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Nobel winner Kofi Annan, the first black African to lead the United Nations, dies at 80
Former U.N. Secretary-General and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Kofi Annan died on Saturday, Aug. 18, 2018, his foundation said, after decades of championing efforts to try to end protracted conflicts in Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Pope Francis’ new book asks church to reach out to marginalized people
Pope Francis calls in his new book for Roman Catholic leaders to be compassionate shepherds to a “wounded humanity,” not lofty scholars quick to condemn and exclude people who don’t obey church teachings. The book, “The Name of God Is Mercy,” breaks no new ground but is a compelling restatement of the themes of Pope Francis’ papacy told in simple, breezy language in a freewheeling conversation with veteran Italian journalist Andrea Tornielli.
Bump stocks banned
The Trump administration on Tuesday banned the high-power gun attachments of the type used in last year’s Las Vegas shooting massacre of 58 people, giving the owners of “bump stocks” 90 days to turn in or destroy the devices and blocking owners from being able to register them.
Obesity, poverty help explain higher diabetes risk for black Americans
Even though African-American adults are more likely to develop diabetes than white adults, the increased risk is largely due to obesity and other risk factors that may be possible to change, a new study suggests.
Painful testimony from 72-year-old survivor of S.C. church massacre
A 72-year-old retired nurse recounted for jurors on Wednesday how she cowered under a table while Dylann Roof killed nine of her fellow worshippers at a historic black church but spared her so she could tell the story of what he had done.
Rap scores Grammy breakthrough while girl power rules awards show
“This is America,” Childish Gambino’s searing indictment of police brutality and racism, scored a breakthrough for rap on Sunday at the Grammy Awards by winning both record and song of the year and becoming the first hip-hop track to win either of the top Grammy categories in 61 years.
Under scrutiny, Trump announces plans to dissolve his foundation
President-elect Donald Trump said he intends to dissolve his charitable foundation, the Donald J. Trump Foundation, which has been under investigation by the New York attorney general. The president-elect gave no timeline for winding down the foundation, but said in a statement released on Dec. 24 that he wanted “to avoid even the appearance of any conflict with my role as president.”
Cleveland to pay $6M in Tamir Rice’s death
Cleveland officials have agreed to pay $6 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the family of Tamir Rice, a 12-year-old who was shot and killed by a police officer in 2014, according to documents filed in federal court on Monday.
August Wilson’s ‘Fences’ now on big screen
Denzel Washington is excited. Not so much because he is an Oscar front-runner for his role in “Fences,” but because bringing the award-winning stage play about blue collar African-Americans to the big screen has been a long-held dream.
First Lady Melania Trump lays wreath at slave castle in Ghana
First Lady Melania Trump laid a wreath at a 17th century slave fortress in Ghana on Wednesday, vowing never to forget where Africans were held before being shipped away into further hardship, most across the Atlantic.
Dauntless
U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson deflects Republican attacks
Republicans on Wednesday pressed their attacks on a range of issues against Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, President Biden’s nominee to become the first Black woman on the U.S. Supreme Court, as she inched closer to the end of an intense two days of questioning with Democrats coming to her defense.
Michigan officials face charges in Flint water crisis
Michigan prosecutors on Tuesday charged four former government officials in Flint, including two city emergency managers, with conspiring to violate safety rules in connection with the city’s water crisis that exposed residents to dangerous levels of lead.
Lack of diversity prompts Oscar boycott announcement
Director Spike Lee and actress Jada Pinkett Smith plan to boycott next month’s Academy Awards ceremony because black actors were shut out of nominations. The Academy acknowledged this week that it needs to do more to promote diversity after the Oscar nominees for acting that were announced last Thursday lacked black performers for a second straight year.
Serena, 35, wins title 23, pursuing 24
Serena Williams reigned supreme in tennis’ great sibling rivalry, edging an emotion-charged clash with sister Venus to claim her seventh Australian Open last Saturday.
Naomi Osaka announces hiatus after U.S. Open defeat
Retired athletes voiced their support for four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka last Saturday after she said she would take a break from tennis, having lost her enthusiasm for competition.
Whew!
FBI finds Hillary Clinton careless, but not criminal in use of private email server
The FBI recommended Tuesday that no criminal charges be filed over Hillary Clinton’s use of private email servers while she was secretary of state, but rebuked the Democratic U.S. presidential candidate for “extremely careless” handling of classified information.
Trump, accompanied by Steve Parson, met by protesters, half-filled pews at Detroit church
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump stepped up his bid to win over minority voters by addressing a largely black church in Detroit last Saturday and calling for a new civil rights agenda to support African-Americans.
Life likely to change for Bill Cosby after conviction
Bill Cosby, used to the high life as one of America’s biggest stars, likely will see his entourage of aides replaced by an inmate paid pennies to help the legally blind comedian navigate life behind bars after he is sentenced for sexual assault.
Denzel receives top Golden Globe award
Oscar-winning actor Denzel Washington joined the ranks of Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro when he was awarded the Golden Globe for lifetime achievement Sunday.
Sanders gives Clinton the nod
Portsmouth, N.H. Democrat Bernie Sanders endorsed former rival Hillary Clinton for president in a display of party unity Tuesday, describing her as the best candidate to fix the nation’s problems and beat Republican Donald Trump in the Nov. 8 presidential election.
