culture

Justine Sacco, the fired public relations executive, released a statement apologizing for her racially insensitive tweet that touched off a maelstrom in the world of social media, ABC News reports. In the statement, Sacco says she is a native of South Africa. Until recently, she worked for InterActive Corp., which owns websites like Match.com, Dictionary.com…

An 11-year-old South Side Chicago boy was killed Saturday when a carjacker fleeing from police slammed into his family’s vehicle, the Chicago Sun-Times reports. Donovan Anthony Turnage was headed to the barbershop with his father and older brother to get a Christmas haircut when the crash occurred about 12:30 p.m., the report shows. The incident…

Barack Obama says he does not plan to hover over daughters Sasha and Malia when they begin dating, saying it’s intimidating enough for a young man to ask out the daughter of the president, Reuters reports. He told comedian and talk show host Steve Harvey during a television interview that aired on Friday that Malia,…

A judge ruled Friday in favor of the family of a 13-year-old brain-dead California girl, saying that she could remain on life support, the Associated Press reports. California Superior Court Judge Evelio Grillo ruled that Jahi McMath could stay on a ventilator, the report shows. The ruling came after Children’s Hospital Oakland decided to disconnect life support…

Updated: Saturday, Dec. 21, 4:58 p.m. ET: Justine Sacco has been fired from her job as director of corporate communications at IAC, according to a statement released by the company. “The offensive comment does not reflect the views and values of IAC,” the email statement reads. “We take this issue very seriously, and we have…

The American Civil Liberties Union this week filed a lawsuit against Eureka City Schools in California on behalf of four teenagers, who said they were bullied by other students and subjected to discrimination by teachers, the Raw Story reports. The suit, filed in conjunction with the National Center for Youth Law, charges that racial slurs…

Sangeeta Richard had always wanted to work abroad. Her wish came true when she became a nanny for Devyani Khobragade, India’s deputy consul general in New York. Unfortunately, according to prosecutors, Khobragade had no intention of paying Richard minimum wage to comply with American wage laws, and she committed visa fraud by asserting she would.…

We are deep in the throes of the holiday season, so why not consider using some of your dollars to support black-owned businesses before the year is out? Here are 10 businesses for you to check out in the coming week. 1. Heritage Link Brands Los Angeles-based Heritage Link Brands is the largest U.S. marketer…

“My father told me that his maternal grandmother’s side of the family descended from a British Loyalist family who owned a plantation in Virginia. When the American Revolution started, this family relocated (and took all their slaves with them) to Jamaica, another British colony at that time. Is there any way that I can verify…

The Rev. Al Sharpton on Thursday heard directly from residents, faith leaders and activists about just how to help curb gun violence in Chicago, which is besieged by shootings of young black males. Speakers at the town hall-style event, which was held at Hyde Park Academy High School, a short distance from President Barack Obama’s…