August 20, 2021

Congress’s hip-hop legislation is the latest symbolic gesturing that doesn’t improve Black lives

Analysis by Brandon Tensley US politicians have a fondness for endorsing easy, cultural displays of solidarity. In a recent move that seemed to go largely unnoticed, the Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating August 11, 2021, as Hip-Hop Celebration Day, August 2021 as Hip-Hop Recognition Month and November 2021 as Hip-Hop History Month. It was a peculiar

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passenger seat, Interior of airplane with passengers sitting on seats and stewardess walking the aisle in background. Travel concept,vintage color

FAA proposes more than $500,000 in new fines against unruly airline passengers

By Pete Muntean and Gregory Wallace, Federal authorities are proposing more than a half-million dollars in new fines against commercial airline passengers they say refused to wear masks, hit flight attendants and even threw luggage across the cabin. The Federal Aviation Administration’s announcement Thursday of $531,545 in fines against 34 passengers accused of being unruly

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WASHINGTON, DC - JULY 20: Texas State Rep. Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D-120), joined by fellow Democratic Texas state representatives, speaks at a press conference on Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and the group's meetings with federal lawmakers on voting rights, on July 20, 2021 in Washington, DC. Members of the Texas House Democratic Caucus continue to lobby for voting rights reform in Washington, DC after leaving Texas to block a voting restrictions bill by denying a Republican quorum. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

Texas Democrats’ effort to freeze voting bill ends

By Dianne Gallagher Texas House Democrats’ historic quorum break unexpectedly ended Thursday evening when at least three new Democrats returned to the floor, paving the way for state Republicans to pass restrictive voting legislation. The surprise turn of events quickly led to public accusations of betrayal among Democrats, as the House now has the required two-thirds of

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19-Year Old HBCU Student Opens Vegan Bakery In Washington, DC

By Simon Osuji Chanice McClover-Lee, a 19-year old Black woman who is a student at Howard University, has opened her own vegan bakery called Baked by Chanice in Washington, DC that offers gourmet vegan treats such as cookies and custom cakes. Chanice, a Howard University student, started baking last year as a pastime during the

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Education Department eliminates $5.8 billion in student loan debt for some disabled borrowers

By Paul LeBlanc The US Education Department announced Thursday it will cancel $5.8 billion in outstanding student loans for borrowers who are unable to work because of permanent disabilities. More than 320,000 “total and permanent disability” borrowers will benefit from the move, the agency said in a press release, and hurdles for relief will become automatic for

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US Vice President Kamala Harris speaks about the Administrations investments in child care and families during a visit to the early childhood education center, CentroNía, in Washington, DC, on June 11, 2021. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) (Photo by JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images)

Harris heads to Southeast Asia in search of a foreign policy win amid Afghanistan crisis

By Jasmine Wright and Arlette Saenz Vice President Kamala Harris faces a steep challenge next week when she travels to Singapore and Vietnam, as a once-low-risk trip to friendly nations comes at the same time as a bungled US withdrawal from Afghanistan. Harris will have dual responsibilities largely unfamiliar to her in the seven months she’s been in office: Deliver

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US soldiers stand guard as Afghan people wait at the Kabul airport in Kabul on August 16, 2021, after a stunningly swift end to Afghanistan's 20-year war, as thousands of people mobbed the city's airport trying to flee the group's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule. (Photo by Wakil Kohsar / AFP) (Photo by WAKIL KOHSAR/AFP via Getty Images)

How the Biden administration plans to process the influx of people fleeing Afghanistan

By Priscilla Alvarez and Geneva Sands The Biden administration is ramping up efforts to process the influx of Afghans rushing to flee Afghanistan as the Taliban overtakes the country. In recent days, administration officials worked overtime to pull lists of names of special immigrant visa applicants to push through systems and get security checks cleared,

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