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Get ready for another adventure in a galaxy far, far away! The second season of Lucasfilm’s hit animated series, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures,” is set to premiere on Disney+ and Disney Junior on Wednesday, August 14th. Fans can expect even more exciting missions for Jedi younglings Kai Brightstar, Lys Solay, and Nubs as they continue their training.

But the Force fun doesn’t stop there! A series of special shorts featuring everyone’s favorite furry friend, Nubs, will debut on both Disney+ and Disney Junior on August 2nd, giving viewers a sneak peek at what’s to come in Season 2.

The new season takes place 200 years before the events of “Star Wars: The Phantom Menace,” during the High Republic era. We’ll rejoin Kai, Lys, and Nubs as they delve deeper into the ways of the Force under the guidance of Master Zia and her new Padawan, Wes Vinik, alongside his trusty astromech droid, R0-M1.

Their journey will take them to new planets, where they’ll encounter both familiar faces and new challenges, including the growing ranks of the pirate gang, The Ganguls.

Produced by Lucasfilm in collaboration with Wild Canary, “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” is executive produced by Lucasfilm’s James Waugh, Jacqui Lopez, and Josh Rimes. The series is helmed by showrunner and executive producer Michael Olson, with Elliot M. Bour serving as supervising director and co-executive producer, and Lamont Magee as consulting producer. Icon Creative provides production services.

The Force is strong with the voice cast, featuring JeCobi Swain as Kai Brightstar, Juliet Donenfeld as Lys Solay, Dee Bradley Baker as Nubs, Emma Berman as Nash Durango, Trey Murphy as Taborr/Cyrus Vuundir, Nasim Pedrad as Master Zia Zanna, Gunnar Sizemore as Wes Vinik, and the legendary Piotr Michael as Master Yoda.

Mark your calendars and prepare for lightsaber-wielding fun! “Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures” Season 2 sets off on its exciting adventure on August 14th, with the second half arriving in early 2025. Don’t forget to catch the special Nubs shorts starting August 2nd!

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Democratic leaders slammed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s recent insult of Milwaukee, which they see as a direct slight to Black and brown communities across the city. 

“For folks who are saying Donald Trump is trying to make inroads for Black voters, well, he’s telling Black voters, he’s telling brown voters exactly how he feels by attacking the most diverse city in a state that he is desperately trying to win in November,” said Mandela Barnes, a senior fellow at People For the American Way.  

According to reports, Trump railed against Milwaukee as a “horrible city” during a closed-door meeting on Thursday with Republican lawmakers on Capitol Hill. Trump and Republicans tried to clarify that the former president’s remarks were about the city’s crime rate and not the city itself. 

In response, Barnes, a former Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senate nominee, told theGrio that if the “terrible ex-president” wants to assess his hometown of Milwaukee as a “terrible city [and] the same place that he’s gonna be coronated in a couple months, we can reduce the criminal element by keeping him out of it,” in reference to Trump’s criminal conviction and three other criminal indictments.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson, who is Black, also had tough words for Trump after the reported snub against a city that’s more than 42% Black and brown.

“If Donald Trump was talking about things that he thinks are horrible, all of us lived through his presidency, so, right back at you, buddy,” Johnson said during a press conference.

The 37-year-old mayor later told CNN that he also found it “bizarre” that Trump would disparage a city where he will soon be nominated as the Republican Party’s presidential nominee in July during the Republican National Convention. Not to mention, he said there were “roughly 50,000 people who vote Republican here in the city.” He added, “Politically, don’t bite the hand that could potentially feed you.”

Pointing to Trump’s desire to return to the White House, Johnson said that if cities like Milwaukee are deemed horrible, “we should work in this city and cities all across the country to make sure that he doesn’t have to live in another city that he probably thinks is horrible as well, and that’s Washington, D.C.”

Chris Walton, a former chair of the Milwaukee Democratic Party, told theGrio that Trump’s comment about the city was “100%” about race. He said Republicans constantly “attack, denigrate and berate” Milwaukee, despite it being an “economic engine” for the state.

“It literally produces at least a third of the state’s budget, and they continuously take our money and treat us like s—,” he bemoaned. 

Walton also called out Trump and his 2020 campaign for trying to “throw out hundreds of thousands of votes” in Milwaukee County, which is majority Black, based on false claims of voter fraud. 

“This is who he has always been. He’s the one who wouldn’t rent to Black people. He’s the one who stood up and said we need to [execute] the Central Park Five,” he recalled.

Walton said this moment is another opportunity for Black voters to reject Trump’s aims to reclaim the presidency. 

“The Black vote in a place like Milwaukee, same with Detroit, same with Philly, same with Atlanta and Charlotte, we can determine who the next president of the United States will be,” he argued. “We already know who he is. We do not need to go back in that direction.”

By contrast, Walton said President Joe Biden is “actively working for the Black community” and purposefully doing so. He highlighted the administration’s policies like reducing the cost of diabetes medication, cutting Black child poverty in half, appointing a record number of Black female federal judges, and signing the nation’s first federal antilynching law named after Emmett Till.

Organizations like Hip Hop Caucus and People For the American Way are on the ground in cities like Milwaukee, registering Black voters and educating them about the policy issues that directly impact them ahead of the Nov. 5 elections. 

“We’re scaling up the largest Black mobilization effort ever in the history of the state, and we’re not talking to the people that we already expect to show up to vote,” Barnes said of efforts in Wisconsin, a crucial battleground state that will help determine the presidential election.

“We’re talking to the people who probably are unlikely to show up to vote or could be easily dissuaded from voting,” he told theGrio. “We’re hitting them with the facts. We’re hitting them with the truth, letting them know what’s up, what’s at stake, and how they can be a part of improving the quality of life for people all over this country.”

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Acclaimed Scottish singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Nina Nesbitt today unveils another soul-stirring track from her highly anticipated album, Mountain Music. The new song, “I’m Coming Home,” is a rousing, Springsteen-inspired journey that celebrates returning to the places and people she loves.

Speaking about the track, Nina shares, “’I’m Coming Home’ is a song for rolling down the windows, driving up the dirt roads on your way back home. I was inspired by some old Bruce Springsteen songs and a lot of the US folk music I was listening to when making the album, but I’d never heard a song about growing up in a Scottish village, so I wanted to add my own narrative to all the classic ‘coming home’ folk songs. It’s an ode to my Scottish roots.”

“I’m Coming Home” follows previously released singles “Pages,” “On The Run,” and most recently, “Mansion,” a spectral track that dropped this past spring. These singles build anticipation for Mountain Music, set to release on September 27 via Nesbitt’s own label, Apple Tree Records. The album is now available for pre-order/save on various platforms.

In addition to the digital release, Nina has announced exclusive Roadtrip Bundles, available to pre-order now on her official online store. These bundles include a signed copy of the new album on CD or vinyl, cassette, bumper stickers, and specially commissioned Mountain Music maps designed by artist Sarah Obtinalla. For more information and to pre-order a Roadtrip Bundle, fans can visit Nina’s official store.

Nesbitt, who rose to fame at a young age with her candid pop music, praised by stars including Taylor Swift, is now exploring new artistic realms. Mountain Music is partially inspired by her two-year tour across the United States supporting her second studio album, The Sun Will Come Up, The Seasons Will Change, which has garnered over a billion streams.

The songs on Mountain Music are imbued with nods to US folk and Americana. The album is co-produced by Peter Miles and Nesbitt, mixed and mastered by Miles at MiddleFarm Studio in South Devon, UK. Released under her own label, Apple Tree Records, the name nods to her 2012 debut EP, The Apple Tree, marking an exciting new chapter in Nesbitt’s career.

Reflecting on her new work, Nina says, “I’m beyond excited to be releasing my new album, Mountain Music, on 27th September. To me, it feels like the most authentic and honest piece of work I’ve created so far. I was inspired by a lot of the American folk music I grew up listening to, and revisiting it made me fall back in love with writing music again. This album celebrates that small-town girl, puts an arm around the big city twenty-something, and looks back at the view with me now from the calm and quiet. It’ll be the first release on my own record label, which I’m delighted about. It feels like the perfect time to take full control of my career and put my stake in the ground as the artist I’ve always dreamed of being. Mountain Music held my hand through some of my hardest moments, and I hope it can hold yours too.”

Last month, Nina played a sold-out show at London’s Camden Assembly, debuting new tracks from the album. She thanked her fans on social media, saying, “Thank you so much for last night, London. For selling this show out in under a minute, singing along to even the unreleased songs, listening so intently to the ones you haven’t heard. I’m even more excited for Mountain Music after that. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.” Just days before, Nina performed at London’s iconic O2 Arena, joining American singer-songwriter LeAnn Rimes as a special guest, an experience she described as “magical.”

Fans can stay tuned for more music and live dates to be announced soon. Nina will next perform live at London BST Hyde Park on July 12, joining the legendary Stevie Nicks. For a full list of upcoming tour dates, visit ninanesbittmusic.com.

“I’m Coming Home” is available everywhere today.

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For those questioning why Rihanna chose to debut her new haircare line, Fenty Hair, wearing what appeared to be a pixie-cut wig followed by a more recently revealed closely cropped natural, the megastar just gave more insight into her hair journey: postpartum hair loss.

While speaking with Refinery29 during the Fenty Hair launch party in Los Angeles on Monday, the mother of two shared that she had begun losing hair following the births of sons Rza, aged 2, and Riot Rose, 10 months, as reported by People magazine.

“I didn’t expect it to happen in waves. I thought it would just happen and grow back,” she said, joking that hair loss was “not on the pamphlet” for postpartum symptoms. 

In fact, hair loss is a common and unpreventable post-delivery occurrence for new mothers caused by the dramatic fluctuation in hormones during and after pregnancy. The American Academy of Dermatology Association posits that “This is normal — and it is not true hair loss,” adding, “The good news is that this excessive shedding is temporary, and you do not have to do anything to remedy it.” It says most women will see normal fullness return within the first year after delivery, as new strands begin regrowing as soon as old ones are shed. However, as the National Institutes of Health also explain, this “diffuse alopecia” typically begins about two to four months post-delivery and can last from six months to a year.

As Rihanna-watchers know, the “Work” singer announced her second pregnancy almost nine months to the day after giving birth to Rza. It is not known whether or not quickly successive pregnancies may have further contributed to Rihanna “losing her hair in patches,” as People reported, but as she told Refinery29, “At that point, you’re just like ‘alright, enough is enough.’” 

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Adding to her long legacy of chameleon-like hair changes, the beauty mogul disguised her hair loss by getting “more creative and clever” with her styling before giving fans a rare glimpse at her naturally textured, honey-blonde curly crop. Dermatologists suggest that new moms dealing with shedding try volumizing shampoos and lightweight conditioners designed for fine hair while avoiding any heavy or deep conditioners, conditioning shampoos, or conditioning beyond the mid-shaft to the ends of the hair until normal fullness has returned, to prevent weighing hair down. Women who do not regain fullness after the first year are advised to see a dermatologist for further diagnosis and treatment.

As for Rihanna’s own at-home treatments, one might presume they include the new formulations by Fenty Hair. Released Thursday, the brand has marketed itself as both strengthening and repairing through its proprietary complex, Replenicore-5, “which contains amino acids, proteins and antioxidants like Barbados gooseberry, upcycled jackfruit extract, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, and green tea extract,” reports Women’s Wear Daily. 

“Considering all hair types, considering all of the brands that I’ve been in love with my entire life, I’m thinking, ‘If it’s not better than this one, it can’t work,’” Rihanna told the crowd at her launch. Explaining the four-year process of creating her latest brand, she also referred to the infinite creativity hairstyles have afforded her over the course of her career.

“Evolving as a woman and even as an artist, hair has been such a huge part of that and a reflection of whatever I’m feeling,” she shared. “So, it changes a lot, and my hair goes through a lot. Making this brand, I had to consider all of those things. I want to look fly, but I want my hair to be healthy. How do I do that? All of my products need to strengthen and repair while I’m out just being fabulous.”

With an uptick of recent coverage of members of Black fraternities and sororities denouncing their letters, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc’s International President Elsie Cooke-Holmes has released a public statement addressing the coverage and the denouncers.

Here is the public statement, which was posted to the sorority’s social media channel’s on June 13th, 2024:

“Delta Sigma Theta Sorority’s membership continues to grow, with thousands joining our cherished sisterhood each year, energized by our mission and inspired by 111 years of impact in communities across the nation and around the globe. While social media tends to magnify outliers, individuals choosing to withdraw represent less than 1% of our membership.

We accept the decision of those who choose to withdraw their membership – we wish former members peace and clarity. However, there is a documented process for withdrawal from the Sorority, adopted at our 56th National Convention in 2023. Individuals who fail to adhere to the protocols outlined in our Constitution and Bylaws will be summarily expelled and subject to civil legal action by the Sorority for violating our intellectual property.

Delta’s strength lies in its members! Among us are trailblazers, including respected theologians, trusted community leaders, and changemakers in collegiate chapters and beyond. We also stand united with our D9 brothers and sisters as we advance our missions as stewards of the Black community, protectors of our democracy, and beacons of cultural pride. In this consequential election year, we cannot afford to be distracted from our important agenda – too much is at stake.

Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. has 350,000 initiated members and more than 1,050 chapters across the United States and internationally, including in the Arabian Gulf, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Germany, Jamaica, Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the Virgin Islands.

Let’s continue to move forward with fortitude!”

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K-Pop sensation Nayeon of TWICE unveiled her latest masterpiece to the world: the music video for “ABCD,” the lead single from her eagerly awaited sophomore mini-album “NA.” The captivating video, which showcases Nayeon’s unparalleled charisma and evolving artistry, promises to be a game-changer in her solo career.

The music video begins with a dramatic scene where Nayeon emerges unscathed from a car crash, instantly drawing attention from bystanders with her magnetic presence. As the video progresses, it seamlessly transitions through various eras and settings, with Nayeon effortlessly commanding the spotlight alongside a devoted entourage.

Nayeon’s vocal prowess shines through in “ABCD,” a soulful R&B-infused pop track where she confidently croons, “A you’re gonna B my babe / Everytime you C me / Fall deeper deeper babe / Hey listen to me now / ABCD over and over again / I’ll teach you how to fall in love.” The song not only highlights her musical versatility but also reaffirms her status as a powerhouse performer in the K-Pop scene.

During a recent press conference covered by Yonhap News Agency, Nayeon shared her aspirations for “NA,” expressing a desire to showcase a “cool, powerful, and bold” persona rarely seen in her previous works. “Since I’m not promoting solo full-time, I wanted to create a lasting impression whenever I have the opportunity,” she explained. “While my previous album captured my bright and lovable personality, this one is all about being strong and cool.”

“NA” promises to be a dynamic collection, featuring not only “ABCD” but also exciting collaborations with industry talents. Fans can anticipate tracks like “Heaven,” a collaboration with Sam Kim, “Magic” featuring Julie from KISS OF LIFE, and “HalliGalli,” produced by AKMU’s Lee Chan-hyuk. This diverse lineup underscores Nayeon’s ability to push boundaries and explore new musical territories.

Following the resounding success of her debut mini-album “IM NAYEON,” which featured the viral hit “POP!” and memorable collaborations with Stray Kids’ Felix and rapper Wonstein, Nayeon’s return with “NA” has been eagerly anticipated by fans worldwide. With “ABCD” setting the stage for what’s to come, Nayeon proves once again why she is a force to be reckoned with in the music industry.

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We all want people in our lives who will positively speak of us in rooms we’re not in — and Gayle King is definitely one of those people. The “CBS Mornings” anchor had to clear the air this week after potentially spilling the beans that Oprah Winfrey had been hospitalized due to stomach issues.

On Tuesday, while attempting to explain Winfrey’s absence from an interview about Oprah’s Book Club’s latest pick, “Familiaris,” by David Wroblewski, on “CBS Mornings,” King explained that her longtime friend was extremely sick.

“She had some kind of stomach thing, stomach flu, stuff was coming out of both ends,” King said, per USA Today. “I won’t get too graphic. But needless to say, she ended up in the hospital (with) dehydration (and) had to get an IV.”

Later that same day, King followed up on Instagram with a clip of her clearing the air with Winfrey. Firstly, King wanted to make clear she did not say “hospitalized.”

“I did say that you had a stomach something, [it] was coming out of both sides, which it was,” King stated in the clip.

“I was in the emergency room, I was so dehydrated,” Winfrey responded. “I had a dry mouth and I couldn’t keep enough water down to get hydrated, so I went to the emergency room for that, and that’s just it.”

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Winfrey, who noted five people in her household were also sick with the same illness, said she wasn’t quite feeling back to 100%, “But I’m on my way to 100.” 

In addition to clearing up any concern for the media mogul, King explained why she’d shared the news in the first place.

“The point I was trying to make, America, is that it had to be something that would keep her from getting on a plane and coming. That’s the only point I was trying to make,” King added.

To her point, this was the first-ever book club pick Winfrey had missed.

“I was too weak to get on the plane,” she confirmed.

In true bestie fashion, King wasn’t trying to be messy with her friend’s personal business; she was simply trying to speak up for her friend in her own way. After King first made the announcement on “CBS Mornings,” many began to worry. Some wondered if Winfrey had been experiencing complications from Ozempic. After the pair set the record straight, many weighing in on social media found humor and relatability in the situation. The next day, King doubled down on being Winfrey’s unofficial messenger, wearing a black T-shirt to work bearing the message “Oprah is FINE! Thank you for asking.” on the front and “She appreciates the concern!” on the back. Ultimately, all parties involved are just happy Winfrey is on the mend.