National News - Page 2

Biden commutes sentences of 37 federal death row prisoners

By Deepa Shivaram President Biden used his clemency authority Monday to commute the sentences of 37 of the 40 men on federal death row to life without parole, in one of the most significant moves taken against capital punishment in recent presidential history. Biden did not commute the sentences of three men who were involved in cases of terrorism or hate-fueled mass murder, including Robert Bowers, convicted for the 2018 mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue; Dylann Roof, convicted for the 2015 mass shooting at a Black church in Charleston, S.C.; and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, convicted of the 2013 bombing at the Boston Marathon. In a

Jerry T. Hodges Jr., Last Surviving Tuskegee Airman From Arkansas, Passes Away at 99

/

On Dec. 19, 2024, Jerry T. Hodges Jr., a revered Tuskegee Airman and civil rights pioneer, passed away at the age of 99. As the last surviving Tuskegee Airman from Arkansas, Hodges leaves a profound legacy that extends far beyond his years in aviation. Born on June 29, 1925, in Memphis, Tennessee, and raised in the Arkansas Delta, the challenges of segregation marked Hodges’ early years. In 1943, he graduated as valedictorian from Robert R. Moton High School in Marianna. His passion for aviation soon led him to leave Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) to enlist in the Army Air Corps

Georgia court blocks Fulton DA Willis from Trump election interference case

By Sam Gringlus Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis and her office cannot continue prosecuting the Georgia election interference case involving President-elect Donald Trump, the Georgia Court of Appeals has ruled. However, the court declined to dismiss the case itself. Fulton County prosecutors quickly notified the court that they intend to appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court. “While this is the rare case in which DA Willis and her office must be disqualified due to a significant appearance of impropriety, we cannot conclude that the record also supports the imposition of the extreme sanction of dismissal of the indictment under

Amazon faces multiple pickets as union targets holiday shopping rush

/

By Alina Selyukh Amazon faced a coordinated picket effort as drivers and warehouse workers at multiple locations around the U.S. on Thursday pressed the retail giant to recognize their unions. The campaign launched by the Teamsters union comes during the holiday-shopping rush, though Amazon says it has not affected operations. The union had said workers would strike at seven locations in major delivery hubs: around the cities of New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco and that it had organized the “largest strike against Amazon in U.S. history.” By the afternoon, according to NPR’s reporters and media photos, picketers

TikTok asks the Supreme Court for an emergency order to block a US ban unless it’s sold

/

TikTok on Monday asked the Supreme Court to step in on an emergency basis to block the federal law that would ban the popular platform in the United States unless its China-based parent company agreed to sell it. Lawyers for the company and China-based ByteDance urged the justices to step in before the law’s Jan. 19 deadline. A similar plea was filed by content creators who rely on the platform for income and some of TikTok’s more than 170 million users in the U.S. “A modest delay in enforcing the Act will create breathing room for this Court to conduct an orderly review and

Trailblazing politician Shirley Chisholm is awarded Congress’ highest honor

By Donna M. Owens Bipartisan legislation to honor the late Shirley Chisholm, the nation’s first Black congresswoman, became law last week, as the 118th Congress winds down with a final flurry of bills. President Joe Biden signed the Shirley Chisholm Congressional Gold Medal Act on Thursday, posthumously honoring Chisholm, who died in 2005, with Congress’s highest award for her distinguished service and achievements. Days prior, Vice President Kamala Harris signed the measure in her role as president of the U.S. Senate, flanked by the bill’s two lead sponsors, Sen. Laphonza Butler, D-Calif., and Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif. “I see no one more deserving

Uncertain Changes Loom at Accreditation Conference

By Josh Moody The talk at the annual Middle States Commission on Higher Education conference last week centered on the changes coming to higher education as President-elect Donald Trump returns to the White House in January. But exactly what those changes will look like remains a matter of pure speculation, given how disconnected Trump’s rhetoric often is from the realities of his policies. Before an audience of college leaders, accreditation liaisons and commission members, speakers pondered whether Republicans can enact Trump’s sweeping higher education agenda amid regular GOP infighting, competing policy priorities and looming midterm elections. Trump’s pledge to reshape

The Biden overtime rule was struck down. Now, some workers are losing pay raises

/

By Andrea Hsu Imagine getting a pay raise, only to be told weeks later: Sorry, we’re taking it back. That’s what’s happening to 306 employees at The Ohio State University now that a federal court has struck down the Biden administration’s overtime rule. Finalized in April, the rule would have made some 4.3 million salaried workers nationwide newly eligible to earn 1.5 times their regular pay when they work more than 40 hours a week. “One of the basic principles of the American workplace is that a hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay,” wrote Jessica Looman, head of the

NC Central University Receives $1M Grant From Google To Open An AI Institute, The First For An HBCU

/

By Samantha Dorisca Google has allocated a grant to support artificial intelligence learning at an HBCU. The nation’s first HBCU AI Institute is coming to NC Central University. CBS17 reports the university will open the Institute for Artificial Intelligence and Equity Research. The groundbreaking institute aims to explore the intersection of artificial intelligence and social equity, focusing on addressing systemic disparities and fostering innovation through a lens of inclusivity and diversity. “Our purpose is clear to innovate, inspire and shape the next generation of leaders in artificial intelligence,” NCCU Chancellor Karrie Dixon said, according to CBS 17. The institute is expected to benefit 200 students with mentorship and research opportunities. Additionally, it

FAA chief Mike Whitaker announces that he will step down in January

By Joel Rose The head of the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Whitaker, announced in an email to the agency’s staff that he will resign on Jan. 20. Whitaker’s time at the FAA has been largely dominated by Boeing, as he led the agency’s response to major safety and quality problems at the company and its suppliers. He also worked to hire more air traffic controllers, a persistent challenge as the FAA remains far short of full staffing in that area. “As I conclude my time at the FAA, my confidence in you to meet our safety mission has never been stronger,” Whitaker wrote in

1 2 3 4 … 139

Covering HBCUs and the African American Community

Quick Link

Home
About Us
Sports
Entertainment

Gallery

© 2024 HBCU News Corporation – ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.