On Friday, President Donald Trump will travel to Miami to announce a major shift in U.S. policy. The President will end Obama-era policies that have allowed Americans to liberally travel to the island of Cuba. In an attempt to correct a policy the Obama administration deemed a 55 year failure, President Obama began communicating with the leadership of Cuba through Pope Francis. The result of the back channel has been a rebirth in Cuban commerce as Americans have flocked to the island, filling it’s once empty hotels. Many of those hotels however, are operated under the direction of the Cuban Military which is also benefiting from the boost in tourism. While the primary beneficiaries of new commerce have been the Cuban people, the Trump administration wants to end any commerce that might benefit the military. In Miami, President Trump will announce that the Cuban administration under President Raul Castro has failed to make pivotal reforms in human rights. He will declare that the Obama policy has been a catastrophic failure and he will reinstate travel restrictions that will halt much of the recent tourism to the island-nation. Americans and American businesses will be forbidden from supporting entities affiliated with the military which will effectively end the new tourism. The change in policy is opposed by business leaders and human rights groups. Embassies in both nations will remain open in the hopes that future communications will lead to reform on the island and improve the relationship between both current administrations.
THE LEADER OF ISIS MAY BE DEAD
Featured, NewsThe Russian military is reporting that it may have killed the enigmatic leader of ISIS. The international terrorist group has risen as a world scourge under the captaincy of a religious leader named Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi. As the leader of ISIS, Al-Baghdadi declared himself to be the ruler of the global Islamic community. By declaring himself to be the “Caliph” or Pope of all Muslim’s worldwide, Al-Baghdadi was able to attract militant Islamic fighters from all over the world. The Russian Defense Ministry is reporting that on May 28, the Russian Air-force struck a gathering in the Syrian city of Raqqa, potentially killing the Islamic State leader. The Russian statement however, seems tentative suggesting that the Russians themselves may have doubts about the success of the strike. Sources suggest that the Russians may have been acting independently, without the coordination of the U.S. backed Kurdish forces on the ground. The Russians may have only learned about Baghdadi’s presence at the gathering after the strike. Their ability to confirm his death is therefore limited.
It is worth noting that this is not the first time that rumors have swirled about the death of Baghdadi. In 2015, the Iraqi Military hit a convoy ushering the Islamic State leader and reports of his demise were circulated. In January (2017), a U.S. led strike in northern Iraq’s Al-Ba’aj injured Baghdadi, leading to more reports of his death. After several brushes with death, coalition forces are once again hoping that the mastermind of the most destructive terrorist organization in history has finally met justice.
FAMOUS YOUTUBER’S RACIST RANT OVER MAGIC JOHNSON
Featured, NewsIn the world of YouTube, there are very few stars that are bigger than Rich Piana. The Bodybuilding phenom has one of the largest followings in the fitness community on YouTube but a recent audio recording has many wondering if their favorite fitness YouTuber is also a racist. The audio recording was taken by an ex-girlfriend over ten years ago. The incident, ten years ago, was prompted when the ex-girlfriend took a public photo with former basketball star Magic Johnson. Piana was incensed because his girlfriend was seen in public with a “N-word” and allowed Magic Johnson to kiss her on the cheek. Piana suggested that his ex-girlfriend was a “Dirty f-ing N-word-lover”. In the audio, he adds a lynching reference suggesting that she should be hung from a rope. Piana was never a first class body-builder but he found fame by openly discussing his personal steroid use, confirming the widespread usage of the entire body-building community. His honesty on the once-taboo subject earned him a rabid cult following. He parlayed his popularity into a supplement line called 5% Nutrition, meal prepping services, and apparel lines. His trademarked phrase became “Whatever it Takes” a reference that flaunted his liberal use of steroids. Piana’s fitness channel boasts over 943,000 regular subscribers with individual videos that score up-to a half-a-million viewers. How his following will be impacted by this incident remains to be seen.
The Audio is below (WARNING: Graphic content, containing 27 uses of the N-word). We have also posted Rich Piana’s apology.
Arc Broward’s Delish 2017 Presented by PNC Bank Raises More Than $175,000 to Support Their Mission of Changing Perspectives, Changing Lives
Featured
Arc Broward, a non-profit organization that provides job training and employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities and life challenges, raised more than $175,000 at Arc Broward’s Delish 2017 presented by PNC Bank. The proceeds benefit Arc Culinary, which provides culinary training and job placement assistance for people with disabilities and life challenges.
More than 500 guests enjoyed a South Florida culinary experience featuring the top restaurants in South Florida at the Gallery of Amazing Things on Thursday, May 4th. The evening’s festivities were emceed by the voice of the Miami Heat, Dale McLean, who was joined by Arc Broward Delish Co-chairs: Heather Geronemus of Ultimate Software, Michelle Martinez Reyes of Greenspoon Marder, and Kristina West of PNC Bank.
Culinary Judges for the evening included Scott DeNight, National Sales Director for Badia Spices; Mike Mayo, Food Editor of The Sun Sentinel and Julie Guy, host of 101.5 LITE FM. The Mayersohn Family South Florida Best Chef Award was awarded to Chef Adrienne Grenier of 3030 Ocean. The Fan Favorite of the night chosen by guests at the event was awarded to Chef Josh Del Sesto of Canyon Southwest Cafe, who was also was awarded the Greenspoon Marder Facebook Fan Favorite Award.
The Arc Broward Student Chef of the Year Award was presented to Matthew Senat for his passion for the culinary arts, perseverance and excellent performance over the past year.
Participating restaurants included: 3030 Ocean, Valentino Cucina Italiana, Canyon, The Capital Grille, Hardy Park Bistro, Wild Sea Oyster Bar, Artisan Beach House, SuViche, and Grille 401. In addition, Riverside Market hosted a Beer Garden while Crepe Maker, Wells Coffee and Hoffman’s Chocolates provided desserts and coffee.
Additional sponsors for this event include: PNC Bank, Publix Super Market Charities, Ultimate Software, Greenspoon Marder, Tim Singer and Associates, The Mayersohn Family, Daszkal Bolton LLP, Marsh & McLennan Agency, WBS Technologies, LaCroix, Dr. Heidi Schaeffer and Baron Schaeffer, The Estate of Rosemary Duffy Larson, MBAF, Bank of America, Tripp Scott, Holland & Knight, The Eppy Group, Gary L. Arenson, C&F Electric, Carolyn Davis and Ned Black, Eaton Financial Group, Cheryl Duke, Steamhorse Brewing Co., Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, SunTrust Bank, Cocktails for Humanity, Breakthru Beverage, William Hill, New Amsterdam, Cocktails for Humanity, Dickenson Wright PLLC, Stonegate Bank, Doumar, Allsworth, Laystrom, Voigt, Wachs and Adair LLP, City Furniture, Project Rainbow,Albert and Beatriz Miniaci, Vedgee Wraps, Special Needs Group, Stella Artois, AFR Furniture, Atlas Rentals, William Hill, New Amsterdam, Badia Spices, HillBilly Bourbon and Gold Coast.
Worthy Reads Jenny Han
FeaturedAuthor Jenny Han has created a realistically flawed yet lovable trio of sisters in her To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before series. The Song girls are part of a half-Korean family who work hard to support one another after their mother’s death. Lara Jean, the middle sister and the dreamiest of the Song girls, handwrites letters, bakes cookies, and is knee deep in making complicated life decisions as her senior year unfolds. Jenny will be stopping in Miami for her book tour on May 3rd at Books & Books in Coral Gables at 7 p.m.
We normally ask everyone that we feature to finish this statement: “I am worthy because
I am worthy because we all are.

What can your readers expect from your new work?
Baked goods! There is a lot of stress baking in this book—taken straight from the pages of my own life! I bake when I get stressed. I was stressed while writing this book so it was all very meta.
What was the creative process like for your new book? Did you enjoy bringing the series to a close or was it bittersweet? Did this one take more time?
I thought there were only going to be two books in this series, so this just feels like bonus to me. One last round with my favorite girl!
What would you say contributed to the success of this series?
I think maybe because it’s set in the present time, but the main character is old-fashioned in a lot of ways. She’s romantic and dreamy and she loves home and family. She’s kind of a throwback, but at the same time, she’s quite modern.
What advice would you give to someone about pursuing their dreams?
I would say, be a little sponge and soak up as much information as you can from those around you. Be humble, be willing to listen.
What are two facts about you that your readers don’t know that you are comfortable with sharing?
I’m a very competitive game player—Scrabble, Scattergories, you name it. And, the 90s is my favorite decade.
What are you currently reading? What is your favorite novel of all time?
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith.
Do you have any upcoming projects that you would like to share that are coming up after your tour or during your tour?
It’s too soon to tell. I always have a million ideas, so I think my plan is to start as many as possible and keep going until one chooses me.
SEXUAL HARASSMENT & FOX NEWS: Nothing Has Changed
Featured, NewsBill O’Reilly’s protege, Jesse Watters is under-fire for sexual comments he made during a recent segment of “THE FIVE”, a popular show in Fox’s Prime-time line-up. O’Reilly himself was dismissed from his lucrative perch at Fox News for sexually harassing his co-workers with comments like “Hot Chocolate” and allegedly tying on-air-time for guest spots to a willingness to provide him with sexual favors. During Tuesday’s episode of “The Five”, the Fox News panel discussed Ivanka Trump’s recent appearance at a Women’s forum that featured Germany’s Angela Merkel. Trump was booed at the forum when she suggested that her father was a great defender of families and women’s issues. While Jesse Watters initially seemed to be defending Ivanka Trump, his comments soon turned toward vulgarity. At the conclusion of his laudatory remarks, Watters added that he “liked the way she [Ivanka Trump] was speaking into that microphone”. The comments were immediately interpreted as sexual and Watters demeanor on camera seemed to confirm this impression. Watters responded to the eruption on twitter by denying that the comments possessed any overt sexual intent and added that he was actually praising the smooth intonation in Ivanka Trump’s speaking voice. The consensus on twitter did not accept the Fox host’s claim of innocence. Determine for yourself with the video and leave comments below.
THE LAST TIME MIKE PENCE CUT PLANNED PARENTHOOD FUNDING
Featured, NewsSome people never seem to learn from their mistakes. Unfortunately for our country, Vice President Mike Pence appears to be one of those stubborn personalities. On Thursday, Vice President Pence cast the tie-breaking vote that cut federal funding to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood provides health services to women which range from HIV screenings to counseling for family planning. But this isn’t the first time Mike Pence has cut Planned Parenthood’s funding and you would have thought Mr. Pence learned his lesson from his last bite at Eden’s apple. As the Governor of Indiana, Pence similarly shuttered the doors on Planned Parenthood clinics throughout his state and the result was a massive HIV outbreak. Scott County is one of the poorest counties in Indiana. Health studies ranked Scott County as the most unhealthy county out of all 92 counties in the state. Prior to Pence’s pursuit of the deceptively appealing goal of gutting Planned Parenthood funding, there was only one HIV testing center in the entire county. When Pence shuttered the facility, there wouldn’t be any testing available in the county for another two years. The result was an explosion of 20 new HIV cases per week in a community with a population of less than 20,000 people. A mushroom cloud of HIV infections swept across one of Indiana’s poorest communities and was directly linked to Pence’s decision to place the long sought after goal of attacking a political enemy, above common sense and intelligent health policy.
The obsession with cutting Planned Parenthood’s funding finds its justification for eliminating the group’s vital services, in the war against abortion services offered by Planned Parenthood. The saddest of ironies in this cautionary tale is that the Planned Parenthood clinic in Scott County didn’t provide abortion services. As the Vice-President and the GOP prepare to cut even more funding for drug treatment programs, they risk turning the entire country into Scott County. Some people never learn from their mistakes.
PURE ELECTORAL GOLD: Cory Booker Dating Mindy Kaling?
Featured, News
THE MINDY PROJECT — “While I Was Sleeping” Episode 402 — Pictured: (l-r) — (Photo by: John Fleenor/NBC)
Is Cory Booker running for President? We could read the tea-leaves in all of his impassioned Instagram posts; We could place his populist speeches under a micro-scope; Orrrr We could speculate wildly and with very little reason, that Cory Booker is Dating Mindy Kaling. The universally loved star of the Mindy Project is apparently also LOVED by Cory Booker himself. The two interacted on social media and after a few smooth texts from Booker, made plans to meet in the real world.
The interaction began when Booker expressed that his heart was broken by Kaling when she told an insulting joke involving his beloved city of Newark, New Jersey. The two exchanged declarations of mutual love, Booker then asked for a date and ultimately offered to send a car for Kaling (instead of letting her take the PATH Train system).
In the world of campaigns, this is literal Electoral Gold! The famous love stories of politicians have been pillars in the election efforts of every successful Presidential contender in history. Mindy Kaling is a magnetic starlet with an approachable disposition and penchant for social justice. Stump speeches by the would be “First Lady” would be both epic and electric. Mindy is also a trained actress and her phenomenal sense of humor and excellent comedic timing would be excellent attributes in the rigorous campaigning required during Presidential elections. Are we getting carried away and over analyzing harmless flirting on Twitter? OFCOURSE We Are! It is still fun to consider the possibilities.
Accessories Worthy of The BeyHive
Editor's Journal, FeaturedSpring is upon us and nature-inspired jewelry line COUP, has the season’s must have pieces. But we can’t help but feel that the collection is very BeyHive friendly. Celebrating nature in its rawest form, COUP takes a closer look at the relationships between humans, animals and nature.
Worthy Agenda: Yakuza Anniversary Party
Culture, Editor's Journal, Editorial, FeaturedFall in love with food again. No longer does one have to sacrifice quality or comfort. Introducing Yakuza – where taste, quality and comfort are all fused. Take a modern restaurant, add some flare to the menu, mix in some corky cocktails and VOILA! You have a tasty Japanese sushi – Thai fusion restaurant like no other.
Yakuza – modern Japanese and Thai, launched a successful opening on March 10th, 2016. Adding tradition to modern creations, owners (husband and wife) Jay and Mini Areechot execute a unique menu, paired with tastefully chosen cocktails and exceptional customer service that is second to none.
“We are pleased at amount of support we’ve received from the community and couldn’t be happier sharing this anniversary with everyone.” – Mini Areechot
Yakuza only uses the freshest ingredients – a quality over quantity approach that many restaurants have long forgotten. On the menu, you’ll take notice of some fascinating creations like, Yuzu Jelly and Sake-Soy. Their specialty plates also include high quality proteins such as: Filet Penang, Cornish Hen Green Curry, and the mouthwatering Egg Crepe Lobster Pad Thai.
Their reviews are stellar! Pulling in local fishermen who enjoy the 9-fish option (used in their high-profile sushi) that no other local restaurant provides. “A customer can experience world class service, yet feel as if they are at home.” Says co-owner Mini Areechot.
Yakuza which translates to “Japanese Mafia” in Japanese, was inspired by a local Japanese restaurant in Chicago the two visited during their earlier entrepreneurial days. Satisfied with their moniker, the two-incorporated ambience, customer service and flavorful Japanese/Thai cuisines that gave way to a beautiful business venture that specializes in quality over quantity.
Today Yakuza Celebrates its 1-year Anniversary.
Experience live music, creative food options and sip on a complimentary cocktail as Pompano Beach’s only fusion Japanese-Thai restaurant turns one.













