National News

Cornell defendant is fighting AG Letitia James’ appointment as special prosecutor

By Shayna Jacobs and Marlene Lenthang One of the seven men named in the lawsuit filed by a former Cornell University student who alleges that she was sexually assaulted at an on-campus fraternity house has filed a petition to block New York Attorney General Letitia James’ appointment as special prosecutor in the case. The attorney for Gillio Lopes, who has denied that he sexually assaulted the woman, filed a petition in Albany County Supreme Court on Wednesday. His filing says James should not be the prosecutor in the case because she has “unequivocally demonstrated a bias and presumption of guilt

DNC sues administration over taxpayer-funded pro-Trump TV ads

By Julia Ainsley, Gary Grumbach and Raquel Coronell Uribe The Democratic National Committee sued the Trump administration Wednesday over its taxpayer-funded advertisements that portray President Donald Trump in a favorable light, alleging the ads violate federal laws on government spending and propaganda. The DNC cited a measure Trump signed into law this year that says funds appropriated by Congress can’t be used “for publicity or propaganda purposes within the United States not heretofore authorized by Congress.” The lawsuit also cites the Anti-Deficiency Act, which bars spending government money that hasn’t been appropriated by Congress, and the Purpose Statute, which says

HBCU students march to demand justice for Nolan Wells: “No water in his lungs!”

These were the chants of Atlanta University Center (AUC) students as they marched through the school campus on Thursday night. It was also the findings of the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s autopsy of Nolan Wells that the family released on September 26. Wells was an 18-year-old Black Mississippi teenager who went missing and was later found dead on a boating trip on July 4. Investigators initially ruled Wells’ death a drowning. However, due to a combination of the autopsy, Wells’ parents’ skepticism of the local police, and the lengthy history of Black lynching in Mississippi, concerned Americans around the country

Schools banned a record 12,000 books in a year, according to annual report

By The Associated Press Nearly 12,000 bans took place in public schools over the past year, according to a new study from PEN America, the highest total since the free expression organization began tracking removals five years ago. For the second straight year, Stephen King was the author most likely to have his work withdrawn. Many of the bans took place in Florida and Texas, where restrictive laws have been passed and both politicians and conservative activists have pushed for removals. PEN has also found that school district administrators rely increasingly on AI to determine which books should be pulled.

Alabama HBCU to be part of Department of War’s ‘Corps of Cadets’

By Patrick Darrington Tuskegee University has been selected to be a part of a new Department of War program, the only historically Black college and university to receive the designation. The department stated Tuesday that Tuskegee would be one of five colleges given the title of a Distinguished Military College as the agency creates America’s Corps of Cadets. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced the program during a “State of the Force” speech. Louisiana State University, Liberty University, Mississippi State University, and Hillsdale College will also take part in the program. “The program addresses the need for more officers grounded

New legislation aims to block renaming aircraft carrier after Trump

By Courtney Kube WASHINGTON — Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., plans to introduce three bills Thursday to block the Trump administration from scrapping plans to name an aircraft carrier in honor of a Black war hero and instead naming it after President Donald Trump. Two U.S. officials said that Navy leadership has been discussing changing the proposed name of the aircraft carrier USS Doris Miller. The ship is still under construction but is set to be named in honor of Miller, an enlisted sailor who famously staffed an antiaircraft gun during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, in 1941. Miller,

Governor replaces DA with New York AG Letitia James as special prosecutor in Cornell case

By Marlene Lenthang and Joe Kottke New York Attorney General Letitia James has been appointed as special prosecutor in the Cornell University sexual assault investigation, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Thursday, following increasing scrutiny and uproar over how university police and the local district attorney’s office handled the matter two years ago. Hochul said in a statement that “newly released information continues to raise serious questions about the investigation,” which has in turn “undercut my faith, and the public’s faith.” She said James, who has been attorney general since 2019, will take over the case of a former Cornell University student

White House press ban is a warning the Black Press cannot ignore

The White House does not belong to Donald Trump. It belongs to the American people. And Black Americans have particular reason to care about who gets inside, who gets to ask questions and who gets to report back to the communities most affected by decisions made there. For nearly 200 years, the Black Press has existed in part because we could not depend on others to tell our stories, ask our questions or challenge those in power on our behalf. Access has never been an abstract issue for us. In 1944, Harry S. McAlpin became the first Black journalist to

4 Alabama HBCUs receive $1M gift from Dimon Foundation

Four Alabama Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCUs) were recipients of $1 million donations from The James and Judith K. Dimon Foundation. The gifts, which were announced by the United Negro College Fund in August, to strengthen the long-term sustainability of historically Black colleges and universities. Recipient schools were selected for “the strength of their leadership and governance and for their proven record of preparing educators, nurses and other healthcare professionals.” Alabama HBCUs to receive the funding include: Miles College Oakwood University Stillman College Tuskegee University Only 12 total schools received a donation and our state was the only one

Lonnie G. Bunch III, The First Black Smithsonian Secretary, Steps Down Amid White House Attacks

By Phenix S Halley After months of attacks from President Donald Trump’s administration over the Smithsonian’s integrity and mission, Lonnie G. Bunch III, the institution’s first Black secretary, is stepping down. Bunch spent much of his career ensuring Black history had a permanent place in the American story. Now, he has announced he’s leaving the Smithsonian at the end of 2026 after nearly eight years leading the institution, according to The Washington Post. “For, I don’t know, 45 years, work has taken precedence over family, and I just said at 73, enough’s enough,” Bunch told the outlet. “There’s never a good time, but I think the key

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