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Calif. Adds New Mandatory Sentences for Convicted Rapists
California Gov. Jerry Brown signed legislation Friday that imposes new mandatory sentences on some sexual assault offenders and expands the legal definition of rape, two issues that have been hotly debated since the case against former Stanford swimmer Brock Turner hit the national spotlight. The Los Angeles Times reports that the decision comes after heated…
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US to Hand Over Control of the Internet ‘Address Book’ to ICANN
A tiny branch of the U.S. Commerce Department is preparing to hand over control of the Internet’s “address book”—the highest level of the Domain Naming System, or DNS—to the Internet Corp. for Assigned Names and Numbers, a Los Angeles-based international nonprofit, effective Oct. 1, Ars Technica reports. Republican lawmakers have tried to block the move,…
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Congress Adjourns for the Election but Still Has Lots of Work to Do
After approving a continuing resolution that funds the federal government through Dec. 9, the 114th Congress adjourned Thursday for the election, leaving a lot of unresolved issues on the table. The must-pass spending bill—which prevented a government shutdown, provides funds to address the Zika crisis, and gives money to flood victims in Louisiana and other…
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Congress Avoids Government Shutdown by Striking Deal to Aid Flint, Mich.
Congress appears to have avoided an Oct. 1 government shutdown by agreeing to a House vote Wednesday on federal aid for the water crisis in Flint, Mich. The Washington Post reports that senators voted 72-15 to pass the spending bill, which funds the federal government through Dec. 9, and the House is expected to vote…
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Congress Hands President Obama His 1st Veto Override
For the first time during his time in office, Congress overrode a veto by President Barack Obama on Monday, just four months before he leaves office. NPR reports that the House voted 348-77 and the Senate 97-1, well over the two-thirds majority needed to overcome the president’s objection to a bill that would allow the…
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US Government Settles $492,000,000 in Lawsuits With 17 American indian Tribes
The U.S. government will pay $492 million to 17 American Indian tribes to settle lawsuits over the mismanagement of natural resources and other tribal assets, NPR reports. The U.S. says that there are more than 100 lawsuits totaling $3.3 billion that have been brought against the federal government by American Indian individuals and tribes, some…
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UN Panel Says US Owes Black People Reparations
Colonial history, a legacy of enslavement and segregation are among the chief reasons reparations are owed to African Americans, according to a report put out by a United Nations group (pdf). The U.N.’s Working Group of Experts on People of African Descent, which reports to the U.N. High Commissioner on Human Rights, presented its findings…
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Potential Jurors Report for Jury Selection in Trial of Dylann Roof
Hundreds of potential jurors showed up to the federal courthouse in Charleston, S.C., on Monday as jury selection began in the trial of a white man charged in the deaths of nine black churchgoers. Dylann Storm Roof, 22, is charged with 33 federal counts, including hate crimes and obstruction of religion, in the June 2015…
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Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump Face Off in 1st Presidential Debate
In just about two hours, Democratic Hillary Clinton and Republican Donald Trump will face off in the highly anticipated first presidential debate of the 2016 election. CNN reports that an audience of around 100 million Americans is expected to tune in to the debate, which has been in the works for the last 18 months.…
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KG Out: Kevin Garnett Announces His Retirement
After 21 seasons, 15 All-Star appearances, four first-team All-NBA selections, one MVP award and one NBA championship, Minnesota Timberwolves player Kevin Garnett is ending his professional basketball career. Garnett posted a video to his official Instagram account Friday with the caption, “To be continued … ,” confirming the news first reported on Friday by the…
Black News and Black Views with a Whole Lotta Attitude
