The president of the University of Virginia is resigning his position under pressure from the Justice Department, which had pushed for his departure amid scrutiny of the school’s diversity, equity and inclusion practices, a person familiar with the matter said Friday.

The departure of James Ryan, who had led the school since 2018, represents a dramatic escalation in the Trump administration’s effort to reshape higher education. Doing it at a public university marks a new frontier in a campaign that has almost exclusively targeted Ivy League schools. It also widens the rationale behind the government’s aggressive tactics, focusing on DEI rather than alleged tolerance of antisemitism.

Ryan had faced conservative criticism that he failed to heed federal orders to eliminate DEI policies, and his removal was pushed by the Justice Department as a way to help resolve a department inquiry targeting the school, according to the person, who was not authorized to discuss the move by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press.

The New York Times first reported on the resignation and the Justice Department’s insistence on it. The Justice Department declined to comment Friday.

Ryan’s removal is another example of the Trump administration using “thuggery instead of rational discourse,” said Ted Mitchell, president of the American Council on Education, which represents university presidents.

“This is a dark day for the University of Virginia, a dark day for higher education, and it promises more of the same,” Mitchell said. “It’s clear the administration is not done and will use every tool that it can make or invent to exert its will over higher education.”

Virginia’s Democratic senators react

In a joint statement, Virginia’s Democratic senators said it was outrageous that the Trump administration would demand Ryan’s resignation over “‘culture war’ traps.” “This is a mistake that hurts Virginia’s future,” Sens. Mark R. Warner and Tim Kaine said.

After campaigning on a promise to end “wokeness” in education, Trump signed a January action ordering the elimination of DEI programs and “radical indoctrination” across the nation’s schools and universities. The Education Department has opened investigations into dozens of colleges, arguing that diversity initiatives discriminate against white and Asian American students.

The response from schools has been scattered. Some have closed DEI offices, ended diversity scholarships and no longer require diversity statements as part of the hiring process. Some others have rebranded DEI work under other names, while some have held firm on diversity policies.

The University of Virginia became a flashpoint after conservative critics accused it of simply renaming its DEI initiatives. The school’s governing body voted to shutter the DEI office in March and end diversity policies in admissions, hiring, financial aid and other areas. Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin celebrated the action, declaring that “DEI is done at the University of Virginia.”

Among those drawing attention to the Charlottesville campus was America First Legal, a conservative group founded by Trump aide Stephen Miller. In a May letter to the Justice Department, the group said the university failed to dismantle DEI programs and chose to “rename, repackage, and redeploy the same unlawful infrastructure under a lexicon of euphemisms.”

The group directly took aim at Ryan, noting that he joined hundreds of other college presidents in signing a public statement condemning the “overreach and political interference” of the Trump administration.

Ryan has been leading the school since 2018

Ryan was hired to lead the University of Virginia in 2018 and previously served as the dean of Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education. Earlier in his career he spent more than a decade as a law professor at the University of Virginia. A biography on Harvard’s website credits Ryan with increasing the “size, strength and diversity” of the faculty, adding that building a diverse community was a priority.

Mitchell, of the presidents’ association, described Ryan as a president who leaves education in Virginia better than when he arrived.

“These have not been easy times, and he has balanced a lot of different constituent interests with delicacy,” Mitchell said.

Until now, the White House had directed most of its attention at Harvard University and other elite institutions that Trump sees as bastions of liberalism. Harvard has lost more than $2.6 billion in federal research grants amid its battle with the government, which has also attempted to block the school from hosting foreign students and threatened to revoke its tax-exempt status.

Harvard and its $53 billion endowment are uniquely positioned to weather the government’s financial pressure. Public universities, however, are far more dependent on taxpayer money and could be more vulnerable. The University of Virginia’s $10 billion endowment is among the largest for public universities, while the vast majority have far less.

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A new report alleges that Jordon Hudson, the 24-year-old girlfriend of NFL coaching legend Bill Belichick, sent a harsh private message targeting his former longtime partner, Linda Holliday, after discovering an emotional letter Holliday had written to Belichick during their relationship.

According to exclusive reporting from the Daily Mail, Hudson did not hold back after finding what she viewed as a “pathetic” email from Holliday, 62, leading to a series of messages that included name-calling, accusations, and an apparent attempt to embarrass Holliday further through social media.

An Email from 2015 Allegedly Sparked Jordon Hudson’s Outrage

The email in question, reportedly written by Holliday in November 2015, was discovered by Hudson in an invoice file at Belichick’s $2.2 million home in Hingham, Massachusetts. The letter allegedly contained deeply personal sentiments, including Holliday expressing feelings of exclusion and frustration with Belichick’s continued support of his ex-wife, Debbie Clarke.

“Hi my baby,” the letter allegedly began, followed by several grievances. Holliday purportedly wrote that Belichick would “bend over backwards” for Clarke, with whom he shares three children, and even purchased three rental properties with her in 2015.

In the email, Holliday is also said to have written, “I’m the one that loves and adores you and respects you and tries never to ask too much of you and tries to ALWAYS remind you how grateful I am of your love.” She added that she often felt like “the disposable one” and was not allowed to discuss certain topics with him without conflict.

Hudson Reportedly Mocked Holliday in Private Instagram Exchange

According to Daily Mail, Hudson reacted to the discovery by launching into a biting response aimed at both Holliday and a woman she believed to be part of her inner circle. Screenshots reviewed by the publication show Hudson sending a photograph of the printed letter to the woman via Instagram, along with a sarcastic and insulting caption.

“Hey babes! Since you are tight with Ms Holliday, would you please ask her what she would like me to do with this letter I found from 2015?” Hudson reportedly wrote. “Due to its pathetic and embarrassing content, I imagine she wants it back. She should make the point to burn it so she continue [sic] to live in delusional denial (that her relationship with BB wasn’t doomed yeaaaaars prior to him finally dumping her).”

Hudson further accused Holliday of manipulating her friends and the public into believing that Hudson was responsible for ending Holliday’s relationship with Belichick.

Heated Allegations Follow Earlier Social Tensions and Ongoing Public Scrutiny

The Instagram confrontation reportedly escalated after Hudson was labeled a “gold digger” by the woman, prompting her defensive response. The digital dispute has now added another chapter to the ongoing drama between Belichick’s past and present relationships.

Belichick and Holliday began dating in 2007 and quietly ended their 16-year relationship in 2023. Hudson, a former cheerleader and beauty pageant contestant, reportedly met Belichick on a flight in 2021. They are said to have bonded over a shared interest in philosophy before their romantic relationship began sometime after his split with Holliday.

Hudson’s arrival into Belichick’s life has sparked intense public interest, in part due to their 39-year age difference and in part due to her reportedly frosty reception within the upper-crust Nantucket social circles that Holliday once dominated. Page Six reported that Hudson has been largely “iced out” by Belichick’s elite circle of friends and social acquaintances.

Details from the Letter Reveal Holliday’s Struggles in Her Relationship with Belichick

The email uncovered by Hudson offers a rare glimpse into the emotional challenges Holliday allegedly faced during her years with Belichick. In the letter, she reportedly expressed hurt over Belichick’s treatment of his ex-wife, Clarke, and lamented the lack of emotional reciprocity in their own relationship.

Holliday’s message included pointed questions such as, “Why do you do everything for what’s her name that I’m not allowed to speak of ever, but ask nothing from her?” referring to Clarke. She also reportedly admitted that although she felt guilty about how much Belichick had done for her, she accepted that they were not married.

Belichick and Clarke were married from 1977 to 2006. Clarke is the mother of Belichick’s children, Amanda, Stephen, and Brian.

Tensions Between Hudson and Holliday Appear to Be Longstanding

This is not the first reported incident of friction between Hudson and Holliday. In December 2024, the two women allegedly had a tense run-in at a Massachusetts event. Despite maintaining a public silence, sources close to the situation say that Hudson’s latest move was a calculated effort to send a message: she is now the central figure in Belichick’s personal life.

Neither Hudson nor Holliday responded to the Daily Mail’s request for comment on the matter. Belichick has also remained silent.

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PHOTO : Getty Images

The courtroom got uncomfortably quiet on Day 28 of Sean “Diddy” Combs’ ongoing federal trial as prosecutors read aloud a series of disturbing text exchanges allegedly between the hip-hop mogul and a woman identified only as Jane Doe.

According to courtroom transcripts, Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) alongside FBI Special Agent Cerciello acted out the messages before the jury—shedding light on what prosecutors claim is a deeply abusive and manipulative relationship.

AUSA (as Jane Doe): “It’s been three years of me having to fck strangers. I can’t be in another hotel room performing for days.”*

Agent Cerciello (as Diddy): “Let me make love to you.”

The dramatized exchange stunned those in court and painted a chilling picture of emotional coercion and trauma. Prosecutors allege this was just one example of a recurring pattern of control, exploitation, and psychological manipulation.

The reenactments continued with more messages, where Jane Doe allegedly pleaded for space, autonomy, and safety—only to be met with romanticized responses from Combs, suggesting an ongoing power imbalance and emotional gaslighting.

Federal officials say the messages highlight a pattern of behavior central to the prosecution’s argument—that behind the luxury and celebrity was a dark world of manipulation, control, and exploitation.

While prosecutors delivered their dramatic reading, Diddy’s attorneys looked visibly tense. His defense team maintains that consent and context are being misrepresented—and that the messages, while emotional, are being twisted for narrative effect.

As the federal RICO case against Combs continues to unfold, this latest courtroom moment only intensifies the national spotlight on one of the most high-profile trials in music history.

Noir Nation, what are your thoughts on this new development?

From carpentry to consulting, Davis says real business thinking starts with self-awareness and strategy.

Earlier this year, Keke Palmer received a collective side-eye from social media users when she teased a podcast episode with actor Jonathan Majors. Now, Palmer is finally addressing what happened to the since-scraped podcast episode during an appearance on “The Breakfast Club.“

“This is the thing, with me as a public figure and entertainer, when I’m doing my host thing, I’m here to be unbiased. Everybody that sits in your chair, you don’t agree with everything they did, you don’t love everything, but you’ve got to have the conversation,” she said, explaining her thought process behind interviewing Majors. “You have to set the stage for them to speak and for people to watch and take what they want to take from it.” So that’s why I was open and excited to do the interview.”

While Palmer leads the creative direction of her podcast, “Baby, It’s Keke Palmer,” the multi-hyphenate star explained that the partners she works with decided it would be best to scrap the episode following the public’s reactions. At the same time, some social media users were open to seeing how Palmer approached her conversation with the actor who was convicted of two misdemeanor charges for assault and harassment against his ex-girlfriend, Grace Jabbari. However, many expressed disappointment in the star, given her history of speaking out against abuse. 

“I always want to be respectful and understand where everybody’s coming from,” she shared. “But I sat down with the brother for us to talk and let him be heard.  At the end of the day, I just felt like as a journalist, I’m supposed to talk, and we’re  supposed to [listen] and let the public decide how they want to feel.”

Noting how members of the media interview serial killers (don’t get it twisted, Palmer stressed she is not comparing Majors to a serial killer), she didn’t see any harm in giving Majors a space to answer the questions audiences want to know. 

“I don’t judge nobody cuz I don’t want to be judged,” she concluded, adding that she’s wishing Majors and his wife, Meagan Good, nothing but the best. “At the end of the day, I’m happy for Meagan. I’m happy for them. And maybe one day we’ll get a chance to put [the interview] out, I’m not sure.” 

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Houston Rockets star Dillon Brooks has asked for a restraining order against the mother of his two children, alleging a chilling past history of emotional abuse, harassment, and alleged threats of violence. Brooks alleges in court documents obtained by TMZ that his ex, Heather Andrews, threatened to mutilate his fingers to end his career as a professional basketball player.

The court complaint, made public earlier this week, outlines a volatile relationship that began in 2018 when the two men first met in a Las Vegas club. The relationship, Brooks claims, got wild about a month after Andrews became pregnant with their first child. Despite an initial flurry of red flags, Brooks says he continued to see Andrews, and the couple had a second child together.

In his court filing, Brooks complains that Andrews has been sending him “emotionally abusive” texts and dumping their private discussion on celebrity blogs, warning that she would destroy his career and reputation. Worse, the 28-year-old basketball phenom alleges that Andrews ratcheted up her game the last few years, including a particularly sinister text message in which she purportedly swore to “cut [his] fingers off so [he] would never be able to play basketball again.”

Brooks also provided additional evidence of alleged harassment. In one of the episodes, he claims Andrews defaced a mantle in his home by writing the words “you suck b***h” everywhere on it. The filing includes pictures of the damage, which he claims further support his concerns about her escalating behavior.

The Rockets player also accuses Andrews of taking her threats against his family to a higher level. In one message, she allegedly wrote, “I’ll send someone after your mom to [sic] b***h,” a statement Brooks says is part of a continuing series of intimidation and emotional manipulation.

This action came a year after Andrews herself had obtained a restraining order against him, claiming he had threatened and harassed her. The two restraining orders paint a complex and charged picture of a co-parenting relationship marred by mutual recrimination and court fight.

Neither Brooks nor Andrews has, to date, made a public comment about the new filing. The Rockets organization has not commented on it, either. To date, the NBA has not released any disciplinary actions or inquiries.

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PHOTO : AP News

The U.S. Supreme Court has just paved the way for one of the Trump administration’s most controversial immigration policies to take effect—even under a new presidency.

According to Fox News, the high court voted 6–3 on Monday (June 23) to allow migrants to be deported to third-party countries, even if those migrants have zero prior connection to the place they’re being sent.

The policy permits immigration officials to forcibly remove asylum seekers from the United States and send them to an entirely different country—without a hearing, without legal counsel, and without notice.

The decision temporarily blocks a lower court ruling that had previously required the U.S. government to allow migrants an opportunity to argue their case before being relocated to an unfamiliar—and potentially dangerous—destination.

The ruling has sparked immediate backlash from immigration advocates and human rights organizations.

“This ruling is deeply concerning. It removes basic human rights protections for migrants who are already in vulnerable positions,” said Omar Jadwat, director of the ACLU’s Immigrants’ Rights Project.

Advocates warn that the policy could result in thousands of people being sent to unstable nations with little to no safety infrastructure or humanitarian support.

The third-party nation rule allows deportations to countries such as Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador—even if the person in question has never set foot there or has no family ties or support network in the region.

Critics argue this violates international asylum laws and puts lives in danger.

The 6–3 ruling reflects the current conservative majority of the Supreme Court, which continues to weigh heavily on hot-button political and humanitarian issues. Dissenting justices warned that the decision “strips away fundamental protections.”

“The Court is sanctioning a system that treats people fleeing persecution as disposable,” said Justice Sonia Sotomayor in her dissent.

Noir Nation, how do y’all feel about this ruling? Is this about national security or is it another step toward erasing human rights?

She didn’t walk the runway, but all eyes were on Sudanese-American model Anok Yai, who made heads turn at the Pompidou Centre in Paris on June 24 when she arrived at the Louis Vuitton SS26 menswear fashion show.

Video will return here when scrolled back into view

Walter Davis On Building a Black-Owned Bank From Zero to $2 billion

Walter Davis On Building a Black-Owned Bank From Zero to $2 billion

Yai, who could honestly show up in a paper bag and make it look couture, dressed up a black Louis Vuitton tracksuit with simple gold accessories, shoes, and a Louis bag of her own, of course.

And if she wasn’t already stunning enough, Yai’s look was finished off with a fresh blushy beat by professional makeup master Ngozi Edeme, known to her fans on social media as PaintedByEsther. Yai kept her hair simple wearing a straight, waist-length style set off by two braids in the front. Believe us when we tell you that her bangs were banging.

See how Yai gave a master class in how to make a simple outfit look super chic for yourself here:

Yai’s image has since gone viral, lighting up every corner of the internet with comments from folks who were blown away by her beauty.

“Face devoured makeup ate !!!” wrote someone on X.

Others could barely find words to describe how gorgeous she looked.

“So insane I cant deal,” wrote another commenter on TikTok.

Born in Sudan and raised in New Hampshire, Yai was discovered by a photographer while hanging out with friends at Howard University’s homecoming back in 2017. And while her parents gave her some serious side-eye when she announced she was leaving her biochemistry studies at Plymouth State University, to pursue modeling full-time, she has more than proved she made the right decision. In just a few short years in the biz, she’s become a high-fashion it-girl, walking for Versace, Saint Laurent and Victoria’s Secret.

Her fans are definitely glad she chose the runway over the science lab.

“Perfection exists and it’s Anok Yai,” wrote someone on TikTok.

Suspended Tampa Bay Rays shortstop Wander Franco was convicted of sexually abusing a child and handed a two-year suspended sentence Thursday.

Franco was arrested last year after being accused of having a four-month relationship with a girl who was 14 at the time, and of transferring thousands of dollars to her mother to consent to the illegal relationship.

Franco, now 24, was found not guilty of charges of sexual and commercial exploitation against a minor and human trafficking.

Judge Jakayra Veras García said Franco made a bad decision as she addressed him during the ruling.

“Look at us, Wander,” she said. “Do not approach minors for sexual purposes. If you don’t like people very close to your age, you have to wait your time.”

Prosecutors had requested a five-year prison sentence against Franco and a 10-year sentence against the girl’s mother, who was found guilty and will serve the full term.

“Apparently she was the one who thought she was handling the bat in the big leagues,” Veras said of the mother and her request that Franco pay for her daughter’s schooling and other expenses.

Franco’s attorney, Irina Ventura, said she would appeal the judge’s ruling: “Evidently, justice was not done.”

Meanwhile, prosecutor Luis Martínez said he was pleased with the rulings but did not say whether the government would appeal.

Before the three judges issued their unanimous ruling, Veras reviewed the extensive evidence prosecutors presented during trial, including testimony from 31 witnesses.

“This is a somewhat complex process,” Veras said.

More than an hour into her presentation, Veras said: “The court has understood that this minor was manipulated.”

As the judge continued her review, Franco looked ahead expressionless, leaning forward at times.

Franco, who was once the team’s star shortstop, had signed a $182 million, 11-year contract through 2032 in November 2021 but saw his career abruptly halted in August 2023 after authorities in the Dominican Republic announced they were investigating him for an alleged relationship with a minor. Franco was 22 at the time.

In January 2024, authorities arrested Franco in the Dominican Republic. Six months later, Tampa Bay placed him on the restricted list, which cut off the pay he had been receiving while on administrative leave.

He was placed on that list because he has not been able to report to the team and would need a new U.S. visa to do so.

While Franco awaited trial on conditional release, he was arrested again in November last year following what Dominican authorities called an altercation over a woman’s attention. He was charged with illegally carrying a semiautomatic Glock 19 that police said was registered to his uncle.

That case is still pending in court.

After the ruling, Major League Baseball issued a brief statement noting it had collectively bargained a joint domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse policy “that reflects our commitment to these issues.”

“We are aware of today’s verdict in the Wander Franco trial and will conclude our investigation at the appropriate time,” MLB said.

___

Associated Press writers Dánica Coto in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Ron Blum in New York contributed to this report.