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George Zimmerman Arrested Again

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george-zimmermanIt was only a matter of time that trouble would find George Zimmerman yet again. Zimmerman, the man responsible for the murder of Trayvon Martin but was acquitted of all charges, has been involved with more violence. No shock here.

According to Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Zimmerman was arrested Friday evening for aggravated assault after he allegedly threw a wine bottle at his girlfriend.

Zimmerman who is no stranger to the courtroom– he was also accused of aggravated assault back in 2013– showed up to his hearing Saturday morning where he appeared to be in good spirits. He even shared a laugh with an officer as he signed paperwork.

The judge ordered Zimmerman to stay out of Volusia County, where his girlfriend lives and to pack up her personal belongings and give them to his lawyer. While no firearms were involved, the judge also ordered George to surrender any weapons that he may have. After it was all said and done, Zimmerman was released on $5,000 bond.

Since his acquittal in the Trayvon Martin case, Zimmerman has had many run-ins with the law, many of which involve aggravated assault and domestic violence.

Zimmerman will appear back in court on Feb. 17.


Jennifer Hudson To Star In ‘The Color Purple’ On Broadway

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jennifer hudsonJennifer Hudson went from American Idol, to the big screen, and now to the big stage! The Oscar award winning actress is off to star in the Broadway adapted play “The Color Purple”. The big announcement was made earlier today by show producers Scott Sanders, Roy Furman and Oprah Winfrey.

It looks like Jennifer Hudson is planning to add a Tony award to her already filled trophy case — she’s already won a Golden Globe, Academy Award and Grammy. She is heading to the Broadway stage this fall to play the sultry blues singer Shug Avery and not the role of Celie as previous outlets have suggested. As a matter of fact, there has been speculation that Cynthia Erivo, who played the role of Celie in the 2013 Broadway musical at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory will be playing the role of Celie alongside Jennifer. The on stage adaptation of Alice Walker’s critically acclaimed book will be directed and designed by John Doyle, a Tony award winner for his work in “Sweeney Todd”.

Jennifer’s portrayal of Shug will be her first role in a musical theatre production since her iconic portrayal of Effie in the movie “Dreamgirls”, a role in which she took home the Oscar for supporting actress.

Congrats Jennifer on the new gig! If there is one woman who can pull of such a major role, it’s definitely our girl J-Hud.

Did Beyonce Just Announce Baby Number Two?

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beyonce-pregnantWhenever Beyonce does anything the internet pretty much implodes, and today was no different. Beyonce posted a rather suspicious image on her Instagram account that may or may not hint that she is expecting baby number two.

The photo Beyonce posted on her personal Instagram account shows her buried up to her neck in the sand with what many are calling a baby bump. There are two bumps for her chest and one very large bump for her belly. While the image was posted without a caption, the beyhive is already buzzing that she may indeed be pregnant once again.

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Just this past month Beyonce and Jay Z’s baby girl Blue Ivy, who is also featured in the Instagram post, turned three years old. The celebrity couple have hinted at wanting more children. Perhaps Bey and Jay are finally ready to expand their family empire.

What do you think? Is Beyonce sending out cryptic messages or are we seriously getting ahead of ourselves? Time can only tell.

2015 Golden Globes Red Carpet Fashion

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Every year the Golden Globes red carpet is filled with the most glamorous and jaw-dropping gowns and evening wear we have ever seen. This year was no different. Hollywood’s biggest names came out in droves looking more stunning and dapper than ever. If you missed the live red carpet broadcast, don’t worry we’ve got you covered.

Check out our gallery from the red carpet at the 2015 Golden Globes. Let us know which looks stood out from the rest.

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Kerry Washington
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Jennifer Lopez

Lupita Nyongo

Lupita Nyong’o

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Viola Davis

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Uzo Aduba

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Quevanzhane Wallis

danielle-brooks

Danielle Brooks

72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards - Arrivals

 

Common

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Chrissy Teigan and John Legend

 

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Eniko Parrish and Kevin Harttracey-edmonds

Tracey Edmonds
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Shaun Robinson

Common Gives Impassioned Speech for ‘SELMA’ Golden Globe Win

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Selma wasn’t a big winner at the Golden Globes last night, but Common’s acceptance speech, for the one award the powerful film did win, was one moment that stole the show.

Common alongside John Legend gave an impassioned speech when accepting the Golden Globe for “Best Original Song” for “Glory” from Selma. He poignantly brought attention to Ferguson, MO, New York City, and voting rights:

“The first day I stepped on the set of Selma, I began to feel like this was bigger than a movie. As I got to know the people of the Civil Rights movement, I realized I am the hopeful Black woman who was denied her right to vote. I am the caring white supporter, killed on the front lines of freedom. I am the unarmed kid who maybe needed a hand, but instead was given a bullet. I am the two fallen police officers murdered in the line of duty. Selma has awakened my humanity.”

Common concluded his speech by thanking Selma director Ava DuVernay. “You are a superhero,” he said. “You used the art to elevate us all and bring us together.”

Legend also said a few words and revealed that he was brought onto the “Glory” project “at the last minute.”

“[Common] called me up and he said, ‘John, I want you to help me write a song for this film, and I’m so honored I was brought on at the last minute to be a part of this amazing film,” said Legend.

Common’s speech and the proud moment made Legend’s wife Chrissy Teigen tear up.

Check out the video below:

“Glory” was up against “Big Eyes,” from Big Eyes, by Lana Del Ray; “Mercy Is,” from Noah, by Patti Smith and Lenny Kaye; “Opportunity,” from Annie, by Greg Kurstin, Sia Furler, and Will Gluck; and “Yellow Flicker Beat,” from The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, by Lorde.

Two Tuskegee Airmen Pass Away on the Same Day

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They were lifelong friends. They enlisted together. They were both Tuskegee Airmen, the famed all-Black World War II squadron. And they passed away on the same day at age 91.

Relatives revealed Sunday, Jan. 11, that both Clarence E. Huntley Jr. and Joseph Shambrey died in their Los Angeles homes on Jan. 5.

The friends enlisted in 1942 and landed in Italy in 1944 with the 100th Fighter Squadron of the Army Air Force’s 332nd Fighter Group, according to the Associated Press. They were both mechanics and kept planes flying, including that of the squadron commander, Capt. Andrew D. Turner. “The life of his pilot was in his hands, and he took that very seriously,” said Huntley’s nephew, Craig Huntly of Inglewood, to the AP.

Turner nicknamed Huntley “Mother” because he was so concerned, said Huntly.

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Clarence E. Huntley [left], Joseph Shambrey [right]

Although the Tuskegee Airmen faced WWII danger bravely, they faced racism at home.

Tim Shambrey, son of Shambrey, recalled a story in which his father and his buddies got off a train in Alabama where a hospitality station was greeting returning white troops with handshakes and free coffee. Although Shambrey and his friends were in their uniforms, they weren’t congratulated and were forced to pay for their coffee.

“The thing about those men is that they were very proud” and decided not to make a fuss, Shambrey said to the AP. “They were already used to so much discrimination.”

Neither man discussed the war with their families often.

Huntley’s daughter Sheila McGee of Los Angeles said her father would tell his family: “I was doing what I was supposed to do, and that was to serve my country.”

After WWII, Shambrey became a National Guard combat engineer during the Korean War and later worked with the Los Angeles County Department of Parks and Recreation.

Huntley spent his career as a skycap at airports in Los Angeles and Burbank.

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Boko Haram Reportedly Kills 2,000 In Baga Raid

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The Muslim extremist group aiming for an Islamic state, Boko Haram, has hit yet another city in Nigeria. The latest attack is being called its deadliest, and 2,000 people are feared dead.

“The attack on Baga and surrounding towns looks as if it could be Boko Haram’s deadliest act,” Amnesty International concluded in a statement.
The group’s reign of terror over the town of Baga and surrounding villages reportedly began on Jan. 3 and lasted for days. Hundreds of the militants opened fire on random civilians, as well as military members. Houses were burned to the ground.

“Dead bodies litter the bushes in the area and it is still no‎t safe to go and pick them (up) for burial,” said Musa Bukar, chairman of the local government of Baga and nearby villages. “Some people who hid in their homes were burned alive.”

Bukar and local officials reported that 2,000 people were killed during the attacks, but the local district head said that hundreds had perished.

Over 30,000 people are said to have been displaced after their homes were burned down or destroyed by Boko Haram. Some homeless residents fled to Cameroon and Chad.

President of Cameroon Paul Biya has asked international powers to assist Nigeria in beating the persistent terrorists. The Catholic Archbishop of Jos of central Nigeria has also urged other nations to help in countering the attacks. Biya told BBC that he would like to see the world react to Nigeria with as much compassion as it did when Paris was recently attacked by another group of Muslim extremists.

“It is a monumental tragedy. It has saddened all of Nigeria. But… we seem to be helpless. Because if we could stop Boko Haram, we would have done it right away. But they continue to attack, and kill and capture territories… with such impunity,” he said.

Boko Haram has been attacking West Africa since 2009 and was declared a ‘terrorist group’ by the U.S. in 2013.

Image: BuzzNigeria.com

 

Are Rihanna and Leonardo DiCaprio Dating?

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Rihanna and Leonardo DiCaprio have the rumor mill spinning with gossip that the notorious playgirl and playboy are Hollywood’s newest couple.

Sources are saying that the two have been getting very close lately. The two were both celebrating New Year’s Eve on St. Barths, which sparked the rumors.

The gossip only grew after RiRi and Leo attended a star-studded birthday bash at the Playboy Mansion for designer Nikki Erwin this past weekend. According to TMZ, sources spotted the two kissing, although one of DiCaprio’s friends claims that is false. Yet, the two ended up at the same after party.

A source told Hollywood Life, “He holds a good conversation but the one thing that makes her weak every time she looks at him are his eyes. That alone makes her knees tremble.”

Rihanna, 26, has been laying low romantically since there were reports of Chris Brown and Drake beefing over her. DiCaprio, 40, is always rumored to be dating some model or the other.

Reportedly, Rihanna’s New Year’s resolution was to stop dating “bad boys” in the music industry. This could possibly be a step towards realizing that goal.

Are y’all here for Lehanna? Or Rionardo?

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Tainted Beer Kills 69, Sickens Almost 200

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Sixty-nine people died after attending a funeral in Mozambique, and it is believed that tainted beer is to blame. Area hospitals were flooded with patients complaining of muscle pains and diarrhea after the procession on Saturday, according to Paula Bernado, district director of Health, Women and Social Action.

In addition to the deaths, 196 people have been admitted to hospitals. The woman who owned the beer stand, her daughter, nephew and a few members of neighboring families were among the first fatalities.

Authorities are still investigating the cause of death, but the belief is that funeral goers drank a contaminated, or possibly poisoned, local beer. Pombe, a traditional beer made of millet and corn flour, was served when attendees gathered in a neighborhood to drink after the funeral.

The source of the contamination is not yet known, but the Associated Press reports that authorities believe the drink may have been contaminated with crocodile bile during the funeral. There are contradictory reports as to the toxicity of crocodile bile and there is no clear evidence recorded of how poisonous it is.

Curiously, none of the Mozambique reports associated the contamination with crocodile bile. The Associated Press report attributed an official named Alex Albertini as the source of the speculation.

The provincial health director for Tete, Carla Mosse Lazarus, said that samples from the 210-liter drum of beer had already been sent to a national laboratory for analysis.

 

[Source: Forbes]

 

Alleged Rapist Lampooned For Being Able to Spell ‘Quesadilla’

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One young man’s innocence could hinge on the spelling of a popular appetizer. Vanderbilt University football player Cory Batey, who is accused of participating in a gang-rape, could be brought down because he properly spelled “quesadilla.”

During hearings in front of Judge Monte Watkins last week, prosecutors argued that Batey could not have been as drunk as he claimed because he was able to successfully spell “quesadilla” when he requested one via text message. Judge Watkins said he would look into the motion, which prosecutors are calling a “last-minute Hail Mary” delay attempt.

Batey’s attorney, Worrick Robinson, is set to argue that his client was too drunk to form the intent to commit rape. Robinson says the quesadilla argument is null and void because auto correct on his mobile phone could have fixed drunken spelling.

“It has nothing to do with whether he could get into his dorm room, or whether he could spell the word quesadilla,” he said. “It has everything to do with whether Mr. Batey formed the intent for the specific act for which he is at trial.”

He added, “Mr. Batey’s intentions were not what they would have been had he not been intoxicated.”

Batey and former teammate Brandon Vandenburg, 21, stood their first day of trial on Monday.

Brandon E. Banks and Jaborian “Tip” McKenzie, both 20, are still being charged. Prosecutors say their case is “on hold” until the Batey’s and Vandeburg’s trial ends. Banks and McKenzie are set to testify on behalf of the prosecution.

The alleged rape occurred on June 23, 2013 in a Vanderbilt University campus dorm.

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India Takes Advantage Of Africa’s Billion Dollar Hair Market

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UPTOWN_hair_weaveThe hair market in Africa is on a steady rise, and non-African entities are preparing to take advantage of the continent’s demand for styling products and human hair.

Africa’s dry hair market (including wigs, weaves, and extensions) generates an estimated $6 billion annually. Just in South Africa alone, the market has grown to $100 million annually, which is five times more than its worth in 2005. Liquid hair products such as shampoos and relaxers garnered an annual $1.1 billion in South Africa, Nigeria, and Cameroon alone in 2013, Reuters reports.

Several non-African companies, including L’Oreal, are profiting off African women’s desire to spend big bucks on hair styling. The French product distributor has a majorly successful site in South Africa, and the company credits this to African women’s daring mane choices.

“African women are probably the most daring when it comes to hair styles,” said Bertrand de Laleu, managing director of L’Oreal South Africa, adding that just a few decades ago, dry hair was not as advanced as it is now. “Suddenly you can play with new tools that didn’t exist or were unaffordable.”

[Image: Shutterstock]

Dry hair has certainly come a long way, and in India, the region from which the majority of dry hair comes, has not only benefited from this development, but also has plans to expand its business within Africa. The country’s export market makes $393 million annually. India mainly sells Remy and non-Remy hair weaves. Remy hair comes mostly from Hindu temples and is the most natural and high-grade hair, whereas non-Remy is processed, treated with hydrochloric acid, and is of a lower quality.

Indian hair companies such as Marico, Dabur, and VLCC have already set up sites at which to export hair and styling products in Nigeria, South Africa, and Morocco. Now, Godrej Consumer Products is also getting ready to set up shop in The Motherland, South Africa, to be specific.

“This acquisition reflects our continued commitment to providing African consumers with a wide range of superior quality products at affordable prices,” Godrej’s managing director, Vivek Gambhir, said in a recent statement. “We remain very excited by the tremendous potential of the African market.”

These business ventures seem to be just the beginning for the growing African hair market. India’s export hair market grows between 10 to 30 percent per year, showing that the industry will likely continue to prosper from African women’s beauty priorities.

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White Ex-Cop Granted Mistrial in Black Man’s Death

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A mistrial was declared in a South Carolina court for a white former police chief on trial for murdering an unarmed Black man in 2011.

Due to a hung jury, Richard Combs was dismissed from murder charges on Jan. 13 for the shooting death of 53-year-old Bernard Bailey in May 2011. Jurors deliberated for almost 12 hours, and had three options, convict Combs of murder, convict on the lesser charge of voluntary manslaughter, or acquit him. However, the jury couldn’t come to an agreement on any of the choices.

UPTOWN_bernard_baileyCombs killed Bailey outside of the Eutawville Police Department May 2, 2011. Combs and Bailey had a disagreement that arose after Combs ticketed Bailey’s daughter, Briana Bailey, for a broken tail light in March of 2011. On the day of the shooting, Bailey went to the police station to get his daughter’s ticket  dismissed. Bailey left the building, as the sole officer followed him into the parking lot.

Prosecutors said repeatedly that Combs was unjustified in following Bailey, when he attempted to handcuff him and the two began to tussle. Combs pulled out his gun, fatally shooting Bailey three times.

RELATED: 20+ Unarmed Black People Killed By Police In 2014

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TX Rep. Randy Weber Compares Obama to Hitler

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Texas conservative congressman Randy Weber compared President Barack Obama to dictator Adolf Hitler in a Monday tweet. Weber, who represents a district based in Galveston, criticized Obama because he did not attend an anti-terrorism march in Paris.

The outspoken politician tweeted:

Even Adolph Hitler thought it more important than Obama to get to Paris. (For all the wrong reasons.) Obama couldn’t do it for the right reasons.

 


White House press secretary Josh Earnest apologized on Monday in a statement saying the Obama administration “should have sent someone with a higher profile” to participate in Sunday’s rally in Paris.

The event was to show solidarity with France after 17 people were killed in terrorist attacks. The gathering, scheduled for last week, drew millions of people, including 40 world leaders.

The 61 year old previously called Obama the “Kommandant-In-Chef” (he meant “chief”) during the President’s 2014 State of the Union address, nearly a year ago.

Jamie Lynn Spears Saves the Day & Other Heroic Celebrities

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49th Annual Academy Of Country Music Awards - Arrivals

You’ve been warned, don’t mess with Jamie Lynn Spears. Britney Spears‘ younger sister broke up a fight at a sandwich shop in Hammond, Louisiana in December by pulling out a knife and threatening to use it on the brawling group.

TMZ released the security footage of the courageous 23 year old going behind the counter of Pita Pit and grabbing a large knife. Moments later, the fight breaks up as customers put their hands up to avoid getting slashed by the country singer. Back in December, cops told TMZ that Spears’ friend was knocked over during the fight, which involved a group of guys.

Take a look at the video:

Jamie Lynn isn’t the only celebrity who saved the day with a heroic act. Keep clicking to see who else is just as brave.

T.I.

Atlanta rapper T.I., whose real name is Cliff Harris, played the hero in 2010 when he helped Atlanta police talk a suicidal man off the roof of a 22-story building.

Vin Diesel

A real life Fast & the Furious situation didn’t stop Vin Diesel from pulling a family out of a burning car. While riding his motorcycle in Hollywood, the car in front of him lost control, rolling several times and bursting into flames. The 47 year old ran to the burning car, and pulled two children from the backseat. He  instructed the driver to climb over the back seat and get out of the car. Minutes later, the car was engulfed in flames.

Headline: 'Happy Feet 2' premiere in London Date of Picture: 11/20/2011 See the set: SPL336564 Usage: World Rights Caption: 'Happy Feet 2' premiere at The Empire Cinema in Leicester Square, London.   Pictured: Sofia Vergara   Ref: SPL336564 201111  Picture by: Reimschuessel / Splash News

Feisty “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara and a friend rushed to help a young woman who collapsed outside a Las Vegas nightclub on New Year’s Day. Vergara and pal checked the woman’s pulse and waited with her until security and paramedics arrived.

UPTOWN Sandra Bullock

Sandra Bullock came to the aid of an extra on the set of her upcoming film Our Brand is Crisis suffered a heat stroke. Bullock tended to the woman until an ambulance arrived to take her to hospital.

Jennifer Lawrence nominee "Winter's Bone"

Hunger Games star Jennifer Lawrence made headlines when she assisted an unconscious young woman found lying in the grass outside her Los Angeles apartment complex. Lawrence, who was walking her dog, helped the girl until more help arrived.

Dear White People: Full Lips Are Not A New Trend

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UPTOWN_kylie_jenner_lipsCourtesy of HypeHair.com

Twitter erupted when fashion blog The Social suggested that Kylie Jenner’s newly debuted full lips are a new beauty trend. “Kylie Jenner, Kim Kardashian’s 17-year-old sister, has become the poster child for what’s expected to be this year’s biggest (no pun intended) beauty trend: plump lips,” it read.

And as you can guess, collectively, Black girls worldwide, especially those who were born with big, full natural lips, responded, “Excuse me?”

Now if you’re anything like me, you spent the first five minutes after this tweet was posted in complete awe. Just how can a feature that Black people have been ridiculed for during their entire existence become a trend the moment a rich white girl deems it attractive?

But the beauty (pun intended) of such an entitled declaration was #TwitpicYourTrendyLips. Check the hashtag and you’ll not only see beautiful natural lips galore, but also just how many tweeters were offended by the notion that Kylie Jenner made big lips cool. Some of the pics are even accompanied by stories of how Black girls were personally ridiculed by the very thing the young Kardashian offspring is now praised for.

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Opinion: #BlackLivesMatter – In Nigeria, Too

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We’ve been assaulted, for going on a week now, by wall-to-wall coverage of the tragic terrorist shooting spree in Paris, France that left 17 dead in its wake. Of that total, 12 were staff of the controversial satirist publication Charlie Hebdo. It’s tragic.

But, in our national mourning and JeSuisCharlie platitudes, we’re missing news on an even larger, genocidal scale slaughter that happened in one weekend.  Why?  Your guess is as good as mine, but the fact that it took place in Nigeria, West Africa might have something to do with it.

If you haven’t heard, more than 2,000 innocent Nigerians were massacred in Baga- men, woman and children – in one weekend of horrific assaults by the Nigerian insurgent group Boko Haram. The carnage was so bad that reports indicate community groups can’t even conduct a solid body count.

For certain, any loss of innocent human life is a heart wrenching ordeal.  And, typically, we’re told that it’s usually in bad taste to compare one tragedy against the other. But, as bad, is suspiciously racist decisions in mostly white newsrooms when deciding on whether or not to cover one terrorist tragedy as opposed to the other.  Media executives, especially in the U.S., will predictably complain they don’t have the resources.  But, that didn’t stop them from covering Ebola’s scourge through Western Africa when they had to – which means assets should already be in place to cover Nigeria.

True: keeping track of conflict zones throughout the African continent is a rather difficult business.  There are so many small, mid-size and large scale wars with so many different bad actors that it’s hard to keep track.

However, in this case, Nigeria is Africa’s largest economy and one of the emerging world’s most modern (one reason it was able to stave off Ebola from its borders).  And it houses the continent’s largest population, 175 million, along with its 5th largest military (despite the fact Nigerian soldiers have done a shitty job at pushing back Boko Haram).

Why did Western media miss it? The Guardian‘s Maeve Shearlaw attempts an explanation:

But the blame does not just lie with western media; there was little African coverage either, said Allison. No leaders were condemning the attacks, nor did any talk of a solidarity movement, he said, adding that “our outrage and solidarity over the Paris massacre is also a symbol of how we as Africans neglect Africa’s own tragedies, and prioritise western lives over our own.
Many pointed to the palpable silence of many of Nigeria’s politicians. Last week, Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, expressed his condolences for the victims of France but stayed silent on the Boko Haram attacks on Baga.

Media analyst Ethan Zuckerman said that the president is “understandably wary of discussing Boko Haram, as it reminds voters that the conflict has erupted under his management and that his government has been unable to subdue the terror group”. Nigeria’s elections are set to take place on 14 February. The president was also criticised for celebrating his daughter Ine’s wedding over weekend, in the aftermath of the killings.”

Still, it will be difficult for media to feign ignorance on this account given the size of Nigeria’s economy, it’s population and it’s importance. There’s a whiff of Ferguson and other tragedies that spurred the #BlackLivesMatter movement – we would’ve never found out about it had it not been for tweets and Vine clips of protests on Florrisant Avenue.

Hence, it’s hard to fathom what made 17 dead French citizens – mostly white – more important than 2,000 dead Nigerians? Who made that decision when the news flashed across the wire every reporter is plugged into? And to think they all died from the same thing: Islamist terrorism.

There will be quick denial from media elite on the role racism played. But, let’s not fake it: it plays a role. Media outlets are as comfortably numb to the loss of black life in Africa as they are to the loss of black life on an empty Ferguson street. Charlie Hebdo cartoons trumped genocide this past weekend. It’s the racism few in the news business will admit to.

CHARLES D. ELLISON is a veteran political strategist and Chief Political Correspondent for UPTOWN Magazine. He is also Washington Correspondent for The Philadelphia Tribune and a politics contributor to The Root. He can be reached @ellisonreport

Heard on the Street: Naya Rivera Says Showering Daily is a White People Thing

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“I think that white people shower a lot more than ethnic. I feel like showering more than once a day or every day is such a white people thing … My mom is half Black, half Puerto Rican. She showers every day, so I can say this. But I’m now married to a white man. And he showers a lot, like two, three times a day. I’m like, ‘What are you doing?’ … So the study says, a dermatologist says you are only supposed to shower once or twice every three days, so I’m right on the mark.”

– Naya Rivera reveals on “The View” that her hygiene practices are way out of step with the rest of the “ethnics” in America. After Rivera made the insane comment about non-white people skipping daily showers, Rosie O’Donnell called on a Black woman in the audience who was stunned and insisted that she is a “frequent showerer.” That’s when Rivera defended her comment by mentioning her mother’s ethnic background and the dermatology study.

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Popcorn Ready: Winter Premiere Dates For Your Favorite TV Shows

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Winter television withdrawals are hard…they make you eat, drink wine, and watch re-runs, but then something magical happens! Midseason television premieres happen, and all is right with the world again. Eating and drinking wine are the perfect activities to pair with your fave television shows, am I right?

Check out the recaps and the 2015 winter premiere dates of your top picks, airing soon.

 


House of Lies: Premiered Sunday, January 11, 10pm on Showtime

House of Lies, starring Don Cheadle has become one of Showtime’s most watched series thanks in part to the brilliance he brings to every episode. The third season ended with a huge legal bomb being dropped on Kan & Associates, but is Jeannie the one responsible for the ticking time bomb, and can she rectify the situation?


The Game: Wednesday, January 14, 10pm on BET

The Game kicks off its Season 8 premiere, with many questions that need to be answered. How will this impending love triangle between Kelly, Jason and Chardonnay pan out? Let’s not forget about Blue receiving a marriage proposal at Chardonnay’s wedding! Find out all the answers to these questions, and more, Wednesday, January 14, 10pm on BET

The 100: Wednesday, January 21, 9pm on the CW

If you haven’t checked out The 100, you may want to start watching. Isaiah Washington (formerly of Grey’s Anatomy), and Ricky Whittle (formerly of Single Ladies) round out this ensemble cast of this series set almost 100 years after a war on earth has taken place and left only few inhabitants behind. If you’re into sci-fi and fantasy, this show is one to watch. Check out its premiere, Wednesday, January 21, 9pm on the CW.

Grey’s Anatomy: Thursday, January 29, 8pm on ABC

Grey’s Anatomy is Shonda Rhimes’ longest running series and in the Season 11 finale we found ourselves wondering if Derek aka “Dr. McDreamy” and Meredith will still be a couple next season? Can Meredith and her half-sister finally form a relationship? Can the Chief be a father to the daughter he just met, and what is wrong with Jackson’s baby? All will soon be revealed.

Scandal: Thursday, January 29, 9pm on ABC

Well, here we are again folks, wondering where Olivia Pope is! How dare someone come into her apartment, just as she was about to sleep with Jake and kidnap her? Will Fitz and Jake form a super team to find her? Will Poppa Pope save the day, and who the hell is going to clean up that red wine stain that was left on the couch when Olivia dropped her wine?! And, now you’re probably suffering from #TGITWithdrawal. Don’t worry. You can join the Scandal twitter party and hashtag your life away on January 29.

How to Get Away with Murder: Thursday, January 29, 10pm on ABC

How to Get Away with Murder is one of those shows that literally pulls you in, chews you up and spits you out. Viola Davis enthralls us with her performances every single week, and we all gasped, screamed and clutched our pearls when we saw her sitting at her desk while Sam’s dead body lay on the floor. Will this secret ever be told, and will Sam’s body be found? There are only a few more weeks until we find out.

Being Mary Jane: Tuesday, February 3, 10pm on BET

Gabrielle Union reprises her role in the BET hit show this February, and we are clearly in for a riveting new season. In the winter finale David confronts Mary Jane about stealing his sperm, and Mary Jane decides to give it back, and it’s revealed that David’s new girlfriend is pregnant! MJ also comes to a realization about her life and goals, but is this really the end for her and David? (Hint: Gabrielle gave us a few hints in her UPTOWN cover story.) Being Mary Jane premieres, Tuesday, February 3, 10pm on BET

The Walking Dead: Sunday, February 8, 9pm on AMC


Everyone is obsessed with The Walking Dead and they have damn good reason to be. This show is phenomenal. In the Season 5 finale, Rick kills Lamson, but, Officer Warren and Licari tell Dawn that Lamson was killed by the walkers and hides the truth. We also see that Beth is alive, but during the prisoner exchange is killed by Dawn. How will this affect the group dynamic? The Walking Dead premieres, Sunday, February 8, 9pm on AMC.


The Slap: Thursday, February 12, 8pm on NBC

The Slap is a new midseason show starring actress Thandie Newton (The Pursuit of Happyness, Mission Impossible II, Crash & Beloved).

When a guest at a birthday party slaps a misbehaving child–that is not his–the repercussions are beyond what anyone in this family expects. Although the incident is the catalyst to all that is revealed, it is merely the backstory to a convoluted tale…cheating, lies, and secrets are revealed one after another. The Slap premieres, Thursday, February 12, 8pm on NBC.

The Following: Monday, March 2, 8pm on FOX

The Following is not a show for the squeamish or faint of heart. This shows storyline revolves around a murderer-Joe Carroll-who is beyond psychotic, cunning, brilliant and dare I even say…charming. His obsession with Ryan Hardy, played by Kevin Bacon, is eery and in the winter finale, Ryan learns that the love of his life Claire, is not dead and that Joe Carroll and his followers cannot be contained. This show is a nail biting must see and premieres, Monday, March 2, 8pm on FOX.

Cruise Ship Rescues Man Who’d Fallen from Another Ship

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A passenger traveling on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship fell overboard near the Mexico port of Cozumel last week, but was saved by the crew of another passing ship.

The 22-year-old man was on a seven-night trip that left from Port Everglades, Florida and traveled to Haiti, Jamaica, and Mexico, according to a Royal Caribbean spokeswoman. On January 8th, the victim fell overboard the Oasis of the Seas, one of the world’s largest ships. He was spotted by the crew of a nearby Disney Magic ship, who sent a vessel to rescue him. The man was in the water for about five hours during the ordeal.

“We are grateful for the other ship’s assistance,” said the spokeswoman, who declined to reveal the identity of the victim.

“The man was traveling in the Oasis [of the Seas]. It was early in the morning. He doesn’t remember how he fell. Fortunately, another cruise, the Disney Magic, saw him,” said Cozumel Port Captain Alfonso Rodríguez.

“This man was reborn. Most people that experience that kind of fall break their neck. It’s like hitting concrete,” he said.

The rescue was filmed by David Hearn, a passenger on Disney Magic. In an interview with NBC News, Hearn said that he was in bed at around 6:30 a.m. when he heard the ship’s crew yelling “Mister Mob,” which he knew to mean that a passenger had gone overboard.

Hearn got dressed and headed to the upper deck, where he witnessed the ship’s crew lower a life boat into the water. After they’d rescued the passenger, they sent him to the ship’s infirmary and helped him into an ambulance once the ship reached the dock. “He was in good shape, in good spirits,” Hearn said. “Everybody was applauding.”

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Study: Gene Mutation Linked To Colon Cancer in Black People

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Researchers have discovered a new gene mutation linked to colon cancer in African Americans. They believe that their findings can lead to improved diagnosis and treatment.

Dr. Sanford Markowitz, an expert in genetics of cancer at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and study corresponding author, said in a statement, “Many of the new cancer drugs on the market today were developed to target specific genes in which mutations were discovered to cause specific cancers.”

The study examined colon cancer samples of 103 black patients and 129 white patients from University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland. In their comparison, they found 20 previously undiscovered gene mutations in the colon samples from black patients.

About 40 percent of colon cancers in black patients had one or more of these gene mutations, which were about three times more likely to appear in colon cancers of black patients than in white patients.

The findings were published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In the United States, black people are significantly more likely to develop cancer and die from the disease than other racial groups.

Dr. Kishore Guda, lead author and assistant professor in General Medicine Sciences (Oncology) at Case Comprehensive Cancer Center, said that this was the first study of its kind.

“Our next step will be to collaborate with other centers in investigating African-American populations in different regions of the United States to determine whether they also share the unique gene signature found in the Cleveland African-American community,” she said.

Further research is needed to learn more about the behavior and effects of these mutations, including determining whether they are linked to a more aggressive form of colon cancer.

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