Month: February 2022

The global response to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has been immense, to say the least. Russia invaded Ukraine over the last week and there have been non-stop updates from citizens of both countries, as well as reports related to military attacks. Companies have reportedly also begun severing their ties with Russia and cutting off financial access to banks and accounts, but it has also been reported that Russian sports teams are also feeling the brunt of Vladimir Putin’s large-scale invasion.

According to several reports, Russian soccer teams have been suspended from all international matches, thus making them ineligible for the forthcoming 2022 World Cup. The men’s national team was scheduled to perform in the playoffs in just a few weeks, but “until further notice,” they have been set aside.

Paolo Bruno / Stringer / Getty Images

“Football is fully united here and in full solidarity with all the people affected in Ukraine,” FIFA and UEFA said in a joint statement. This news comes after the International Olympics Committee shared a similar decision as they opted to “exclude Russian athletes and officials from international events,” reports KTLA News in Los Angeles.

These decisions may cause Russia to reportedly lose its global reputation as a formidable force in sports and beyond, as well as hurt the country financially. Teams from varying countries in several sports have vowed not to compete against Russian athletes, including the NHL which has suspended business with Russia during this conflict.

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An altercation that took place on a JetBlue flight has caused the company to receive angry reactions from fans of Quincy. The singer and actor is a familiar name in the industry, if not for his talents, then for being the son of the late Kim Porter and R&B icon Al B. Sure, stepson of Sean “Diddy” Combs, and godson to entertainment icon Quincy Jones.

Quincy isn’t a public figure who often gets himself involved in controversy or beefs, but on Monday (February 28) morning, he shared that he was allegedly manhandled by a JetBlue pilot and thrown off of a flight.

Jamie McCarthy / Staff / Getty Images

“WHAT A FAKKIN FLIGHT [plane emoji] SMH,” Quincy tweeted. “@JetBlue y’all pilot out of pocket for putting his hands on me!! [angry censored emojis] #jetblue.”

In follow-up videos, Quincy is seen complaining about the interaction immediately following being kicked off of the plane. As his story goes, he was seated on the flight but his assistant was running into trouble with one of his bags. It was a bag that reportedly contained his anxiety medication, jewelry, and other personal items that he didn’t want to check at the gate, and he insisted that the luggage was small enough to fit overhead.

However, the ruckus reportedly caused the pilot to intervene, and when Quincy told him that he did not want to check the baggage, he claims the pilot grabbed him by his shirt and forced him out. Watch Quincy detail his experience below. 

We’re sure Chingy did not expect his name to become entangled in drama today (February 28), but he has been trending. The internet is overrun with memes and silly takes on pop culture and politics, but a high-profile executive has found himself out of a job after reposting a photo. John Demsey, the executive group president of mega-cosmetics brand Estée Lauder, was removed from his position with the company after being accused of racism over a meme he reposted on social media.

The meme featured Sesame Street characters Big Bird and Mr. Snuffleupagus, and it included the caption, “My n***a Snuffy sone got the ‘rona at a Chingy concert.”

Astrid Stawiarz / Stringer / Getty Images

The post went viral and Estée Lauder responded on its website, stating that Demsey “must leave the company” because his post does not “reflect” its “values.”

“Inclusion, diversity and equity are core to our company’s values and priorities globally. Furthermore, over the past two years, we have worked together as an organization to advance our approach to racial equity and have taken a hard look at where we can and should do better,” the company said.

A spokesperson for Estée Lauder clarified that Demsey “was not fired, he was told he had to leave the company and is retiring this week.”

A distraught Demsey returned to social media with an apology. “I am terribly sorry and deeply ashamed that I hurt so many people when I made the horrible mistake of carelessly reposting a racist meme without reading it beforehand. There are not enough words to express my remorse and sorrow,” he wrote.

“Not only did I hurt many people whom I respect, the terrible mistake that I made has undermined everything I have been working for since I began my career 31 years ago. The meme is the furthest thing from what I stand for and I should have never reposted it… I am so sorry that I let down the Company that I have dedicated my life’s work to as well as its employees, artists, friends, and colleagues. I hope that in time people will judge me, not for this awful mistake, but for my lifetime of words and actions, which demonstrate my respect for all people.”

The internet has been having fun with this one as they question how Chingy reacted to seeing his name in the news. Check it out below. 

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