National News - Page 9

Illinois State apologizes after fans are accused of using racial slur against Norfolk State player

By Char Adams Illinois State University has apologized after at least one of its fans was accused of hurling racial slurs at a Black player for Norfolk State University during a basketball game Saturday, leading to a confrontation between the teams’ coaches. The Norfolk State Spartans were ahead of the Illinois State Redbirds in the second half when the broadcast crew pointed out that one or two fans had made “idiotic comments” that were “of a racial nature.” The broadcasters added that Jamarii Thomas of Norfolk State, a historically Black university, was seen exchanging words with at least one fan before being reprimanded by an official.

The GOP Wants To Kill Climate Programs That Protect Black Neighborhoods

By Derrick Z. Jackson Forget the cliché that Republicans are climate deniers. They are more accurately the party of environmental gerrymandering. It is parallel to the GOP’s bald-faced efforts to amass disproportionate power in many states by diluting Black representation. The party is trying to deny environmental justice and the economic benefits of a green economy to communities of color as predominantly White GOP congressional districts run off with the investments. This fall, the GOP majority in the House passed a bill that would cut billions of dollars from climate and energy efficiency programs launched during the Biden administration. For now, the bill is symbolic,

A Midwestern hub joins the short list of U.S. cities with an all-female City Council

By Adrienne Broaddus  Minnesota’s state Capitol will soon be home to a distinction that few American cities can boast: an all-female City Council. The seven women that will be sworn in next month as council members are all under the age of 40, and six are women of color. Mitra Jalali, Rebecca Noecker and Nelsie Yang won their re-election races in November and will be joined by Saura Jost, Anika Bowie, Hwa Jeong Kim and Cheniqua Johnson. They have dubbed themselves the “St. Paula seven,” intentionally adding an “a” to the city’s name to reflect its new class of female leaders.

Woman tried to burn down the Martin Luther King Jr. birth home in Atlanta with gasoline

By Minyvonne Burke and Anthony Cusumano A woman was arrested Thursday after allegedly trying to burn down the birth home of Martin Luther King Jr., Atlanta police said. The woman, Laneisha Shantrice Henderson, 26, was stopped by two tourists from Utah after they saw her pouring gasoline on the property, authorities said. Henderson was charged with second-degree arson and interfering with government property. She was taken to Grady Detention for a psychological evaluation and will be transferred to Fulton County Jail once she’s discharged, police said. The tourists told officers they were on a work trip from Utah and wanted to visit the historical

New sickle cell treatment sparks feelings of hope and some hesitancy among Black patients

By Claretta Bellamy The Food and Drug Administration must decide by Friday whether to approve a new gene-editing therapy to treat sickle cell disease, a debilitating blood disorder that affects at least 100,000 Americans, most of whom are Black. The treatment, called exa-cel, would be the first approved medicine in the U.S. to use the groundbreaking gene-editing tool CRISPR to alter DNA. The new therapy, from Vertex Pharmaceuticals and CRISPR Therapeutics, is, experts say, a stunning advancement in medicine. The treatment, however, also sparks mixed feelings among both Black sickle cell patients and doctors, who are concerned about potential side effects, costs and

400 students launch protest at NYC high school against teacher who posted pro-Israel stance online

By Marlene Lenthang A New York City high school has fallen into the spotlight after 400 students ran and jumped through the halls waving Palestinian flags and calling for the removal of a Jewish teacher who shared her pro-Israel stance on social media. Now officials are seeking to turn the fallout into a “teachable moment,” NYC Schools Chancellor David Banks said Monday. Videos of the protest on Nov. 20 at Hillcrest High School, which teaches about 2,500 students in Jamaica, Queens, circulated online showing hordes of students running in the halls, dancing and waving flags. But the clip drew sharp

Under judge’s order, Georgia proposes map with two new Black-majority districts

Georgia Senate Republicans are proposing a new map that would create two Black-majority voting districts, but would probably retain Republicans’ 33-23 edge in the General Assembly’s upper chamber, in an effort to fix a map a judge said illegally dilutes Black votes. The proposed districts, released Monday, would increase the number of Black majority districts by eliminating two white-majority districts currently represented by Democrats. State Sens. Jason Esteves and Elena Parent, both of Atlanta, would find themselves living in Black-majority districts if the redrawn map goes through. A special session on redrawing state legislative and congressional districts is scheduled to

WH Press Sec. Addresses Prominent Black Leaders Calling For A Ceasefire

By Jessica Washington A chorus of prominent Black progressive leaders have spent the last month urging a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. Many of them have criticized the administration’s response to the crisis — questioning how the White House can continue to back the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Since the Oct 7 terrorist attack, which killed 1,200 people, Israel’s bombing campaign in Gaza has killed over 11,000 Palestinians, including over 5,350 children. “I’ve spent a lot of time trying to do the political calculus on this. And I think at a certain point, we have to just stop and say, “They

An HBCU will host a general election presidential debate for the first time

By Isabela Espadas Barros Leal For the first time in U.S. history, a general election presidential debate will be hosted at a historically Black college or university. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced Monday that Virginia State University in Petersburg will host the second debate of the 2024 general election cycle Oct. 1. “We are honored and grateful to have been chosen as a host for a 2024 Presidential Debate,” VSU President Makola M. Abdullah said in a news release. “This is a historic moment for our university and for HBCUs nationwide.” Additional debates will be hosted at Texas State University — a Hispanic-serving institution —

Serena Williams and Ruby Bridges will be inducted into National Women’s Hall of Fame

Serena Williams and Ruby Bridges will be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame next year, the hall announced Thursday, adding the tennis great and civil rights icon to a previously announced list of women to be honored during Women’s History Month in March. “The 2024 inductee class has broken barriers, challenged the status quo, and left an impact on history,” the Hall of Fame said in its announcement. Eight other honorees were announced in the spring. Williams and Bridges became available after the date and location of the ceremony were changed, a spokesman said. Williams, 42, is a 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion

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