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Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter’s music video spurs outrage for using NY Catholic church as a setting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter’s use of a Roman Catholic church in Brooklyn as a backdrop for parts of a music video, with her dancing next to pastel-colored coffins, led to its pastor being stripped of his administrative duties after its release and officials holding a Mass to restore the church’s “sanctity.”Carpenter, who as a youth appeared on the Disney Channel, released the video for “Feather” on Oct. 31; in it, she’s in several scenarios with men who behave badly, like taking a nonconsensual photo of her body, and then die in grisly ways. At the end, Carpenter, 24, is filmed dancing in the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, wearing a short tulle dress and a black veil.The day after its release, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, which oversees the Catholic churches in Brooklyn and Queens, issued a statement saying that proper procedures around allowing filming had not been followed and it was “appalled.” A few days later, the d...

Rapper Young Thug’s trial on racketeering conspiracy and gang charges begins in Atlanta

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Young Thug is the ruthless leader of a violent street gang that terrorized Atlanta neighborhoods or he’s an inspiring success who pulled himself out of poverty to rap stardom through hard work and determination. Those are the competing narratives presented to the jury as the rapper’s trial got underway this week.The Grammy winner, whose given name is Jeffery Williams, was charged last year in a sprawling indictment that accused him and more than two dozen others of conspiring to violate Georgia’s anti-racketeering law. He also is charged with gang, drug and gun crimes and is standing trial with five of the others indicted with him. Fulton County prosecutor Adriane Love didn’t dispute that Young Thug is a talented artist, but she said he exploited his gift for a darker purpose, using his songs, clout and social media posts to promote and establish the dominance of his gang, Young Slime Life, or YSL.“Through that music, through that blessing, the...

Tennessee governor unveils push for statewide school voucher expansion, no income limitations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee on Tuesday backed a plan to expand beyond a three-county school voucher program for low-income kids by offering public money for private schooling statewide, regardless of family income.State lawmakers narrowly approved the so-called education savings accounts initiative for the three counties in 2019. It awards eligible families around $8,100 in public tax dollars to help cover private school tuition and other preapproved expenses. The newest initiative will also need the approval of the state Legislature, where Republicans have supermajorities in both chambers.In 2019, lawmakers agreed in a tight vote to enact the original program after receiving assurances that it would only apply to Davidson and Shelby counties, both Democratic strongholds in Tennessee. Nashville, Memphis and civil rights leaders sued to stop the program, which was tied up in the courts and only implemented starting in the summer of 2022 after the Tennessee Supreme...

Toronto drop-in centre for older homeless men holds clothing drive on Giving Tuesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

Haven Toronto is one of the few organizations in the country that’s entirely dedicated to supporting elder men experiencing homelessness – a group they say is often forgotten and neglected.The organization was established during the Great Depression in 1933 and 90 years later, their services still remain critical for many.“Without this place, there’d be nowhere for me to go,” Mike Day tells CityNews, a Haven client for 17 years.“I joined here when I was 50. I’m 67 now. I come here every day.”The drop-in centre is membership based and open to men 50 and older, 365 days a year, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m“They just come in and see us at the front desk. We ask a few basic questions and provide them with a membership card. For a lot of the guys, that’s the only ID they have, and so it’s really important for them to have that,” says director of operations Natasha Wakaruk. “Our staff do a pretty good job of directing them to various oth...

Ex-prison guard gets 3 years for failing to help sick inmate who later died

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A former high-ranking guard at a federal prison in Virginia has been sentenced to three years in prison for failing to help an inmate who suffered a medical emergency and later died, the Justice Department announced Tuesday. Michael Anderson, 52, was a lieutenant at a medium-security prison in Petersburg. He was the second-highest ranking officer there during several hours when the inmate’s health crisis took place in 2021. The inmate, identified only as W.W., exhibited sudden symptoms that included incoherence and the inability to stand, according to court filings by federal prosecutors. He continuously fell inside his cell and later in a suicide-watch cell.He later fell headfirst into a doorframe, according to prosecutors. “As W.W. laid alone on the floor, naked and covered in bruises and abrasions, no correctional officer responded to his medical emergency or otherwise rendered aid to W.W. for nearly an hour and forty minutes,” prosecutors wrote. W.W. d...

FBI agents offer reward for information on man who attempted to rob banks along Michigan Ave.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

CHICAGO — FBI agents are offering a reward for information about a man who attempted to rob banks along Michigan Avenue three separate times over the last two and a half months.According to the FBI, the man has attempted to rob a bank in Chicago every three to four weeks since September and agents say they worry he may soon strike again. Man dead, child injured after shooting, rollover crash on Southwest Side Agents are now offering a reward of up to $1,000 for information leading directly to an arrest.Authorities say the three attempted robberies happened at two Citibank locations along Michigan Avenue less than half a mile away from each other between Sept. 19 and Nov. 7. Agents provided the following timeline of the attempted robberies:September 19 at 3:29 p.m. at the Citibank at 100 South Michigan Avenue. Agents say during this attempted robbery, the man was spotted wearing a hooded sweatshirt, a mask, and a black button-down jacket. October 11 at 3:35 p.m. at the Ci...

Sean 'Diddy' Combs temporarily steps down as Revolt chairman amid sexual abuse allegations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs has temporarily stepped down as chairman of his cable television network Revolt amid multiple sexual abuse allegations against the music mogul.Revolt announced Combs’ decision on social media Tuesday. It’s not clear when he will return to his media company — which said Combs previously had “no operational or day-to-day role” at the network.“This decision helps to ensure that Revolt remains steadfastly focused on our mission to create meaningful content for the culture and amplify the voices of all Black people throughout this country and African diaspora,” the network said in the statement.Combs, a founder of Revolt, declined to comment further on the matter. The network has been preparing to celebrate its 10th anniversary.Earlier this month, R&B singer Cassie accused Combs of raping and beating her over the duration of their decadeslong, on-and-off relationship — which began in 2005, when she was 19 and he was 37. The singer, whose real nam...

Former presidents, first ladies honor Rosalynn Carter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – U.S. presidents, first ladies and other leaders gathered to pay tribute to former first lady Rosalynn Carter in Atlanta on Tuesday. Several notable and familiar faces were in the crowd, including her husband, former President Jimmy Carter.It marked a rare public appearance for the 99-year-old, who has been in hospice care at home for the past 10 months.President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden traveled from the nation’s capital to Atlanta for the tribute service at Glenn Memorial Church. They were joined onboard Air Force One by former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.Former first ladies Laura Bush, Michelle Obama, and Melania Trump were in attendance, along with Vice President Kamala Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff.Country music legends Garth Brooks and Trisha Yearwood were among the performers at the service.The tribute held on Tuesday is part of a three-day schedule of public events celebrating the former firs...

Stephen Smith’s phone, tablet unlocked by South Carolina officers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

(NewsNation) —  South Carolina authorities reinvestigating the death of Stephen Smith have now unlocked the deceased teen’s phone and tablet, attorney Eric Bland told NewsNation host Chris Cuomo on Monday evening.Smith, a 19-year-old nursing student, was killed in 2015, with the death initially being ruled a hit-and-run. Smith’s family maintains he was murdered and has refused to let the case go cold.The investigation into Smith’s death was reopened in 2021 and ruled a homicide in March 2023. Investigators did not reveal that Smith’s case was being reopened until after disgraced attorney Alex Murdaugh’s double murder trial. Alex Murdaugh was found guilty in March of murdering his wife and youngest son in a trial that drew national attention. ‘We got results’ from Stephen Smith’s autopsy, cousin says Although rumors have swirled in South Carolina's Lowcountry about Smith and Murdaugh’s son, Buster, there is currently no known evidence linking any Murdaugh family members to Sm...

Paris mayor says she's quitting Elon Musk's 'global sewer' platform X as city gears up for Olympics

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:21 GMT

PARIS (AP) — The mayor of future Olympic host city Paris says she is quitting X, accusing Elon Musk 's platform previously known as Twitter of spreading disinformation and hatred and of becoming a “gigantic global sewer” that is toxic for democracy and constructive debate.“With its thousands of anonymous accounts and its troll farms, life on Twitter is the exact opposite of democratic life,” Mayor Anne Hidalgo said in a long post titled, “Why I am leaving Twitter.”“I refuse to endorse this evil scheme,” she wrote.An Associated Press request for comment emailed to X got an automated reply, “Busy now, please check back later.”Hidalgo's office said posts on Monday in French and English that announced her departure from X would be the Socialist mayor's last and that she will then close her account — which has 1.5 million followers — at the end of the week.Her office said that Paris City Hall is keeping its own separate account on X.Hidalgo's withdrawal from...