A congressional “super committee” tasked with finding least $1.2 trillion in deficit reductions conceded failure Monday. President Barack Obama reacted with a statement placing a generous measure of blame on Republicans’ refusal to compromise. He also warned lawmakers that he would veto any effort to get rid of automatic spending cuts to domestic and defense…

In a setback for the Occupy Wall Street movement, police moved into New York City’s Zuccotti Park overnight and cleared out the encampment. About 200 people were ejected, about 70 were arrested and the park was cleared of tents, tarps and debris by police and the sanitation department. In a press conference this morning, New…

The former Penn State assistant football coach charged with sexually abusing eight boys says he is innocent, though he does concede a lapse in judgment in how he behaved with children he met through his Second Mile charity for underprivileged kids. In an interview with NBC’s Bob Costas (below) Monday night, Jerry Sandusky said he…

In a statement sent to us by publicist Rachel Noerdlinger, the family of Heavy D says the following:Hev had great love for his family and friends; he was a kind and giving spirit who extended and shared himself with everyone who crossed his path. He had a heart of gold, was approachable, very personable and…

The infamous 1984 Pepsi commercial shoot during which Michael Jackson’s head was burned led to a lifelong battle with addiction to pain medication, his personal manager writes, according to the Associated Press: Frank Cascio, who became a family friend to Jackson at age 5 and eventually one of the singer’s closest friends and employees, writes…

Sad news from the world of boxing: Former heavyweight champion boxer Joe Frazier has lost his battle with liver cancer. He died Monday night, his family told the Associated Press. He was 67 years old. According to AP: Born in Beaufort, S.C., on Jan 12, 1944, Frazier took up boxing early after watching weekly fights…

Back in 1967, Elaine Riddick was raped in North Carolina at the age of 13 by a neighbor. She says that the state raped her again when it ordered that she be sterilized immediately after giving birth. Shocking as that sounds, North Carolina was one of 31 states to have a government-run eugenics boards aimed…

The worlds of urban media and entertainment suffered a tragic loss on Friday with the death of New York City-based marketing and event-planning executive David Watkins. Known for planning glittering parties for upscale clients, Watkins was also a savvy urban-marketing professional who had been a managing director of Uniworld Group and a general manager of…

We’re in a weird place in American history, with income inequality growing while many barriers historically faced by marginalized groups have fallen. Why are the rich getting richer at a time when minorities, women and gay people are accepted more than ever in the American mainstream? And why is it that one black man can…

The black academic community has lost another beloved colleague. Rudolph Byrd, an Emory University professor whose scholarship focused on black literature, gender studies and civil rights, died yesterday in Atlanta. According to AJC.com: Mr. Byrd, an Emory professor for two decades, died Friday at Emory University Hospital after a long-running fight with cancer. He was…