Televangelist George Bloomer wins $62.2M in racial discrimination lawsuit against Word Network

 Televangelist George Bloomer was awarded $62.2 million by a federal jury, four years after suing Kevin Adell, the white owner of The Word Network, billed as the “largest African American religious network in the world,” for race discrimination, harassment, and retaliation.

A federal jury in Detroit made the award Wednesday following a five-day trial before U.S. District Judge Susan DeClercq, The Detroit News reported.

Bloomer, 63, who founded the Bethel Family Worship Center, a multicultural ministry in Durham, North Carolina, hosted the television programs “Rejoice in the Word” and “The First Word” on the network from approximately 2011 to September 2019. He left the network in 2019 following an uproar over a controversial meme showing the pimping of black pastors. Black pastors protested and called for a boycott of the network.

In the petition calling for the boycott, Bloomer alleged that in September 2019, Adell texted a photoshopped image of himself dressed as a pimp surrounded by well-known black clergy he called “hoes” to various staff members, many of whom are black. Bloomer was included in the text.

“When Bishop Bloomer stated: ‘This is not funny. This is not good. That pimp talk and hoe talk has racist connotations for Black people.’ Adell texted Bishop Bloomer a second time and said that ‘it’s funny and he should get over it,’” the petition said.

Televangelist George Bloomer wins $62.2M in discrimination suit | U.S.

Is the LGBT fad fading?

 On an especially prescient episode of “Seinfeld,” Kramer refused to “wear the ribbon” during a walk-a-thon to support AIDS research.

Last month, life imitated art at a school in Burlington, Massachusetts, when a group of middle schoolers refused to participate in Pride Day. Instead of rainbow colors, many wore black, or even red, white, and blue. Some announced their pronouns as “U, S, and A.” When teachers and community leaders denounced their sacrilege, parents came to their kids’ defense. As one mom said, “I wish these schools would pump the brakes on what they are shoving down our kids throats.” 

This may not be a random incident. After astonishing growth in the last few decades, the number of young people, identifying as LGBT is now in decline. “Trans identification,” according to Professor and author Eric Kaufmann, “is in freefall. (And) non-conforming sexual identity is also in sharp decline.” Last year, his report on the student body survey from the exclusive Phillips Academy Andover found “a drop from over 9% non-binary in 2023 to 3% in 2025.”  

Is the LGBT fad fading?

Confused About Pope Leo’s Death Penalty Comments? Here’s What You Need To Know | Ep 302

 

Texas AG Ken Paxton qualifies support for data centers: 'A yes with conditions'

 Texas Attorney General and Republican U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton outlined what he called a conditional “Texas first” approach to data center development in an attempt to quell opposition from residents concerned about losing their water, particularly in rural areas, and spikes in utility rates.  

Speaking to an audience of small business owners and community leaders at the “In Dialogue: Texas” event hosted by the United States Hispanic Business Council (USHBC) in Fort Worth on Saturday, Paxton said he sees data centers as essential rather than optional. “This is not an extreme yes-no. This is a yes with conditions,” he told USHBC President and CEO Javier Palomarez. 

Paxton qualifies support for data centers: A yes with conditions | Politics

Christa Pike's botched execution sparks debate on death penalty: 'This has to stop now'

 Following the failed execution of death row inmate Christa Pike, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said an investigation is needed to determine what went wrong. The case has drawn reactions from pro-life advocates and from both opponents and supporters of the death penalty.

Pike’s execution on Wednesday did not go as planned. She remained alive after receiving two syringes of lethal injection chemicals. State officials later told the Tennessee Supreme Court that Pike was being taken to a hospital for medical care.

Christa Pike's botched execution sparks debate on death penalty | U.S.

Spanish King Felipe VI Admonishes Migrant Invasion of Ceuta as ‘Unacceptable’

The King referred to the Spanish exclave in remarks during a gala diner at the Royal Palace of Madrid on the occasion of French President Emmanuel Macron and First Lady Brigitte Macron’s official visit to Spain. King Felipe called on the European Union to be “more effective and show greater solidarity” in protecting the Union’s borders, referring to the mass migrant invasion of Ceuta. 

 “What happened in Ceuta this summer, the massive influx of tens of thousands of people crossing a Spanish border — which is also a European border — is unacceptable and poses a major challenge from the standpoint of security, public order, and humanitarian concerns,” King Felipe said. King Felipe insisted the situation of Ceuta “must lead to strengthened collaboration” among E.U. member states when it comes to resources and cooperation. The Spanish King noted European nations geographically located on the E.U.’s external borders face greater pressure and cannot “shoulder alone a responsibility that belongs to us all.”

Spanish King Felipe VI Admonishes Migrant Invasion of Ceuta as 'Unacceptable'

‘Second 9/11 prevented’: Israel suspects pilot tried to hijack flight to Tel Aviv in attempted terror attack

 After a plane traveling from Dubai to Tel Avivissued an emergency signal before landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Israel is treating the incident as a suspected terror attack and working to bring the approximately 180 passengers home aboard an Israeli Air Force plane.

A senior Israeli official told Channel 12 that “the most severe disaster was prevented” and that authorities are investigating growing indications that the copilot tried to stab his colleague with a knife and take over the plane in order to crash it.

Initial reports suggest that passengers intervened to subdue the pilot, while a second flight crew on board helped to land the plane.

“Following concerns over an aviation incident, Prime Minister Netanyahu held consultations on the matter and is monitoring developments. The incident is under control, and all measures are currently being deployed in order to return the Israeli passengers safely to Israel,” the prime minister’s office stated.

On Wednesday morning, a flydubai flight sent out a “squawk code” of 7700, which is an international emergency signal, while turning around in the northern Saudi desert before disappearing from flight radars.

: Israel suspects pilot tried to hijack flight to Tel Aviv | World