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In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, UFC fighter Tracy Cortez revealed she has heard that Valentina Shevchenko might not be interested in fighting Alexa Grasso at the Sphere. While eyeing an opportunity of her own, Cortez expressed her desire to step into the octagon against Grasso at the iconic venue.

Cortez’s interest in the matchup hinges on her performance this weekend at UFC Denver, where she is set to face Rose Namajunas. Confident in her preparation and abilities, Cortez stated that a victory over Namajunas would solidify her case for a high-profile fight against Grasso.

“I’ve been hearing that Shevchenko isn’t keen on fighting Grasso at the Sphere,” Cortez told Helwani. “If I come out on top against Rose this weekend, I’d love to fight Grasso there. It’s a huge opportunity, and I think the fans would love it.”

However, Cortez is determined to fight at the Sphere regardless of whether the Grasso matchup materializes. “Even if Shevchenko vs. Grasso goes ahead, I still want to be part of that event. The Sphere is an incredible venue, and competing there would be a dream come true.”

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A solid majority of Americans oppose a federal abortion ban as a rising number support access to abortions for any reason, a new poll finds, highlighting a politically perilous situation for candidates who oppose abortion rights as the November election draws closer.

Around 6 in 10 Americans think their state should generally allow a person to obtain a legal abortion if they don’t want to be pregnant for any reason, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That’s an increase from June 2021, a year before the Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to the procedure, when about half of Americans thought legal abortion should be possible under these circumstances.

Americans are largely opposed to the strict bans that have taken effect in Republican-controlled states since the high court’s ruling two years ago. Full bans, with limited exceptions, have gone into effect in 14 GOP-led states, while three other states prohibit abortion after about six weeks of pregnancy, before women often realize they’re pregnant.

They are also overwhelmingly against national abortion bans and restrictions. And views toward abortion — which have long been relatively stable — may be getting more permissive.

Vincent Wheeler, a 47-year-old Republican from Los Angeles, said abortion should be available for any reason until viability, the point at which health care providers say it’s possible for a fetus to survive outside the uterus.

“There’s so many reasons as to why someone may want or need an abortion that it has to be up to that person of what they have to do in that specific circumstance,” Wheeler said, acknowledging that some fellow Republicans might disagree.

Likely Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has declined to endorse a nationwide abortion ban, saying the issue should be left up to the states. But even that stance is likely to be unsatisfying to most Americans, who continue to oppose many bans on abortion within their own state, and think Congress should pass a law guaranteeing access to abortions nationwide, according to the poll.

Seven in 10 Americans think abortion should be legal in all or most cases, a slight increase from last year, while about 3 in 10 think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.

Robert Hood, a 69-year-old from Universal City, Texas, who identifies as an “independent liberal,” has believed that abortions should be allowed for any reason since he was an 18-year-old high school senior, because “life is full of gray situations.” He recalls reading stories as a teenager about women who died trying to get an abortion before the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision provided a constitutional right to the procedure.

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“Pregnancy is complicated,” he said. “Women should make the choice with the advice of their doctor and family, but at the end of the day it’s her choice and her body and her life.”

He said he would support national protections for abortion rights.

Views on abortion have long been nuanced and sometimes contradictory. The new AP-NORC survey shows that even though the country is largely antagonistic to restrictions on abortion, a substantial number of people hold opinions and values that are not internally consistent.

About half of those who say a woman should be able to get an abortion for any reason also say their state should not allow abortion after 24 weeks of pregnancy and about one-quarter say their state should not allow abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy.

But the vast majority of Americans — more than 8 in 10 — continue to say abortion should be legal in extreme circumstances, such as when a patient’s life would be endangered by continuing the pregnancy. About 8 in 10 say the same about a pregnancy caused by rape or incest or when a fetal anomaly would prevent the child from surviving outside the womb.

National bans on abortion are broadly unpopular: Around 8 in 10 Americans say Congress should not pass a federal law banning abortion. About three-quarters say there should not be a federal law banning abortion at six weeks, and 6 in 10 oppose a federal law banning abortion at 15 weeks.

Most Republicans — about two-thirds, according to the survey — say a nationwide abortion ban should not happen.

On the campaign trail, Trump has courted anti-abortion voters by highlighting his appointment of three Supreme Court justices who helped overturn Roe. But his strategy on abortion policy has been to defer to the states, an attempt to find a more cautious stance on an issue that has become a major vulnerability for Republicans since the 2022 Dobbs decision.

Despite Trump’s statements, Penny Johnson, 73, from Sherman Oaks, California, said she is still afraid Republicans might pursue a national abortion ban if they win the White House and Congress in November.

The poll of 1,088 adults was conducted June 20-24, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.

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Brace yourselves for a cinematic exploration of love across time. The official trailer for We Live in Time, the latest from director John Crowley (Brooklyn), has been released, showcasing a powerful romance led by Academy Award-nominated actors Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh.

The trailer unveils a captivating glimpse into the lives of Almut (Pugh) and Tobias (Garfield), whose destinies intertwine through a chance encounter that forever alters their paths. We witness their love story unfold across the years, navigating the elation and complexities of building a life together. Evoking the emotional depth of Crowley’s previous work, We Live in Time promises a poignant exploration of love’s enduring strength.

Directed by John Crowley, We Live in Time marks a reunion between the filmmaker and Garfield, who previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed Boy A (2007). The pairing of Pugh’s undeniable magnetism with Garfield’s proven talent for captivating audiences hints at an undeniable on-screen chemistry.

A love story transcending time’s boundaries, We Live in Time arrives in theaters nationwide on October 11th. Don’t miss it.

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Comedian Pete Davidson and actress Madelyn Cline have reportedly ended their relationship after less than a year of dating, according to a source close to the couple who spoke to the US Sun on Tuesday.

The insider claims the split was “amicable” and that the 30-year-old comedian and 26-year-old “Outer Banks” star decided to go their separate ways “fairly recently.”

Davidson and Cline first sparked romance rumors in September 2023, but the couple largely kept their relationship private. In the same month, Cline reportedly showed her support for Davidson by attending his stand-up show in Las Vegas.

They were later spotted holding hands at a “Saturday Night Live” afterparty in New York City in October 2023, marking a rare public display of affection.

By April of this year, reports claimed the couple was “very much in love” and enjoyed a dynamic where they gave each other “space to miss each other.”

The news of their split comes as a surprise, especially considering the positive reports surrounding their relationship. Both Davidson and Cline had recently exited long-term relationships before coming together.

Davidson previously dated his “Bodies Bodies Bodies” co-star Chase Sui Wonders for nearly a year, while Cline was involved with her “Outer Banks” co-star Chase Stokes for over a year before their late 2021 split.

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Editor’s note: The following article is an op-ed, and the views expressed are the author’s own. Read more opinions on theGrio.

Years ago, I received the first of many recurring phone calls from a high-level source buried deep inside a presidential campaign.  

This was back when Donald Trump was just a once-impeached, alleged rapist with no felony convictions, years before a supposedly “brilliant” billionaire race pseudoscientist purchased a fledgling website to amplify his conspiracy theories. Back then, white people thought the court system was fair, believed anyone should be able to vote with an absentee ballot and thought it was important for “the losing candidate in the presidential election to publicly acknowledge the winner as legitimate.” They trusted Elon Musk’s genius when he assured his Twitter followers that it was “dumb” to panic over this nasty “corona” cough that was no worse than the flu. They truly believed Donald Trump would rid the nation of this low-risk virus by Easter. 

But, according to this Democratic insider, they were all wrong.

My source believed this COVID-19 thing could be worse than everyone thought. Aside from the obvious health risks, the virus could increase already existing racial gaps in unemployment, education and, ultimately, wealth. But because states were expanding access to absentee ballots and mail-in voting, there was also the possibility that Black voters could have a disproportionate impact on the upcoming election — especially if Black journalists could inspire confidence in these alternative voting methods.

To be fair, I was pretty skeptical. Like many Democrats, my source had a history of making huge promises that could never be fulfilled. After years of covering politics and teaching policy, I’d heard too many Democrats make pie-in-the-sky proposals like giving billions in rent relief or vowing to increase the number of Black-owned businesses. So when this campaign insider started talking about this wild idea called “student debt relief,” I knew I had to push back (Yes, they seriously tried to convince me they could find a way to just wipe out millions of student loans. Crazy, right?).  

“Let’s say your intentions are pure,” I said, interrupting. “Do you think it’s dishonest for a politician like you to promise something knowing it can never be achieved?” 

“Never say never,” the source replied. “I’m not a politician …

“I’m Kamala Harris.”

Kamala be knowing

Aside from being one of many politicians, scientists and not-dumb people who sounded the alarm while Donald Trump dillydallied during the COVID epidemic, Kamala Harris knew things. Before she was elected to America’s second-highest office, Kamala Harris served as attorney general and senator for the country’s largest state. Rent relief, digital equity plans and detailed proposals for racial equity never appeared on Biden’s website or his political platform until Harris joined the campaign. She is the source of many of the Biden administration’s biggest achievements. But ever since Joe Biden’s brain got stuck buffering during the presidential debate against Donald Trump, mainstream media has latched on to the movement to get Biden to resign his position at the top of the Democratic ticket. 

Suggesting that a presidential candidate should resign is nothing new. People have suggested presidential candidates resign for far less, including fainting, listening to a sermon and existing during a random act of terrorism. However, the same people who want Biden to step down for the sake of the country have latched on to another narrative:

Kamala Harris can’t.

According to people who love America, the Constitution and democracy, the person who the Founding Fathers, the Constitution and 81 million-plus people chose to serve as Biden’s backup plan is not qualified to actually serve as president. Some are floating the idea that California governor and alleged vampire Gavin Newsom should leapfrog as Biden’s replacement, while others have suggested Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer. Apparently, any white person is better than Kamala. 

I understand why people doubt her ability to beat Trump. After all, Harris is a Black woman and America is kinda racist (except for the parts where Tim Scott lives). Trump is an existential threat to the country and, in the remote possibility that Biden steps down, why not choose the best candidate? While I may be biased because of my professional and semi-personal relationships with Kamala Harris, as an objective journalist, my position on this issue is simple:

White people are crazy AF.

The idea that lesser-qualified individuals should replace a more educated, better-qualified, more experienced candidate just because they are white is just white nonsense. Even if one concedes America’s predilection for white supremacy, the racists were probably already going to vote for the candidate who has proven his racism — Donald Trump. While some of the people who suggest Harris can’t win are Democrats, that doesn’t necessarily mean they care about the Democratic Party or the party’s biggest constituents.

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This is how white privilege works. The people who want an unqualified white affirmative action hire like Newsom or Whitmer won’t be affected by most of Trump’s policies anyway. They’ll be fine. Perhaps the biggest threat to a Democratic presidency is Black voter apathy. Pushing someone to the front of the line past Harris could doom the party for years with Black voters. Aside from having a better resume, more political experience and — this is the important part — the constitutionally prescribed job, Harris’ resume boasts one other thing:

She never lost.

Ever. 

Sure, she had one close call (Harris suspended her presidential campaign three months before the 2020 Iowa caucus). But the Democratic “caucuses” who imply that she can’t beat a less-educated, less experienced man who has never won the popular vote are just spewing white nonsense. Replacing Kamala Harris is as absurd as voting for an orange white supremacist who thinks he can cure COVID with light bulbs and Clorox martinis. While no one can say for sure if she will win, there is no one who is better equipped to convince voters of the dangers of a Trump autocracy than Kamala Harris. And that includes Biden. (To be fair, the Joffrey Baratheon administration was less autocratic than a possible second-term Trump presidency.)

In many ways, it doesn’t matter if Biden steps down. Even if he doesn’t resign, Harris might still be the best reason to vote for Biden. Who else will perform the presidential duties when they have to unplug Biden’s brain and plug it back in before every public appearance? But, of course, this is all speculation. After all, can you name a single time in history when a powerful white man has willingly handed over their power to a Black woman? It has never happened.

Then again, you should never say “never” …

According to my sources.

Michael Harriot is a writer, cultural critic and championship-level Spades player. His NY Times bestseller “Black AF History: The Unwhitewashed Story of America” is available in bookstores everywhere.

With a Beyonce stamp of approval and his most recent No. 1 hit “A Bar Song (Tipsy),” Shaboozey is making waves in the industry and we should all be paying attention.

The singer-songwriter is famous for his ability to blend genres like country and hip-hop while still being authentically himself. “I’ve always been on a real mission to bridge the gap between cultures, whether that’s hip-hop and country or just urban and rural,” Shaboozey told GQ in a recent interview.

With his recent performance at the BET Awards and the release of his third album titled “Where I’ve Been, Isn’t Where I’m Going,” Shaboozey has been on a roll, and for those who might be late to the party, here’s what you need to know.

1. Shaboozey says his Nigerian- American background shaped his passion for country music

Although he grew up in Virginia, Shaboozey’s family is from Nigeria. According to him, his dad first moved to Texas from Nigeria, where his country roots were first planted. While Shaboozey was young, his dad played country artists like Kenny Rogers and Garth Brooks. Shaboozey also listened to a lot of traditional Nigerian music and, of course anything playing on the radio, like Nelly.

Shaboozey actually spent two years in Nigeria going to boarding school. He says that experience also shaped his appreciation for the outdoors. “Agriculture is a big thing over there,” he told GQ, “you’re growing the stuff you eat. I definitely think there’s a connection there.”

2. His stage name “Shaboozey” actually comes from his Nigerian name

According to the singer, “Shaboozey” comes from the last part of his birth name, Collins Obinna Chibueze. While in high school, Shaboozey said the interpretation of his surname “kind of just stuck, so I picked it and kept it pushing,” he told New Wave Magazine. “Chibueze” is Igbo for “God is King.”

3. He got his musical start from rapping during the “Soundcloud Era”

“I feel like every artist, at some stage wanted to rap. I had a rap phase, like everybody,” he said to GQ. As a kid, Shaboozey was influenced by rappers like Drake and Joey Bada$$. While growing up in the Virginia, Shaboozey said he was also influenced by the DMV (D.C., Maryland, and northern Virginia) rap and hip-hop scene, which gave birth to Wale and Pharrell.

4. In 2018, Shaboozey signed his first record deal

The country music star first signed to Republic Records after moving to Los Angelos in 2018. He then released his first album. That same year, he scored a collaboration with label mate Duckwrth for a song featured on Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse.

By 2021, Empire Records had scooped then 23-year-old Shaboozey, according to The Washington Post. Then, the rest was history.

5. He wanted to be an author, but he’s not too far from his original dream.

Shaboozey told Harper’s Bazaar he actually wanted to become a writer. The universe had other plans as he pursured his passion for music. He still gets to tell stories, but instead of writing books, Shaboozey is writing Billboard hits!

His most recent single “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” became his first to reach the top of the Hot 100 chart, making him the first Black man to ever accomplish this feat in country music. Right before him, Beyonce became the first Black woman in Billboard history to reach No. 1 on the Country Music charts with “TEXAS HOLD EM.” Shaboozey’s country/pop hit took over this month.

To celebrate his accomplishment, the Virginia native took to X saying: “TAKE A DOUBLE SHOT OF WHISKEY 4 ME!”

He recently announced he will be touring his third album, which will begin in the fall.

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Janel Parrish, best known for her role in the hit series “Pretty Little Liars,” has bravely shared a personal health battle with her fans. The actress revealed on Instagram that she was diagnosed with endometriosis and recently underwent surgery to address the condition.

In a heartfelt post, Parrish wrote, “I usually keep my private life private… but I wanted to share this if it can help other women suffering to know they’re not alone. After months of excruciating pain and not knowing why, I was diagnosed with Endometriosis and underwent surgery to remove cysts and scar tissue as a result of the disease.”

Parrish’s openness about her struggle aims to shed light on endometriosis, a condition that affects millions of women but is often misunderstood and under-discussed. She continued, “To my Endo sisters, there is so little information out there about this and there is no cure…so it is easy for us to feel helpless, scared, and alone. Seeing other women posting about their experiences made ME feel stronger. I hope this helps to keep the conversation about Endo open and flowing, so we can raise awareness and lift each other up. We ARE strong and we got this. I got you.”

The actress’s post has been met with an outpouring of support from fans and fellow celebrities, many of whom have praised her for bringing attention to a condition that often goes unnoticed. By sharing her journey, Parrish hopes to encourage other women to seek help and feel empowered in their battles with endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a chronic condition where tissue similar to the lining inside the uterus grows outside of it, causing pain and potentially leading to fertility issues. Despite its prevalence, endometriosis remains a largely invisible illness, making awareness and education crucial.

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