🏥🌍 WHO Didn’t Recommend Lockdowns, Contrary to Health Officials’ Suggestions

As the U.S. formally exited from the World Health Organization last month, Trump administration officials misleadingly claimed that the WHO “pushed” or “promoted” lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group did not explicitly recommend lockdowns, although it also did not advise countries not to implement them. It said it recognized that the measures might be needed in some cases.

More than six years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal health officials are spinning the facts about the WHO to justify leaving the organization. The U.S. formally exited the WHO on Jan. 22, a year after giving notice to do so, much to the chagrin of many in public health.

The WHO “ignored rigorous science and promoted lockdowns,” Acting Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Jim O’Neill wrote on the day of the exit in an X post that also made claims about Taiwan.

The same day, National Institutes of Health Director Dr. Jay Bhattacharya similarly said in an interview on Fox News that the WHO “absolutely failed during the pandemic … pushing, still to this day … lockdown policies that plagued Americans for years.”

Those comments led to contentious exchanges with WHO officials who have taken issue with the statements.

“All untrue,” Maria Van Kerkhove, an infectious disease epidemiologist and the WHO’s technical lead for COVID-19, responded to O’Neill in a Jan. 24 post, adding, “we don’t ignore science and WHO never recommended lockdowns.”

Justification Unsealed for FBI’s Seizure of 2020 Fulton County Ballots

Court filings show federal agents acted on activist claims long rejected by state officials; probe cites record-keeping lapses, not new evidence of outcome-altering fraud.

ATLANTA | Newly unsealed court documents reveal that the FBI’s extraordinary seizure of all ballots cast in Fulton County, Georgia, during the 2020 presidential election was authorized on the basis of allegations from conservative activists—claims that state and local election officials have repeatedly rejected.

According to affidavits submitted by FBI Special Agent Hugh Evans, agents sought and received approval from U.S. Magistrate Judge Catherine Salinas to take custody of the ballots and related materials last month. The filings, made public Tuesday, do not describe new evidence of vote manipulation or outcome-altering fraud. Instead, they detail alleged procedural irregularities in ballot tabulation and the preservation of digital scans and tally records.

Evans argued that departures from election protocols could establish probable cause that two federal statutes were violated—one governing election fraud and another requiring preservation of federal election records for at least 22 months after Election Day. However, the affidavits attribute any potential violations to “unknown persons” and do not allege partisan intent.

✊🏾 TELL IT LIKE IT IS — Black History Series Casper Holstein: Harlem’s Shadow Financier Who Turned Underground Fortune Into Community Power

A Prohibition-era numbers kingpin, Casper Holstein fused illicit wealth with civic philanthropy—reshaping Harlem’s economy, culture, and political influence while blurring the line between crime and community uplift.

In the early 20th century, as Harlem emerged as the cultural and political capital of Black America, one man quietly amassed extraordinary influence at the intersection of finance, philanthropy, and the underworld. Casper Holstein (1876–1944) was both a feared powerbroker and a celebrated benefactor—an unlikely duality that made him one of the most consequential figures in Harlem’s Prohibition-era history.

Born in 1876 in St. Croix, then part of the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin Islands), Holstein was the product of a biracial union. In 1894, he relocated to New York City with his mother, settling into Brooklyn where he completed high school. His early adulthood reflected the opportunities—and limits—available to Black men at the turn of the century. After enlisting in the U.S. Navy shortly before the Spanish-American War, Holstein cycled through a series of service jobs in Manhattan, including porter and doorman roles.

His fortunes shifted when he landed a position as head messenger at a Wall Street brokerage firm. There, Holstein gained firsthand exposure to financial markets, probability, and risk systems—knowledge he would later apply not to stocks but to Harlem’s informal economy. While working downtown, Holstein began studying the “numbers” game, an illegal lottery deeply embedded in the daily lives of working-class New Yorkers.

By the late 1910s, Holstein had refined his own version of the lottery, known as bolito. By 1920, he was widely known in the underworld as the “Bolito King.” At the height of Prohibition, his gambling empire reportedly generated more than $2 million annually—a staggering sum at the time. With that wealth, Holstein acquired multiple Harlem apartment buildings, a Long Island estate, a fleet of luxury automobiles, and thousands of acres of farmland in Virginia.

🎤🏈 Trump Slams Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, Reigniting Culture-War Politics as Economic Worries Mount

The former president’s criticism of the Spanish-language performance draws sharp contrast with voter concerns over inflation, foreign alliances, and health care.

Former President Donald Trump has turned his fire on the NFL’s Super Bowl halftime show, attacking Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny for delivering a performance largely in Spanish—an intervention that critics say underscores a familiar strategy: cultural grievance over policy substance.

Trump’s remarks, delivered on social media and echoed by conservative commentators, faulted the National Football League for selecting an artist whose global appeal includes Spanish-language music and Latin rhythms. The former president had previously criticized the league’s direction and accused it of drifting away from what he calls “traditional American values.”

The backlash arrives amid persistent economic unease. Inflation remains sticky for household staples, interest rates continue to squeeze borrowers, and wage growth has been uneven. On the world stage, U.S. allies are pressing Washington for clarity on security commitments and trade coordination, while diplomatic tensions simmer across Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific. Domestically, health care affordability—particularly prescription drug prices and insurance costs—remains a top concern for voters.

Political strategists say the episode reflects a broader pattern. “Cultural flashpoints are effective at mobilizing a base, but they risk alienating persuadable voters who want solutions,” said one Republican consultant who requested anonymity. Polling consistently shows the economy and health care ranking above culture-war issues for independents.

For Bad Bunny, the moment is another reminder of his cross-border reach. The artist has become a global brand, headlining stadium tours and topping charts in both English and Spanish markets—an emblem of the United States’ changing demographics and cultural fluency. The NFL, for its part, has leaned into global audiences as it expands international games and media partnerships.

Manufacturing Construction Spending Declines Under Trump

Spending to build, expand and rehabilitate manufacturing sites in the U.S. has declined since President Donald Trump took office, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. Yet, Trump has repeatedly boasted that “factory construction” is up 41%.

Trump cited the 41% statistic in a White House press conference on Jan. 20 – calling it a “record” increase and suggesting that other presidents cannot compare to this “record.” 

“Investment in American factories is up 41%. That’s a record. Nobody goes 41% up. You go 2% up, 1% up. You go down by 3%. If Kamala [Harris] got elected, the 41% up would be 41% down,” Trump said at the press conference, referring to the former vice president and Democratic presidential nominee who lost to Trump in the 2024 election.

🎙️✊🏾'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Black History Series: Carter G. Woodson and the Architecture of Black History in America

From coal mines to Harvard, Woodson built the institutions, scholarship, and movement that reshaped how America understands its past.

In the long arc of American historical scholarship, few figures have altered the national narrative as profoundly as Carter G. Woodson. Born on December 19, 1875, in New Canton, Virginia, to formerly enslaved parents who nonetheless owned land, Woodson rose from manual laborer to world-renowned historian—laying the intellectual foundation for what would become Black History Month and institutionalizing the study of African American life in the United States.

Woodson’s early life was marked by work rather than formal schooling. During the 1890s, he labored on farms, drove a garbage truck, and worked in coal mines, educating himself whenever possible. His academic breakthrough came at Berea College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1903. Teaching Black students in West Virginia soon followed, reinforcing his belief that education was both a tool of liberation and a battleground for truth.

His career took on an international dimension between 1903 and 1907, when he worked in the Philippines under the U.S. War Department, then traveled extensively through Africa, Asia, and Europe, including study at the Sorbonne in Paris. By 1908, Woodson had earned a master’s degree from the University of Chicago, and in 1912, he became only the second African American to earn a doctorate in history from Harvard University.

🎙️'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Black History Series Russel L. Honoré (1947– ): The General Who Brought Order to Chaos

Rising from rural Louisiana to the nation’s most visible disaster response commander, Russel L. Honoré became a symbol of decisive leadership during Hurricane Katrina—and a lasting voice for national preparedness.

Russel L. Honoré was born in 1947 in Lakeland, Louisiana—during a hurricane. The circumstances of his birth would later feel almost prophetic. Raised by farmer parents Lloyd Honoré and Eudell St. Armant Honoré, he grew up as one of twelve children in a working-class household rooted in discipline, faith, and perseverance.

Honoré became the first in his family to attend college when he enrolled at Southern University in Baton Rouge. Majoring in vocational agriculture, his initial goal was modest: to become a dairy farmer. But participation in the university’s Army ROTC program altered his trajectory. Commissioned as an Army officer, Honoré entered active duty in 1971—beginning a military career that would span nearly four decades.

🏇 No. 1 Auburn’s Late Surge Falls Short in 10–9 Loss at No. 6 South Carolina

Tigers rally behind dominant Reining performance, but early miscues prove costly in SEC showdown at Blythewood

BLYTHEWOOD, S.C. | A furious late rally wasn’t enough to erase an early deficit as the Auburn Tigers equestrian suffered a narrow 10–9 setback to the South Carolina Gamecocks equestrian in a tightly contested Southeastern Conference matchup Saturday afternoon.

Despite trailing 10–5 entering the final event, Auburn (6–2, 2–2 SEC) mounted an impressive charge in Reining, winning four of five rides to pull within one point before the comeback ultimately came up short.

“I’m proud of the fight we showed with such a rough start to the meet,” head coach Jessica Braswell said. “We made far too many mistakes today, but we also never gave up or got deflated.”

Reining Rally Nearly Seals the Comeback

The Tigers’ comeback bid gained traction in Reining, where Auburn went 4–0–1 against the Gamecocks. Junior Callie Hogg sparked the surge with a decisive 70–62.5 victory, followed by a career-best performance from senior Caroline Buchanan, who posted a career-high 75.25 to win by 2.75 points.

Freshman Sofia Tieche continued the momentum with a 68.5–66.5 win, and senior Alexia Tordoff closed the event with a clutch 71.5–70 victory. A tie between Auburn’s Michelle Fumagalli and South Carolina’s Emily Patton ultimately proved to be the meet-deciding point.

“I challenged the reiners at the half to ride with a chip on their shoulder, and they really responded,” Braswell said. “Overall, I’m happy with the effort today. We just have to clean up our execution.”

Buchanan earned Most Outstanding Performer honors in Reining, while sophomore Kate Hagerty was recognized as MOP in Fences.

🥎 Troy Newcomers Make Instant Impact as Trojans Open Season 2–0 with Twin Run-Rule Wins

Transfers and freshmen fuel explosive offense while dominant pitching carries Troy past Middle Tennessee and Chattanooga at the Trojan Classic

TROY, Ala. | The Troy Trojans softball wasted no time setting the tone for the 2026 season, rolling to a pair of emphatic run-rule victories over Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders softball and Chattanooga Mocs softball on Friday night at the Trojan Classic.

Behind an explosive offense and poised pitching performances, Troy (2–0) extended its dominance in season openers, improving to 4–0 under head coach Eric Newell while showcasing a revamped roster loaded with immediate contributors.

Power Four transfers Kyye Ricks and Ella Cunningham headlined the opening day surge. Ricks finished 3-for-8 with four RBIs and two doubles across the doubleheader, while Cunningham went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and a double, igniting a lineup that delivered crooked numbers in both contests.

“It was a great day to be a Trojan,” Newell said. “The offense really showed out, and the pitching was clutch—especially in game two. We did a lot of things right, but it’s still day one.”

Game 1: Troy 11, Middle Tennessee 3

The Trojans opened the tournament with authority, run-ruling Middle Tennessee behind a decisive seven-run fifth inning.

After the Blue Raiders jumped out to an early 2–0 lead, Troy responded immediately. Makaley Boswell sparked the rally with a walk before Cunningham’s bloop single brought her home. With the bases loaded, true freshman Jasmine Lawrence delivered a clutch two-RBI single in her first collegiate at-bat, flipping the game’s momentum.

🥎 Cauley Fires No-Hitter as AUM Softball Rolls to Twin Run-Rule Wins at CSU Invitational

Reese Cauley headlines a dominant day as the Warhawks blast Florida Southern and blank host Columbus State in five innings

MONTGOMERY, Ala. | The Auburn University at Montgomery Warhawks made a thunderous early-season statement Friday, riding a historic no-hitter from Reese Cauley and an explosive offense to a pair of dominant victories at the Columbus State Invitational.

AUM (4-0) opened the day with a 10–3 win over the Florida Southern Mocs, then closed with a five-inning, 10–0 shutout of host Columbus State Cougars, punctuated by Cauley’s first no-hitter of the season.

“Super proud of our team today,” head coach Wilkes Laney said. “Our offense came alive. We had double-digit hits, double-digit runs, and everyone contributed. And Reese throwing a no-hitter was big time. We did a lot of things right.”

🎙️'TELL IT LIKE IT IS' Black History Series Lillian E. Fishburne (1949– ): Breaking the Brass Ceiling in the U.S. Navy

From Cold War command-and-control systems to the Pentagon’s highest strategic corridors, Lillian E. Fishburne forged a historic path as the first African American woman to achieve flag rank in the United States Navy.

When Lillian E. Fishburne was promoted to Rear Admiral on February 1, 1998, she did more than reach one of the Navy’s highest ranks—she permanently altered the face of American military leadership. Promoted by President Bill Clinton, Fishburne became the first African American woman in U.S. history to attain flag rank in the Navy, capping a career defined by technical mastery, strategic vision, and barrier-breaking leadership.

Born on March 25, 1949, in Patuxent River, Maryland, Fishburne was raised in Rockville, where she attended Richard Montgomery High School. Her early academic path led her to Lincoln University in Oxford, Pennsylvania, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology in 1971—just as new opportunities for women in the armed forces were emerging.

In February 1973, Fishburne was commissioned as an ensign after completing training at the Women Officers School in Newport, Rhode Island. Her first assignment, at the Naval Air Test Facility in Lakehurst, New Jersey, placed her at the intersection of personnel, law, and aviation operations—an early indicator of the multidisciplinary career that would follow.