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Harvard president apologizes for her disastrous testimony at antisemitism hearing: ‘Words matte
The president of Harvard University apologized in an interview with the school’s student newspaper after facing widespread condemnation for her disastrous congressional testimony this week, in which she and other university presidents failed to explicitly say calls for genocide of Jewish people constituted bullying and harassment on campus. “I am sorry,” Harvard University president Claudine Gay said to The Harvard Crimson on Thursday. “Words matter.” The apology came just days after Gay, the president of the University of Pennsylvania and the president of MIT testified at a House committee hearing focused on antisemitism on campus, to widespread criticism that they have not done enough to ensure the safety of Jewish students and others at their respective schools. Harvard, UPenn and MIT have all come under fire – along with other US academic institutions – over perceived inaction against antisemitism on their campuses, especially in the wake of the October 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel and the subsequent war. At UPenn, for example, President Liz Magill has been under pressure to resign for weeks, as major donors and others say they have lost confidence in her ability to lead the school.
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Alabama officer on leave after video shows her using stun gun on handcuffed Black man
An officer in a small city in western Alabama was placed on administrative leave after video surfaced showing her using a stun gun on a handcuffed Black man last week. The video, posted by a witness, starts with a White female officer from the Reform Police Department and a Black man handcuffed on the ground on the side of a road on December 2. It is not publicly known what happened before the video started and authorities have not identified the man or the officer involved in the interaction, though both are named in an arrest complaint provided to CNN by the man’s attorney. Attorney Leroy Maxwell, Jr. said the man in the video is his client, 24-year-old Micah Washington. Maxwell said before the video begins, Washington was on the side of the road changing a tire when the officer, identified in the arrest complaint as Dana Elmore, approached him and asked for his identification. Maxwell said after initially telling the officer no, Washington gave it to her but took out his phone and started recording. Maxwell claims that is when the officer first used her stun gun on Washington and then handcuffed him when he was on the ground.
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Elon Musk says conspiracy theorist Alex Jones may be restored on X
Elon Musk says he may restore conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’ account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, pending the results of an unscientific poll of his followers. The move comes after Musk previously said he would not lift the ban on Jones, despite some users’ requests, because of his false claims about the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. In a post on X Saturday, Musk said he disagreed with Jones’ comments about Sandy Hook but asked, “are we a platform that believes in freedom of speech or are we not?” “If the people vote him back on, this will be bad for X financially, but principles matter more than money,” Musk said. The poll asking Musk’s followers whether Jones should be reinstated showed Jones’ return winning by a healthy margin as of Saturday afternoon. Musk has aggressively defended what he calls his “free speech” stance, telling advertisers in an interview last month to “go f**k yourself” even as he apologized for his post boosting the antisemitic conspiracy theory. Musk last week also called for the firing of Disney CEO Bob Iger after the entertainment giant — previously one of the platform’s largest brand partners — pulled its ad dollars from X last month. Twitter permanently suspended Jones and other accounts linked to his website, InfoWars, in September 2018, citing abusive behavior and following similar moves by YouTube, Apple and Facebook. Twitter’s ban came one month after Jones had been temporarily suspended after he posted a video saying, “Now is time to act on the enemy before they do a false flag.”
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Good Samaritans saved Martin Luther King Jr.’s birth home in Atlanta from being burned to the ground, officials say
Good Samaritans helped thwart a woman’s attempt to set a fire at the birth home of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta, police said. Police were called to the historic home in the Old Fourth Ward neighborhood around 5:45 p.m. Thursday on a vandalism report, the Atlanta Police Department said in a statement. When officers arrived, they found multiple people had stopped the 26-year-old after she poured gasoline on the property, the statement said. The woman, who CNN has not identified, is a US Navy veteran, according to Navy spokesperson CDR Andrew Bertucci. She served for 4 years before leaving in 2020. She was arrested and charged with attempted arson and interference with government property, Atlanta police said. She’s being held at the Fulton County Jail. “It was a little scary there for a minute because we didn’t know who she was, we didn’t know if she had weapons on her, we didn’t know anything,” Zach Kempf told CNN affiliate WSB of seeing the woman throwing gas on the home.
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Emergency Meeting Convened by University of Pennsylvania Board of Trustees Following President Liz Magill's Troublesome Testimony
The University of Pennsylvania’s board of trustees held an emergency meeting Thursday as school president Liz Magill faces scathing criticism over her performance at a House hearing earlier this week.
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A Texas man is accused of killing his parents near San Antonio and then 4 people in the Austin area. Here’s what we know
A man in custody in central Texas is suspected of fatally shooting his parents near San Antonio this week before traveling to the Austin area and killing four people and injuring three others in an eight-hour span Tuesday, authorities said.
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New Mexico lawsuit accuses Meta of creating ‘breeding ground’ for child predators
New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez has accused Meta Platforms of creating a “breeding ground” for child predators on Facebook and Instagram in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, the latest in a string of legal actions related to alleged harms to young users caused by the social media giant.
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UNLV gunman was a career professor who had applied for a job at the school, source says
The shooter who killed three people Wednesday at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was a 67-year-old career college professor, a law enforcement source said. And investigators are looking into the possibility that he may have been passed over for a job at the university.
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Janet Jackson Ignites Houston with Stellar Performance At AHF World AIDS Day Concert Pop Icon Delivers
International pop legend Janet Jack- son set the stage ablaze with a high-energy, full-length performance, captivating a sold-out audience at the AIDS Healthcare Foundation’s (AHF) World AIDS Day Concert held at the NRG Arena in Houston, Texas last night. Launching into the evening with her 1997 anthem “Together Again,” Jackson paid homage to friends and fans affected by HIV/AIDS, sparking an evening of remembrance and solidarity.
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Final Call To Voters For Houston's Decisive City Elections, Dec. 9th
This Saturday, December 9, 2023, marks a pivotal day for Houston as election polls, open from 7 am to 7 pm, invite voters to conclude the heated run-off elections. The positions up for grabs include the mayoral seats for Houston and Bellaire, the Houston City Controller, and council seats for Houston and Baytown. Up until Monday, an impressive count of over 107,000 Houstonians have already cast their ballots, in-person and by mail.
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Marsai Martin's Health Journey: Understanding Ovarian Cysts and Advocating For Women's Health
Marsai Martin, the dynamic ac- tress we've all watched evolve from the sharp-witted Diane on “Black-ish” to a record-breaking young film producer, has recently shared her personal health struggle with ovarian cysts, shedding light on a critical women's health issue.
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Honoring a Legend: Houston Celebrates Barbara Jordan with Plaza and Monument Unveiling
In a moving tribute to a local and national heroine, the heart of Houston pulsated with pride as the Down- town Houston+ and POST Houston unveiled the Barbara Jordan Plaza and the stirring “I am Barbara Jordan” monument on Saturday. Esteemed Mayor Sylvester Turner and Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee led the ceremony alongside fellow dignitaries, celebrating Barbara Jordan's immeasurable contributions to the spirit of Houston and the nation's legislative history.
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Exciting Launch of NHK WORLD-JAPAN in Greater Houston Area
NHK WORLD-JAPAN collaborates with Houston Public Media and Xfinity to broadcast live news and Japanese lifestyle programs to Greater Houston.
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Melissa Noriega Backs John Whitmire for Houston Mayor
Melissa Noriega, Former State Representative and Former City Councilmember of Houston, officially endorses John Whitmire.
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Arizona Man Guilty in Fatal Stabbing of 75-Year-Old Woman, Gets Two Life Sentences
Arizona man, Marco Cobos, pleaded guilty on Friday to the fatal stabbing of 75-year-old Etta Nugent in her Sharpstown home.
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MFAH Unviels Prestigious Herzstein Gallery For Judaica, Enriching Houston's Cultural Tapestry
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) proudly announces the inauguration of the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Gallery for Judaica, a landmark event scheduled for December 3, 2023. This initiative positions MFAH among the elite North American museums with dedicated spaces for Judaica, celebrating Jewish heritage and ritual through art. The gallery, enriched by the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Charitable Foundation, will exhibit over two dozen artifacts, including prestigious loans from the Jewish Museum in New York, treasures from Houston's own collections, and recent acquisitions that mark the museum's new focus on Judaica.
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NBA Foundation Amplifies Economic Empowerment with Texas Black Expo's Trailblazing B.O.O.M. Initiative
In a groundbreaking collaboration, the Texas Black Expo has garnered the prestigious support of the NBA Foundation through a grant aimed at magnifying economic empowerment within the African American community. This strategic partnership heralds a new era for the non-profit's vibrant mission of promoting financial literacy, business acumen, and educational excellence.
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R.I.P.: Houston Remembers Laurence J. "Larry" Payne – A Beacon Of Leadership and Service
Houston mourns the loss of a formidable figure who dedicated his life to community service and progress. Laurence J. "Larry" Payne, remembered by many as a civic leader, educator, and a bridge-builder, sadly passed away, leaving a legacy that will inspire generations.
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From Mission Bend To Commissioner's Court: Dexter L. McCoy To Headline Founders Day Event At Prairie View A&M University
Dexter L. McCoy's journey from the corridors of the Obama Ad- ministration to the Fort Bend County Commissioner's Court is a tale of resilience, community service, and leadership. His appointment as the Founders' Day speaker for Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. is not just a nod to his illustrious public service career but also a testament to his deep roots in the Fort Bend community, which he has served since January 2023.
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Houston's City Councilwomen's Races Bring Out Harris County Voters
A total of 13,763 Harris County voters trekked to early vote the first day of Early Vote for Houston run-off races Monday, November 27 not only for the first open Mayor’s race in eight years featuring the first African American woman run-off candidate for mayor but women defending council seats too.
