t wait to show you lot what’s next.”

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How Trump’s newfound love for Chinese students is drawing MAGA backlash | Donald Trump News

United States President Donald Trump has announced that he will allow 600,000 Chinese students into US universities.

His announcement on Monday, which marks a sharp departure from the Trump administration’s crackdown on Chinese students launched earlier this year, has caught his conservative base off guard.

Here is more about what Trump is saying now, in contrast to what the administration has said in the past – and how some within his Make America Great Again (MAGA) support base are reacting.

What has Trump announced about Chinese students?

During a meeting on Monday at the Oval Office with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, reporters asked Trump whether he would meet Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Trump responded: “President Xi would like me to come to China. It’s a very important relationship. As you know, we are taking a lot of money in from China because of the tariffs and different things.”

He then talked about Chinese students: “I hear so many stories about ‘We are not going to allow their students’, but we are going to allow their students to come in. We are going to allow it. It’s very important – 600,000 students.”

On Tuesday, during a cabinet meeting, Trump reiterated his recent sentiments about Chinese students, saying, “I told this to President Xi that we’re honoured to have their students here.

“Now, with that, we check and we’re careful, we see who is there.”

Trump said that the US would struggle without Chinese students.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Trump told Xi during a phone call in June that “the US loves to have Chinese students coming to study in America”.

How has the Chinese government reacted?

Speaking at a regular news conference on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed hope that Trump would act on his commitment to admit Chinese students into US universities.

Guo also urged the US to stop “unprovoked harassment, interrogation and deportation” of Chinese students.

What has the Trump administration said about Chinese students in the past?

In late May, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced that Trump would “aggressively” revoke the visas of Chinese students.

In an X post, Rubio wrote: “The US will begin revoking visas of Chinese students, including those with connections to the Chinese Communist Party or studying in critical fields.”

The Trump administration did not provide clear details at the time about which students would be affected by the revocations. Observers viewed the brief announcement as intentionally vague.

“I think the vagueness is part of the [Trump administration’s] strategy, because it is not about a concrete policy,” Kyle Chan, a researcher on China at Princeton University, told Al Jazeera in May. “I don’t think it’s really, at the end of the day, about national security and trying to find the few individuals who may pose a genuine risk.”

In August, the US State Department revoked 6,000 international student visas because of violations of US law and overstays, according to the BBC, which quoted an unnamed department official. The nationalities of the students whose visas had been revoked were not known.

While Rubio did not specify what qualifies as a “critical field”, in March, a US congressional committee of the House of Representatives sent a letter to leadership at multiple US universities requesting information about Chinese nationals enrolled in advanced science, technology, engineering, and medicine programmes on their campuses.

John Moolenaar, chair of the congressional committee, claimed that the Chinese Communist Party was placing Chinese researchers in top US institutions to access sensitive technology.

How many Chinese students are there in the US?

During the 2023-2024 academic year, 277,398 Chinese students were enrolled in US universities, making up 24.5 percent of the 1.13 million international students, according to the annual Open Doors report from the Institute of International Education (IIE) and the US State Department.

According to the report, Chinese students were second only to Indian students, who constituted 29 percent of international students in the 2023-2024 year.

During the 2022-2023 academic year, Chinese students made up 27.4 percent of the international student population.

The proportion was even higher in 2020-2021, when 34.7 percent of international students in the US were from China.

What is behind Trump’s latest announcement about admitting Chinese students?

During an interview with Fox News on Monday, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said Trump’s recent statements stem from a “rational economic view”.

Lutnick said that 15 percent of US universities would go out of business without international students.

International students at US colleges and universities contributed $43.8bn to the US economy and supported more than 378,000 jobs during the 2023-2024 academic year, according to data released by the nonprofit organisation, NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

According to NAFSA, there were 1.1 million international students in the US, each contributing about $39,800 on average.

By that calculation, the 277,398 Chinese students in the US in 2023-24 would have contributed in excess of $11bn to the US economy that year.

How have Trump supporters reacted?

Trump’s recent statements have drawn ire from some within his MAGA base.

Republican Georgia congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene wrote in an X post on Monday: “If refusing to allow these Chinese students to attend our schools causes 15 percent of them to fail then these schools should fail anyways because they are being propped up by the CCP.”

Trump ally and far-right internet personality Laura Loomer made a series of posts on X opposing Trump’s idea of bringing in Chinese students. One of the posts read: “Nobody, I repeat nobody, wants 600,000 more Chinese ‘students’ aka Communist spies in the United States.”

News site Axios reported that former White House adviser and Trump aide Steve Bannon said on Tuesday: “Any foreign student that does come here ought to have an exit visa stapled to his or her diploma to leave immediately. Give them 30 days.”

Right-wing internet personality Christopher Rufo wrote in an X post on Monday: “We can’t accept 600,000 Chinese students. If anything, we should reduce the number of Chinese visas, especially for students with political connections to the CCP.”

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) is the main party in China, with about 100 million card-carrying members. China has about 400 million families, so on average, one in every four Chinese citizens has an immediate relative in the CCP.



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Cracker Barrel revives old logo after backlash stoked by Trump | Business and Economy

US restaurant chain abandons rebrand after new logo prompts firestorm of criticism online.

Cracker Barrel, the US restaurant chain known for its southern-style cuisine, has abandoned a controversial rebrand following a backlash stoked by prominent right-wing figures including Donald Trump.

The Lebanon, Tennessee-based chain said on Tuesday that it would bring back its decades-old logo after its announcement of a simplified design provoked a firestorm of criticism online.

“We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain,” the company said in a statement.

“At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm welcomes, and the kind of country hospitality that feels like family. As a proud American institution, our 70,000 hardworking employees look forward to welcoming you to our table soon.”

Cracker Barrel, which has more than 600 stores across the US, last week unveiled a new logo as part of the “fifth evolution” of its brand, ditching the image of a seated man leaning against a barrel in favour of a simplified, text-only design.

The redesign prompted a swift backlash in right-wing circles, with some commentators claiming the company had gone “woke” – a term used by conservatives to mock what they see as an excessive fixation on racial and gender diversity.

Shares in Cracker Barrel, which had fallen sharply amid the backlash, rose more than 7 percent in after-hours trading following the reversal.

Weighing in on the furore shortly before Cracker Barrel’s announcement on Tuesday, Trump called on the company to revert to its old logo and “admit a mistake”.

“They got a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity if they play their cards right. Very tricky to do, but a great opportunity,” the US president wrote on his platform Truth Social.

Following Cracker Barrel’s U-turn, Trump congratulated the chain on the change.

“All of your fans very much appreciate it,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“Good luck into the future. Make lots of money and, most importantly, make your customers happy again!”

Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has used the presidency to exert an extraordinary level of influence over private businesses.

Trump last week announced that the US government had taken a 10 percent stake in Intel, days after confirming that chip giants Nvidia and AMD had agreed to pay 15 percent of revenues from chip sales in China into Washington’s coffers.

Last month, Coca-Cola announced that it would release a version of its signature drink made with cane sugar in the US after Trump claimed to have persuaded the company to start using the sweetener in favour of high-fructose corn syrup.

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Sam Faiers sparks huge backlash over ‘dangerous’ health advice about nephew’s surgery

TV star Sam Faiers has sparked controversy after advising her sister Billie to explore holistic options before going ahead with her young son’s tonsil removal.

Sam Faiers sparks backlash over ‘dangerous’ health advice about nephew’s surgery
Sam Faiers sparks backlash over ‘dangerous’ health advice about nephew’s surgery(Image: PR)

Sam Faiers has come under fire after suggesting her sister Billie consider alternative health approaches instead of scheduling her son’s tonsillectomy.

In a scene from their show Sister Act, Billie explains that her eight-year-old son Arthur is set to have his tonsils removed after repeated illness. “Arthur is getting his tonsils out. He had tonsillitis I’d say six times last year, and it made him so poorly,” she says.

“When the doctor looked at them, straight away he said to me ‘nah… they are really, really unhealthy tonsils.” She adds: “But tonsils serve no purpose in your body.” It comes after Sam’s heartache after cruel thieves stole her late grandmother’s precious wedding ring.

READ MORE: Ulrika Jonsson slams Andy Carroll for leaving ex Billi Mucklow to care for his five kidsREAD MORE: TOWIE star Ricky Rayment’s heartbreak as he announces his sister has died

Sam, who later says she leans toward holistic health, disagrees with the decision and encourages testing for allergies first. “Everything in your body serves a purpose,” she argues.

“When you’re not well and something inflames in your body or your tonsils are raised or your hair is falling out, or you’ve got a rash, it’s because your body is telling you something isn’t right.

“So it’s Arthur’s body’s way of telling him I’ve got an allergy, or you know, I’ve got a virus and that’s his way. So when they’re out, how else is his body going to tell you that something is wrong?”

Sam has come under fire for giving her sister advice
Sam has come under fire for giving her sister advice(Image: Getty Images)

Billie responds, agreeing that “he has some kind of allergy or intolerance.” However, Sam’s comments prompted backlash online, with critics accusing her of spreading misinformation.

One viewer wrote: “She’s no doctor and shouldn’t be allowed to give advice that’s dangerous.” Another labelled her “Mrs Know It All.”

Another user shared a personal warning as they wrote: “Don’t ever mess about waiting for tonsils out… I was rushed into hospital because it made me so ill. I’ve had fibromyalgia for 15 years, and now severe arthritis. I wish I could dream everything be OK with positivity or a cream or holistic, but life’s not like that.”

Sam shared the advice on Sister Act
Sam shared the advice on Sister Act(Image: Instagram/samanthafaiers/billieshepherdofficial)

Earlier this summer, Sam also came under fire for controversial comments she made about sun cream. The reality star took to social media to reveal she doesn’t get her children to wear sun cream.

The former TOWIE star explained that her kids have “built up a really good tolerance to being in the sun” as she made wild claims about sunscreen having “pretty harmful and full of toxic ingredients” in, which has been discredited by a skin doctor.

In a lengthy post shared on social media, she wrote: “So this is always a bit of a controversial one, but honestly, me and my whole family don’t actually wear sunscreen. Over the years, the kids have built up a really good tolerance to being in the sun.

Sam says she doesn't use suncream on her kids
Sam says she doesn’t use suncream on her kids(Image: @samanthafaiers/Instagram)

“Of course if it’s really hot and the sun feels too harsh I’ll make sure we head into the shade… usually around lunchtime we’ll go in, have something to eat and just avoid those peak hours.”

She then went on to add: “I’m really careful about sunscreen in general, because a lot of them are actually pretty harmful and full of toxic ingredients. If you do want to protect your kids, I think SPF swimwear is such a good and safer option.

“But also, don’t be afraid of the sun! Early in the morning or later in the afternoon when it’s not as strong, I love letting the kids run around and soak it up, it’s good for them. That said, I do always bring a Tallow Zinc SPF with me when I go away, just in case. And hats or caps are a must! Especially for us ladies because no one wants extra sun damage.”

The comments were later heavily criticised by a skin doctor.

The Mirror has approached Sam’s representatives for comment on this story.

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READ MORE: Shop Dani Dyer’s butter yellow midi dress as she announces Strictly news on The One Show



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First pic of Man Utd’s new-look Old Trafford VIP stand emerges after fan backlash and protests

SIR JIM RATCLIFFE’S minority takeover at Manchester United was announced on Christmas Eve in 2023 – and a lot has happened at Old Trafford since…

December 2023 – Man Utd confirm Ratcliffe’s takeover on Christmas Eve, vowing to invest £245m into Old Trafford

January 2024 – Ratcliffe and right-hand man Sir Dave Brailsford photographed meeting Erik ten Hag during tour of Carrington 

January 2024 – Omar Berrada poached from Man City as new CEO 

February 2024 – Ratcliffe’s £1billion, 27.7 per cent takeover officially completed 

February 2024 – Former CEO Richard Arnold quits board as Ineos pair John Rees and Rob Nevin added

March 2024 – Ratcliffe bans words “awesome” and “lukewarm cappuccino” in bizarre move

March 2024 – Matt Johnson appointed head of women’s football

March 2024 – Ratcliffe announces plans to build “Wembley of the North” to replace Old Trafford

March 2024 – Man Utd NYSE share price drops to $13.73 on March 21 – down from $20.52 immediately after Ratcliffe takeover in December

April 2024 – Senior staff club credit cards and private cars cancelled 

April 2024 – John Murtough quits as football director 

April 2024 – Jason Wilcox appointed technical director after compensation package agreed with Southampton 

May 2024 – Ratcliffe turns Carrington “toxic” after sending email to employees slamming “disgraceful” lack of cleanliness

May 2024 – Work finally starts on leaking Old Trafford roof

May 2024 – Man Utd finish eighth in Premier League, worst-ever finish 

May 2024 – Ratcliffe gives employees just one week to decide if they want to accept redundancy 

May 2024 – Staff forced to pay for own transport to FA Cup final and only given one ticket

May 2024 – Pre-match party and hotel for senior staff before FA Cup final axed

May 2024 – Man Utd shock rivals Man City to win FA Cup despite suggestions Erik ten Hag will be sacked regardless of result

June 2024 – Man Utd announce £50m plans to upgrade Carrington training ground 

June 2024 – Ratcliffe introduces strict “back to work” policy forcing staff to come into office

June 2024 – Ratcliffe scores own goal with comments about women’s team

July 2024 – Man Utd finally agree deal to bring in Dan Ashworth as sporting director after four months of gardening leave at Newcastle, who received £3m in compensation

July 2024 – Erik ten Hag signs shock new contract extension until 2026

July 2024 – Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rene Hake appointed assistant managers, Andreas Georgson first-team coach and Jelle ten Rouwelaar goalkeeper coach. Darren Fletcher’s role changes from technical director to first-team coach. Steve McClaren, Mitchell van der Gaag and Benni McCarthy depart.

July 2024 – Ex-Chelsea technical director Christopher Vivell joins on short-term basis as interim director of recruitment 

July 2024 – Jean-Claude Blanc added to Man Utd board  

July 2024 – Man Utd cut down number of staff on US pre-season tour to 125

July 2024 – Ratcliffe makes 250 redundancies including popular media man John Allen, historian Cliff Butler and kitman Alex Wylie

August 2024 – Man Utd splash out £199m in the summer transfer window 

August 2024 – Matchday staff lunchboxes scrapped and some forced to eat beside toilet

October 2024 – Man Utd stop paying £2m-a-year ambassador salary to Sir Alex Ferguson

October 2024 – Staff Christmas party cancelled 

October 2024 – “Back to work” policy costing Utd fortune to convert hospitality suites into temporary offices between home matches

October 2024 – Erik ten Hag sacked with club 14th in Premier League table, costing club £15m

November 2024 – Ruben Amorim appointed new Man Utd manager on deal until 2027 after stumping up £10m release clause 

November 2024 – Coach Ruud van Nistelrooy axed by new manager Ruben Amorim 

November 2024 – Man Utd chiefs locked in blame game over summer shambles including Erik ten Hag situation and transfer signings 

November 2024 – Ratcliffe reportedly set to half £40,000 budget paid to Manchester United Disabled Supporters Association

December 2024 – Ratcliffe admits “mediocre” Man Utd “still in last century” 

December 2024 – Fans protest after OAP and children concessions tickets ditched and minimum home ticket cost up to £66

December 2024 – Dan Ashworth sacked after five months as sporting director

December 2024 – £100 staff Christmas bonus ditched for £40 M&S voucher

December 2024 – Ceiling starts leaking during Ruben Amorim’s press conference after 3-0 defeat to Bournemouth

December 2024 – Reports of a mice infestation at Old Trafford as rodent droppings found in food kiosks and plush suites as food hygiene ratings drops to just two stars

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German club backs out of signing Israel striker after fan backlash | Football News

Israel international Shon Weissman was expected to complete move from Spain’s Granada to Germany’s Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Bundesliga 2 side Fortuna Dusseldorf has pulled out of signing Israel striker Shon Weissman in response to fan anger about his social media posts on the Gaza war, German tabloid Bild has reported.

Fan furore erupted online on Monday when news emerged that Weissman was on the cusp of joining Dusseldorf from Spanish side Granada FC.

On Tuesday, the club tweeted: “We looked into Shon Weissman intensively, but ultimately decided not to sign him”.

The club did not reveal the reasons for the decision, but Bild reported the club reacted to fan anger about social media statements from Weissman, who was already in Dusseldorf and had completed a medical exam.

The centre forward, who has 33 Israel caps, made several social media posts after the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel that set off the Gaza war.

Bild reported that Weissman called for Israel to “wipe Gaza off the map” and to “drop 200 tons of bombs on it”.

The 29-year-old had also liked posts saying “there are no innocents [in Gaza], they don’t need to be warned”.

Weissman, who deleted the posts soon after making them, has since said he made a mistake and was acting in the heat of the moment.

Dusseldorf fans launched an online petition on Monday saying Weissman’s “disrespectful and discriminatory” comments are in stark contrast to the principles Fortuna “stand for and try to promote”.

Weissman has already been the subject of fan protests in Granada, a side he joined in January 2023.

Bild reported that Dusseldorf and Weissman had planned to issue an apology statement for the posts, which was to be made public after the signing was made official.

After 22 months of combat in Gaza sparked by the October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas that killed 1,219 people and saw hundreds kidnapped, the Israeli army has devastated large parts of the Palestinian territory.

More than 60,933 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures from Gaza’s Ministry of Health, and humanitarian agencies have warned that the territory’s 2.4 million people are slipping into a catastrophic famine.

Germany, as it has sought to atone for the Holocaust, has long been a steadfast supporter of Israel, but concern has risen sharply over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

The war has previously made an impact in professional football in Germany.

In 2023, Bundesliga side Mainz decided to sack player Anwar El Ghazi for statements made on social media about the conflict.

El Ghazi, a Dutch international with Moroccan roots, won a wrongful dismissal case in a German court against the club, who have since appealed.

Former Bayern Munich defender Noussair Mazraoui, now with Manchester United, apologised publicly after making several social media posts on the conflict, including one which called for “victory” for “our oppressed brothers in Palestine”.

German football fans are heavily involved in major decisions, from signing players to setting fixtures, due to the so-called 50+1 regulation, which requires club members to retain overall control of professional football sides.

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Josie Gibson furiously defends Olivia Attwood over This Morning backlash

Josie Gibson shares her thoughts on Olivia Attwood’s latest presenting role on This Morning amid huge backlash by trolls as some threaten to boycott show

Josie Gibson Olivia Attwood over This Morning job
Josie Gibson Olivia Attwood over This Morning job(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Josie Gibson has hit back at trolls in defence of Olivia Attwood after she became the victim of cruel jibes following her new presenting role on This Morning. Fans of the ITV daytime TV show have even threatened to boycott the show reportedly due to her rise to fame from Love Island, in 2017.

The 34 year old TV personality, who has since gone on to be a panellist on Loose Women and host her own podcast, had appeared on the third series of the reality TV show. But Olivia is not the first person to have a reality TV background, so too has Josie Gibson, Alison Hammond and Rylan Clark.

Both women were on Big Brother and Rylan shot to fame from X Factor. So it’s perhaps understandable why Josie, 40, has decided to break her silence. It comes after it was announced that Olivia had landed yet another huge TV job.

READ MORE: ITV announce major new reality show The Heat with Olivia Attwood confirmed as hostREAD MORE: Loose Women star Janet Street-Porter reveals which stars are at risk from brutal ITV cuts

In an interview with The Sun, the mum of one who appeared on Big Brother in 2010, said: “Oh my God she’s brilliant. It’s brilliant she gets to do this and I think she’s really good. Yeah, really good. Honestly, you get some backlash like that in this industry and I really don’t know why people do it.”

She added: “I’ll never understand why people do it, you know. To me, I’ve always loved to see people do well and I genuinely love it. I love it when people succeed and I want to bring everybody up and make sure everybody has a go on the horses, do you know what I mean? “

While on This Morning to discuss her new TV show The Price of Perfection in June, Olivia revealed her news to hosts Cat Deeley and Ben Shepherd.

Olivia Attwood lands new presenting role on This Morning
Olivia Attwood lands new presenting role on This Morning

Engineering the conversation, Ben told the former Love Island star “We’ve got some big news about This Morning and you in the summer.”

In response Olivia said: “I have some news yes, it’s very exciting. I’ll be joining you guys on the hosting team on the other side of the sofa.”

The TV duo then gestured for Olivia to sit on their side of the sofa to “feel what it’s like.”

Getting up to switch her seat, the newbie said: “This is even more surreal.”

Complimenting the new addition to the presenting team, Cat said: “We look amazing together.” And this prompted Olivia to ask Cat: “Shall we do a show together?”

The Loose Women panellist add more detail to her announcement as she said: “So it’s a couple of shows, I’m very excited, it’s a huge honour. I’ve grown up watching this show, and being part of the ITV presenting team with Loose Women has been a great experience so this just feels like a very natural progression.”

Olivia was brought in to replace Ben and Cat when they take time off for their six week holiday.

But her new role divided fans. One person wrote: “So Attwood is going to be co-hosting #ThisMorning over the summer. FFS like we don’t get enough of her on #Loosewomen, surprised they haven’t asked that talentless Sam Thompson to step in as well!”

Another added: “How many more viewers do they want to lose? Attwood joining the team is really poor decision.”

A third said: “Just when you think the presenters can’t get any worse they decide to take on Olivia Attwood.”

Meanwhile a fourth penned: “Well done … That’s another step downhill for this show! I wonder who else will be hosting over the summer?”

But not everyone thought her inclusion was a bad idea. One fan of the ITV show wrote: “It’s great that Olivia Attwood will be a presenter on This Morning, she’ll be fantastic.”

And a second said: “Love Olivia, will definitely be tuning in.”

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Love Island’s Harrison furiously hits back at Women’s Aid backlash with four-word comment

Harrison Solomon was met with backlash over his love triangle with Toni Laites and Lauren Wood on the new series of Love Island, and he’s now addressed it following his departure

Harrison Solomon sat in a blue shirt and cream pants in the Love Island villa garden.
Harrison Solomon has addressed the backlash he’s received from Love Island viewers(Image: ITV/Shutterstock)

Former Love Island star Harrison Solomon has addressed the backlash that he received from viewers. The islander had been criticised by fans amid a love triangle with his co-stars Toni Laites and Lauren Wood whilst in the villa.

Harrison, 22, attracted attention on the ITV2 show for what he described as a “back-and-forth” between his connections with Toni, 24, and Lauren, 26. This included him sleeping with Lauren while estranged from Toni and then encouraging Toni to choose him at the next recoupling.

After recoupling with Toni, footballer Harrison ended up continuing to pursue things with Lauren more recently. Lauren was dumped from the villa last week by the actions of a bombshell and Harrison later left to reunite with her.

Love Island stars Lauren, in a yellow dress, and Harrison, in a white t-shirt, sat in the villa.
Harrison Solomon has addressed the backlash he received from Love Island viewers over a love triangle, including Lauren Wood (Image: ITV)

During his time on the show, Harrison faced criticism from viewers. And last week, amid his stint on Love Island, a spokesperson for Women’s Aid issued a statement to the Tab, which included mention of women being “lied to, slut-shamed and manipulated, as well as laughed at behind their backs.”

Harrison has now addressed the “backlash” in an interview with the Daily Mail, saying he has found it “hard to digest”. He told the outlet: “I would disagree with a lot of it in terms of my respect for women, I do respect women.”

He said that the “worst” reaction had been from Women’s Aid. He said: “I know myself and the girls on the show too, Toni said she knows I’m not a bad person, just went about situations in the wrong way, but the Women’s Aid statement wasn’t nice … it’s not nice coming out of the villa to my mum upset by that so I would say that’s been the hardest.”

Harrison said that he is “sorry” to the women that he has “hurt,” before saying that he “got it wrong”. He added that the “back and forth” between his connections with Lauren and Toni ended up causing “more harm” than he intended. He however said that it wasn’t “an ego thing”.

The former islander said he isn’t proud of the way he handled things in the villa and won’t “make excuses”. Harrison said that he just wants to “own it” and assured: “If people can give me the space to grow from it, I will do everything I can to be better, and that’s the only thing I can do.”

Love Island's Toni in a black outfit sat in the villa.
Harrison had been pursuing a romance with Lauren as well as Toni Laites, pictured, whilst on the ITV2 show(Image: ITV)

Harrison added that there’s “no handbook” for dealing with being on a reality TV show like Love Island, which is based on “instincts” and “intentions”. He told the outlet that whilst he got “some of it right,” he also “got a lot of it wrong”.

It’s been suggested that the statement by Women’s Aid particularly upset Harrison due to his relationship with his mother and younger sister. He told the outlet that he prides himself on “standing up for women,” as well as being a “protector,” but is “disappointed” over how he handled himself in the villa.

His comments come just days after viewers saw Harrison quit the show, a day after Lauren was dumped from the villa. Shortly before his departure from the villa, a tearful Harrison had apologised to Toni.

He told her before leaving: “I want you to know that I genuinely am sorry for the way that I’ve treated you in here. […] I think with me being indecisive in here and trying to spare people’s feelings, I feel like I’ve hurt yours more.”

Harrison said: “Deep down, you know I’ve got a good heart but I’ve just not gone about things the right way in here.” Toni went on tell Harrison: “I know you’re not a bad person but you’ve got a big head and you treated me like s**t repeatedly.” He replied: “I know, I’m sorry for that.”

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‘Superman’ isn’t superwoke. Why immigration backlash is overblown

This story contains some spoilers for “Superman.”

In James Gunn’s “Superman,” the titular superhero is devastated when he learns that his birth parents sent him to Earth to subjugate humanity.

In theaters now, the film is set a few years into Superman’s caped career. The Kryptonian — who grew up as Clark Kent on a farm in Smallville, Kan. — always believed a message left to him by these birth parents was an encouragement to use his powers to be a protector and hero. He is more than shaken to learn that was never the case.

It’s Clark’s human father, Jonathan, who points out that the message’s intent doesn’t really matter.

“Your choices [and] your actions, that’s what makes you who you are,” he says to his son.

Being an alien refugee might be why Superman has his superpowers, but it’s who he is as a person that makes him a superhero. And although it is mostly left unsaid, Clark’s kindness and values come from how he was raised — by loving parents in America’s heartland.

Despite “Superman” being as all-American as ever, the movie has become the most recent front in America’s never-ending culture war because of comments made by Gunn acknowledging the character is an immigrant.

But Superman is more a story about the triumph of assimilation and opportunity. As the new movie also shows, Superman would not be Superman if he was not raised by Martha and Jonathan Kent on a farm in Kansas. And as much as Superman is undeniably an immigrant, it’s hard to deny in the current political climate that he also resembles the type of immigrants who have traditionally been more embraced in this country.

Since early last month, the Trump administration has aggressively targeted Latino communities across California. Immigration raids have seemingly indiscriminately taken people from their workplace, on their way to court and even in parking lots. Federal officials have pushed back on claims that these operations have targeted people “because of their skin color.” According to federal authorities, more than 2,700 undocumented immigrants have been arrested in L.A. since early June.

This is not the first time the U.S. government has targeted specific communities of color because of their ancestry. During World War II, 120,000 people of Japanese descent were incarcerated in wartime camps regardless of their citizenship.

Gunn, however, has long maintained that his “Superman” is “a movie about kindness [and] being good.”

The filmmaker, who has been outspoken in his criticism of President Trump, told the London Times that “Superman is the story of America. … An immigrant that came from other places and populated the country.” He reiterated that the movie is about “human kindness.”

The backlash was swift, with familiar right-wing commentators and personalities criticizing the film for allegedly being “superwoke” before it was released. Even former Superman actor Dean Cain has spoken out against Gunn’s comments and the perceived politicization of the character’s story.

In response, comic book fans, including Democratic politicians, have pointed out that Superman — an alien born on the planet Krypton, sent to Earth to escape his planet’s destruction — has always been an immigrant.

“The Superman story is an immigration story of an outsider who tries to always do the most good,” Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach) posted Wednesday on X. “His arch nemesis is a billionaire. You don’t get to change who he is because you don’t like his story. Comics are political.”

“Superman was an undocumented immigrant,” Gov. Gavin Newsom’s press office wrote Thursday on X in response to an image of Trump as Superman posted by the White House.

Others on social media have circulated clips from past Superman media, including from Cain’s show “Lois & Clark,” where the character’s immigration status is addressed.

Despite the accusation and backlash, Superman has never been as “woke” as the current debate makes him seem.

Created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel, both children of Jewish immigrants, Superman’s first official appearance was in the first issue of “Action Comics” in the 1930s. With his iconic red and blue caped costume, the character is known as much for his godlike superpowers as he is for being the ultimate good guy with all-American looks and charm.

His adventures have spanned comics, radio, television and film. Besides evil billionaires, Superman has taken on superpowered supervillains, alien invaders and even his clones, as well as human threats like Nazis and the Ku Klux Klan. Yes, some Superman stories are more political than others.

But Superman has never been radical in his politics. As a Kryptonian raised on Earth by human parents, the character has been shown in stories where he struggles with his own sense of otherness and belonging because he straddles two worlds. But other than rare outliers, his story has never delved deeply into how immigrants or those perceived as other are treated in the U.S. (For that, consider checking out some “X-Men.”)

That’s because Clark Kent’s immigration status or Americanness will never be questioned because of his appearance. That itself could be subversive, but that’s a debate for a different “Superman” movie.

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