controversy

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Confederate Statue Returns to DC After 2020 Toppling

DC lawmaker says Albert Pike 'represents the worst of the Confederacy'

(Newser) - A controversial statue honoring Confederate general Albert Pike, which was toppled and set on fire during the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests, has been restored and reinstalled in Washington, DC's Judiciary Square. The move follows a prior announcement by the National Park Service, which cited "federal responsibilities under...

Voracious AI Data Centers Met With Backlash Around the Globe

Communities blame power outages, water shortages on tech giants' facilities

(Newser) - As the race to build artificial intelligence accelerates, data centers are springing up worldwide, sparking backlash from Ireland to Mexico over blackouts, water shortages, and secrecy, the New York Times reports. More than half the world's 1,244 largest data centers now operate outside the United States, with hundreds...

Reaction to White House Demo Firm: 'Shame on You!'

Online critics slam Maryland contractor as Trump pursues $250M White House ballroom addition

(Newser) - A Maryland demolition company has found itself at the center of public outrage after it began tearing down part of the White House's East Wing to make room for President Trump's proposed $250 million ballroom. Dozens of one-star reviews flooded Aceco LLC's Google page in a matter...

Boston Eatery's Mob Mugshots Aren't Going Over Well

Locals say pics of Whitey Bulger, Stephen Flemmi at Savin Bar & Kitchen cross a line

(Newser) - A Boston restaurant's decision to display mugshots of notorious mobsters Whitey Bulger and Stephen Flemmi has stirred up a storm in the city's Dorchester neighborhood. The photos, installed at Savin Bar & Kitchen as part of a recent renovation featured on Gordon Ramsay's reality show Secret Service,...

Treasury Staffers Get Warning as WH Ballroom Build Begins

Treasury employees, whose offices are next to White House, told no pictures during East Wing demolition

(Newser) - The Treasury Department has directed its employees to avoid photographing or sharing images of construction at the White House's East Wing, following a wave of viral photos showing demolition for President Trump's planned $250 million ballroom. Treasury staff, whose offices neighbor the site, received an internal email warning...

Library Director Fired After Book Controversy to Get $700K

Library director in Wyoming reaches settlement with Campbell County

(Newser) - A Wyoming county will pay $700,000 to a former library director to settle a lawsuit after a furor over books with LGBTQ+ and sexual themes. Campbell County agreed to the payout for Terri Lesley, who claims she was fired because she refused to remove certain books deemed offensive...

Halloween Display at Sheriff's House Sparks Controversy

Some skeletons wore ICE shirts; others had sombreros on

(Newser) - Many a lawn is peppered with skeletons at this time of year. The ones in an Alabama sheriff's yard, however, are garnering national attention. AL.com reports that a neighbor posted a photo of Mobile County Sheriff Paul Burch's Halloween display on Facebook on Tuesday, showing three...

Zach Bryan, Homeland Security Clash Over ICE Song Lyrics

Country singer defends tune about immigration raids amid heated online backlash

(Newser) - Country music heavyweight Zach Bryan has landed in the crosshairs of the Department of Homeland Security after previewing a new song that references ICE immigration raids, reports the Guardian . A snippet that Bryan posted online includes pointed lyrics about law enforcement and children left frightened by raids, leading DHS...

State AG Hopeful's Own Words Made Him 'Sick to My Stomach'

Dem Jay Jones apologizes as messages emerge on '2 bullets to the head' for ex-GOP Virginia lawmaker

(Newser) - Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general, faced strong criticism Friday night after text messages from 2022 emerged in which he suggested then-state House Speaker Todd Gilbert deserved "two bullets to the head." The texts, first reported by the National Review and confirmed by the...

Big-Name Comics Face Backlash Over Saudi Fest

Critics, including other comedians, call out comics for performing in Riyadh amid rights concerns

(Newser) - A wave of criticism has hit top comedians like Dave Chappelle, Pete Davidson, Louis CK, and Bill Burr for joining a Saudi government-backed comedy festival , as the kingdom faces renewed scrutiny for human rights abuses, recent executions, and the killing of journalists. The event, part of Saudi Arabia's...

Eisner Questions Disney After Kimmel Suspension

Former CEO criticizes former company's response to political pressure over Kimmel's Kirk remarks

(Newser) - It's been almost a year and a half since Michael Eisner posted anything on his X account, but this week the ex-Disney CEO broke his silent streak, criticizing his former company's leadership for its decision to suspend Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show on ABC, which Disney owns....

Wearing a Michael Vick Jersey, NFL QB Posed With a Dog

Cardinals' Kyler Murray faces backlash for posing with dog while wearing shirt tied to disgraced QB

(Newser) - Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray apologized on Wednesday after drawing criticism for sharing photos online of himself in a Michael Vick jersey while posing with his dog. "I saw how it affected people and ... decided to take it down," Murray said at a press conference , adding, "...

Fox Host Who Said Homeless Should Be Killed Has Apologized

Brian Kilmeade's remarks sparked a backlash, but he has not been fired

(Newser) - Fox News host Brian Kilmeade has apologized after suggesting on the air that homeless people who refuse assistance should be executed by the government. The remark came during Wednesday's Fox & Friends, as the hosts discussed the killing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska in Charlotte, North Carolina, in...

Ostapenko Apologizes After Fiery US Open Clash

Rivalry escalates after dispute over net cord sportsmanship

(Newser) - Jelena Ostapenko has apologized for part of what she said to Taylor Townsend in the wake of Townsend's Wednesday win at the US Open. Immediately following the upset, Ostapenko accused her American opponent of having "no class" and "no education"—she reportedly used the latter phrase three times...

MAGA Not Happy With Trump's Latest Announcement on China

Loyalists are torqued over president revealing he'll allow 600K Chinese students into US universities

(Newser) - President Trump seemingly caught his loyal conservative base off guard and sparked backlash by saying he'd allow 600,000 Chinese students into American universities. That would be a departure for the Trump administration after it added new vetting for student visas, moved to block foreign enrollment at Harvard, and...

Cracker Barrel Abandons New Logo
Cracker Barrel
Abandons New Logo
Aug 26, 2025 8:03 PM CDT

Cracker Barrel Abandons New Logo

After backlash, chain says 'Old Timer' will remain

(Newser) - Cracker Barrel is scrapping its recent logo makeover and bringing back its classic design after facing a storm of criticism from conservative customers. The chain announced Tuesday that it would retire its new "All the More" logo—introduced less than two weeks ago—in favor of the original,...

In Florida, a 'Hostile Act' at Memorial for Pulse Victims
Orlando Once Again Loses
Its Rainbow Crosswalk
UPDATED
Aug 26, 2025 1:00 AM CDT

Orlando Once Again Loses Its Rainbow Crosswalk

State DOT once again paints crosswalk black and white

(Newser) - Orlando's once-rainbow crosswalk is now black and white again. The Florida Department of Transportation on Sunday painted over the rainbow colors again, NBC News reports. The rainbow crosswalk was originally created in 2017 as part of a tribute to the 49 people killed in the 2016 shooting at LGBTQ...

Steak 'n Shake Blasts Cracker Barrel for Erasing 'Heritage'

Burger chain says chain's goal in changing its logo 'is to just delete the personality altogether'

(Newser) - The controversy around Cracker Barrel's new logo continues, with another restaurant chain now weighing in. "Sometimes, people want to change things just to put their own personality on things," Midwestern burger behemoth Steak 'n Shake wrote on its X feed on Thursday, defiantly showing a photo...

After American Eagle Backlash, Sweeney's New Film Falters

Americana pulls in just $500K during its debut weekend, though not all think it's a 'bomb'

(Newser) - The Sydney Sweeney-American Eagle controversy has perhaps taken a new turn, as it relates to the actor's latest film. The Hollywood Reporter notes that Americana, which premiered at SXSW two years ago, was generally well received by critics initially, although its Rotten Tomatoes rating currently stands at a middling...

His 'Last Suppers' Have Included Fancy Meals, Burger King

Artist who announced plans for his medically assisted suicide is inspiring some, upsetting others

(Newser) - Since Joseph Awuah-Darko's notice on Instagram in December that he plans on undergoing a medically assisted suicide due to the pain of his bipolar disorder, the Ghanaian artist has launched his "Last Supper Project," accepting invitations from strangers from all over the world to dine with them...

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