Ghana's FA says it removed all its national team coaches 'in line with the vision' of the GFA's new administration and is now 'evaluating the situation.'
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Saturday, January 4, 2020
Friday, January 3, 2020
Lifetime’s new ‘Surviving R. Kelly Part II: The Reckoning’ is just as powerful as the original docu-series
Surviving R. Kelly: The Reckoning is the aptly named title of a new docu-series from Lifetime producers who created the original Surviving R. Kelly doc last year. That series, which featured alleged victims of singer R. Kelly’s sexual abuse, was the first time that many people in the general public heard directly from the women offering their first-hand accounts at length.
The artist has allegations against him that date back to the 1990s, mostly involving sexual misconduct with teenage girls under the age of consent.
The impact of the series went beyond ratings and social media trending topics. While R. Kelly decided to party at a Chicago nightclub days after the docu-series debuted and brashly proclaimed his lack of worries, officials in Illinois were inspired by the documentary to ask for any potential victims to step forward. And they did just that.
R. Kelly is currently in jail in Chicago and he has multiple charges against him in both Illinois and New York, including 10 counts of sexual abuse with minors. In December 2019, he was charged by the federal government for bribing a government employee to obtain a fake identification for the late singer Aaliyah for the purposes of getting married. She was 15 years old at the time. That marriage was later annulled.
READ MORE: R. Kelly charged with bribing official for fake ID to marry Aaliyah when she was 15
The new R. Kelly docu-series details everything that has happened since the original doc aired in 2019 and not just about the singer. There has been long-lasting and on-going impacts for the alleged victims. One woman had a seizure after she said she was confronted by someone from R. Kelly’s camp. Another has a hard time enjoying sex with her husband due to how traumatized she says she is from her sexual interactions with R. Kelly as a teen. Many of the women have experienced blowback from R. Kelly supporters.
The first installment of the new docu-series aired on January 2nd and it is a heavy watch. It combines footage from the past year (including the threat that caused last year’s screening event to evacuate), R. Kelly’s brothers detailing the sexual abuse they endured at the hands of a neighbor when they were children, Dame Dash sharing his thoughts about his late girlfriend Aaliyah’s relationship with R. Kelly, a heart-wrenching account from the singer’s former hair-braider, mental health experts, and a couple of R. Kelly’s female employees who 100% vouch for his innocence.
There is no shying away from the brutality, brokenness, anger, and sadness that permeate through much of the first installment. No soundbites or click-bait headlines will do it justice. It is something to watch for yourself and consider.
Surviving R. Kelly: The Reckoning comes on Lifetime in three parts: January 2 at 9 pm, January 3 at 9 pm, and January 4 at 8 pm.
Watch the trailer below:
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Cannabis sales in Illinois hit nearly $3.2 million on first day of legalization
The state of Illinois is starting off the new decade with a bang after reportedly making nearly $3.2 million in sales of recreational marijuana on its first day
According to CNN, the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation is reporting that when they calculated the earnings of the 77,128 transactions made at the state’s 37 dispensaries, the sum came out to be over $3.17 million.
READ MORE: Illinois city plans reparations fund for Black residents using cannabis revenue
After Governor JB Pritzker signed the Cannabis Regulation and Taxation Act into law back in June, Illinois became the 11th state to legalize weed. The bill allows residents who are age 21 and older to possess 30 grams of cannabis “flower” and for non-residents to have up to 15 grams.
The Chicago Tribune reports that these massive first-day sales are amongst the highest showings for any state that has legalized marijuana in the country.
“The amazing thing about that is that there’s a significant portion of these dollars that go directly into this community reinvestment fund, so we can continue to rebuild communities that have been hardest hit by the war on drugs,” Toi Hutchinson, Governor Prtizker’s senior adviser for cannabis control, said. “So sales are great but let’s never lose sight on the impact that we’re having on families around this state.”
READ MORE: Mike Tyson’s weed farm to boost economy on Caribbean islands
To Hutchinson’s point, under the new law, any taxes obtained from these sales would first be used to expunge approximately 770,000 minor cannabis-related cases. Then, any remaining money will be put towards supporting drug treatment and enforcement programs, among other statewide initiatives.
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Tavis Smiley’s alleged sexual misconduct exposed in 500-page PBS report
It seems the war between talk show host, Tavis Smiley and his former employer, PBS, is heating up and taking a very public turn of events. Details of Smiley’s sexual misconduct accusations at PBS have been outlined in a shocking new report that was filed by Smiley’s lawyers as part of an ongoing court case.
The 500-page report, put together by an investigator hired by PBS, was unsealed and details several incidents dating back decades. It provides insight into allegations of consensual sexual relationships with subordinates, inappropriate comments, touching, and verbal abuse, according to Variety.
In the report, numerous women – both subordinates of Smiley’s and show guests – claim they had sexual relationships with him. In one example, Smiley is said to have invited a former female employee to lunch where he asked her a slew of intimate questions including if she had a boyfriend. Then while back at the office, he allegedly offered to take her to Victoria’s Secret after asking about her bra size so he could “buy you some stuff, some panties,” reports Variety.
READ MORE: Tavis Smiley’s fight against sex assault claims hits roadblock
The woman told the PBS investigator that she laughed at the comment but Smiley was serious. She also alleges that he left a voicemail on her cell phone, exclaiming that she looked “so good” in the pink dress she wore to work. Eventually, the woman said she was let go and some of her co-workers told her it was because she “knew too much” about Smiley’s behavior.
PBS fired the former talk-show host in December 2017 for violating his contract, although Smiley maintains he did nothing wrong. Smiley sued PBS last year for breach of contract. PBS turned around and countersued Smiley demanding that he return the $1.9 million in production costs associated with his show.
Smiley continues to deny the allegations and has instead accused PBS of racial bias and unnecessary reviews of his show budgets. While he acknowledged he has had relationships with employees, he professes that those relationships were consensual and as such, were not prohibited by the company’s policies.
Smiley’s case is set to go on trial Feb. 10. His lawyers had tried to get the case thrown out through summary judgement, arguing Smiley’s relationships preceded his contract with PBS, but D.C. Superior Court Judge Yvonne Williams found that PBS had more recent misconduct claims that fell within his contract period.
READ MORE: Racist radio host Don Imus dies in infamy
Another woman, who worked at the time as a traveling producer for Smiley, told PBS investigators that she and Smiley had a sexual relationship that started on a work trip, when Smiley directed a hotel front desk clerk to send her up to his room for business. She alleges that when she got there, he started to make sexual advances toward her, and she responded by telling him: “Look, I worked really hard for this job, and I am not trying to lose it because of a relationship with you,” according to Variety. The woman said Smiley promised her that she wouldn’t lose her job because she was “smart,” but that the two of them needed to “keep it a secret since I am your boss.”
The producer said she was later fired after other employees learned of the relationship, although she said she was told the official reason for her termination was work performance issues. She told investigators that she believes Smiley fired her because he was involved in multiple relationships with other subordinates.
Other women who had sexual relationships with Smiley also say while those relationships were consensual, he was their boss or had booked them on his show at the time.
“Women are put in a bad position when their boss hits on them,” said a former guest in the report’s summary of interviews, according to Variety. She claims to have had a sexual relationship with Smiley and then wasn’t invited back to the show.
READ MORE: 9 women accuse Vincent Cirrincione (Halle Berry former manager) of sexual harassment
Meanwhile, Smiley has denied all claims in the report saying he never disciplined or terminated an employee after having a relationship with him and that he hasn’t been in a relationship with a subordinate in the last 10 years.
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Top MIT research stories of 2019
With a new year just begun, we take a moment to look back at the most popular articles of 2019 reflecting innovations, breakthroughs, and new insights from the MIT community. The following 10 research-related stories published in the previous 12 months received top views on MIT News. A selection of additional top news that you might have missed follows.
10. We’ve seen a black hole. An international team of astronomers, including scientists from MIT’s Haystack Observatory, announced the first direct images of a black hole in April. They accomplished this remarkable feat by coordinating the power of eight major radio observatories on four continents, to work together as a virtual, Earth-sized telescope.
9. The kilo is dead. Long live the kilo! On World Metrology Day, MIT Professor Wolfgang Ketterle delivered a talk on scientists’ new definition of the kilogram and the techniques for its measurement. As of May 20, a kilo is now defined by fixing the numerical value of a fundamental constant of nature known as the Planck constant.
8. A new record for blackest black. MIT engineers led by Professor Brian Wardle cooked up a material that is 10 times blacker than anything previously reported. The material is made from carbon nanotubes grown on chlorine-etched aluminum foil and captures at least 99.995 percent of incoming light. The material was featured as part of an exhibit at the New York Stock Exchange that was conceived by Diemut Strebe, MIT Center for Art, Science, and Technology artist-in-residence, in collaboration with Wardle and his lab.
7. Further evidence that Einstein was right. Physicists from MIT and elsewhere studied the ringing of an infant black hole, and found that the pattern of this ringing accurately predicts the black hole’s mass and spin — more evidence that Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity is correct.
6. Understanding infections and autism. MIT and Harvard Medical School researchers uncovered a cellular mechanism that may explain why some children with autism experience a temporary reduction in behavioral symptoms when they have a fever.
5. A step toward pain-free diabetes treatments. An MIT-led research team developed a drug capsule that could be used to deliver oral doses of insulin, potentially replacing the injections that people with type 1 diabetes have to give themselves every day.
4. Da Vinci’s design holds up. Some 500 years after his death, MIT engineers and architects tested a design by Leonardo da Vinci for what would have been the world’s longest bridge span of its time. Their proof of the bridge’s feasibility sheds light on what ambitious construction projects might have been possible using only the materials and methods of the early Renaissance.
3. A novel kind of airplane wing. MIT and NASA engineers built and tested a radically new kind of airplane wing, assembled from hundreds of tiny identical pieces. The wing can change shape to control the plane’s flight, and, according to the researchers, could provide a significant boost in aircraft production, flight, and maintenance efficiency.
2. Simple programming for everyone. MIT researchers created a programming system with artificial intelligence that can easily be used by novices and experts alike. Users can create models and algorithms with the system, “Gen,” without having to deal with equations or handwrite high-performance code; experts can also use it to write sophisticated models and inference algorithms that were previously infeasible.
1. A new way to remove carbon dioxide from air. MIT researchers developed a system that can remove carbon dioxide from a stream of air at virtually any concentration level. The new method is significantly less energy-intensive and expensive than existing processes, and could provide a significant tool in the battle against climate change.
In case you missed it…
Additional top research stories of 2019 included a study finding better sleep habits lead to better college grades; a meta-study on the efficacy of educational technology; findings that science blooms after star researchers die; a system for converting the molecular structures of proteins into musical passages; and the answer to life, the universe, and everything.
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Marriott Being Sued for $300G by Black Woman Over Discriminatory ‘No Party’ Policy
Marriott Hotels is being sued for discrimination by a black woman who was told there was a ‘no party’ policy at the hotel.
According to Fox News, Felicia Gonzales, 51, says the front desk clerk at the Residence Inn by Marriott Portland Downtown/Convention Center informed her that all incoming guests had to sign the policy. But Gonzales soon found out that wasn’t the case as she watched white guests who checked in after her and they weren’t required to sign the policy she was told about, according to the lawsuit.
The policy, which was written out on two pages, states that it was established to inform all guests of noise limits and “not to insinuate any distrust in the ‘average’ guest,” according to a copy obtained from Gonzales’ attorneys. “No hotels want to have parties in them and we don’t want that type of business,” the policy read. The policy also said guests are responsible for any missing items from their suites and any damage caused to the outside hotel property by “invited or uninvited person(s).”
The filed lawsuit states that Gonzalez, who is a Marriott rewards member, “had never had a problem or noise complaint at any other Marriott hotel she had ever stayed at.” When Gonzalez arrived to check-in for her five-day stay, hotel employees refused to give her a key until they received a signature on the “no party policy” agreement they presented her.
“Having to sign a “NO PARTY” policy form felt uncomfortable to Gonzales and she went back to the front desk,” the suit says. This is where she observed multiple Caucasian guests check-in without having to sign the policy.
The suit, which was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court, seeks $300,000 for embarrassment, frustration, humiliation and “feelings of racial stigmatization.” The suit also says it could later be amended to add $1 million in punitive damages.
“As a result of the above-described discrimination, Ms. Gonzales suffered, continues to suffer, and will in the future suffer from embarrassment, frustration, anger, humiliation, a sense of increased vulnerability, and feelings of racial stigmatization,” the lawsuit says.
Jeff Flaherty, a Marriott spokesperson, said the company doesn’t comment on pending lawsuits.
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School of Science recognizes members with 2020 Infinite Kilometer Awards
The MIT School of Science has announced the winners of the 2020 Infinite Kilometer Awards, which are presented annually to researchers within the school who are exceptional contributors to their communities.
These winners are nominated by their peers and mentors for their hard work, which can include mentoring and advising, supporting educational programs, providing service to groups such as the MIT Postdoctoral Association, or some other form of contribution to their home departments, labs, and research centers, the school, and the Institute.
The 2020 Infinite Kilometer Award winners in the School of Science are:
- Edgar Costa, a research scientist in the Department of Mathematics, nominated by Professor Bjorn Poonen and Principal Research Scientist Andrew Sutherland;
- Casey Rodriguez, an instructor in the Department of Mathematics, nominated by Professor Gigliola Staffilani;
- Rachel Ryskin, a postdoc in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, nominated by Professor Edward Gibson; and
- Grayson Sipe, a postdoc in the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory, nominated by Professor Mriganka Sur.
A monetary award is granted to recipients, and a celebratory reception will be held later this spring in their honor, attended by those who nominated them, family, and friends, in addition to the soon-to-be-announced recipients of the 2020 Infinite Mile Award.
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Meet The C-Suite Executive Powering Corporate IT For $21 Billion Cox Enterprises
As senior vice president and chief information officer powering corporate IT for Atlanta-based Cox Enterprises, Richard Cox Jr. drives what has been described as “the next phase of the technology journey.”
In his C-suite role, he oversees corporate IT and business leadership on strategy, standards, and opportunities related to data analytics and business intelligence, development and support, security, and technical services for the $21 billion privately-held global conglomerate engaged in cable television and automotive services, among other areas. “I have always leveraged technology and innovation,” says Cox, a Liberty University graduate who holds an M.B.A. with a concentration in Management of Information Systems from Kennesaw State University. “It couldn’t have been a better fit because of what I considered to be my passion for technology and working for what I believe to be the best company here in Atlanta.”
The Atlanta native has been attracted to tech since playing and reassembling video games during his formative years. It was natural for him to hold a number of high-powered positions within the space, including his stints as vice president of customer experience for online travel service Orbitz Worldwide and president and COO for Jones International University, the first accredited online university based in Centennial, Colorado, (It closed in 2015). In 2013, he joined Cox Automotive handling several leadership roles over the years and playing a critical role in re-engineering operations and bolstering analytics at the Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book divisions.
In 2018, Cox was tapped by his former high school classmate, Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms to serve in the position as Chief Operating Officer in charge of the city’s agencies and departments. During his 15-month stint as her right hand while on loan from Cox, he gained a crash course in crisis management during his effective handling of the city’s massive cyberdisruption—just before Super Bowl LIII.
Find out what makes him such a business dynamo.
DRIVING CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, INNOVATION, AND SCALE
How will you use your role to make Cox more competitive?
I think that this role will be incredibly important when you map out our direction and strategy over the next few years. There are three points, specifically, that I think are important. One is what I call the foundation, and it’s really focusing on the customer experience. That may sound, perhaps, like it’s not aligned with technology but at the end of the day, it’s really important that we create experiences that are both intuitive and really resonate with our employees and our customers. No. 2 is innovation. Whether it’s 5G, blockchain, AI, it is incumbent upon us to really understand the lay of the land as it relates to these innovative technologies and how we can make things easier for our employees and our customers. Last but not least, it’s going to be critically important that we leverage our technology to be able to scale the organization.
Our CEO, Alex Taylor, has very ambitious goals. We have a future focused on 2034. In order for us to reach those goals, it’s really going to be important for us to look at some acquisitions and to grow organically. When you look at both of those things, you have to have technology that not only leverages innovation but is also able to scale in big ways.
Data analytics will play a large role.
Absolutely. In fact, the analytics group, in particular, is near and dear to my heart. I led a team at a couple of other Cox businesses, Autotrader.com and Kelley Blue Book. I had responsibility for the data science and the analytics teams across those two businesses. One of the big learnings that I gained out of there is just the power inherent in data. Whether it’s just continuous improvement or AI, the answer is in the data. The way we think about the future, the businesses that we get involved with and the technology that we leverage—they’re all built on top of the data.
With customization of content through streaming services and other platforms, how does Cox pivot to stay competitive and gain consumers’ attention?
I’ve read many times over the years about the demise of cable. But what’s interesting is that cable companies, to some degree, have an advantage as it relates to the internet of things…connected homes. Even as you look at the opportunity within the business space, I think those are the areas that we see an opportunity for not just growth, but significant innovation in terms of what our businesses will be in the future. We expect that these types of services will grow exponentially over the next few years. I think our cable company is really poised to, not just take advantage of the opportunity, but to bring incredible value to those businesses and consumers for years to come.
SAVING THE CITY OF ATLANTA – AND THE SUPER BOWL
While you served as COO for the City of Atlanta, you faced one of the greatest challenges in your professional life — the largest ransomware attack ever on an American city. How did you manage this threat?
I’ll go so far to say, if not for that incident, I’m not sure I would have landed in the CIO role. I was forced to get really, really, smart and up to speed in terms of everything cyber. That being said, it started on my third day on the job. I got a call from the interim CIO saying, “Richard, no big deal, just want to give you a heads up but we have a small virus that we’re working on.” It was much more than a small virus. By the time I arrived at work, there were a few people waiting on me in my office, and I knew that was not good news. We identified pretty quickly that there was a malware attack. At that point, we didn’t know how pervasive the attack was across our networks and didn’t know the entry point.
We quickly organized the teams to be able to begin to identify how widespread things were. We identified a team to begin to map out manual processes. Although it was very early in the process, we knew pretty clearly that this was significant. Now, at that time, we didn’t know it would turn out to be the largest cyber incident for a municipality in US history but we knew that we would have to take action to be able to manually work through processes that in the past had been automated. The mayor and I were able to reach out and identify the best of the best in the space. Although a city doesn’t have the same resources as a private entity, what you do have is cooperation from the state and the federal level. We quickly engaged with Homeland Security. We quickly engaged with our local cyber experts. We were able to identify that it was, in fact, a malware attack.
The biggest decision that we had to make was would we pay the ransom? For a long time, it was not public that we didn’t pay. This was the call of the mayor, and she was adamant about the fact that we were not going to pay someone that stole from us. It ended up being one of the best decisions, and I say that for three reasons. No. 1 one, it ensured that we were ready and prepared for the Super Bowl. No. 2, it really created a focus on cyber that will serve the city for years to come. No. 3, the city was smart enough to have cyber insurance. With that, it was absolutely the right decision.
No one has been able to quantify what was saved. It’s almost infinite in terms of no data extracted or finances actually pilfered. The sky’s the limit in terms of how bad it could have been. The biggest thing—and I feel so good about it—is we had arguably the best-run Super Bowl that we have seen across the country. That is based on feedback from the NFL. We know definitively during that time period, a week leading up to the Super Bowl that scans of individuals trying to penetrate the network went up exponentially. So I’m absolutely convinced that it was the good work that we did in protecting the citizens of the city of Atlanta and millions of people that came during that Super Bowl period.
I imagine dealing with cyberattacks is now a part of the plan of most smart cities. In looking at the more expansive role that you played as COO, how will Atlanta’s application of digital technology serve as an exemplar for other cities in terms of connectivity for services and for quality of life?
I think about three things in terms of my engagement with the city. One is being a smart leader, one of the first things you do is find smart people to work with. Secondly, Atlanta is made up of companies that are really on the leading edge as it relates to everything needed for a smart city, and Cox is a part of that. In automotive, we are thinking through a world where there are autonomous vehicles. We are working with our local municipality to make sure that we’re thinking through infrastructure that will be needed in this new world. The third thing is we have here in Atlanta the North Avenue Corridor, which has been identified as a smart city quadrant where there are a number of tests that we’re doing, everything from smart lights to autonomous vehicle pilots. I think Atlanta, in particular, is really making sure that we are leading the way of how we think about our cities of the future.
DESIGNING A DIVERSE TECH PIPELINE
You served as President and COO of Jones International University. How did that experience shape your leadership style?
To be a part of an organization that was using technology to really impact education in a major way hit on what I’m made of. What I mean by that is I am a mission-driven leader that wants to make sure I’m helping the world do better. That is what drives me. It really shaped me as a leader in terms of how to bring an organization together, leverage technology. If you think about something as simple as pushing out opportunities so that people can learn in a way that resonates for them, in a time-space that works for them, versus traditionally how classes have been held. Just that change of thinking, that paradigm shift, is something that I’ve taken with me in every job since then.
Now that you’re in the C-suite of a major, multibillion-dollar corporation. Give me your insight in terms of what needs to be done to expand the pipeline of African American managers and those within the C-suite?
There are three thoughts that come to mind there. I think one, corporations have to open up opportunities. A lot of times, it’s not necessarily a gap in skills. It’s not necessarily a lack of qualified candidates, it’s just giving people an opportunity. I think we all get comfortable in our respective environments. I have a saying, “We’re all captive to our environments.” That goes for the person that grew up on my side of town or the person that lives in the million-dollar home. So we just have to open up opportunities to people that don’t look like us. I think that is No. 1. No. 2, I would encourage young people to really double down on emerging technology. In fact, I think you would agree, the things that we saw as new and cutting edge don’t last as long as they used to. They become table stakes pretty quickly.
So to the extent that we can encourage young people to look at the new and cutting-edge technology, not to become experts but to become experts on learning. That is the new skill set. You [must] have a mindset in terms of continuous improvement. The third thing is an imperative. If you simply look at the demographics here in the U.S. and look at the rise of Latinos in particular, [you realize] we will be a more diverse country. I think we have to make sure that we create environments where people can be their authentic and best selves. I’m just grateful to work at Cox because it allows me to do just that.
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Republican congressional leaders sign ‘friend of the court’ brief challenging Roe v. Wade
Republican senators and members of the House of Representatives are trying to get the Supreme Court to overrule Roe v. Wade.
Nearly all of the 207 senators and House representatives who signed a “friend of the court” brief on Thursday are Republican. The brief was filed by Americans United for Life, a national organization against abortion that has hitched its fight to a Louisiana abortion law that will be decided on by the top court in March, according to CNN. The Louisiana law requires doctors to hold hospital admitting privileges within a 30-mile radius of where an abortion is performed. People against the law argue that this requirement is not needed.
The friend of the court brief challenges the 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling, arguing that “Roe’s jurisprudence has been haphazard from the beginning.”
The landmark Supreme Court decision “remains a radically unsettled precedent” that “has been substantially undermined by subsequent authority,” the brief adds. The decision “clearly did not settle the abortion issue,” Republicans write, asking the justices to “reconsider those precedents.”
The friend of the court brief was signed by Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Chuck Grassley of Iowa, Mike Lee and Mitt Romney of Utah, and Tim Scott of South Carolina as well as Reps. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Steve Chabot of Ohio, CNN reported. Two Democrats – Reps. Collin Peterson of Minnesota and Dan Lipinski of Illinois – also signed the brief.
Although the Louisiana law in question does not directly impact the Roe decision, the timing of it comes as nearly the same number of congressional Democrats filed a brief in December backing Roe and defending Louisiana abortion providers.
“The brief is no surprise because anti-abortion politicians have always either taken direct aim at Roe v. Wade or attempted to push abortion access out of reach,” Brigitte Amiri, a lawyer at the American Civil Liberties Union, told CNN. “Notably, this brief goes further than what the state of Louisiana has pushed by suggesting that Roe should be reconsidered even though the questions in the case don’t directly raise whether Roe v. Wade should be overturned.”
However, Americans United for Life’s government affairs counsel, Katie Glenn, said the group does not expect this case will overturn Roe v. Wade.
“However, the court has the opportunity to reconsider the cases that have come before this case and in particular related to the workability of Roe and other precedents,” Glenn told CNN.
READ MORE: Federal judge hears arguments today fighting Georgia’s anti-abortion law
Notably missing from the slate of Republican congressional leaders who signed the brief is Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. His spokesman, David Popp, did not tell CNN why McConnell didn’t sign the release but said he certainly supports it.
“Senator McConnell is proud of his pro-life record and strongly supports the amicus brief filed by his colleagues,” Popp said.
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Rapper DaBaby arrested in Miami and questioned in robbery investigation
Rapper DaBaby was arrested by Miami police yesterday on a count of battery, although police are questioning him about a robbery investigation.
According to NBC Miami, the Charlotte rapper was questioned by robbery detectives in what Miami Police Department spokesperson, Kenia Fallat, is calling “an open and ongoing investigation.” Police wouldn’t release any further details about the investigation.
READ MORE: DaBaby uses his influence to help homeless mother’s small business
DaBaby, whose birth name is Jonathan Lyndale Kirk, 28, was released on a $5,000 bond. He was in Miami Beach for a New Year’s Eve show that also featured Diddy and DJ Khaled.
Now Miami isn’t the only place the “Suge” rapper is facing charges.
Last week, DaBaby was also detained in his native, Charlotte, North Carolina after police found marijuana in his car, according to TMZ. After he performed at the Bojangles’ Coliseum and got in his car to drive off, police reportedly swarmed his car, searched it and found less than one-half ounce of marijuana, according to TMZ.
DaBaby was charged with misdemeanor counts of possession of marijuana and resisting an officer.
The Charlotte Police Department’s Internal Affairs division is investigating both charges to determine whether officers properly followed polices during the incident.
DaBaby certainly doesn’t feel like they did. He told TMZ that he was targeted by police after they received a “bogus” tip that he had drugs and guns in his vehicle.
“Every time. There’s nobody when I pull up in the parking lot, the second I get out the car, 15 cops come around — can I borrow your microphone? ****** grabs mic … shining it into the car windows … they follow me, they pull us over for no reason,” TMZ quotes the rapper as saying.
READ MORE: DaBaby on dumbing down lyrics to win fans and going no. 1 on day of dad’s untimely death
The same day he was cited in Charlotte, he handed out hundreds of toys to disadvantaged families in the area.
Despite the back-to-back charges, DaBaby has some bright news coming his way this spring. According to Hip Hop DX, DaBaby is slated to perform at Coachella this year on April 11 and 18. Travis Scott will be headlining those nights.
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Evelyn Lozada’s Cannabis-Infused Skincare Line Will Give You a Natural Glow
Evelyn Lozada is a woman who wears many hats. She is a mother, business owner, author, and reality TV star. As an entrepreneur, Lozada has pursued a number of ventures and she recently launched a jewelry line and cannabis-infused beauty line, BX Glow. Lozada is known for her fashion style, and now, her line of lifestyle products to help women look and feel their best.
One of the ways that she is doing that is with her BX Glow From Within beauty line. After having a health scare of her own, Lozada decided that she needed to explore clean skincare products, which ultimately led her to formulate her own. Cannabis offers many health benefits and after exploring natural ways to improve her health, Lozada began to incorporate cannabis into her health routine.
BX Glow is a collection of four CBD-infused beauty products to help cleanse, hydrate, exfoliate, and make your skin glow. The products are all-natural and pay homage to Lozada’s beloved Bronx community.
We recently caught up with Lozada about her new line and entrepreneurial journey.
Black Enterprise: You’re transitioning into the beauty and cannabis industry. What made you say yes to this pivot as an entrepreneur?
The idea for the skincare line came from a health scare that I had. I was traveling and realized I was experiencing inflammation. I had to go through everything that I was eating and the products I was using. We don’t realize that certain products that we use affect your body from within.
So, I didn’t know where this was stemming from I had polyarthritis (Polymyalgia Rheumatica). I couldn’t bend down or workout. For one year I couldn’t really do anything. And, that is where the journey started for me.
Formulating a natural skincare line
What was it like going into the lab and choosing the ingredients to create organic products for the line?
I enjoyed every step of the way! Cannabis really helped me through that health scare. I wasn’t really informed about cannabis prior to the health scare. I didn’t want to take the medication that they [doctors] were trying to prescribe to me. Some doctors want to prescribe you temporary fixes and I’m just not that girl.
I didn’t want to be dependent on medication so I started using cannabis products. I started with CBD pills, creams, ointments, and I would even drink CBD water. That’s what gave me the idea to try to put CBD in the eye cream and in the moisturizer. Because of how it could help with inflammation and puffy eyes. I didn’t want it to really smell like anything that’s too floral or, you know, it’s not for me personally, I like things that are super clean but It was really a fun journey to be able to kind of just try different things to put into the skincare. So you know, it doesn’t have any artificial dyes. It doesn’t have any synthetic fragrances
Cannabis-infused products are the go-to right now in the beauty industry, but, there are a lot of people who are still doing their research and learning about why they should implement it in their daily routines. What are some of the benefits of using products like BX Glow?
Anything that you put on your skin or in your body, anything that’s natural from the earth is always the best way to go. So, you know, whether that’s like your diet and skincare, you know, I’m going the natural route without having a bunch of different ingredients and is the best way to go. So I mean, that’s always the advice that I get go all-natural.
What advice do you have for others looking to enter the beauty and cannabis industry?
I set up meetings with different companies and labs to find the best fit. So, it’s important to take your time. Read, do your research, and set up meetings.
I ended up taking different meetings with different people to be able to help me with this journey because this is something new for me. I’m not a cannabis expert, but you have to be able to surround yourself around people that have done the research and that can educate you on what you’re trying to do.
The BX Glow From Within set includes:
BX Glow Daily Cleanser Refining Radiance
Reveal a brighter complexion each day with this purifying, stimulating, refining cleanser featuring an exclusive HylaSmooth complex that helps the skin look firmer, plumper and hydrated. With brightening licorice root and antioxidant-rich coffee seed extract, the skin is deeply cleansed to reveal its natural luminosity and clarity
BX Glow Hydra-Cream With Cannabis
This lightweight, yet deeply hydrating facial cream plumps, nourishes and moisturizes skin with its exclusive HylaSmooth complex. Evening primrose oil with skin-soothing emollients and natural Cannabis sativa flower extract reduces the appearance of puffiness and lessens the signs of aging. Achieve that “lit-from-within” glow with skin-loving, natural botanicals, and clean ingredients.
BX Glow Exfoliator Instant Glow
This instantly brightening gentle exfoliator deeply cleanses and clears skin of dulling debris with organic lemon peel powder coupled with plum seed oil, natural squalane and marula oil —all rich in omega fatty acids to replenish, moisturize and protect. Mineral and vitamin-dense sea kelp along with powerful green tea antioxidants nourish and protect as exclusive HylaFresh technology provides an energizing rush of invigoration.
BX Glow Eye Cream With Cannabis
Look well-rested and vibrant with this botanically rich eye cream featuring EnergixFirm complex. An exclusive combination of naturally derived Cannabis sativa flower to help de-puff skin, caffeine and green tea to reduce the appearance of dark circles, and pomegranate oil to treat fine lines for youthful-looking, bright eyes.
To learn more about BX Glow and Lozada click here.
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Here’s Why Serena Williams Doesn’t Have Any 2020 New Year’s Resolutions
We’re just three days into 2020 and many of us have already failed to keep our New Year’s commitment to a new diet, stricter workout regime, or vow to save more money. Sigh. Serena Williams, however, doesn’t have to worry about the struggle of keeping New Year’s resolutions. Why? Because the tennis superstar was smart enough not to set any in the first place.
In a new interview with Vogue, the 38-year-old sports icon revealed that she doesn’t believe in New Year’s resolutions. “I always say it’s about the lifestyle, not a moment,” said Williams, explaining that she values consistency over any short-lived effort. “After how long I’ve been around, [I’ve realized] it never really happens,” she continued. Instead, “I just try to focus [year-round] on how I want to live my life; I definitely love being healthy and eating healthy and rejuvenating my body.”
According to a study published by The University of Scranton, only 9.2% of people will successfully achieve their New Year’s goals, while 42.4% fail to keep their resolutions each year. Meanwhile, 64% of people abandoned their resolutions after just one month, reports Forbes.
Rather than making a list of impractical, overly-ambitious resolutions, some experts suggest that you set a list of attainable and simplistic goals.
For instance, if your resolution is to lose 10 pounds by summer or stop eating fast food, then change that into a goal to become more productive and active on the weekends. Join a gym, hire a fitness trainer, or make plans with an accountability partner to workout every week on a set day. You can also jump-start your goal of living a healthier life by committing to eating at least one piece of fruit and one veggie a day, Black Enterprise reports.
Others say the practice of self-kindness can help you get back on track after falling short on a commitment or having a weak moment. Whereas, on the other hand, when you beat yourself up, you become discouraged and are more likely to give up.
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